White Mountains in New Hampshire

New Hampshire Notches Northern Scenic Loop Anchorage at the Lake Southern Scenic Loop White Mountains Attractions

Endless blue sky, wet and wild waterfalls and vast mountain vistas-that’s New Hampshire’s picture-perfect White Mountains in a nutshell. Enjoy non-stop scenic beauty, relaxation and phenomenal family fun at this fantastic vacation destination. Experience 16 amazing attractions, which are located close together for easy access. Other activities abound as well such as swimming, hiking, biking, camping and golfing. Picnicking is also a popular preference along with visiting historic sites or experiencing the joy of tax-free shopping. Discover one of the many special events and festivals. Fine dining is in no short supply at a plethora of pocketbook-friendly White Mountains restaurants. Visitors to the White Mountains can also choose from several scenic drives/tours.

New Hampshire Notches. A notch is also known as a “pass” or “gap.” There are several notches in the White Mountains

• Franconia Notch (I-93/Route 3)
• Kinsman Notch in North Woodstock (Rt. 112)
• Pinkham Notch (Rt. 16)
• Jefferson Notch (Rt. 2)
• Crawford Notch (Rt. 302)
• Carter Notch (Jackson)
• Bear Notch (via Bear Notch Road between the Kancamagus Highway to Bartlett)

Notches near the White Mountains include Dixville Notch in the Great North Woods, Sandwich Notch in the Lakes Region and Evans Notch, which runs through the White Mountain National Forest just across the border in western Maine.  [Top]

Northern Scenic Loop. This driving tour features some incredible stops, including the Franconia-Sugar Hill-Easton area. This gentle countryside is a bit more rural, the pace slower and the views absolutely gorgeous. Also worth seeing is Frost Place, once the mountain farm of New Hampshire poet Robert Frost; the Stone Stack Iron Foundry Interpretative Center; the historical Sugar Hill Museum; Franconia’s Abbie Greenleaf Library; and the drives along Routes 116, 117 and Sunset Hill Road. The first ski school in America was located in Sugar Hill and is marked by a state historical marker on Route 117.  [Top]

Southern Scenic Loop. There are several routes to take. A favorite one is to begin in Plymouth, a university town, and follow Route 3 into Ashland, a good spot to shop and grab a bite to eat, then continue on to Holderness, home to the prep school of the same name. This is the Squam Lake area, made famous in the film “On Golden Pond.” Take a boat tour around the lake or visit the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center. Stay on Route 3 and you’ll encounter Meredith, where great views abound from the public parking by the piers. Continue south on Route 3 to Weirs Beach, famousj for its role in the annual June Motorcycle Week. From Meredith, you can turn west onto Route 104 which will take you back to I-93 and your starting point.

For more information, visit www.visitwhitemountains.com.   [Top]

White Mountains Attractions. There are 16 family-friendly attractions nestled in the White Mountains. Below we’ve listed half of them. Find out more about these fun activities as well as the other half at www. www.visitwhitemountains.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=1.

• Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway
  I-93, Exit 34B, Franconia Notch 03580
  603-823-8800
  www.cannonmt.com
  
• Clark's Trading Post
  Route 3, Lincoln 03251
  603-745-8913
  www.clarkstradingpost.com
  
• Conway Scenic Railroad
  Route 16 & 302, North Conway 03860
  603-356-5251
  www.conwayscenic.com
  
• Flume Gorge
  Route 3, Franconia Notch 03580
  603-745-8391
  www.flumegorge.com
  
• Hobo Railroad
  Route 112, Main St., Lincoln 03251
  603-745-2135
  www.hoborr.com
  
• Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves
  Route 112, North Woodstock 03262
  603-745-8031
  www.findlostriver.com
  
• Mount Washington Cog Railway
  Route 302, Base Rd., Bretton Woods 03589
  603-278-5404 or 800-922-8825
  www.thecog.com
  
• Polar Caves Park
  Off I-93, Exit 26, Route 25, Plymouth 03264
  603-536-1888
  www.polarcaves.com  [Top]