NH’s White Mountains are for Kids
Northern New Hampshire is Full of Family-friendly Activities
Story Land, The Cog Railway, Polar Caves, Santa's Village, Whales Tale Water Park and performing bears are just a sampling of the fun NH offers children of all ages.
The White Mountains have something for everyone. While their parents are marveling at the sweeping mountain views, kids will build summer vacation memories climbing in a tree house, sharing Miss Muffet’s tuffet and trying out the beds in the Three Bears House at Story Land or patting the reindeer at Santa’s Village.
Travelers of all ages can enjoy the train rides – Conway Scenic Railroad, Hobo Railroad with an on-board clown that doubles as traffic cop while the train crosses the busy Kancamagus Highway and the Cog Railway as it huffs and puffs up New England’s highest peak.
Hot days are cooler at Whales Tale Water Park or on the water slide at Attitash, or at the top of one of the several mountains with aerial rides to the top.
Older kids may prefer to climb one of the White Mountains under their own steam, and there are enough to choose from. Mount Willard, at the head of Crawford Notch, has an old carriage road to the top, and any of the peaks in the Presidential Range rewards climbers with unobstructed views from their upper slopes, which are above timber line.
Shorter hikes lead to waterfalls – Arethusa and Ripley Falls in Crawford Notch, Diana’s Bath in Conway or Sabbaday Falls off the Kancamagus Highway. The Appalachian Mountain Club maintains most of the White Mountain trails, as well as two centers, one in Pinkham Notch and the other at Highland Center at the head of Crawford Notch, where programs introduce families to hiking and various outdoor sports. Those without their own equipment can even borrow high quality gear from the Highland Center, included in the modest lodging rates.
Natural wonders are part of the White Mountains’ appeal. Kids can fit through The Lemon Squeezer and other narrow rock passages at Lost River, and explore the dark recesses of Polar Caves as they learn how smugglers and runaway slaves once hid there. At the top of Loon Mountain, reached by a high-riding gondola, they can explore more glacial caves formed by tumbled rocks the size of houses.
Along with the modestly-priced family rooms at the Appalachian Mountain Clubcenters, the White Mountains are filled with family-friendly lodgings in all price ranges. Even most motels have swimming pools for hot days, along with playgrounds and other amusements for children. Posh resort hotels such as the Mount Washington have complete children’s programs that leave parents free for a round of golf or a romantic dinner for two.
