White Mountains holidays - Entertaining, scenic and laidback

A family-friendly destination with an array of activities to enjoy

The White Mountains are one of the Northeast’s most popular vacation destinations. With a wealth of attractions, there’s something for everyone in the family to enjoy – and all among breathtaking mountain scenery.

In the summer, take the Mount Washington Cog Railway to the nearly 6,300-foot-peak where you’ll enjoy panoramic views of the mountains and the impressive surrounding landscape. If that’s not enough, there’s an aerial tramway in Franconia Notch State Park that will bring you to the top of Cannon Mountain with more jaw-dropping vistas from the 4,080-foot summit where the mountains of four states and Canada can be seen on a clear day. There are miles and miles of hiking trails in the park and the surrounding White Mountain National Forest, including a portion of the Appalachian Trail.

At Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, you’ll find a wealth of thrills, including a summer tubing hill, a scenic chairlift ride, a Mountain Coaster and a Giant Swing. Its aerial adventure park boasts a rope course, zip lines and all sorts of heart-pounding challenges. When the weather’s hot, there are few better places to go than Lincoln’s Whale’s Tale Water Park, named one of the top water parks in the entire nation by TripAdvisor, with rides for everyone from tiny tots to adults.

Wintertime in the White Mountains brings a picture-postcard snowy wonderland and a host of snow sport opportunities, including skiing and boarding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, tubing, sleigh rides and dog sledding.

Five reasons to visit White Mountains, New Hampshire

• This is the ultimate winter playground, offering a wide range of snow sports and idyllic Christmas towns, as well as the chance to go alpine and cross-country skiing, ice skating, snowboarding, snow tubing, ice fishing, and dog sledding
• Leaf-peeping in the fall with some of the most brilliant autumn foliage, including fiery reds, golden yellows and intense orange hues, in all of New England
• Summer adventures from hiking, mountain biking and paddling to fishing, whitewater rafting and golfing, or simply lounging in the sun on one of the many lakeside beaches
• Home to a number of luxury resorts, like Mountain Edge Resort in Sunapee, visitors can enjoy an array of activities as well as relaxation, with its onsite spa boasting treatments designed to calm and relax, along with indoor and outdoor saltwater pools, and hot tubs
• The White Mountains are a shoppers’ paradise, famous for outlet shopping, antiques, old fashioned country shops, national retail stores, and galleries like the League of NH Craftsmen Littleton Retail Gallery where everything is handmade by New Hampshire artists