An Active Trip to Conway, New Hampshire

 

There is just something to be said about heading to the mountains to escape your normal hustle and bustle. Whether you are looking for a relaxing retreat, or an active trip filled with adventure, Conway, NH has a the perfect balance of the two. As a child, we did not have a lot of money to go on vacation. Conway was our go-to spot for an affordable, active trip. This is a perfect vacation spot for all ages because of the camping opportunities, scenic drives, hiking, boating, the cog railway, Story Land, Santa’s Village and so much more. There are just so many options for an active trip to Conway, New Hampshire! Check out some of our favorites!

Conway as a Child

As I mentioned, we did not have a lot of money to go to Disney or tropical vacations, but my parents did take us camping to Conway, NH! Those who are closest to me will say I have an elephant brain because I remember EVERYTHING! On our first trip, I will never forget waking up from a nap, and seeing a giant moose crossing the street, while my mom and brother napped. We rented a pop-up camper on that trip, where we went to Santa’s Village, Story Land, and had many scenic drives. It was our first vacation as a family, and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

In retirement, my grandparents bought an RV and traveled all over the US! I wrote about them being my inspiration for travelling, because not only did their travels inspire me, but having them generously take us on trips in the RV helped plant the travel bug! One of the trips they took us on when we a little older, was to the Mount Washington Hotel, which is now owned by Omni. This is a gorgeous, old hotel, that has been restored and maintained so its guests can treasure the historic charm. 

My fond memories on that trip included going on a mountain bike ride along the river with my brother. I remember riding along the river, which had carved its way through rock, making a smooth path over time. Since we were just kids, nightlife for us meant using a laser pointer from our bedroom at unsuspected victims while the adults were grabbed a few drinks at the hotel bar. While on this trip we also enjoyed swimming in the pool, riding the cog railway and the fancy dinners at night! One of these days, we will make it back there!

Teenage Camping Adventures

As a teenager, my friend and I came to Conway, NH with her family where we roughed it in a tent at a campsite right on Conway Lake. While we were there, we spent time swimming, roasting marshmallows, driving up Mount Washington, scenic drives on the Kancamagus Highway, water skiing, trying to meet our summer loves at other campsites, and snacks and movies at the lodge.

On this trip, I learned my very first camping lessons! First was to come prepared with a soft surface to sleep on! We ended up buying inflatable rafts for the water to sleep on because after our first night of laying on pebbles, we needed another option! The second lesson was making sure that your tent is shielded from the rain. We had a cold, wet, and hard sleep the first night, when it decided to rain! It was exciting coming back as an adult to take on an active trip to Conway, New Hampshire, filled with hiking, swimming and scenic drives.

Our Adult Trips to Conway

As adults, we have been able to visit Conway on two occasions, one in the Fall time with the goal of hiking Mount Washington and in the summer to see more of the town. The first trip was not part of T & A’s grand adventure, but I find it important to add for anyone looking for an active trip to Conway.

On our first trip to Conway as adults, we had a master plan to hike Mount Washington! We arrived on the first day, and through a New England hiking book, found a “short” hike to do the day before at Mount Osceola. What we didn’t know was that this was going to be a pretty challenging hike, especially before embarking on a beast like Mount Washington. We thought we were just going to have a nice warm up hike for the following day, but had we had the All Trails app, we would have seen that this was a pretty challenging hike! This hike posted above shows it as being a much longer hike, but we started at the listed starting point, hiked to to summit and went back. Round trip it was about 6 miles with a 4340 summit. 

Tackling Mount Washington

On day 2, we woke up with tight hips and calves which was not a good start to the day. We were prepared with our hiking shoes, camelbaks filled with water, lunch and some snacks and some celebratory beers in our cooler! We decided on the Tuckerman Ravine trail, but some other options for this hike are Boott Spur Trail, which apparently has great views and Lion Head Tail. The hike into Tuckerman Ravine was about 2.4 miles to the shelter where we enjoyed a snack. Once you hit the ravine, it is a gorgeous 360 degree view. This is a good place to fuel up, because the next 1.7 miles are really tough to the summit! After a lot of saying, “I think we are almost there,” scrambling up what felt like 2 miles of rocks, we finally made it to the top!

I was able to get a few good photos, and then the fog set in. While we ate our PB&J’s at the welcome center, we discussed how terrible going back down was going to be. For starters, it was super foggy and windy. Then add in being completely exhausted, we started contemplating hitchhiking. We ended up biting the bullet and paying $30 a piece to take the shuttle back down. I know. I know. We chickened out, but I really felt we made the safest choice. Our cold beers at the bottom helped us forget about our failed descent!

View from the top…before the fog rolled in!

And this was literally only about 5-10 minutes later!

Post Hike Thoughts

If we could have done it all over again, we would have nixed the hike the day before, and just done something active but not strenuous instead. I also would have been better equipped with trekking poles. When the climb got really steep and the wind kicked in, it was really hard to maintain balance. I think the poles would have been much safer, and helped us tremendously on the way down. One thing I won’t regret was checking out some of the area’s breweries and restaurants to refill afterwards! We enjoyed dinner and beer at MOAT Mountain Smokehouse and Brewery At the time, I was just starting to enjoy craft beer, so decided to do a flight of beer, and had my go-to favorite, pulled pork sandwich! It was nice to sit at the bar, unwind, and feed our bodies!

More Ways to Enjoy Mount Washington

If hiking isn’t your cup of tea, there are plenty of great options for enjoying the summit of Mount Washington. My first experience to this summit was the Cog Railway. This is a steam train that sends you all the way to the top! At one point, called Jacob’s ladder, the angle is so steep, that you can lean in on a 37.41% angle! Another more adventurous trip to the summit is to use the auto road. With an average grade of 12% and a lack of guardrails, so this is not for someone afraid of heights! If you are not too keen on driving your own car, you can also get a guided tour to the top which includes some stops where you can learn about the mountain, take short walks, and enjoy the views!

Another Active Trip to Conway, NH

On our return trip to Conway during our big adventure, we wanted to explore some new hiking as well as some other attractions in the area. We stayed at a super Airbnb right near everything. Our Airbnb had four rooms for rent, but we probably had the best suite in the house. This was a historic, Victorian home, where they preserved some of the historic charm with some modern upgrades. As soon as we checked in, we knew we picked the right place to relax during an active trip to Conway, New Hampshire! 

Our room was on the 2nd floor, and included its own beautiful bathroom, queen bed, office and second twin on the side. This was all at a reasonable price per night! We had plenty of privacy while we worked during the day. After work, we would hike and then socialize with the other guests while prepared a few quick meals. I really enjoyed taking my laptop outside to blog and enjoy the nice weather and listen to the birds!

Short Scenic Hikes

Since we stayed here during the week, we needed short hikes close by, in efforts of saving daylight! Through a recommendation from a friend, we hiked the Mount Willard trail in Crawford Notch and Cathedral Ledge. These were perfect post-work day hikes! The Mount Willard trail was only about 3.1 miles round trip. It took us a moment to find the trail head, but once you park at the railroad depot, simply cross the tracks, and you will see the sign. This is a manageable trail for all abilities, with nice views of the stream off to the side. Once you get to the top, you have a breathtaking view of the Crawford Notch. Just be sure to go on a clear day. 

Some other great trails we did were Cathedral Ledge and White Horse Ledge, which you can access both by the same trail head. This was also about 3.1 miles, give or take, depending on how many detours you take, and it is a bit more challenging than Mount Willard Trail. It is still a pretty moderate hike, but not for all levels. The beginning is pretty woodsy, but once you get to the top of each, the view is beautiful! We enjoyed seeing the farms, ski slops, and nice homes down below. 

  

Other MUST do Activities!

After our hike one night, we stopped at the Schartner Farms Jam Barn stand! This is a drive up stand, where you simply pay, on your honor, and help yourself to a small or large jar of jam! You just don’t see these kinds of things in all parts of the country!

No active trip to Conway, New Hampshire would be complete without a drive down the Kancamagus Highway. The highway is 34 miles long, connecting Lincoln to Conway, with a lot of pull off spots for photo ops. Not only is it an awesome scenic drive, but there are numerous hiking trails, campsites, and areas to swim! After seeing Lower Falls so many times, we were glad we finally stopped and took a dip! After a hot day of hiking, we welcomed the chilly river waters a short ways up the Kancamagus Highway! This is a section of the river where many people come to swim in the naturally made water slides! Over years of erosion, the river has created a smooth rock formation where you can slide down into a pool. We also had fun jumping off rocks and sun bathing. 

Conway was always a favorite “staycation” location as a kid, teenager and now as an adult. It has something for everyone, especially if you’re into having an active vacation mixed with activities outdoors, good food, beer and plenty for all ages to enjoy. The White Mountains are simply breathtaking and a drive down the Kancamagus is a must! Next time you are looking for an active trip, look no further than Conway, New Hampshire!