North Conway, New Hampshire
North Conway, New Hampshire is an idyllic New England village that looks like it stepped right out of a post card. Set against the backdrop of the White Mountains and rolling farm country, North Conway is a town graced with steepled churches and covered bridges. The village is a part of the Town of Conway, named for Henry Seymour Conway, former Secretary of State of the United States. Today, a day's itinerary in North Conway can include fishing, hiking, golfing, skiing, mountain biking, and whitewater rafting.A large chunk of New Hampshire is comprised of the White Mountain National Forest. This is New England's largest piece of public property, and one of the country's most popular forests. The forest consists of 770,000 acres of trees, lakes, streams, and waterfalls. Deer, bear, moose, otter, and a host of other wildlife call the area home. Russell Pond, Sawyer Pond, and Long Pond are excellent fishing spots for trout, bass, perch, and pickerel. The forest is a hiker's paradise, with over 1200 miles of trails that will satisfy every skill level. Part of the Appalachian Trail runs through the area.
Franconia Notch State Park covers 6500 acres and receives more than 2 million visitors a year. It is hard to not be overly enthusiastic when describing this magnificent park. Sun worshipers can combine tanning time with an afternoon dip at Echo Lake, also a haven for fishing, canoeing, and paddleboat enthusiasts. For a great view of the surrounding area, board the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway for a 7-minute long cable-car ride up the mountain. The trip offers panoramic views into Canada, Vermont, Maine, and New York. The tram is part of the Cannon Mountain Ski Resort, which has six lifts whisking skiers and snow boarders to over 40 trails for all skill levels.
When winter hits, North Conway is within a short drive of some of the best skiing in New Hampshire. Attitash Bear Peak has 70 trails spread out over 280 skiable acres. Snowboarders will love the Attitash Superpipe, the longest such alpine playground in New Hampshire. Wildcat Mountain Ski Resort has 47 trails spread out over 225 skiable acres. Wildcat was recently voted the #1 resort in the East for beauty by the readers of Ski Magazine. One of the highlights of the resort is the Polecat Trail, a 2.75-mile beginner trail that is the longest run in all of New Hampshire. The King Pine Ski Area is a family oriented ski resort with half of its 16 trails catering to beginner skiers. Snowboarders looking for a challenge can work on their skills on the terrain park. Eight of the trails are open for night skiing.
North Conway can serve as a starting out point for other regional attractions. If you love stunning views, be sure to take the Mt. Washington Auto Road, a scenic drive to New Hampshire's highest peak. Billing itself as "America's oldest man-made attraction", the Auto Road has been receiving interested view seekers for over 140 years. History buffs will want to visit Heritage, a re-creation of an early New England village. Located in Glen, this "living museum" allows visitors to step back in time and visit life in early New Hampshire. Take the little ones to Story Land, a children's oriented theme park, where they can take a ride on a pumpkin coach or a pirate ship. Folks who like exploring what's beneath the Earth's surface will get a kick out of USA New Jersey Sea Isle City. No matter what kind of adventure you are looking for, North Conway has something to appease your palate.
