Beautiful North Conway, New Hampshire: Here are the Top 5 Things to do during the Winter
Nestled in the heart of the White Mountains, North Conway offers stunning views and plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy during the colder winter months.
Here are the top five things to do in North Conway:
1. Go Skiing or Snowboarding in North Conway
* If skiing is not your thing then keep scrolling
Canmore Mountain Resort is a local favorite offering a variety of trails for skiers and snowboarders of all ski levels.
Price:
Ski and Snowboard Rentals:
1 Day:
Adult (19-64): $54
Teen ( 13- 18) $54
Child (6-12) $42
Helmets: $19 (All ages)
Lift Prices
1Day:
Monday through Thursday:
Adult (19-64): $99
Teen (12- 18) $99
Child ( 6- 12) $79
Friday through Sunday:
Adult: $109
Teen: $109
Child: $79
- Holiday Rates are the same as weekend rates.
Winter Long Ski Passes
$745 with Blackout Rates
$1038 without Blackout Rates
- Travel Tip:
Make sure to ask about military discounts.
Also, sometimes they have deals on Sunday.
Website: https://www.cranmore.com/
On the website, you can also find updated weather and snow accumulation.
- The town is also home to a network of more than 200 miles of snowshoe and cross-country ski trails, making it a paradise for any winter sports enthusiast.
2. Walk North Conway’s Main Street
In addition to its outdoor activities, North Conway also offers a variety of shops and restaurants to explore. The town’s main street is lined with cute boutiques and gift shops, where you can find everything from locally-made crafts to souvenirs. And when it comes to dining, North Conway has something for everyone, from cozy cafes to fine dining restaurants.
Best Cafés in North Conway, New Hampshire
The Metropolitan Coffeehouse:
Hours: 7am to 5pm
Known For: Specialty coffee drinks, crêpes, and gelatos.
The walls are covered in artwork and there are places to sit downstairs, upstairs, and outside.
Frontside Coffee Roasters:
Hours: 6:30am to 5pm
Known for: coffee specialty drinks and an assortment of egg sandwiches.
May Kelly’s Cottage:
I cannot highlight places to eat without highlighting May Kelly’s. It is not a cafe, but it is one of my favorite places.
Hours: Mon- Thur: 4pm to 9pm
Fri -Sun: 12pm to 8 pm
Closed on most Holidays.
Known for: It is a traditional Irish pub and restaurant. It’s family-friendly and will transport you to Ireland.
Travel Tip: On Sunday afternoon, you will usually experience a seisiúm, which is Gaelic for “season”. It is a casual get-together by some of the musicians. It might start with 3 people playing traditional Irish music and then grow to 10 as the night goes on.
Shops in North Conway, NH
Zeb’s General Store:
Hours: 9am to 6pm
If you are looking for a place to feel nostalgic, then this is the place. Zeb’s truly makes you feel like you stepped back in time.
Famous for: Atmosphere, unique candy, fudge, and a variety of other items.
- 2 minute walk from the Scenic Railroad.
Poppy and Vale:
Hours: 10am to 5pm
Poppy and Vale is an adorable botanical shop.
Famous for: cute gift ideas to pamper yourself or others.
North Conway Five and Dime
Hours: 10am to 4pm
Another historic general store. If you can’t find the items you’re looking for at Zeb’s then they will have it here.
Known for: unique candy, toys, and some apparel.
3. Go Hiking in North Conway, New Hampshire
Green Hills Preserve/ Pudding Pond
Level: Easy
A great family hike that takes you to Pudding pond. The Pond is about a mile in from where you park.
Travel Tip: Unfortunately the parking only has enough spacing for 8 to 10 cars, so if it’s full there is nowhere else to park.
Scroll down to see the progression of how our hike went.
Unfortunately, we never made it to the pond. Even for a simple hike, this is the reality with a 4-year-old.:)
Whitaker Woods
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Whitaker Woods hike offers a lot of easy flat trails that are great for small children.
Echo Lake Trail
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Echo Lake is a bit further than downtown North Conway, but it’s a beautiful walk around a lake.
- There are no dogs allowed on this trail.
ESI River Walk Trail
Level: Beginner
The river walk trail is an easy relaxing trail through the woods. Great for smaller children.
4. Visit the North Conway Scenic Railway
During the winter, you can enjoy an 80-minute train ride through the snowy landscape of the White Mountains. This was the highlight of our trip!
Guests have an option to layover between trains at the Attitash whistle stop.
Price: You can purchase coach tickets for as low as $39. Or you can sit in the dome with 360 views of the landscape for $57 a ticket.
5. Go Ice Skating in North Conway
Schouler Park: Outdoor ice skating rink
Located in front of the historic train station, Schouler park is in the heart of the city. During the winter months, they rope off a section to turn it into an ice skating rink.
* The rink is based on the weather. If it is too warm, then they close the rink.
6. Bonus attraction: Visit some of the Historic Covered Bridges
You cannot visit this part of New England without visiting some of its historic covered bridges. There are 2 historic covered bridges near the center of North Conway.
- The Sweet River Bridge: You can park next to this bridge and take the time to explore by walking across it or walking down to the stream below and
- The Saco Cover Bridge: If you just want to take a drive, you can drive from North Conway to Conway and drive through the covered bridge.
