A summer vacation in the White Mountains
Driving into the mountains of New Hampshire is like hitting the refresh button for me. I’m not sure if it’s the sight of lush trees up the slopes of towering mountains or the clean, fresh air filling my lungs. I feel centered. Memories of my own childhood visits filled my mind as my husband and I visited the White Mountain area this week with my sons. While we wouldn’t be hiking this time around, I knew that just being surrounded by nature would give my family the much needed rest we all deserved in a summer of chaos.
In planning this trip, I had two major goals. I wanted to keep our travel plans simple and us flexible. The rising sun and the sounds of the Pemigewasset River would be waking us up instead of the jarring sounds of an alarm clock. The second goal was to make sure that we did something for everyone. It was the simplest trip to plan but yet the one that has left us all the most refreshed. Here is what he did on our White Mountain Summer vacation:
- For the Boys. There were two stops we made specifically for my sons, Story Land and Clark’s Trading Post. I’ve already shared my thoughts and experiences on Story Land here. Clark’s Trading Post is located in Lincoln and hosts an assortment of attractions. The favorites for my boys is the trained bear performance and the ride on the White Mountain Central Railroad. You can learn more about Clark’s Trading Post here.
- For Mom and Dad. For my husband and I, it started with picking the right place to stay. We wanted just the right hotel and found it on Loon Mountain at the Mountain Club. Our room looked out over the river, which serenaded us through the night. The indoor and outdoor pools were much loved by our sons and we both took turns using the saunas and hot tubs. It was the perfect lodging for this trip.
- For Everyone. Who can resist great deals? I know we couldn’t. We visited Settler’s Green in North Conway a few times during our stay and scored some major deals. The best part is that a large playground and splashground kept the boys entertained while we each took turns checking out our favorite stores, like Bass, Gap, Old Navy, Under Armour, and Gymboree.
If you’d like to learn more about the area and plan your own vacation, take a look at VisitWhiteMountains.com.
Chris Flynn is mom to two rambunctious boys. A homebody at heart, Chris fell in love and found herself moving around like a gypsy. When she isn’t packing, on a plane, or in a car, you can find her at Mom’s Favorite Stuff or on Twitter.
