More Summer Family Fun Arrives at New England Ski Resorts

 Mt. Washington Valley, New England, Resorts, Smugglers' Notch, Vermont  No Responses »
May 282011
 

Giant Swing at the new Mt Cranmore Adventure Park in New Hampshire's Mt. Washington Valley

     For a number of years, New England’s ski resorts have been investing in a wide range of attractions and activities designed to encourage families to visit all year round.   This summer, there seems to be an emphasis on attractions of interest to families with teens and tweens at some of our favorite New England summer destinations.  If you are heading to New Hampshire’s White  Mountains this summer be sure to check out the new Adventure Park at Mount Cranmore in the Mount Washington Valley.  In Vermont, Smugglers’ Notch is adding a number of new summer adventure options and jazzing up its day camp and evening programs for teens and tweens.

Mt. Cranmore Mountain Adventure Park Opens Memorial Day Weekend

     The new Mt. Cranmore Mountain Adventure Park opened Memorial Day weekend.  It offers plenty of action and thrills to keep teens and tweens busy all day.  These include:

Disc golf and chair lift rides at Mt Cranmore

  • An Aerial Adventure Park with a high  ropes course through the trees that includes rope ladders, bridges, cargo nets and ziplines
  • A chairlift serviced Mountain Coaster which drops over 1300 feet at speeds of up to 25 miles an hour
  • A giant swing
  • Summer tubing
  • A Four Plex euro-style trampoline
  • An 18-hole disc golf course
  • Chairlift rides
  • Bounce houses and more

     A wide range of ticket options and combo passes are available on the Cranmore web site.  Reservations are recommended for scheduled 3-hour sessions in the Aerial  Adventure Park.  Stay and Play lodging and ticket packages are also available for a number of area hotels including the Red Jacket Inn, home to the an indoor water park!

Smugglers’ Notch Updates Teen and Tween Activities

     Vermont’s Smugglers’ Notch resort is well known for its teen and tween winter programs.   The resort has long offered summer days camps and evening programs for kids, teens and tweens as well, but this year they are updating the options for teens including:

Segway tour at Smugglers' Notch

  • Introducing Adventure Connection family packages that include outings like the Arbotrek zip line course, llama treks, canoeing or kayaking, and a Segway tour.
  • Adding an outdoor, high-definition video screen measuring 12×19 feet that will be set up for Big Screen Night for teens on Thursdays at 9 pm, under the stars.
  • Continuing to offer night time teen and tween parties — such as the glow in the dark night programs with a DJ dance party and glow in the dark ping pong— as well as late night swims at the Courtside Pool, evening teen gatherings at the indoor FunZone, and a nightime dodgeball tournament.

     Of course, in addition to all the man-made attractions, New England’s four-season ski resorts continue to feature beautiful scenery and lots of opportunities to take day hikes in the mountains.   If you go, let us know what you think of these newest summer activities for teens and tweens in the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont.

Photos courtesy of the resorts


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An Unexpected Christmas 2010 Family Vacation Sidetrip

 New England, Ski Country  2 Responses »
Jan 012011
 

     As any New Englander knows, the weather in the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont can be cold, windy and unpredictable.  Undaunted by 17 inches of snow at home on the day after Christmas 2010, we packed up all manner of ski and skate gear, shoveled our driveway and headed north from Boston on Monday morning for a long planned Christmas ski and snowboard vacation with our Vermont based cousins.

December 27, 2010 - the storm is over, lets hit the road!

     Our initial destination, Burke Mountain in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom would normally be a 4 hour drive via Route 93 through New Hampshire’s White Mountains.   Although the snow had stopped at home and we saw blue sky in Southern New Hampshire, things got interesting as we approached the Mountains. 

Entering the White Mountains things got interesting

     Apparently, no one had told Mother Nature that the storm was over as we hit total whiteout conditions that reduced visibility to about 10 feet and came complete with whipping winds and wind chills.  Although it was 1:30 in the afternoon it looked like the dead of night.     With snow plows and other cars all crawling along within feet of one another and covering just a few hair raising miles in a half hour we decided enough was enough since we still had about 90 miles to go.  We want to thank the kind folks at Tony’s Italian Grille in Thornton, NH for letting us get out of the snow and pointing us towards local accommodations.   We also want to thank the kind folks at Gilcrest Cottages and Motel in Thornton, NH for welcoming us in from the elements with no notice or reservations. 

Waiting out the storm at the Gilcrest Cottages and Motel in Thornton, NH

      Located within a reasonable drive to Waterville Valley, Loon and Cannon Mountains, this cozy, traditional New England motor court was a great, affordable port in a storm.  The Gilcrest motel rooms are basic but very clean.  We enjoyed the fireplace and found that two connecting rooms provided enough space for the marooned parents and teens.   Once we got settled we had time for some family games as the wind and snow continued until well after dark and we were pleased with our decision to break up the trip. 

Time for family board games as we wait out the storm

     As things calmed down in the evening we ventured out to the nearby Mad River Tavern in Campton, NH for great family dinner fare and friendly service.   After a restful night’s sleep we were up early as the new day arrived with brilliant sun and we enjoyed the daylight drive through the dazzling White Mountains and Franconia Notch on our way to the Northeast Kingdom.  

Passing through Franconia Notch on a sparkling morning after the storm

     We’ll be sharing our ski adventures shortly, but as an end note to the story of our unexpected New Hampshire sidetrip, by the time we returned home, on New Years Day, Boston was seeing 60 degree weather and the snow banks were receding rapidly.    As the saying goes, if you don’t like the weather in New England just wait a minute, it is sure to change.

Share Unexpected Christmas Vacation Sidetrip Stories

     We know the Christmas blizzard of 2010 wreaked havoc with lots of travel plans and we are grateful we got where we wanted to go with only a one night delay that actually turned out to be pretty  pleasant.  We know other families spent days at airports and some probably never reached their destination.  If you’ve blogged about your unexpected Christmas 2010 vacation detours, we love to hear about it.  Please leave a comment and a link.  And Happy New Year to all!

White Mountains Family Vacation on raveable


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Best New Hampshire Ski Resorts for Families with Teens

 Ski Country  No Responses »
Dec 032010
 

     

Ski New Hampshire, courtesy Omni Mt Washington Resort

     Our checklist for picking the best ski resorts for families with teens includes a lodging set-up that allows teens a fair amount of independence and a range of on and off slope options for everyone in the group.  We found the following three resorts that fill the bill in New Hampshire.

Omni Mount Washington Resort at Bretton Woods

     The Omni Mount Washington Resort  in Bretton Woods is New Hampshire’s largest ski area with 464 acres of skiing and snowboarding on 102 trails and glades, four terrain parks and nine lifts.  Located in the heart of the White Mountains’ Presidential Range, the scenery is spectacular and the choice of available activities is impressive. 

Omni Mount Washington Winter Canopy Tour, courtesy Omni

     There are no specific teen lesson programs but an innovative Family private lesson option pairs up to 5 family members of any age with 2 instructors for a one hour private lessons to get every one started or to brush up on skills.  Teens 13 and older can participate in adult group or private lessons.  The Terrain Parks offer lots of options for boarders.  Teens age 13-17 get a $14 daily discount off of adult rates and additional ticket discounts are available to visitors staying at the resort.

     Off the slopes the resort has 100 km of nordic trails and many other activities including family sleigh rides, snow tubing, dog sledding, and a 25, 000  square foot spa.  Teens 16 and older can experience any spa service while younger teens and tweens can accompany parents for manicures, pedicures or hair services.    New this year, the Bretton Woods Canopy Tour, provides one of the longest canopy tours in the U.S. including the Williwaw Racing Zipline.  Together they allow you to get a view over the treetops from 150 feet up in the air. 

    The resort offers ski in/ski out condo rentals, a family friendly lodge, 34 rooms in the historic Bretton Arms Inn and  200 rooms and suites in the recently renovated grand Mount Washington Hotel.

Cranmore Mountain Resort

      Located in North Conway in the heart of the Mount Washington Valley, the Cranmore Mountain Resort features a good size mountain with 2000 feet of elevation, 54 trails and 10 lifts.   Teens age 13-17 get a $10 daily discount off of adult rates.   Less  expensive night tickets are available for skiing on Saturdays when there are fireworks and select school vacation times when the mountain stays open after dark.

In the parks at Cranmore Mountain Resort, courtesy John Webster

     The area is compact enough that teens can navigate it on their own with buddies or make some new friends in the terrain parks.   The 3 parks aptly named the Lucky Loop, the Other Side and the Darkside were designed by SPT, a group that also consults to the X games. 

     The resort has recently opened  the twisting, turning Mountain Coaster sled on rails and expanded its popular snow tubing park to 10 lanes wide with lift service. 

     There are no condos right on the mountain but many lodging options are available very close by in the numerous hotels, inns, and condo rental complexes available in North Conway.  Many have heated indoor pools and hot tubs available.  Check the Resort’s web list of lodging partners – many will include free lift tickets, breakfast and other incentives in their stay and ski package promotions.  Not a skier?  Drop the teens at the mountain and head down the street to North Conway for lunch and tax-free shopping.

 Waterville Valley

      One of the closest big mountain ski areas to Boston, Waterville Valley resort is a self-contained outpost located  in the White Mountain National Forest. 

Waterville Valley

      The mountain has vertical drop of 2,020 feet with 52 trails at all levels, including moguls, a half pipe and a superpipe.   Overnight lodgings are not permitted within the National Forest but  the base village hosts a range of condo, suites and hotel options is a short shuttle ride away.    Teens age 13-17 get a $10 daily discount off of adult rates

     The resort is not fancy and does not have mountain coasters or zip lines.  However, the self-contained nature of the area and the short ride from Boston makes it a good option for a weekend getaway.  We have found the lessons to be top notch.  This is the resort where hockeyprincess learned to snowboard last winter and we expect to make a return visit this year.

Mountains Open Early This Year!

     It is already shaping up to be a good ski season in New Hampshire as the temperatures are falling and the snow guns are going.  Waterville Valley and Bretton Woods, as well as several others, were open for skiing on Thanksgiving and Cranmore has a good turnout for the opening of its Mountain Coaster.  Whether you ski, snowboard, shop or go to the spa New Hampshire’s mountains make for a fun family winter getaway with teens and tweens.

White Mountains Family Vacation on raveable


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University of New Hampshire: First Impressions

 College Visits  No Responses »
Oct 082010
 
University of New Hampshire: First Impressions

          The University of New Hampshire (UNH) — home of the Wildcats –  in Durham, New Hampshire, is a mid-size university of slightly over 14,000 students.  We recently attended an open house that included an admissions overview session, a student-led question and answer opportunity, in-depth presentations from faculty representing different areas of study, lunch, a resource fair, and a campus tour.       We were impressed with the school’s commitment to promoting undergraduate research opportunities.  Unlike many universities that channel research grant funding toward graduate students, UNH actively encourages undergraduates to work on grant-funded research across many disciplines and to compete for University provided funding for their own research initiatives.    The school’s dozens of research centers collectively receive over $100 million in external research funding annually so there are a myriad of opportunities for [...]

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New England Foliage Weekend Ideas

 Uncategorized  6 Responses »
Oct 012010
 
New England Foliage Weekend Ideas

          New England’s foliage season is already  in full force in the northern reaches of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire.  The central portions of those states will most likely  peak right around  Columbus Day.   In the later part of October the colors will roll across central Massachusetts and then on to Cape Cod, Rhode Island and Connecticut.       If you are hoping for a family getaway to look at the leaves recognize that teens and tweens are probably going to need more activity than is provided simply by driving up and down New England’s scenic highways.   Our suggestion is to target an area that can provide a mix of scenery, outdoor activity and some thrills for teens and tweens.       Some of our favorite leaf peeping locations include New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Valley, [...]

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A Walk Around Dartmouth College and Hanover, NH

 College Visits, Reviews  No Responses »
Aug 042010
 
A Walk Around Dartmouth College and Hanover, NH

Even if you are short for time when visiting Dartmouth College, take a break to stroll around Hanover, NH and enjoy the small town ambiance.

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Mount Washington Vally, NH in the Summer – We’ve Gotta Go Back

 Best trip archives, Mt. Washington Valley  No Responses »
Jul 182010
 
Mount Washington Vally, NH in the Summer - We've Gotta Go Back

     With only three days to visit the Mount Washington Valley, there were a lot of wonderful attractions and experiences that we had to defer to our next visit.   In particular, we hope to return soon to ride the Mount Washington Cog Railwayto the top of Mount Washington, kayak or tube on the Saco river and check out the glacial caves and canyons at the Polar Caves, the Flume Gorge or the Lost River Gorge.      Like the ride up the Mount Washington Auto Road, the Cog Railway is a classic New England experience.    They both take you to the summit of Mount Washington, but that is where the similarities end.  Opened in 1869 the Cog hauls riders up the mountain using  a rack-and-pinion rail system running on an average 25% grade (and [...]

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