Week 5: White Mountains in New Hampshire
- Week 0: The Craziness Before The Adventure
- Days 1-4: Mississippi Children’s Museum & Moochdocking at Friends
- Days 5-9: Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga-TN, Natural Bridge State Park-VA, and Outdoor Drive-in Movie Theatre
- Days 10-16: NYC Playscapes, Brooklyn Bridge, Liberty & Ellis Island, and Legoland New York
- Days 17-22: Boston, Museums, and Family
- Days 23-26: Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor
- Week 5: White Mountains in New Hampshire
- Week 6: Adirondacks, Olympic Museum, Ausable Chasm, and Fort Ticonderoga
- Week 7: Upstate New York and Niagara Falls
- Week 8: Mid-West Route Home-Ohio, Lousiville, and Memphis
- Trip Recap: 56-Nights North East Summer 2024 RV Trip
Days 27-30: North Conway, Franconia and Saco River (Aug 07 – Aug 11)
Bar Harbor, ME to Twin Mountain, NH – 234 miles, 4.75 hours.
Without our Airstream Trailer, we had to adjust our original plans and opt for a hotel stay in North Conway, NH, instead of the Twin Mountain / Mt. Washington KOA campground for this leg of the trip.
During our first few days in New Hampshire, we found ourselves zipping back and forth between North Conway, Franconia Notch State Park, and Crawford Notch State Park. One of the most random and fun discoveries was the Saco River. We spotted it from the side of the road, pulled over, and let the kids splash and play in its crystal-clear waters—a simple yet memorable moment.
I highly recommend Echo Lake Beach at Franconia Notch State Park (not to be confused with Echo Lake State Park in North Conway). It’s an easy spot for water and sand play that’s perfect for families. Bring a shovel and bucket for the kids! Kayak rentals are available if the weather isn’t too windy, making it a great way to enjoy the lake.
We also visited the Willey House Historical Site, where we learned about the area’s tragic history, and stopped by the nearby Crawford Depot, a historic passenger train station surrounded by beautiful views.
Of course, we couldn’t miss driving the famous Kancamagus Highway, a scenic route known for its incredible views and access to multiple hiking and waterfall trails, including the Sabbaday Brook Trail and Sabbaday Falls. We would love to return during peak fall foliage to fully appreciate the vibrant autumn colors some day.
Day 30-32: Lincoln, Mt. Washington, Downhill MTB (Aug 11 – Aug 13)
North Conway, NH to Lincoln, NH – 41 miles, 1 hour.
We checked into another hotel in Lincoln, NH for the second part of our New Hampshire adventures. Loon Mountain Bike Park was just minutes away. This made it easy to get to our morning lessons on time without the early wake-ups to drive an hour. Spending a full day at Loon Mountain for downhill mountain biking was filled with adrenaline and super fun!
The next day, we rode the iconic Mount Washington Cog Railway, an incredible experience that offers a choice between the historic steam engine or a modern biodiesel train to reach the summit of Mount Washington. The views along the way and at the top were breathtaking. Don’t forget to bring a warm coat or thick sweater as the temperature drops massively even on a hot summer day! After our ride, we stopped by the nearby Mt. Washington Hotel & Resort for a relaxing lunch and refreshments in a stunning historic setting.
