Why Is The White Mountains The Perfect Family RV Destination?
Tucked away in North Central New Hampshire lies a lesser-known travel gem for unique family fun attractions and stunning scenery. Named after White Mountain National Forest, the White Mountains have become a year-round destination for family fun in the Northeast. Our family spent two epic summers RV traveling through New England and fell in love with the scenery, small-town charm, and old-fashioned fun attractions. Discover our top stops for a memorable family RV adventure through the White Mountains.
The White Mountains offer something for every RV traveler. For nature lovers, New Hampshire is a natural playground nestled among rugged mountains, rock gorges, and alpine lakes. From scenic drives to train rides and mountain gondolas, there are many ways to take in the local views. History lovers enjoy stepping back in time as they search for the area's many covered bridges. Kids delight in exploring boulder caves, swimming in mountain streams, and family-friendly amusement parks. You'll never run out of things to do in the White Mountains!
Stop 1: Conway, NH
Conway Scenic Railroad
The Conway Scenic Railroad may be the most scenic train ride in the Northeast. The historic train cars enhance the trip, and if you can visit in the fall, the autumn foliage found throughout the White Mountains Valley and Crawford Notch is tough to beat anywhere in the country.
Saco River Covered Bridge
This iconic New England covered bridge is perfect for a quick photo stop and a slice of history. Walking across the bridge, you'll feel like you've stepped back in time.
Saco River Tubing
Cool off with a tubing adventure on the Saco River. This shallow, family-friendly excursion features many sandy beaches to relax on along the way, including rope swings for more adventurous travelers.
Cheese Louise Commissary
Grab a gourmet grilled cheese at this popular one-of-a-kind roadside eatery. Located on the Conway side of the famous scenic Kancamagus Hwy, this isn’t your everyday grilled cheese. With sandwiches such as the PORK-Y-PINE with pulled pork, pineapple, and goat cheese on sourdough, this eatery focuses on local ingredients such as Vermont’s Cabot Cheese.
Kancamagus Hwy – National Scenic Byway
This 34.5-mile scenic highway gives travelers epic views of the White Mountains National Forest. With many pull-offs to enjoy hiking, waterfalls, and covered bridges along the way, this is one of the top scenic drives in the country. With a few sections of tight hairpin turns, this route is not for oversized vehicles and RVs.
Echo Lake State Park
Looking for a relaxing place to take a break from your adventures and enjoy a picnic? In addition to a large picnic area with lake and mountain views, Echo Lake State Park has a swim beach to cool off and an easy hiking trail that circles the lake.
Stop 2: Bartlett, NH
Story Land
Story Land is a whimsical amusement park that brings classic fairy tales and nursery rhymes to life. What sets Story Land apart is its charming, nostalgic atmosphere and its focus on creating magical, family-friendly experiences rather than heart-pounding thrills. Story Land is the perfect place to create lasting family memories with its manageable size and relaxed pace.
Jackson Falls
An excellent roadside spot to picnic and cool off is Jackson Falls. The multiple low cascading waterfalls are perfect for wading.
Local Covered Bridges
One of the most popular activities among history-loving visitors is touring the many local covered bridges. This area includes the Bartlett Covered Bridge, the Honeymoon Covered Bridge, and the Ellis River Covered Bridge. Visiting these old beauties feels like stepping back in time.
Stop 3: Gorham, NH
Crystal Cascade - Pinkham Notch Visitor Center
The Crystal Cascade hike, located on the Tucker Ravine trail beginning near the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, leads visitors to a stunning 100-foot waterfall that cascades down a series of granite ledges. The short .7 miles out-and-back trail features an elevation gain of 190 feet. Don’t make the mistake of stopping at the bridge. The viewing area at the end of the trail offers an excellent vantage point to admire the multi-tiered waterfall and snap photos.
Mt. Washington
Mt. Washington is the highest peak in the Northeast and a must-see stop in your White Mountains adventure. Not only is the scenery impressive, but so is the wild weather. This mountain peak holds the record of the windiest place on earth! One of the ways to access the summit is to drive to the top via the Mt. Washington Auto Road. While this drive is not a fit for oversized vehicles or RVs, you can take a guided van tour instead of driving yourself.
We opted to take the Cog Train which leaves from the other side of the mountain near Carroll, NH. You can also hike to the summit or take one-way transportation to the summit and then hike down. Be sure to bring a jacket as the weather at the top can be dramatically colder than at the base.
Stop 4: Jefferson, NH
Santa's Village
Our pick for the best family amusement park in the White Mountains is Santa’s Village. Our daughter loved this park so much that she mentioned it was as good as Disney World! This unique Christmas-themed family amusement park is geared toward kids under 12 and also has a small included waterpark. The park oozes with small details of Christmas spirit, including an Elf University scavenger hunt, snow sledding hill, meeting Santa, Christmas rides, food, and shows. Our favorite part was getting the chance to feed live reindeer!
Stop 5: Carroll, NH
Mt. Washington Cog Train
The most exciting way to reach the summit of Mt. Washington is to take the world’s first-ever cog train. This steep ride is a one-of-a-kind experience. It’s also a fascinating way to learn more about the engineering that enables this train to travel the steep slope up the mountain via a series of gears that grip the unique track.
Crawford Notch State Park
Driving the scenic Highway 302 through Crawford Notch on the way to the state park is another must-see. Don’t miss stopping at the pull-offs to view both the Flume Cascade and Silver Cascade. Crawford Notch State Park is a hiker's paradise for all experience levels. A local favorite is the moderate-level hike to Mount Willard.
Stop 6: Franconia, NH
Franconia Notch State Park
After traveling to 42 states so far in our RV, Franconia Notch is our family’s favorite state park in the US. The scenery is epic, and the park offers many unique things to do, including hiking The Flume. This gorge hike provides stunning views of waterfalls, rock gorges, mountains, and covered bridges. The 2-mile loop hike is dripping with scenery at every turn.
During your visit, also allow time to hop on the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway. This scenic ride takes visitors to the summit of Cannon Mountain, where you can enjoy a trail and lookout tower at the top for an even higher vantage point. This historic mountain ride was the first passenger tramway to open in North America in 1928.
If you have extra time, the New England Ski Museum at the base of the mountain is worth a brief walk-through. Here you can view local skier Bodie Miller's World Cup and Olympic Medals in skiing. The size of both is impressive in person. We spent 2 days exploring this state park.
Stop 7: Lincoln, NH
Clark's Bears
A piece of White Mountains Tourism history still lives at Clark’s Bears. This old-school roadside attraction has grown since its beginning in 1928, but one thing remains the same. It’s a one-of-a-kind place to spend family time. You can catch the bear show, watch circus acts, and hop aboard the historic train. But watch out for the notorious Wolfman!
Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves
Lost River Gorge is a unique geological attraction that offers visitors an unforgettable adventure through a rugged landscape carved by glaciers. What makes Lost River Gorge special is its network of boardwalks and ladders that wind through a maze of gigantic moss-covered boulders, allowing visitors to explore the gorge's hidden caves, squeeze through tight passages, go to new heights in the tree house or on the suspension bridge, and view cascading waterfalls.
Are You Ready To Plan A White Mountains RV Trip?
A road trip through New Hampshire’s White Mountains offers RVers an unparalleled family adventure filled with stunning natural beauty, thrilling outdoor activities, and charming small towns. These unique attractions blend adventure, nature, and education, making it an ideal getaway for families seeking to create lasting memories in the great outdoors. You may get hooked on this area like we did! Are you excited to plan your family RV trip to the White Mountains?
