The first visitors began arriving in Waterville Valley in 1835. A 10-mi-long cul-de-sac cut by one of New England's several Mad rivers and circled by mountains, the valley was first a summer resort and then more of a ski area. Although it's now a year-round getaway, it still has a small-town charm. There are inns, condos, restaurants, shops, conference facilities, a grocery store, and a post office.