5gsmom

planning a 1-week family road trip this summer from NY to New Hampshire. Considering adding Acadia or Montreal or backtracking through Vermont....or maybe exploring just New Hampshire and saving those locations for other trips. Any advice would be appreciated. (Children range from ages 3-14). Thanks

rizzo0904

I would save Montreal/VT for another trip. You wouldn't have enough time to enjoy all there is to see and experience.

If you want to break up NH a bit, you could spend a few days at Lake Winnipesaukee and then head up to the mountains.

Your younger ones would enjoy Santa's Village and Storyland. There is Clark's Trading Post. And some easier hikes for the little ones are Lonesome Lake and Diana's Baths. My son did Lonesome Lake with us when he was just about to turn 3. He made it most of the way by himself, but did need a little help.

china_cat

Acadia is a long ways out of the way.
I think wth kids, I would pick just 2 locations to settle in, and 2 different types of territory. Both could be in New Hampshire, Or you could do 1 location in New Hampshire and 1 in Vermont or Southern Maine. so if you wanted a few days by the ocean, you could do the New Hampshire coast, or southern Maine. The best mountain scenery and locations are in New Hampshire, perhaps around Franconia Notch, or North Conway. If you wanted a lakeside location, Winniepesaukee, Sunapee or Lake Champlain in VT would work out.

dfrostnh

I would vote for a lakeside cottage. Lake Winnipesaukee is a great location. If you choose something on the northern shore, you are quite close to the mountains for day trips to places like Franconia Notch, Clark's Trained Bears, The Flume. The north shore includes towns of Meredith, Moultonborough, Center Harbor, Wolfeboro. We have stayed on Lake Winnisquam which tends to be quieter and more rustic. It's a little further south but still an easy drive to the mountains. I would avoid the Weirs Beach area in you don't like a lot of noise and congestion. It's funky, lots of arcades, etc and both car and boat traffic.
We have stayed in a condo at Loon Mountain but that was years ago.
We keep meaning to find Diana's Baths but despite living fairly close, we don't spend much time in the mountains. OTH we found a great rocky river in VT with river swimming that was fun. Our local swimming is in a river.
If you look at cottages, make sure you get one with a screened porch. Sometimes the best time of day is the quiet after supper when you can relax on the porch and watch the kids play/swim. Make sure cottage has shallow beach area safe for your youngest.

The kids might also like Polar Caves or Lost River. There are summer theaters in Meredith, Tamworth and the Weirs. They usually have children's matinees. Funspot near the Weirs is popular with kids but a place we were able to avoid.

There are different festivals going on in the summer. Check a NH calendar. We have liked Old Time Farming Days at Musterfield Farm in Sutton NH (closer to Lake Sunapee) in late August. There's a Balloon Festival in several locations (Hillsboro is mid-July).

Places like Wolfboro and the eastern side of Lake W aren't very far from Portland ME and Portsmouth NH if you wanted a day at the ocean.

I would save Acadia and Montreal for a different trip.

tracys2cents

Where in New Hampshire? A day trip to the ocean would be nice, and an easy drive probably.

Natp14

HI, Last year we stayed in the condos across the street from the OMNI Mt. Washington, we loved the area and the the use of the hotel. This year we would like to go back to the same area, but would like to try a different condo resort, Any ideas? So far I have looked at the Nordic Inn - Nordic Village, Loon Mountain??? Thanks for your help!

Natp14

PS. What about Attitash Mountain Village!!!