Mt. Washington Valley

Shoppers love great stores, and the Conway area has plenty. Whether you love shopping for clothing, books, home furnishings or other items, the many shops from downtown North Conway to the outlet store area in the town, offer something for everyone.

Visitors also come for to the area each summer for the hiking and biking, kayaking/canoeing and the scenery and dining. The Mount Washington Valley areas of Conway and North Conway have something for every visitor.

Conway encompasses the areas of North Conway, Center Conway, Kearsarge and Intervale, as well as an area known as Redstone.

Long before early American settlers came to the valley, the area was home the Pequawket Indians. They made good use of the Saco River area for fishing and hunting and lived along the waterway. Their camps stretched for miles and created an amazing sight.

Darby Field is a name seen in the area today, and the man/ explorer of that name came to the mountains in the 1640s. He arrived via the Saco River, the best means of travel at the time. Like many other areas of NH, the area was named for an English noble or famous personage. Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth sent a group of men to settle the area he called Conway (named for the commander of the British army).

The area grew over the years and by the 1850s, artists discovered the wild beauty of the region. One of the most famous artists, Benjamin Champney, trekked over the White Mountains, capturing the views on canvas. The paintings became great publicity for the White Mountains, and soon tourists began arriving. This led to the era of the grand hotels and tourism.

Today, the Mount Washington Valley continues to lure vacationers year-round. Visitors come for attractions like the Conway Scenic Railroad and The Mount Washington Auto Road, the shopping, and the arts and entertainment, which abound each summer throughout the Conway area. Of course, another lure is the many outdoor activities.

The New England Ski Museum has a second location (main headquarters for the museum is near Canon Mountain) at the former North Conway Community Center on Rt. 16 near the downtown area. You can trace the interesting history of skiing in the area and in NH at this fascinating museum.

Dining and nightlife are plentiful, and restaurants offer everything from burgers to gourmet fare.

The tiny area of Bretton Woods has some big boasting rights: it was the home of the United States Monetary and Financial Conference in 1944, the location of one of the remaining grand hotels, a ski area, as well as being home to the first cog-driven train to climb Mount Washington. Some mistake it for the resort that is situated there and shares the name Bretton Woods. However, the area is actually within the town of Carroll.

At one time, grand hotels dotted the White Mountains. The sprawling facilities provided a playground for the wealthy. Most are gone now, but the beautiful White Mountain Hotel and Resort remains. Opened in 1902, the hotel has seen it all: Prohibition, world war, a monetary conference, and the start of the sport of skiing which has grown in popularity over the years. Declared a National Historic Landmark in the 1980s, the Mount Washington Hotel is one of only a small number of grand hotels still in existence. It continues to welcome guests and offers a glimpse of the era of luxury vacationing in the mountains.

The Bretton Woods ski area is nearby and welcomes outdoor enthusiasts.

The Cog Railway is part of Bretton Woods; in July of 1869, after much work to cut through the forests the first train, Old Peppersass, was the first cog-driven train to climb 6,288-foot Mount Washington.

Summer outdoor activities, the arts, farming and music are just some of the reasons to visit Tamworth, in the shadow of Mount Chocorua.

Tamworth includes area villages of Wonalancet, Whittier, Chocorua and South Tamworth. White Lake State Park lures visitors and locals during the warm weather months, and many come back for the brilliant fall foliage and winter fun activities.

The White Mountain Independents are a thriving community of over 20 local, independent retail businesses in the Mt. Washington Valley. Each unique store offers an exceptional shopping experience, where you will find locally-made goods as well as a wide variety of other great products.