New Hampshire attractions feature sky rides, caves, railway, Santa

New Hampshire > White Mountains > Things to Do and See > Attractions

White Mountain attractions may start on Mount Washington’s Auto Road or the Cog Railway, but they don’t end there. Clark's Trading Post has great food, shopping and entertainment. Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves takes you to spectacular waterfalls, granite cliffs, and mysterious caves. The Conway Scenic Railroad takes you on a scenic journey back in time departing from an 1874 Victorian rail station. The Christmas season is in full swing at Santa’s Village and the Loon Mountain resort features a scenic gondola skyride to the mountain’s summit. The region hosts lots for fun events year-round, too.

Ice Castles

24 Clark Farm Road North Woodstock, NH, 03262 Phone: Toll-Free: 888-407-4054

A kingdom of ice gives visitors to this castle the royal treatment

Imagine castles made of ice, with towers reaching 35 feet or higher. Inside fountains have frozen over, tunnels and caves are ready for exploring, icy thrones await royalty and slides stand ready for kids and adults to race down. That’s what it’s like at Ice Castles, where everything is made of ice and snow, including the paths and walls. At night, the castles are even more amazing, as color-changing LED lights frozen inside the ice illuminate with all the shades of the rainbow while whimsical music plays. Perfect for families, romantic dates – and unbelievable photos – the castle sprawls more than an acre. Grab a hot cocoa or an apple cider from the on-site concession, then take a sleigh ride around the castles and through an enchanted forest.

Winter Station View - Cog Railway - Mount Washington, NH

Mount Washington Cog Railway

Off Route 302 Bretton Woods, NH, 03589 Phone: 603-278-5404 Toll-Free: 800-922-8825

Winter adventure awaits when you book a trip aboard historic cog railway

There’s an adventure to be had seven days a week, all winter long, at the Mount Washington Cog Railway. Climb aboard one of the historic railway’s custom-designed biodiesel locomotives for a dramatic trip from the Marshfield Base Station to the Waumbeck Station: elevation, 4,000 feet. The one-hour, reduced-fare round trips offer jaw-dropping mountain vistas both going up and coming back down. At Waumbeck, passengers leave the train for 20 minutes to enjoy complimentary hot refreshments, warming huts and a blazing fire pit. (You can buy hot dogs and s’mores at the base station for the full roasting experience!) Located in an alpine meadow, Waumbeck Station features spectacular views, in clear conditions, from the southern Presidentials to the Canadian border. The base station also includes the Cog Railway Museum.

Santa's Village

528 Presidential Highway Jefferson, NH, 03583 Phone: 603-586-4445

Come see why visitors return year after year to this fun White Mountains attraction

The name alone tells you why visitors come back every year to Santa’s Village in the White Mountains. There are rides galore, from Ferris wheels and carousels to roller coasters, monorails and trains, bumper cars and flumes, all with merry holiday themes. You can have your picture taken with Santa, feed his reindeer in the barn, go on a scavenger hunt and get your own special (and complimentary) ring made at the blacksmith’s shop. Over in the water park (and, yes, admission covers both the village and water park), there are three-story slides, splash pads and interactive water attractions. Families can rent cabanas and family suites for privacy in the middle of all the fun! Eating options range from pizza and made-to-order sandwiches to fresh fruit and veggie trays.

White Mountains Attractions

200 Kancamagus Highway North Woodstock, NH, 03262 Phone: 603-745-8720 Toll-Free: 800-346-3687

Endless variety of ways to explore and enjoy the glorious White Mountains

There are so many ways to explore and enjoy the breathtaking White Mountains! You can zoom down a mountain on an alpine slide or coaster, or zoom up on a gondola. You can travel to the summit of Mount Washington on a cog railway, take a classic train ride through the valley or along a river. Go on a moose safari or guided ATV tour, zip-line through the trees, go mountain-biking or hiking. The kids might want to visit Story Land, Clark’s Bears, Santa’s Village or Whale’s Tale Water Park. You might want to take a lake cruise, fishing excursion, go golfing, tour a brewery or winery – or shop ’til you drop! All that and more is part of the White Mountains experience. To find out more, follow our link above or call us today at 1-800-346-3687.

Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train

3 Crossing at Riverplace North Woodstock, NH, 03262 Phone: 603-745-3500

Why choose? On this train, you can enjoy fine dining and travel through a lovely river valley

You can go on an excursion train past scenic vistas, or you can satisfy your inner foodie by enjoying a fine five-course meal, but at the Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train you don’t have to choose – you can do both! One of the nation’s premier dinner trains, the Cafe Lafayette train serves you an elegant, seasonally inspired meal and serves special cocktails from a full bar while you sit back in perfectly restored vintage 1950s rail cars and enjoy the scenery. From May through October, the train travels through the picture-worthy Pemigewasset River Valley. You’ll go through woods, over three trestle bridges, through the Jack-O-Lantern Golf Course and a Christmas tree farm, then head back to the North Woodstock station. The train is also available for private dining and special events.

Conway Scenic Railroad

38 Norcross Circle North Conway, NH, 03860 Phone: 603-356-5251 Toll-Free: 800-232-5251

Let a train take you back in time to the railroading past with these four scenic excursions

Visit the past – and do it via a train ride! Conway Scenic Railroad offers four picturesque excursions on trains with vintage passenger cars, all departing its Victorian station in North Conway. The Mountaineer, formerly the “Notch Train,” captures the romance of the historic train that once traversed the lines as it rumbles over rugged Crawfod Notch in 1950s-era cars. (Ask about deluxe dome dining car seating.) The Sawyer River Excursion travels over bridges with picturesque views. The Conway Valley Train goes to Conway and back – and in Conway, you can watch the locomotive “run around the train” in preparation for the return trip. In January and February, the Snow Train takes passengers to Attitash, where they can ski, skate or explore before heading back to North Conway.

The Bear 500x250 - Clark's Trading Post - Lincoln, NH

Clark's Bears

110 Daniel Webster Highway (Route 3) Lincoln, NH, 03251 Phone: 603-745-8913

Famous bear show not the only attraction at this family fun park

No lions or tigers – but bears? They're in the name at Clark’s Bears! The trained bear show has been a favorite at the park for generations, but it’s not the only attraction. There’s also the Anaconda Escape water raft ride with 300 feet of twists and turns, the White Mountain Central Railroad (watch out for Wolfman!), Yandong's Chinese Circus, Segway rides, Merlin’s Mystical Mansion, water-blaster boats, a rock-climbing tower and Tuttle's laser shooting gallery. You can also mine for gemstones and fossils, and after enjoy a treat in the Peppermint Saloon ice cream parlor or have your picture taken at Kilburn's photo parlor.

Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves

1712 Lost River Road -- Route 112W North Woodstock, NH, 03262 Phone: 603-745-8031

Explore a river that plays hide and seek

Some 300 million years ago glaciers moving across New Hampshire formed the wilderness wonderland known as Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves. Today you can explore this unusual site during your White Mountains vacation. A three-quarter-mile boardwalk leads you into the gorge, where you'll find spectacular waterfalls, granite cliffs, a river that plays hide and seek, and the mysterious boulder caves. Step off the boardwalk and explore Thor's Workshop, the Devil's Kitchen, the Lemon Squeezer, Shadow Cave, the Dungeon, and the Judgment Hall of Pluto. You'll also find over 300 varieties of flowers, ferns, and shrubs. Pan for gold and fossils in the mining sluice. Come at night for an adults-only lantern tour. Open early May to mid-October. Sturdy footwear recommended.

Loon Mountain Resort

60 Loon Mountain Road Lincoln, NH, 03251 Phone: 603-745-6281 Toll-Free: 800-229-5666

Fun for Everyone in Any Season!

Rated New England’s most-accessible mountain resort destination, Loon Mountain offers activities year round. In summer and fall, ride New Hampshire’s longest gondola skyride to the 2,733-foot summit for breathtaking views, glacial caves, a scenic nature trail and the Summit Café. At the mountain’s base, ride a zipline across the Pemigewasset River, explore the Aerial Forest Adventure Park, scale a rock wall, rent a bike, navigate the LogJam Maze, or climb a 30-foot-tall spider web. Kids will enjoy Bunyan’s Bouncin’ Backyard with a bounce house. During the winter, you’ll ski and ride 2,100 feet of vertical with three peaks of terrain for all abilities – including an award-winning progression of terrain parks and New Hampshire’s only Superpipe, plus snow tubing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing. Photo Credit: Hinkley Photo

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