Western White Mountain Chamber

Basecamp of the White Mountains in New Hampshire

Snow Tubing

Winter Adventures for Non-Skiers

During the winter months, the western White Mountains becomes a mecca for skiers and snowboarders looking for affordable, world-class skiing. Both Loon Mountain and Cannon Mountain are family-friendly ski resorts offering exceptional skiing, but not everyone skis or snowboards, and that’s okay. There’s plenty of winter activities for non-skiers and skiers alike in the western White Mountains. Just bundle up and enjoy!

 

Speed down the Hill on Snow Tubes

Who doesn’t want to relive childhood sledding memories?  The best part – you don’t have to walk up the hill! Lift-serviced snow tubing is available at Loon Mountain. Ride to the chairlift to the top of the Little Sister trail and fly down nearly 1,000 feet of snow tube tracks day or night. For the little ones under age seven, there is a small walk-up Tot Tubing hill.

winter ziplining

Fly High on the Winter Zipline

Winter is a great time to go ziplining! Alpine Adventures, New England’s original zipline company, offers winter zipline tours on two of their courses – the SkyRider Tour and the Treetop Tour. Start your tour with an off-road ride up to the top of the course and finish in the custom-built treehouse offering incredible views of the White Mountains while sipping hot cocoa. After snow tubing at Loon Mountain, fly high across the frozen Pemigewasset River on the Loon Mountain Zipline.

snowshoeing and off-roading

Break a Sweat on a Snowshoe Tour

The White Mountains are home to some of the best hiking in New England, but snow can make it challenging to access some of your favorite trails. Strap on a pair of snowshoes and hit the trails for some exercise. The Loon Mountain Adventure Center offers a variety of snowshoe tours ranging in difficulty and length from the beginner-friendly Riverbank Tour to the adventurous Lincoln Ridge Tour. Alternatively, you can rent snowshoes and hit the snowshoe trails for your own scenic tour. Alpine Adventures also offers guided backcountry snowshoe tours on their private mountain in North Woodstock, Barron Mountain.

Enjoy the Scenic Views from the Tram

You don’t need skis or a snowboard to enjoy the epic panoramic views from the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tram. The Aerial Tram is America’s first aerial tramway that takes passengers to the 4,080-foot summit in under ten minutes. From New Hampshire’s highest lift-accessed point, you can see the White Mountains, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, and Canada! Grab a cup of coffee or a beer and enjoy the views at the café and bar at the summit.

Go for Gold on the Skating Rink

Practice your triple axel, or just try not to fall on your bottom at the RiverWalk Resort ice skating rink. Open to the public, the RiverWalk Resort rink is as unique as during the summer months, it’s a swimming pool! Bring your own skates or rent a pair at the rink. The RiverWalk Resort hosts several skating shows throughout the winter, so make sure you check the calendar of events.

ice slide

Bundle Up and Get Frozen at the Ice Castles

Visit Ice Castles to make all of your frozen dreams come true. Whether you visit during the day or at night when the castle is lit up, its an experience you won’t want to miss. Don’t forget the camera! The New Hampshire location also offers sleigh rides and a winter walk through an enchanted forest lined with elaborate ice sculptures. For the little ones, there will be plenty of opportunities to meet real-life princesses at Ice Castles.

Kick Back and Relax at the Spa

Maybe your favorite thing about winter is being nice and warm inside, taking some time for yourself and treating yourself. Put your feet up, grab a tea or glass or wine and enjoy some pampering and relaxation at Balanced Rock Bodyworks, Viaggio Spa or Solstice North Day Spa. Whether you want to melt away your stress with a massage or facial or get a manicure and pedicure, these Western White Mountain spas have a long list of services for you to choose from.

wine tasting in white mountains

Hit Up Happy Hour

After a day outside enjoying the many winter activities in the western White Mountains, head to one of the many wineries and breweries in the area for a drink. Seven Birches Winery makes delicious wine inside the RiverWalk Resort. With two tasting rooms, you can sip on tasty red and white wine varieties. If you like German beer, One Love Brewery brews some authentic (and delicious!) German and European-style beer. Pair a pint with a pretzel on other yummy dishes on the pub menu. In 2022, Twin Barns Brewing Co. North Taproom joined the Main Street Woodstock community. They offer the option to BYOF (bring your own food!) to pair with their awesome beers, cider, and more. Light snacks are also available. Lastly, you can never go wrong with the Woodstock Inn Brewery, which is one of New Hampshire’s oldest and largest craft breweries in the state.

Take a Hike

Looking to slow down and take it all in? Strap on a pair of snowshoes, microspikes or crampons and head the for the trails. While expertise is needed for most winter hiking in the Western White Mountains, there are numerous short, flat, or low-elevation trails that are suitable for all to enjoy. Visit the White Mountain National Forest’s recreation page to start planning your adventure, and get ready to enjoy the forests and trails of the Western White Mountains as they seemingly melt away your stresses, step by step.

You don’t need to be a skier or snowboarder to enjoy all the incredible and fun winter activities in the western White Mountains. Come see what you’ve been missing!

Things To Do When You’re Here for the Ice Castles

For Ice Castle ticket information and purchasing please visit their website.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The Ice Castles are back again for its ninth season in New Hampshire. Since 2014, the famous Ice Castles have attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors every winter to explore over 20 million pounds of frozen features. Now located in North Woodstock with a permanent location, Ice Castles are the perfect winter attraction for families and couples. Kids of all ages will love its slides, mazes, thrones, and frozen archways and new this year – an enchanted forest!

There’s a ton of fun things to do with the whole family in the Western White Mountains, so when you visit the Ice Castles, stay for a weekend, or the entire week. The Western White Mountains are home to two of the best ski areas in the White Mountains with Loon Mountain and Cannon Mountain just minutes away. We know that skiing isn’t for everyone, but don’t worry, there’s so much more to do!

Chutters candy counter

Get Creative with the Family

Too cold for an outdoor activity? Bring your kids to Chutters candy shop in Lincoln or take a drive through the notch to Littleton to their flagship store, holding the world record for the longest candy counter at 112 feet. Make a stop at the New England Ski Museum, located in Franconia Notch State Park, to learn about the history of skiing, the local “firsts” and area native Bode Miller’s ski career, all for free! Afterwards, book a play time at Kids Studio Play so the kids can run off their sugar high and make some new friends!

Experience Winter on the Mt. Washington Cog Railway

Looking to experience the Western White Mountain’s famous winter weather and dramatic landscapes? Look no further than the Mt. Washington Cog Railway, the world’s first mountain-climbing cog railway in the world! Throughout the winter, their trains terminate at their newly redesigned and expanded Waumbek Station. Located in an alpine meadow at roughly 4000’, clear conditions provide spectacular panoramic vistas from the southern Presidentials to the Canadian border. Passengers leave the train for about 25 minutes to enjoy complimentary hot refreshments, warming huts and a fire pit. Round trips to Waumbek are roughly 1 hour, at reduced fares.

Winter tubing

Fly Down the Mountain on Snow Tubes

You don’t need to ski or snowboard to have fun at Loon Mountain! Loon Mountain offers a  lift-serviced snow tubing hill in the White Mountains, so you can spend more time flying down the mountain than hiking back up. The tubing tracks are groomed and fast on the Little Sister Trail. For the little ones under 8, there’s a walk-up Tot Tubing area. Warm up after with hot cocoa at the Octagon Lodge.

alpine adventures winter zipline

Zip Away!

Fly above the trees on one of the three zipline courses at Alpine Adventures. If that’s too much thrill and you’d prefer to keep it on four wheels, sign up for their off-road tour in a six wheeled Pinzgauer. They offer guided snowshoe tours, a Big Air Bag stuntzone and an aerial adventure park. They’ve got all kind of adventures to get your heart rate pumping.

Woodstock Inn beers

Celebrate a Special Occasion

Celebrate your next anniversary, engagement, birthday, or just schedule a romantic date night with your other half at one of the many delicious restaurants in Lincoln and the North Woodstock area. For something different, try tapas at The Depot or something worldly from the Gypsy Cafe. The Woodstock Inn Brewery has been voted the White Mountains favorite restaurant for eight years. With an extensive food and beer menu, you’ll find something delicious to eat. For a post-dinner celebratory beer, stop by One Love Brewery. or Twin Barns North Taproom.

seven birches winery tasting room

Cheers to Wine Tasting & More

Send the kids to ski school or the movies and head over to one of two Seven Birches Winery tasting rooms. The original tasting room is located within the RiverWalk Resort. Overlooking the recently planted vines, you can sip on a variety of red, white, and everything in between wine varieties. The new Atrium Wine Bar is located in the Lincoln Village Shops. The Atrium is open for wine by the glass, wine flights, and New Hampshire-made snacks. And right next door is a newer addition to the area for a fun tasting experience: Rhythm Handcrafted Beverages. Try their locally sourced and produced cider, seltzer and so much more. Once you’re done sipping, make sure you do a little shopping at the Lincoln Village Shops.

riverwalk ice skating

Lace Up Your Skates

Lace up your skates and hit the ice to practice your triple axels. RiverWalk Resort has one of the best ice skating rinks in the mountains. While it may look like any other ice rink on top, underneath, you’ll find miles of specialized tubing turning RiverWalk Resort’s outdoor lagoon swimming pool into a state-of-the-art ice skating rink. The ice skating rink is open to the public, and rentals are available if you don’t have your own skates. Throughout the winter months, RiverWalk hosts several shows, including the popular Skate with the Bruins fundraising event.

This winter, come for the Ice Castles but stay for the dozens of family-friendly fun attractions, restaurants, and activities in the western White Mountains.