Press Kit

A dozen great ways to chill out this summer in Mt Washington Valley, NH



Good News from Mt Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce – July 10, 2018

Contact:  Marti Mayne, 207-846-6331 or PR@mtwashingtonvalley.org

A DOZEN GREAT WAYS TO BEAT THE HEAT IN MT WASHINGTON VALLEY, NH

The thermometer may say hot-hot-hot, but there are plenty of ways to chill on vacation in Mt Washington Valley, NH

North Conway, NH – Today’s news reports revealed that for many states in the U.S.  June was the one of the hottest on record.  New Hampshire’s enjoying a good old fashioned warm summer too, perfect for cooling off beneath waterfalls and in natural pools.  While the thermometer may suggest it’s hot, there are so many great ways to cool off throughout the Valley that summer heat doesn’t have to impact your vacation.  It actually helps!  From water parks and the rush of ziplines above the canopy of trees to  kayaking, ice skating, and air-conditioned shops and museums and a trip to the top of the tallest peak in the Northeast, no matter what the temperature, there are plenty of ways to stay cool in Mt Washington Valley.

Want to chill out on your vacay to Mt Washington Valley this summer?  Let us count the ways….

Water Parks

Hot weather. Rainy weather.  Indoor and outdoor water parks are ideal!  Kahuna Laguna, the indoor water park located at the Red Jacket Mountain View Resort and nominated among the top twenty Indoor Water Parks in the Country by USA Today’s Ten Best,  offers an indoor-outdoor option for those who want hours of water park fun.

Cool off at the water park at Attitash Mountain Resort, enjoying two fabulous and winding water slides and a children’s pool here.

And speaking of slides, hit the joy ride slides or the Ho Ho H2O water park at Santa’s Village in Jefferson, NH

If you want to cool off with a wet ride, consider Dr. Geyser’s Remarkable Raft Ride for older kids or the Mini Geysers for the younger set at Story Land.  You’re sure to come out soaked, and totally cooled off.

Feel the rush of the Zip

There’s nothing better than the wind in your hair to cool you off on a hot summer day!  You’ll find several great zip rides that promise to have you cooling off in the breeze throughout the Valley.  The Bretton Woods Canopy Tour, far above the canopy of the trees offers a thrilling set of zips, sky bridges and network platforms.  Even if it’s hot, you’ll be too busy focused on the challenges and setting around you.  In addition, both Attitash Mountain Resort and Wildcat Mountain offer thrilling zipline rides from summit to base of the mountain; at Attitash, you’ll zip between two mountain peaks!  Cranmore Mountain Resort’s Soaring Eagle Zip accelerates you 700-feet down the mountainside and Monkey Trunks High Ropes and Zipline Adventure Park is another option in Chocoura, NH.

Take a ride on the Songo Queen II

Just a short distance from Mt Washington Valley, hop aboard the Songo River Queen II, a replica of the famed Mississippi River Paddle Wheelers for a cool ride on Long Lake with views to Mount Washington. 

Kayaking, Rafting & Canoeing

Whatever floats your boat will cool you off on a hot summer day.  Rent kayaks or canoes or choose from the guided trips offered by Saco Bound Outdoors, Saco Canoe Rental Company, Saco Valley Canoe. Better yet, grab or rent an inflatable tube and simply float your cares away down the Saco River. 

If you prefer swifter water, consider a rafting trip from Raft NH or get in on one of the guided tours of wilderness lakes or white water rivers, offered by Great Glen Trails.

Get to the top of Mount Washington

Whether you hike, drive up the Mt Washington Auto Road, take a guided van ride up the Auto Road or ride to the top via the historic Mt Washington Cog Railway, you can be assured that the temps at the top will be much cooler than at the bottom.  In fact, no matter how warm it is at the bottom, we suggest you bring a jacket because cooler summer breezes and temperatures atop the tallest peak in the Northeast may have you shivering! 

Lakes, Beaches & Swimming Holes

While it may be inland, Mt Washington Valley offers several wonderful sandy beaches.  Visit Echo Lake State Park and bring the whole family to this sandy beach and gentle 15.7-acre lake with dramatic views of Cathedral Ledge and Whitehorse Ledge. Eaton Town Beach offers an easily accessible small-town beach with access to the warm waters of Crystal Lake.  And for those in Fryeburg, and those paddling, kayaking or tubing down the Saco, put in or take out at Weston’s Beach, an idyllic place for river swimming, with a massive sand beach curving along green water.  There is a rope swing downstream on other side of the bridge that kids love to discover too. 

And for a complete list of natural swimming holes in Mt Washington Valley, simply click here

Sit beneath a waterfall

This summer let’s go chasing waterfalls! Visit Jackson Falls – easily accessible from Carter Notch Road in Jackson, NH – and you can walk right out onto the rocks throughout Wildcat Brook.  Sit in a shallow pool beneath one of the gentle waterfalls, and your shoulders will be massaged with the falling water.  Click here to view Jackson Falls when the water is rushing earlier in the summer.

Another similar option is Diana’s Baths, located on the North Conway/Bartlett, NH line.  A similar set of gently cascading waterfalls with pools beneath, you’ll find these falls about a half mile hike in from the parking area on West Side Road.  A word of warning: parking is tight here, and you may not park on the road without getting a ticket.  Visit during off-hours. 

Hit the Ice!

Ice skating is not confined to winter months only in Mt Washington Valley.  Visit the Ham Arena in Conway year-round and strap on the skates and the sweaters.  Open for public skating, hockey, tournaments and more, here’s one place where you’ll find one of the largest sheets of cool clear ice in New Hampshire throughout the summer!

Air-conditioned shops

Sometimes, when the humidity reaches saturation, the best thing to do is to head for a little retail therapy.  Between the outlets and beautiful art pieces at Settlers Green, the White Mountain Independents and shops in the Village, and gift shops throughout the Valley, you’ll find 200 tax-free and air conditioned stores in Mt Washington Valley to take your mind off the heat.  Back to school deals are a bonus too!

Cool drinks at restaurants with decks

And nothing takes the edge off like a cold beer or a frosty drink at any of Mt Washington Valley’s 75 restaurants.  There are plenty with outdoor seating for those who want to catch a cool night breeze or stay inside and enjoy your meal and drinks in comfort.

Ice Cream!

Cold mouth, cool body, as they say.  You have several options for a frosty ice cream treat throughout Mt Washington Valley.  For some local flavor, choose from Trail’s End Ice Cream Shop in Intervale, or Spoon’s Ice Cream Parlor at Horsefeather’s in North Conway. Or stop at other more familiar names like Dairy Queen in Glen or Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop next to the Conway Scenic RR in North Conway.  

Indoor Fun - Escape Room, Weather Discovery Center & MWV Children’s Museum

Sometimes on a hot summer day, the crew would simply rather play inside.  Mt Washington Valley offers options for all ages.  For the younger set, head to the MWV Children’s Museum for a fully day of puppets, Pooh and play.  Teens and Tweens love solving the mystery and mazes in the Mystery NH Escape Room in North Conway.  And those of all ages, should not miss the MWV Observatory’s Weather Discovery Center, filled with fascinating weather-related displays or the recently opened New England Ski Museum.

To plan your summer getaway to Mt Washington Valley, NH, go to www.MtWashingtonValley.org or call 800-367-3364 (800-DO-SEE-NH).  For more information on planning a trip to New Hampshire, visit www.VisitNH.gov.

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Photo shows guests swimming at Purity Spring Resort, East Madison, NH. Photo by Wiseguy Creative Photography.

To request photos, please contact Marti Mayne at PR@MtWashingtonValley.org

To view an extensive online library of photos, simply click here.