Where: Mount Washington Hotel and North Conway
When: February 2008
What we listened to on the way: I can't remember... we'll be sure to keep track of this for upcoming trips!
Last winter we were lucky enough to win a free night's stay at the Mount Washington Hotel. Planning quickly we reserved a date and decided to pay for a second night so we could really make a weekend of it. The Mount Washington is not an experience to be had in just one night!
The lobby of the Mount Washington Hotel really is like something out of a movie. It’s a long, grand space with white pillars parading down the room wrapped in decorative lights. Groupings of couches and chairs break the space into smaller areas and the reception desk is at one end in front of the staircase.
There is a fabulous bar in the basement of the hotel called the Cave. The stone block walls and narrow entrance do make it feel like it’s carved out of the bedrock and there is an an air of secrets about the place. Supposedly it was the hidden hotel bar during prohibition. In modern times it has been the site of a few scandalous episodes you might know about if you follow New Hampshire gossip.
There were all kinds of people hanging out in the bar Friday night and a good band playing on the stage. This blog is about music too, but we didn’t write down the name of the band. Never fear though, because we did have a music related encounter when we ran into our friend Tony. Tony is in one of our very favorite NH bands, the Wicked Smart Horn Band. Really, these guys are incredible. They played our wedding and if you were there, you know it was a bit of an adventure made 10 times better by the fun performance and great musicians in the Horn Band. They don’t do public performances all that often. If you happen to hear of one, go. Anyway, it was great to run into a friend and we thoroughly enjoyed the bar and the drinks.
Our big adventure on Saturday was cross country skiing. Neither of us had ever done this before. The adventure desk scheduled a lesson for us and we walked down to the Nordic center to get outfitted. The property has a huge nordic ski trail system for cross country and snowshoeing. If you prefer downhill, Bretton Woods Ski Area is just across the street. Skiing not your thing? There were also dog sled rides and a tubing hill.
Decked out in rental boots and poles we joined a group lesson with some other beginners. It was really fun. I had a bit of an advantage (or so I liked to think) from all my downhill skiing as a kid. Pretty soon we were all going back and forth in the lesson field. Chris and I felt so good about our progress we hit the trails after our lesson. Armed with a trail map (I’m a bit of a fanatic about maps as you’ll probably come to learn), we set off on what we hoped was a manageable course. Nothing like worrying you’ll get stranded in the woods in the cold with two long sticks strapped to your feet… A well deserved coffee by the fire in the lodge when we made it back was our reward.
The rest of the afternoon went by in a blur, drinks in the lobby bar, hot tub, drinks in the other downstairs bar, mini hamburgers and drinks by the fireplace in the lobby… before we knew it dinner time had arrived!
They do a very nice and very popular formal dinner in the dining room. Jackets are required for men and women need to be in similarly appropriate attire. I don’t remember what we ordered but the food was good, the wine was good, there was a jazz band playing and I think a couple got engaged a few tables over. A grand dining experience in a grand hotel. Just make sure you’re mentally prepared or a bit tipsy when they bring you the bill.
I always hate to leave a nice hotel. Once you’ve been there for a few nights it kind of feels like you’ve moved in and should really stay for at least the week. Makes me envious of the people who used to come up to these hotels in their heyday and stay for a month or two to escape the heat of the city. But, no time to be melancholy, we still had some things to do before going home!
Driving down Rt. 302 is a beautiful experience. Mt. Washington looms above and other peaks come in and out of view. Just down the road we pass the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Highland Center. This is no lean-to for hikers with a dirt floor. It is an amazing building that serves as the base for all kinds of hikers and outdoor adventure excursions. Have to go spend some time there some day. Maybe do a hut to hut hike through the Presidential Range.
At the end of 302 you come to North Conway, shopping mecca of northern NH. There is a large outlet center in North Conway that draws visitors from all over, along with ski mountains and cozy country inns. We prefer the center of town with eclectic local shops rather than the name brand shopping plazas. We start our visit with lunch at Chefs Market where we eat delicious sandwiches and admire the ready made meals that locals and tourists alike seem to love. Then we hit a few must sees, Zeb’s General Store and the Penguin Shop. Finally, we stop at our favorite coffee shop, The Met. This is just the kind of place we like to hang out for a while. Great coffee, interesting people coming and going, good music playing. It is also an art gallery with prints and local art hung on all available wall space.
Fully caffeinated and feeling inspired by our weekend adventure, we get in the car to drive home, already talking about the things we’ll have to come back and do next time.
