Visit New Hampshire This Winter
Winter is the perfect time to make a trip to visit New England. Growing up in Maryland, it's hard to believe I've never made it to New Hampshire. New England has always charmed me--from the shores of Nantucket to the orchards of Connecticut to the mountains in Massachusetts--it's all so lovely.
Putting together the itinerary was easy once we picked the location, the Omni Mount Washington resort. We wanted to work in skiing, but also find off-mountain fun. Selecting the right temporary home is key to making the vacation magical.
The Mount Washington is a true destination resort. The main building was constructed at the turn of the century. With a grand entrance, this resort has everything you need to create memories with your family. Originally the hotel was family-owned by the Stickney family and guests used to arrive by train and visit only during the warm months. Nowadays, the resort is open year round and visits drive to the location.
We headed up from NYC and the drive took about 7 hours with stops. Like the one in the main feature--the Guilford rest stop to welcome everyone to New Hampshire.
Most history buffs know the resort for the famous money conference held there in 1944. Stop in the Gold Room at Mount Washington to relive history. This is where the final articles of the agreement for the International Monetary Conference were signed in July 1944. The conference was responsible for founding the World Bank and set up the gold standard, these among other notable financial decisions helped to establish a plan to assist global economic recovery from WWII.
The hotel had gone through some rough times before and during the war. But slowly, things shifted and eventually money was poured in to rehab the stunning property. Then in 1999 Mount Washington was finally winterized--making it more of the resort we love today.
If you can, plan a holiday visit. The resort was resplendent with trees, lights and greenery. Quite a place to celebrate Christmas. While the grand lobby is gorgeous, the rooms are equally delightful. Our room was humongous, and tastefully decorated. The marble bathroom was big enough for a party and our closet had space o'plenty.
And the little touches were appreciated. We had a welcome treat of a fruit platter and sweets. One night we also got milk and cookies!
Speaking of cookies, let's talk about food. One of the big reasons I like to travel is to take some time off from preparing meals for the family. When I travel, I want food that's as wholesome and tasty as what I'd prepare at home, but I want it served up with style.
There are plenty of choices at Mount Washington--with four restaurants, you'll have options to keep everyone happy. Rosebrook bar has views of the mountain open from noon to 11pm. We grabbed salads here and I caught up on my emails and sipped iced tea. Lovely spot to plug in or unplug.
Don't miss the glorious breakfast. The buffet is just what your family needs to power up for a day filled with activities. Take in the views of the valley as you nosh on fresh waffles and made-to-order eggs.
For a fancier meal, head to Stickney’s Restaurant. This place served up amazing lamb chops and the girls had salmon (from the kids menu no less). There's also the main dining room where we sampled the options from Mexican night. The menu varies from night to night and is served buffet style. This was loads of fun since we also had a movie, McFarland, on in the background.
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Off property, we loved our meal at Bailiwick's in Littleton. They're known for their martinis. Since I was the designated driver, Mr.Momtrends sampled a dirty martini. He was impressed. We both ordered the seared tuna which was exquisite. And the starter hummus was mighty tasty.
You've got to find a way to work off all this delicious food. The great thing about New Hampshire is, even if the snow is iffy like it was during our visit, you can still have a wonderful trip. We made the most of the Mount Washington's amenities. My daughter and I binge-watched part of the Christmas movie marathon, Frozen just never gets old. She also met up with a bunch of other kids for stories by the fire read by an elf.
To give me time for a workout, I signed up my 7 year old up for a special drop-off activity called Santa’s Workshop. She joined a group of ten kids who got busy painting wooden toys. She had a blast.
When if comes to getting active, you've got options. Of course you can ski over at the nearby Bretton Woods ski hill, but don't forget about nordic skiing. The property has a HUGE nordic ski center. There are miles of trails. They are also available for snowshoeing and running if the snow melts. In the summer, all that land is used for golf and hiking. It's a paradise for those who love the outdoors.
If you want swim, there are two heated options, one indoors and one outdoors. There's also a well-appointed gym. Whew, that's a lot.
Two other picks for family fun: zipping down the tubing hill and booking a sleigh ride. The tubing hill is steps away from the hotel lobby, Load up on the comfy tubes and slip down the hill--the kids can certainly make a morning of this!
For something extra special book a carriage ride around the property. When there's enough snow, you can switch to a sleigh ride. We had so much fun!
One of the highlights of our stay was a trip to the 25,000 square foot spa. Ohlalala was this fancy. My daughter got a mini pedicure with some special treats, she got to take home a cupcake bath treat and to keep her nail polish. She loved all the pampering. Mr.Momtrends go the signature massage. He gave the renovated space a huge thumbs up.
Skiing was of course a blast, and we also loved taking a look at the New England Ski Museum. The tiny museum is near Cannon Mountain and is home to Bode Miller’s 5 olympic medals. Miller grew up in New Hampshire and has loaded the FREE museum with his ski treasures. Don't miss his junior race suit--he really was a "ripper" on the hill. There are also exhibits on the history of skiing in New England. Get more details www.skimuseum.org
This is not a sponsored post. A portion of our accommodations were provided to facilitate the review.
