White Mountain New Hampshire Vacation Rental - Hillnvale

Affordable Family Vacation in the White Mountains

2008-06-07T15:38:19Z

With the weakening economy and soaring gas prices why not consider an affordable family vacation in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. This area is a great summer vacation destination, located near North Conway New Hampshire, and it is only about a three hour drive from the suburbs of Boston. Imagine not having to deal with the hassles of air travel or the indignities of the TSA airport screening process. We have been summering at our condo in New Hampshire for several years now and our family really loves it. Our condo serves as our base from which we are able to take many day trips.

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We like the outdoors and we like some of the amenities of civilization too. This is why the White Mountains is such a great vacation spot. If you like the outdoors consider hiking. The white mountains offers many great day hikes of various challenging levels. Take a quick walk to visit one of the many waterfalls and swimming holes or challenge yourself and hike to the top of one of the 4000 footers. Up for the biggest challenge of the summer, climb to the top of Mt Washington. The highest peak in the northeast.

After a day of hiking you can relax and explore historic North Conway. This quaint New England town has many small boutique stores such as a rock and gem store, world famous Zebs and my family's favorite, the Met coffee shop. Catch up on you reading, there is a nice public library where you can find that perfect vacation week novel.

North Conway has some of the best restaurants in the area. While some evening we relax at the condo, fire up the Webber kettle and cook a nice steak and share a bottle of wine. If you are not into cooking, then check out the great restaurants and pubs in the local area. There is something for everyone. We like May Kellys irish pub. Try the corn beef and the fingerling potatoes! On Sunday you can sit in the bar, enjoy a pint of Guinness and listen to authentic Irish music. The friendly owner of the Bangkok Cafe cooks up some great Thai recipes. Our family favorite are the chicken wings!

As you can see, a great affordable family vacation is only a few hours from Boston.

10 Best Vistas of Mount Washington

2008-05-04T23:47:02Z

Mount Washington, NH is the highest peak in the northeast at 6288 feet. Its enduring presence can be felt throughout the valley that bears its name, a monument and reminder of the presence of rugged nature outside our doors. In one spot it spreads out in a splendid scenic vista, in another it is glimpsed through a thick forest of pine. It appears and disappears at the whim of the weather, sometimes emerging above the clouds like a brilliant Shangri-La. In fact, the Native Americans revered its peak as a sacred place.

]]> The icon of the Mount Washington scenic vista has been repeated over and over in thousands of artist renditions, postcards, and millions of tourist photographs. So, where can you experience the ultimate Mount Washington view? Where can you capture the photo that will bring back memories of your vacation every time you look at it? Here is a list of our ten favorite vantage points for viewing Mount Washington.

Intervale Scenic Overlook

This is an all-time favorite vista of Mount Washington, a view favored by artists and photographers for over 150 years. Famous White Mountain School painters, Kensett and Champney both painted famous canvases of this viewpoint up the valley from a similar vantage point at Sunset Hill which is now obscured by trees. The visitor's center at the Overlook is currently under renovation and is scheduled for completion in Summer 2007.

Mount Washington Hotel Grand Veranda

Nothing will transport your imagination back to the era of the Grand Hotel like a visit to the Grand Veranda of the Mount Washington Hotel. Just blink your eyes and envision 19th century ladies in long skirts and parasols strolling with gentlemen in blue blazers and boaters. The view of Mount Washington's Western flank on a clear day is stunning. On a hot summer day you can contemplate the vista over a cool glass of ice tea or the beverage of your choice. Hotel personnel will take your order as you lounge in the wicker chairs that dot the porch.

Summit of Wildcat Mountain

This vista is accessible to all by a short gondola ride from the base lodge of the Wildcat Mountain Ski Area. You are rewarded at the top with a spectacular view of the Eastern Slope of Mount Washington, Tuckerman's Ravine, and Huntington Ravine. The Mount Washington Auto Road is visible winding up the right side of the mountain and you will see the black puffs of smoke from The Cog Railway as the train reaches the summit. The eastward view from the top also affords a great view. On a clear day you can see to the Atlantic Ocean.

Top of the Flying Bear Lift at Attitash Mountain

Mount Washington is first glimpsed about half way up the lift ride for the Bear Peak Ski Area. Once you are at the top the white glistening peak stands out against the blue sky. Mount Washington is in view for most of the top half of the Wandering Skis trail, but make sure you don't hit a tree as you enjoy the view. The view can also be enjoyed in the summer. Attitash has an Alpine Slide and mountain biking at the resort area in the summer.

Fire Tower on Mount Kearsarge North

A 6 mile round trip, moderately strenuous hike is the payment for this great view of Mount Washington. Mount Kearsarge, also called Mount Pequawket, is the site of the a fire tower that is listed in the National Historic Fire Lookout Register, although it is no longer used to spot fires. The AMC White Mountain Guide calls this view one of the finest in the White Mountains. The glassed in tower affords a great view out of the elements in any season.

Northern View from Route 2

All along this northern part of the circle of roads that surround Mount Washington spectacular views of the Presidential Range spread out before your eyes. Mount Madison, Adams, and Jefferson are in the foreground with the summit of Mount Washington marked by the radio towers on top looms in the background behind them.

Conway Meadow Overlook

One of the first good views of Mount Washington as you approach the Valley from the South on Route 16 is the Conway Meadow Overlook. The rich sweep of verdant fields pushes up the Intervale area toward the mountain. A pull out area on the west side of the road has a historic marker. The banks of the Saco River makes a picturesque curve in the valley below.

Top of Mount Washington

One of the best views of Mount Washington is actually on the Mount Washington summit. You truly have the feeling of standing on top of the world. There are three ways to reach the summit each with its amazing views and accompanying history. The original way to reach the top was by foot on the many trails that were created starting in the early 19th century as tourists first started coming to the area. In the mid 1800's the Carriage Road was created on the eastern slope of the mountain, which is now the Mount Washington Auto Road. The Cog Railway was built about the same time on the western slope from the area of the Mount Washington Hotel. The ride remains basically the same as it was then using the same coal fired steam engines.

From the Saco River

Many of the 19th Century White Mountain School Painters used Mount Washington as a background focus for their Saco River canvases. Mount Washington from this perspective appears as a small but persistent presence, dwarfed by the ledges and cliffs in closer proximity to the viewer. The vista gives you a feeling that the river flows from the mountain, which is pretty close to the truth. The Saco originates from Saco Lake which is just below the Western slope of Mount Washington in the Crawford Notch.

Web Cam

If you can't take a trip to the Mount Washington Valley you can still have a great view of the mountain 24 hours a day 7 days a week at the CAMNET web site. This web cam view of Mount Washington from Conway is part of a project to monitor air pollution and visibility in the area. Other web cams include one at the Bretton Woods Resort that was just installed in Feb. 2007 and another at Wildcat Mountain. The Mount Washington summit has three web cams available for views. These perpectives can all be viewed at the web site of the Mount Washington Observatory.

To see a google map of all the locations please click here

Do you have a favorite Mount Washington viewpoint? Let us know with your comments.

Mount Washington Valley Children's Museum

2008-04-24T10:18:15Z

The Mount Washington Valley Children's Museum is located only 1 mile from 23 Hill'N Vale at 2936 White Mountain Highway, North Conway. It is a great place to take the toddlers on a rainy or inclement afternoon, when everyone is suffering from cabin fever.

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The approximately 2000 square foot space is clean and inviting with plenty of space for the kids to move about. A huge floor to ceiling window fills the space with light. There are several activities that will keep the children occupied. One area has dress-up costumes; another has ball mazes that can be reconfigured to the child's whim. One entire wall is set up as a giant felt board, with familiar cut outs of the various village shops. Another activity is similar to the crib side stimulant toys where pressing a picture of a woodland animal will elicit that animal sound.

For exercising those little bodies, there is a large tractor structure with a blinking light that kids can climb. Even my older children enjoyed the Ed Emberley Velcro wall where you can create pictures based on the popular children's artistic books. For the very young children there is a closed playing space with smaller sized structures just for them.

For adults there is a quite room for nursing infants which also contains a changing table. There is not much adult seating, but the floor is nicely carpeted and allows you to get down to the kid's level. There is a small admission fee and one to two hours is a reasonable amount of time to schedule for this activity. Food is not allowed in the museum and there is no snack venue, so make sure the kids have had a snack before you come.

Just a warning, the title "museum" may be somewhat of a misnomer as I was expecting something quite different from what we found when we entered. It is really a large play space for the younger set, age 5 and under. My children of age 7 and 11 lost interest after about 15 minutes, but they were definitely not the right age for this attraction. There were several families with young children that were having a fantastic time.

Strawberry Picking

2008-04-23T12:15:42Z

In my opinion, nothing culminates your 4th of July Picnic or Barbecue like a dessert of Strawberry Shortcake. This simple pastry is one of the easiest to make and transport to wherever your dinner venue takes you whether it is a gathering on the back patio, a picnic at Shuler Park before the local Fire Works, or a waterside barbecue after swimming in Echo Lake.

]]> Local strawberries are at their peak ripeness just around Independence Day in the Mount Washington Valley. The local strawberry grower, Schartner Farms offers "pick your own" fruit for those who like to get their strawberries at their freshest. Schartner Strawberry Farm Stand is located at the junction of River Road and West Side Road in North Conway only 3 miles from 23 Hill'N Vale. Ripe, luscious, brilliantly red strawberries fill a field of bushes with the dramatic backdrop of Humphrey's Ledge.

In addition to strawberries, Schartner's also offer a variety of jams and even pre-made biscuits for your dessert. However I prefer to get a box of Bisquick and make my own biscuits. That allows me to create a generous 4 inch drop biscuit that I find is the perfect serving size for this dessert. I like to cut the strawberries in halves or quarters and macerate them in a couple of generous spoonfuls of granulated sugar. On vacation, when I am looking for the simplest method of service, I use canned whipped cream. However, if you have the time and a hand mixer, real whipped cream is really the best topping for this dessert.

Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Here are two bisquick recipes that are simple to make while on vacation:

For 6 Bisquick biscuits:

2 1/3 cups Bisquick baking mix
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
3 Tbsp sugar
For 6 Less Sweetened Biscuits:

2 1/4 cups Original Bisquick Baking Mix
2/3 cup milk
Heat oven to 425°F. Stir ingredients until soft dough forms. Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

To Prepare the Strawberries:

Cut about 1 quart of strawberries as desired. Mix with ¼ cup of granulated sugar. The sugar will soften the berries and release their juices. For a real Red, White, and Blue dessert mix in a cup of blueberries.

Story Land

2008-04-23T11:44:25Z

Story Land is a popular New Hampshire summer attraction only 4 miles from 23 Hill'N Vale. Generations of families have been taking their children to Story Land since its opening in 1954. Some even make it a yearly trip. To tell you the truth, I was not enthusiastic about a day long visit to the alpine theme park, but my begging kids finally wore me down. So, on a partly cloudy, mid-80's, midweek summer day we made the journey to the North Country's mecca of childhood.

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I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun we had. I would not recommend that you consider a visit if you do not have children under age ten, but Story Land has gone out of their way to ensure that parents can avoid the hassles of the usual child-centered venue. There is plenty of seating at each attraction so that parents can rest while still keeping an observant eye on their kids. There are ample, well-marked, clean bathrooms. There are a variety of snack vendors scattered throughout the park. The meals have reasonable prices that won't gouge your wallet. Although the menu has plenty of hamburger and hot dog fare, they also have pita wraps and salads available. And if you want to save money, they allow you to take in a picnic lunch. There are lockers available if you do not want to tote that cooler around all day. The staff was very friendly and helpful. I noticed that as soon as a mess was made, an ice cream dropped or a drink spilled, there were one or two staffers picking up the mess within a few minutes. Story Land is super clean considering the crowds of people that were visiting.

There were a lot of people in the park, but it did not feel uncomfortably crowded. The lines for the rides were usually under 20 minutes. The waiting queues were covered and shaded. Many of the rides involved water and getting wet, so remember to bring your bathing suit or wear clothes that you don't mind getting wet. Our family's favorite ride was the Bamboo Shoots were a bamboo log car floated through a water maze and concluded in a big splash at the bottom of a roller coaster lift.

Another favorite area was the Loopy Laboratory. At this attraction kids could launch thousands of soft foam balls from a variety of projectile machines. Adults seemed to enjoy the pandemonium as much as the kids. It is also in a shaded covered area with fans to keep the air moving. An attraction called Oceans of Fun Playground was also a big draw. Streams of water and mist would spurt out of fake plastic coral reefs at intermittent intervals to the delight of the younger set, especially when it would douse an unsuspecting parent.

The rides are most appropriate for children between the age of four and ten, although there are many things for the toddler set, too. I also observed many older siblings having a great time. There is an entry fee and it definitely is a takes a whole day to experience the entire park. If you plan ahead, you can buy your tickets after 3PM the day before you plan to go and enjoy the park until closing time then receive a complimentary ticket to return the next day or any other day in the regular season. The park tends to be a little cooler and less crowded at this time of day, too. If you can schedule your visit during the mid-week, it tends to be less crowded. Check the Story Land web site for all the latest information.