{"id":12530,"date":"2022-06-07T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-07T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thefullpassport.com\/?p=12530"},"modified":"2023-05-23T15:45:18","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T19:45:18","slug":"white-mountains-with-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thefullpassport.com\/white-mountains-with-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Days in the White Mountains with Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Heading to the White Mountains with kids? There is so much great stuff to see and do in this beautiful corner of New Hampshire! Check out the recap of our trip below, including lots of tips and information for planning your own family vacation.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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We tried to keep our expectations low during our first family vacation<\/a>. It was our first time traveling as a family of four, with two kids under the age of three. COVID-19<\/a> and its consequent impact on travel were still an unpredictable threat. Our original plan had been to travel through Ontario and Quebec, Canada<\/a>, so New England<\/a> was our second choice destination, and there was a small worry that we would be disappointed.<\/p>

Frankly, we weren’t exactly sure what we were getting into.<\/p>

But then New Hampshire<\/a> absolutely blew us away. The state was so impossibly gorgeous and easy to love that I found myself turning to M and asking, “So… are we moving to New Hampshire?!” Now, even though I look back on our time in Rhode Island<\/a> and Vermont<\/a> fondly, it is New Hampshire that I think of most often and can’t wait to revisit as soon as possible.\u00a0<\/p>

Today, I want to share some highlights of our time in the White Mountains of New Hampshire with our kids. If you’re looking for a family-friendly destination with lots of fun things to do, especially outdoors, then this area might be perfect for you!<\/p>

Psst! <\/strong>Don’t miss my list of the best travel gifts and gear for young kids<\/a> or my road trip essentials for babies<\/a> and toddlers<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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(Note: some of the links in this article may be\u00a0affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission from your purchase at no additional cost to you. You can find the full disclosure here<\/a>. Thank you for supporting Full Life, Full Passport!)<\/em><\/center>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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The White Mountains with Kids:
At a Glance<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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White Mountains Overview<\/a><\/strong>
Day 1<\/a>:<\/strong>\u00a0Echo Lake State Park
Day 2<\/a>:<\/strong>\u00a0Mount Washington Cog Railway
Day 3<\/a>: <\/b>The Kancamagus Highway
Other Things to Do in the White Mountains with Kids<\/a><\/strong>
Where to Stay in the White Mountains with Kids<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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White Mountains Overview<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Covering a massive part of New Hampshire and some of Maine, the White Mountains are a northern extension of the Appalachian Mountains. They are a wonderland of natural attractions, from glacially-carved valleys and gorges to waterfalls, caves, and lush green forests. The highest mountain on the United States East Coast is here, a formidable peak called Mount Washington where the weather can change in an instant and winds once reached a speed of 231 miles per hour.<\/p>

Some of the most famous mountains include the Presidential Range, a series of peaks named after former US heads of state and other prominent Americans. Part of the area is protected as\u00a0White Mountain National Forest<\/a>, which provides ample opportunities for hiking, backcountry camping, wildlife and bird viewing, skiing, whitewater rafting, and more. The White Mountains’ easy driving distance from Boston and coastal New England makes them a popular year-round destination for millions of visitors each year.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Day 1: Echo Lake State Park<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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One of the major goals for this first family vacation of ours was to spend as much time as possible outdoors. Not only were we headed to a beautiful area of the United States, but getting outside would provide some low-cost fun while also giving E plenty of opportunities to burn off all that toddler energy.\u00a0<\/p>

Our first full day in New Hampshire provided us with the perfect setting for our first hike as a family of four: Echo Lake State Park<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Echo Lake was perfect for us because it:<\/p>

  1. is located less than two miles off Route 302, the main road through North Conway;<\/li>
  2. features a flat, .8-mile-long loop trail around the eponymous lake that was the perfect distance for our toddler; and<\/li>
  3. was stunningly beautiful.<\/li><\/ol>

    We were fortunate to have a gorgeous, blue-sky morning on the day we headed to Echo Lake. After paying our entrance fee, parking, and changing what felt like our thousandth diaper blowout of the trip thus far, we hit the trail. First, we passed through a nice picnic and recreation area, where we certainly would have enjoyed a packed lunch if we’d brought one.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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    It didn’t take long before we were in full view of Echo Lake and the massive rock faces that make it so scenic.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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    A wide stretch of sand led down to the calm, blue-green water.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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    The trail looped around the lake, sometimes hugging the water’s edge but mostly leading through the forest.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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    Whether by design or the work of visitors, there were also numerous offshoot paths cutting down to the water at various points along the way. E, of course, wanted to take each one for a new opportunity to toss sticks and\/or stones into the lake.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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    At last, to E’s delight, we reached the main recreation area and allowed him to run squealing into the lake. It was a little chilly, and we hadn’t brought a swimsuit, but he had a blast splashing and swimming around in the calm, shallow water. The rest of us, meanwhile, basked in the bright sunlight and the incredible scenery.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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    By the time we got E dried off and changed into his spare set of clothes, we were all pretty hungry. We drove the short distance back into town, grabbed takeout from the scrumptious Stairway Cafe<\/a>, and returned to our home base for naptime. Thanks to the exertion of the hike and the excitement of his impromptu swim, E slept like a log.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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    Tips for Echo Lake State Park with Small Children<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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