Last Updated: May 20, 2025
Plan a perfect family vacation on this New Hampshire road trip with activities like camping, biking, hiking, theme parks, bear shows, and waterfalls. New Hampshire has so many great things to do with kids. Families especially love this itinerary because it provides a great balance between visiting theme parks and getting plenty of nature and mountain time.
This itinerary uses the towns of North Conway and Woodstock as your base in the White Mountains. There are several great attractions in the area that are age-appropriate for kids, even as young as preschoolers and toddlers.
This itinerary is ideal if you take a week off (Monday to Friday) and add the weekends on both sides. It is best done in summer or during fall foliage season. You can also do part of this itinerary over two different long weekends if you can’t take an entire week off. You can wait to book most of the attractions until the week before you leave. But book your accommodation as soon as possible. Many places sell out months ahead of the summer.
If you need to fly here, Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) is the closest airport. However, you will find more flight options to Boston Logan International Airport, which is an extra hour away.
Day 1 – Drive to North Conway and Polar Caves
Polar Caves – On your way to your first destination of North Conway, make a stop at Polar Caves Park in Rumney, NH. Here, you can spend an hour climbing, crawling, and squeezing through a series of small caves and passages. These caves were formed during the last ice age, but don’t expect to see any ice there anymore. In addition to the cave hike, there is a really fun forest maze, some opportunities to feed animals, a playground with picnic tables, and a gift shop. This is a perfect adventure to break up a long drive.
Plan to spend about two hours here. They are open every day in the summer but check their website for opening hours if you plan to visit in the off-season. Their last entry is at 3 pm. You can book in advance but it wasn’t hard to get tickets at the door. It was lightly raining when we went through the caves but it wasn’t an issue. If it’s raining heavily though, the rocks and stairs might be slippery.
My youngest was just 2 years old when we did this and he was able to get through all of the caves with a little help from mom and dad. If you have younger babies or family members who are not as agile, there are well-maintained boardwalks connecting all of the caves. You can easily keep up with the rest of the family without actually going through the caves.
North Conway – Drive about 1.5 hours to North Conway. You will be staying here or one of the nearby towns for the next 4 nights. There are several great BnB’s in this town. If you’re looking for a really unique place to stay that your kids will just love, consider Adventure Suites. They have themed rooms, many of which have a sofa bed for the kids, and a playground on-site. Book your hotel early because the best places to stay often sell out months in advance.
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Day 2 – Mt. Washington, Mountain Biking and Glen Ellis Falls
Mt. Washington – Here’s the thing with Mt. Washington – it is an absolute must-do experience and one of the most beautiful drives in NH. But it has horrible weather more often than not with only 24% chance of a sunny day even in summer. So keep your itinerary a little flexible and when you see a nice sunny day, drop everything else and go to Mt. Washington. You also have the option of advance-booking a train ride or van ride up the mountain – especially if you don’t want to drive. But these tours can be expensive and if the weather is awful on the day of your booking, you won’t be able to appreciate the spectacular views.
If the weather is good this morning, drive up Mt. Washington. There is an entry fee for the car and the drive is steep but very doable for experienced drivers. Pull over at the rest stops to admire the views as you climb higher up the mountain. Once you reach the top, there is a cafeteria and a small weather museum to explore. There are also several hiking trails that you can explore to completely leave the crowds behind. Our kids (2 and 5) enjoyed scrambling over the rocks and following the trail that went alongside the railroad. We hiked for about 30 minutes before turning back around.
Biking at Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center – This park is located just across from the entrance to Mt. Washington Auto Road. Head straight here if the weather isn’t good on Mt. Washington. If your kids are too young to bike on their own, you can rent bike trailers for toddlers and trail-a-bikes for older kids who can’t ride a bike yet. You can reserve the bikes in advance if you’re concerned about availability. There are several bike trails of varying difficulty to choose from. We especially liked ‘Clementine Wash’ trail for views of the mountains, river and fields beyond. You can rent bikes for 2 hours or 4 hours.
Glen Ellis Falls – On your way back to North Conway, if there is still daylight, stop at Glen Ellis Scenic area. This is an easy half-mile round trip hike to one of the prettiest waterfalls in the area. Allow about 30 minutes for this experience.
Alternative to Mt. Washington – If the weather is bad on Mt. Washington, then it’s likely you still have some time left in your day. Head to Diana’s Baths for the rest of the day (see Day 4). This is also a great fallback option on any day that is too rainy for other activities. Even though it’s outdoors, it’s still a magical experience in light to moderate rainfall. Plus the rain keeps away the crowds.
Day 3 – Story Land Theme Park and Trails End Ice Cream
Story Land – This lovely fairy-tale themed amusement park, located just a few minutes from North Conway, is perfect for young kids until about age 12, but especially the 2 to 8 range. Try to get there as close to opening time as possible to avoid lines. The park is enjoyable even if there’s light rain. If it’s really bad weather, consider visiting Living Shores Aquarium next door. You can make your reservation here for either attraction.
Story Land also has a great Cinderella Tea Party add-on experience if your kid is into princesses. This experience needs to be booked in advance.
Quick Tip! If you enter the park in the final 3 hours of the day, you can return for free the next day, effectively making this a 2-day pass.
Dinner and Ice cream – Once you’re done with Story Land, you will have hungry, tired kids. El Reparo is a kid-friendly Mexican restaurant located right next to the park. After dinner, head to Trails End Ice Cream Shop. It has some great flavors and mountain views – but its best feature is the huge, indoor, air-conditioned game room that has tons of low-key board games, puzzles, and toys for the kids.
Day 4 – Cranmore Mountain Resort, Cathedral’s Ledge, Diana’s Baths
Cranmore Mountain Resort – In the summer, you can buy tickets to the Mountain Adventure Park which includes unlimited rides on the Mountain Coaster, Soaring Eagle Zip Line, Giant Swing, Tubing slides and some bouncy houses. It also includes unlimited scenic chairlift rides to the top of the mountain. They have cheaper pricing for toddlers who might be too young to do the main rides here.
As the day progresses, the lines can get pretty long, especially for the mountain coaster, so finish these rides first thing in the morning. If you’re there early enough, you should have enough time to do the ride multiple times. You can control the speed of this mountain roller coaster, making it a favorite for young kids who might otherwise not like fast rides. Then take the chairlift up (all ages allowed) and get lunch at the restaurant on top of the mountain. The outdoor dining patio has incredible views of the valley below.
Cathedral’s Ledge Lookout – Once you’re done with lunch, drive to nearby Cathedral’s Ledge Lookout for more sweeping views of Saco River valley and the White Mountains. You might be able to see rock climbers climbing up or rappelling down the steep cliff sides.
Diana’s Baths – Around 3 pm, head to Diana’s Baths. After a short half-mile walk through pretty woodland, you will reach a picturesque series of small waterfalls and cascades. The rock formations create a number of smaller natural pools that you can swim in. If you’re here in the shoulder season, and the water is too cold for swimming, you can still wade through the pools as the water is only ankle-deep in many places.
This is a very popular attraction with families. It is far less crowded later in the afternoon than in the morning. It’s magical even on a rainy day and you might have the pools all to yourself. Even if it’s crowded, hike up to the higher cascades and you can probably find a quieter spot for just your family. The parking lot is very small so if you get there at peak time (usually around 10 am), you will have to wait for someone to leave before you can park.
Day 5 – West Rattlesnake Mountain Hike and White Lake State Park (with optional camping) or Kancamagus Highway
Today, you will be checking out of your hotel in North Conway. You can choose from one of these two options on how to spend your day
Option 1 – If it’s fall foliage season – After checking out, drive through the Kancamagus highway to Lincoln. This scenic highway is one of the most famous fall foliage drives in the country. There are several overlooks here to stop and enjoy the views. Sabbaday Falls is the most popular hike on this route, and is about 0.7 miles round trip on an easy trail. If you’re looking for a longer hike, try Champney Falls trail, which is about 3 miles round trip and also very doable with kids.
Option 2 – If it’s summer – After checking out, drive 30 minutes to White Lake State Park. This park is an absolute favorite with families because of its beautiful clear lake surrounded by mountains. The water is surprisingly warm, the entry is shallow and gentle, and it has been rated as one of the best swimming lakes in the country. There is a large beach area with a huge playground right by the water. This is also a great place to camp for a night before continuing onwards to Woodstock. It is best to reserve the campsite a few months in advance as they often fill up fast. If you can, get a waterfront campsite.
West Rattlesnake Mountain Hike – You can combine your visit to White Lake State Park with this highly rewarding hike about 30 minutes away. Of all the hikes in New Hampshire, this one is great for families because you have a relatively short 0.7-mile hike up the mountain each way (1.5 miles total). When you reach the top, you are rewarded with amazing views of Squam Lakes – one of the most beautiful vistas in the state. You can choose to extend the hike further or picnic on one of the rocky boulders here.
Woodstock (or Lincoln) – Finish up your day by driving to the cute little town of Woodstock or Lincoln and check in for the remaining 4 nights (unless you are camping at White Lake State Park instead). I highly recommend staying at Woodstock Inn Station and Brewery. It includes a great breakfast with their signature sticky buns and a menu full of unique options to choose from. One of the buildings also has a private deck in the back overlooking a gushing stream. You can opt to do a brewery tour or enjoy their ‘Brew sampler’ during your stay here.
Note – If you prefer to remain in one location for your entire stay (I get it – who wants to pack up all over again), you can continue your stay near Conway and finish up the rest of the itinerary from there. Driving times to attractions near Lincoln and Woodstock are about 1 – 1.5 hours from Conway.
Day 6 – Clark’s Bears and Sculptured Sand
Clark’s Bears – After breakfast, head to Clark’s Bears Park. You need at least 2 hours but you can easily spend 4 to 5 hours here. The most interesting thing to do is to watch a Bear Show. The keepers explain how the bears are lovingly cared for, and the bears do some nifty tricks to the oohs and aaahs of the audience. My kids were so impressed, we had to watch it a second time. Go to the arena about 10 minutes before the show starts to get good seats. The best seats are on the front row of the upper floor.
Other than the bear Show, the other unmissable attractions are an acrobatic show, a very cool ‘Merlin’s Mansion’ ride, bumper boats, a huge raft water slide and a train ride. You can also get dressed up in costumes and have an old-timey family photo taken here for an additional $50.
Sculptured Sand – As it gets closer to sunset, visit Sculptured Sand in North Woodstock. You can take a short walk through the woods to see huge, masterfully crafted sand sculptures. The haunting music in the background and the fairy lights that light up the way, add to the ambiance of walking through these magical woods.
Day 7 – Santa’s Village
Santa’s Village – For your final theme park visit of this trip, head 45 minutes north to Santa’s Village. This route also takes you through the White Mountains on one of the most scenic drives in New Hampshire. Santa’s Village is a fun Christmas-themed amusement park enjoyed all year round. Who knew this is where Santa likes to spend his summer vacation too! A special highlight is meeting and feeding Santa’s live reindeer.
There are plenty of rides here to delight kids of all ages from toddlers to teens. The Great Humbug Adventure, Midnight Flyer Coaster and Antique Cars rides are not to be missed. Another sleeper hit is Elf University where your kids pick up a punch card after they enter the park. There are little elf stations all around the park where they can punch holes in their cards. At the end of the day, they can swap their punch cards for a graduation certificate from the university.
Day 8 – Flume Gorge, Mt Willard Hike or Squam Lake Center
Today you have a choice between several activities
Option 1 – Mt. Washington back up day – If you had poor weather so far, this is your last chance to visit Mt Washington. You can also use this day as a backup to do any other activity you may have missed due to rain (or just kids being kids).
Option 2 – If you have toddlers or young kids – Drive about half hour to visit Squam Lakes Science Center. This educational exhibit introduces kids to the native wildlife and plants. There are plenty of hands-on activities and the entire walking distance is about a mile. The path is also stroller friendly. You can expect to spend about 2 – 3 hours here. You can combine the visit with a shaded pontoon boat cruise. This fully-narrated tour is only recommended for kids over age 5 because young children may struggle to stay seated for the two-hour ride. There are also several easy hiking trails to do in the area.
Option 3 – If you have older kids – Consider visiting Flume Gorge about 15 mins north of Woodstock. This is a very popular attraction where you walk along boardwalks through a narrow gorge with towering granite walls and cascading waterfalls. The loop is 2 miles long with some uphill walking and lots of stairs. If you are visiting in peak summer or fall, this place can get pretty crowded unless you get there early.
Option 4 – If you want to avoid crowds – Consider Mount Willard Trail. This is a 3-mile, round trip, moderately challenging, uphill hike with gorgeous views on top. The trail head is about 40 mins from Woodstock. If you are feeling ambitious, you can do both Flume Gorge and the Mt Willard Hike on the same day.
Day 9 – Miniature Horse Farm and Drive Home
On your last day, begin your drive back home or to your next destination. Leave right after breakfast if you would like to make a pitstop at a miniature horse farm for one last adventure.
Miniature Horse Farm – If you are heading back south toward MHT airport, Boston, or New York City, then consider a stop at this Miniature Horse Farm in Bow, NH. Located about an hour south of Woodstock, you will spend a couple of hours meeting these cute little mini-horses, grooming them, and taking them on a walk. This experience can be booked in advance on Airbnb and is a big hit with kids (and adults who like cute, tiny creatures!).
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