Jackson, NH

The white-clapboard Wentworth Inn anchors Jackson Village, and its dining room lives up to the setting. Chef Brian Gazda runs a locally sourced contemporary American menu that shifts with the seasons — heritage pork one week, local trout the next — in a candlelit room that feels like a proper New England occasion. Breakfast here is equally worth the early rise.

Set in a restored 1890s farmhouse just outside Glen with an orchard outside the windows, this is one of the valley's most atmospheric restaurants. Executive Chef and Owner Miles Williams changes the menu each season, building around foraged mushrooms, local farms, and housemade charcuterie. A crackling fireplace in winter makes it feel like the platonic ideal of a White Mountains dinner.

A family-owned Italian institution in North Conway that Jay Leno once championed, and for good reason — Vito has been feeding the valley for over 35 years with veal parmigiana, fresh pasta, and lobster bisque made entirely from scratch. The dining room is warm and unhurried, with classic red-sauce comfort elevated by quality sourcing and a clearly passionate kitchen.

Since 1998 this North Conway staple has baked organic wood-fired pizzas in traditional clay ovens, using free-range meats and locally sourced toppings. Watching pies emerge from the open kitchen's earthen ovens over an open fire is half the appeal. The crust is thin, crispy-edged and subtly smoky — arguably the best in the valley.

Housed in a renovated 1840s farmhouse with Moat Mountain views from the windows, this beloved brewpub produces award-winning beers on-site and smokes its own meats low and slow. The brisket nachos, house-brewed IPA, and outdoor deck make it the valley's go-to for a cold beer and something substantial after a hike or ski day.

A versatile North Conway standout that bridges casual and fine dining without forcing the choice. The kitchen turns out Korean chicken lettuce wraps alongside classic salmon and Brussels, with a cocktail program and desserts (the chocolate carrot cake) that justify staying for the whole meal. One of the more reliably excellent restaurants in the valley for a weeknight dinner.

An authentically cozy Irish pub where the walls are stacked with antiques some dating to the 1800s, and the shepherd's pie is made with actual lamb. Live musicians take over the back bar on Sunday nights, and the beef stew and meatloaf have built a loyal local following since 2004. It is as close to an Irish country cottage as you'll find in New Hampshire.

Thirty regional craft drafts on tap and a globe-trotting street food menu — Vietnamese pho alongside Korean tacos alongside classic American wings — make this North Conway taphouse one of the best spots to rehydrate after a long trail day. The salt-and-vinegar wings have their own cult following, and the beer curation is among the best in the valley.

Right in the heart of Jackson Village, the Wildcat Tavern is the town's social center — a spot where you can sit in the garden on a summer night or by the fire in winter and feel the village pulse around you. The menu leans toward New England pub classics like chowder and pan-roasted chicken, and the outdoor garden dining in warm months is one of the best seats in town.

A short but steep 1.8-mile out-and-back right from Jackson Village that climbs 1,161 feet to the summit ledges of Thorn Mountain at 2,275 feet. The views from the top look directly down into Jackson Village and out across the Presidential Range — one of the best summit-to-effort ratios in the area. A perfect morning hike before lunch in the village.

A 4.4-mile out-and-back from Jackson that climbs 844 feet to a summit ledge with expansive views across the White Mountains. The trail is well-marked and moderate in grade, making it one of the most approachable hikes in the area for visitors who want real mountain views without technical terrain. Dogs welcome on leash.

A classic Jackson-area loop over twin peaks on the eastern edge of the White Mountain National Forest. North Doublehead has an AMC cabin at the summit available to rent for $20/night — one of the great backpacking bargains in the Northeast. South Doublehead delivers the views: open ledges looking straight at Mount Washington and the Presidential Range.

A challenging 7.5-mile point-to-point that traverses the Wildcat peaks along a ridge with continuous views of Mount Washington and the Carter Range. The trail combines forest walking, technical rock scrambles, and sustained ridge exposure — this is a proper mountain hike. The ascent via Nineteen Mile Brook is a classic approach, following a clear mountain stream through hemlock and birch before breaking into the high-altitude fir zone.

One of the most rewarding moderate hikes in the White Mountains — a 7.4-mile out-and-back that follows a clear mountain brook through cathedral hemlock forest to the AMC's Carter Notch Hut, a stone backcountry hut nestled between two Carter peaks above a glacial tarn. The hut serves meals and has bunk beds, making this an ideal overnight that requires zero technical skill.

The most iconic hike in New Hampshire — a 4.2-mile out-and-back from Pinkham Notch to the headwall of Tuckerman Ravine, the glacially carved bowl that holds snow until Memorial Day and draws extreme skiers through spring. Even without summiting, reaching the ravine floor at 4,000 feet delivers dramatic cliff-face views and the raw scale of the White Mountains at their most imposing.

One of the finest Nordic ski trail networks in the eastern United States — 150 kilometers of groomed and backcountry cross-country and snowshoe trails that thread directly through Jackson Village and connect into Pinkham Notch and White Mountain National Forest. The system is community-owned and managed by a nonprofit, and trail conditions in mid-winter are consistently excellent.

New Hampshire's oldest ski area (est. 1935) sits right in Jackson with 47 trails across 1,100 vertical feet and an unself-conscious, family-friendly character that big resorts can't replicate. Equal thirds beginner, intermediate, and expert terrain, with a dedicated learner slope and one of the best value lift tickets in New England. This is where Jackson families have learned to ski for nearly a century.

A four-season outdoor center at the base of Mount Washington offering guided hiking, mountain biking on a private trail network, and winter Nordic skiing and snowshoeing with direct views up the Auto Road. The e-bike fleet for summer trail access is one of the most fun ways to cover elevation quickly with a family of mixed abilities.

A beloved New England theme park that has delighted young children for over 70 years in the village of Glen, three miles from Jackson. Storybook-themed rides, Cinderella's castle, a water play area, and a genuine old-school charm that big corporate parks have long since abandoned. It is the best children's attraction in the White Mountains, and a pilgrimage for NH families.

The most dramatic ski mountain in the valley, perched directly across Pinkham Notch from Mount Washington with views from the summit that stop you mid-turn. Wildcat runs 2,112 vertical feet of mostly intermediate and expert terrain, including some of the steepest groomed runs in the East, and the gondola serves as a year-round sightseeing ride in summer. The Attitash partnership allows skiing two mountains on one ticket.

Just five miles from Jackson in Bartlett, Attitash earns its 'King of the Valley' nickname with 1,750 vertical feet, two mountain peaks, and the most varied terrain in the valley. In summer the mile-long Alpine Slides and Eurobungy attract families long after the last snow melts. The partnership with Wildcat means ski days here count toward a combined ticket.

The world's first mountain-climbing cog railway (1869) pushes steam and biodiesel coaches up a three-mile track to the summit of Mount Washington on a grade that reaches 37 degrees. It takes about an hour each way, and the views from the exposed upper section are extraordinary — a genuinely historic ride that is more adventure than tourist trap. The biodiesel option is available if you prefer to skip the coal smoke.

The oldest ski resort in New England (est. 1937), sitting above North Conway with the longest ski season in the valley and a summer adventure park that keeps the mountain busy year-round. The on-mountain tubing park, zip line, and mountain coaster make Cranmore the best multi-activity destination in the valley for families traveling with teenagers and mixed-age groups.

The most photographed covered bridge in New Hampshire, this 1876 red-painted span crosses the Ellis River at the entrance to Jackson Village and earns its nickname — the Honeymoon Bridge — with a setting framed by peaks and foliage. At just 120 feet long it is also one of the most accessible covered bridges in the state, a 30-second walk from the roadside.

A series of granite ledges along Carter Notch Road where the Ellis River tumbles through natural water slides and cascading pools. Families wade in the shallower upper sections, while the lower gorge carves out swimming holes that cool down a summer hike day instantly. The access is easy — a short walk from a small roadside pullout on Route 16B.

One of New Hampshire's most dramatic and accessible waterfalls — a 64-foot plunge through a narrow gorge in Pinkham Notch State Park. The 0.3-mile trail from the Route 16 parking area descends into the gorge via staircases, putting you face-to-face with a waterfall that rumbles even in dry summers. The power of the falls within such a tight cleft of rock is genuinely impressive.

A 70-acre working farm on the banks of the Ellis River where the activities change with the season: ice skating on a groomed pond and sleigh rides in winter, outdoor swimming and farm exploration in summer. The Victorian main building and surrounding gardens have a fairy-tale quality, and it functions as a true four-season recreation anchor in the heart of the village.

The oldest man-made tourist attraction in the United States — a private toll road that climbs 4,618 vertical feet from Pinkham Notch to the 6,288-foot summit of Mount Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast and one of the windiest places on earth. Whether you drive it, bike it, or take the stage coach, the views from above treeline are unlike anything else in New England.

The Appalachian Mountain Club's base camp at the foot of Mount Washington serves as the launch point for Tuckerman Ravine, the Lion Head Trail, and the Presidential Range. The visitor center has maps, gear, trip reports, and a cafeteria where hikers have been fueling up for over a century. It is the essential first stop before any serious hike in the Presidential Range.