Happy Hump Day Everyone!
As I wait in anticipation for the snow to arrive here again in Boston (for the next nor’easter), I wanted to share recommendations I have for a New England getaway. Living in Boston means I’m close to beaches and mountains, cities and country – all within a couple hour drive away! During these winter months, its essential to book in some weekend getaways to get a break from day-to-day craziness. Just a couple days away can help de-stress and give you time to detach from the world. I’m definitely a go-go-go type of person, so frequently, I need to plan a trip away to actually take time to rest. It may sound silly, but I cannot sit still if I’m home. There is too much around me that I *should* be doing and so I don’t stop! Last month I took two weekend getaways to New Hampshire & Maine and I wanted to share with you my recommendations for NH (more to come on Maine in a future post)!
New Hampshire – Loon
Overall: Popular ski town – Lincoln, NH – is great for families, groups of friends, couples, and anyone in between! Loon is good size ski mountain, with trails for any level skier, and plenty of places to take a break throughout the day on the slopes. The town has a variety of places to stay, several different shops to buy EVEN MORE Patagonia, and your choice of restaurants and pubs. Also, only 2/2.5 hour drive from Boston – super close. I would highly recommend this destination for a fun-filled weekend getaway!
Ski mountain: Loon is a great ski mountain that has trails for every level of skier including a variety of lessons to help those who want to brush up on their skills. The mountain also has tubing for anyone not ready for skis and has a wonderful program for adaptive skiing. There are two main lodges – Octagon and Governor’s. We typically use Governor’s as our base, but visit the Octagon for lunch and afternoon drinks – Octagon is connected to the hotel, which is convenient if you are staying right there. Drinks at the Paul Bunyan Room, I love! 
You can stay inside or you can enjoy a beer outside on the deck and watch folks come down the mountain. Both Lodges have cafeteria style food (grilled cheese is my favorite!) and the hotel has other options to sit down and eat. If you’re an experienced skier, South Peak is usually quiet and staying on the upper half of the mountain, like North Peak, is always more spacious than the lower half. The Summit Lodge and the Camp @ the North Peak lift are both great places to stop, warm up, and enjoy a beverage.
Accommodations: Depending on how many people you are going with, I’d recommend the Mountain Club @ Loon, trusty airbnb, Village @ Loon Mountain, or RiverWalk Resort. I’ve had great luck with airbnb when travelling with friends – just book in advance for prime winter weekends! Another reason I love airbnb is that some nights after skiing, you just want to be in sweats and relax on the couch with some homemade food.
Restaurants & Bars: There are plenty of food options, though, if you don’t have a kitchen. The main strip have a variety of options – here are some of my favorites:
- Common Man! I love the Common Man. Classic American food with regular restaurant seating and a bar/lounge area where you can sit by the fire on couches and order from the bar or the regular menu. Best part – they have free cheese and crackers before your meal AND they give you white chocolate at the end of any meal! Enjoy a Tuckerman’s by the fire after skiing – perfect Saturday night.
- Woodstock Inn Restaurant & Brewery – best part of this place is their beer. They serve traditional pub food, but the beer is fantastic. My favorite is the traditional Pigs Ear beer.
- Sometimes you just need Chinese food…and maybe some scorpion bowls 🙂 Check out these places if interested in some crab rangoon: Imperial Palace and Chieng Garden.
- To play some shuffleboard and enjoy some local NH beer, check out Truant’s Taverne. I’ve never eaten there, but heard its good too. Its right near Woodstock Inn & Imperial Palace.
- Most mornings, I like to check out Half Baked & Fully Brewed for coffee and delicious pastries. They’re super quick so you can fuel up before a day on the slopes!
Hope you all make time to get away and take time for yourself!
– A