Winter Guide to Maine and New Hampshire
We recently wrapped a much needed getaway to Maine and New Hampshire. If you know us, then you know we’re big suckers for New England. We climbed Mt. Washington on our honeymoon and recently went back this past fall for more summits and as much paddling as we could squeeze in (some highlights of that here).
We know we primarily talk about paddling around here, but year round outdoor adventures are important to us and a big part of who we are, so we thought we’d share more about where we went and what we liked in case you’re looking for inspiration.
Maine
Scott was invited up to a ski resort in Maine to work with snowboard patrollers as part of his work with the National Ski Patrol. We know we’re going to get in “trouble” for spilling the beans about this place from our friend who invited and hosted us, but we have to plug Shawnee Peak ski resort. It’s small mountain that, until very recently, was family run. It was purchased last year by Boyne Resorts, which also owns a few bigger resorts in Maine as well as Loon Mountain in New Hampshire. Although it’s now owned by a corporation, it seems to have been able to retain it’s family vibe. And, while it’s on the smaller size (not much bigger than our home resort of Whitetail), it rides like a big mountain and the views are *chef’s kiss*. On clear days, our beloved Mt. Washington was shining bright. Of course, Maine has some bigger resorts like Sunday River and Sugarloaf that are worth a visit, but definitely don’t sleep on the smaller ones.
Since our friend, Mark, graciously hosted us in his guest house, we were only 45 minutes away from the mountain and even closer to places like Kennebunkport (also visited on our honeymoon!), Portland, and Freeport, so we took advantage of seeing some other sites.
We visited Portland in a snow storm, so a lot was closed. But, we still managed to eat and drink our way around town. Here were the highlights:
Bard Coffee. One of a few places where we wanted to caffeinate ourselves, but it ended up being the only one open in the storm. Delicious.
The Holy Donut. Holy sh*t. Delicious potato-based donuts. We stopped by to taste test just a few, but they ended up giving us half a dozen so they wouldn’t go to waste. There wasn’t a flavor we didn’t love. However, the chocolate sea salt and maple varieties were fan favorites.
Eventide. We went for the brown butter lobster rolls but stayed for the (surprise!) $1 oysters.
We’ve also heard great things about Gilbert’s Chowder House and, of course, their chowder but never had a chance to try it. Guess we’ll have to go back. We also have to shout out The Fish & Bone where Fin went on a little shopping spree, coming home with new lobster toy and some rad Ruffwear* duds. We’re especially excited about his new Cloud Chaser Jacket*, which has a great breathable water- and windproof shell for all of his SUP and snow adventures.
In Freeport, we of course had to visit the flagship L.L.Bean store (Fin came home with his very own Bean Boot), but we were also stoked to find a Patagonia outlet in town (the only other one we’ve been to is all the way in Salt Lake City, UT). Big shout-out to Jason at the Patagonia outlet. He has all the beta on backcountry in Maine and is stoked to share it.
Another highlight: spending an afternoon with Scott’s cousin, Trudy, at her beautiful farm with her magnificent animals. What a dreamy place!
New Hampshire
New Hampshire was a total add-on. It was too close-by not to visit. We had a more open agenda + fewer days on this leg of our trip and knew we wanted to do two things - visit a new ski resort and get on our split boards. And, despite being kind of indecisive about where and when we did these things, we achieved both!
First, we went to Wildcat on the Pinkham Notch side of Mt. Washington. We chose it hoping for some views of our favorite mountain and, since we’re already Epic Pass holders, it wasn’t an additional cost to us. We’re so glad we did because we hit it just right with the conditions - no wind, clear views of Mt. Washington, and little pockets of powder.
For our second day we had toyed with the idea of a lowkey backcountry excursion on our split boards. We’ve been wanting to jump on the opportunity to do this, especially since we have the safety gear and some avy training under our belts. We chatted with some locals and got intel on places we could explore as safely as possible, but at the end of the day, we decided to go in the complete opposite direction with xc groomers so Fin could tag along. When he’s with us, these trips are just as much for him as they are for us, so it’s important he also has experiences. Plus, we knew he’d be stuck in the car for nine hours the next day; a little exercise would do him good! Not every place seems to welcome split boards or dogs, so big thanks to Bear Notch Ski Touring Center. We definitely recommend checking them out if you have your own gear or want to learn. They offer xc ski lessons as well as ski and snowshoe rentals. And, there are plenty of trails for all levels. We warmed up on the greens then finished out on the blues and blacks. Our path also gave us a peek at Bear Notch Road, which is closed in the wintertime, allowing you to hike it without cars, or skin up and ski/ride down. We’re adding this to our list for next time!
Other NH highlights and recommendations:
The L.L. Bean outlet in North Conway, of course. Pro-tip: most stores allow dogs on short leads and they usually have treats on hand.
International Mountain Equipment. This locally owned and operated store, also in North Conway, is a must-visit if you’re a climber of any type. They hooked us up with some quality used crampons and boots for future Mt. Washington hikes in the winter.
Frontside Coffee Roasters. Always a solid choice for coffee but you should also probably get yourself a little treat there too.
Tuckerman Brewing Company. Finally got to try some of their beer and can’t wait to go visit their brewery the next time we’re in town.
Christmas Farm Inn & Spa. We ate at their restaurant on our honeymoon. Kitschy but delicious food. So good we couldn’t land a reservation when we were back in town this time. Womp womp.
Drive-thru jam down the street from our VRBO rental. Enough said.
Polly’s Pancake Parlor. Easily our most favorite place in all of New Hampshire. We had breakfast here three times on our last trip up and drove an hour out of our way the day we left just to visit again. Order anything with maple in it. Meredith is a big fan of the breakfast margarita.
Travel Tips
How we pack for these winter excursions obviously changes whether we’re traveling by car or plane. However, we’re really dialing into packing lighter and putting this into practice more and more. We don’t have it down to a science, but we’re getting there! Looking for tips and tricks? Comment below!
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