01
Good to know
A quick orientation for your stay. Your host will confirm the live details at check-in.
Check-in / out
Check-in after 4:00 PM · checkout by 10:00 AM. Late checkout by request when the calendar allows.
Wi-Fi
Network & password are posted on the refrigerator and in the entry binder.
Parking
Two vehicles in the driveway. In winter, please park to one side so the plow can clear through.
Quiet hours
10:00 PM–7:00 AM — sound carries in the notch, and your neighbors are locals.
Trash & recycling
Bins in the garage; collection is weekly. Bag everything before it goes out to keep critters honest.
Heat & AC
Mini-splits in each room — use the remote on the wall. Please don’t open windows while they run.
02
Fun drives & scenic notches
Some of the most beautiful roads in New England start right outside the door. Top up the tank and take your time.
The Kancamagus Highway (Rt 112)
The legendary ‘Kanc’ — 35 miles of overlooks, waterfalls, and pull-offs east toward Conway. No gas or services once you start, so fill up in Lincoln.
Franconia Notch Parkway
Ten minutes north: the Flume, the Basin, Cannon, and Echo Lake all strung along one dramatic mountain pass.
Bear Notch Road
A quiet, winding shortcut off the Kanc with the best leaf-peeping pull-offs in fall (closed in winter).
Crawford Notch (Rt 302)
A longer loop past Mount Washington with roadside falls, the Willey House, and the Cog Railway.
Sugar Hill
Twenty minutes for sunset over the Presidentials — and, in mid-June, the famous fields of lupine.
03
Hiking — easygoing
Big White Mountains scenery without the big effort. Wear real shoes, carry water, and tell someone your plan.
Lincoln Woods Trail
Flat, scenic riverside walk along the East Branch of the Pemi — the suspension bridge and Franconia Falls (3 mi each way) are the turnaround.
Flume Gorge
An 800-foot boardwalk through a granite chasm with waterfalls. Buy timed tickets ahead in summer; about 2 easy miles.
The Basin & Baby Flume
A 5-minute stroll to a glacial pothole and cascades — perfect with little ones.
Sabbaday Falls
Half-mile, mostly flat path off the Kanc to a three-tier waterfall in a slot canyon.
Artists Bluff & Bald Mountain
A short, rooty 1.5-mile loop above Echo Lake with a huge payoff view of the notch — magic at sunset.
04
Hiking — for the ambitious
Serious, rewarding days above treeline. Check the higher-summits forecast, start early, and pack layers — weather turns fast up here.
Franconia Ridge Loop
The classic. Up Falling Waters, across the open ridge over Little Haystack, Lincoln, and Mt Lafayette (5,249′), down the Old Bridle Path — ~8.5 miles, all-day, unforgettable.
Mt Liberty & Mt Flume
A rugged ridge pair off the Whitehouse trailhead with two rocky summits and long views down the Pemi Wilderness.
Mt Osceola
From Tripoli Road — a steady 6-mile round trip to a wide ledge looking straight at the ridge you’ll want to climb next.
Mt Pemigewasset (Indian Head)
A shorter but steep 3.6-mile classic to a cliff-top view over Franconia Notch.
A word on safety
Cell service is patchy in the woods. Carry a paper map, plenty of water, and a headlamp — and turn back if the weather closes in.
“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”
05
Swimming holes & the Pemi
Mountain water is clear, gorgeous, and genuinely cold — even in August. A few local favorites:
East Branch of the Pemigewasset
Calm pools and smooth rock ledges near the Lincoln Woods trailhead — the easiest river spot to reach.
‘The Pool’, Franconia Notch
A deep, dramatic basin on the Pemi below the Flume — beautiful to look at; swim only where it’s calm.
Upper & Lower Falls (Swift River)
On the Kancamagus — broad ledges and pools that warm up nicely on a sunny afternoon.
Safety first
Currents are stronger than they look and water is cold enough to take your breath. No diving, never swim alone, and keep a close eye on kids — conditions change with the rain upstream.
06
Skiing & winter
You’re in the middle of New Hampshire’s best snow country — three major mountains within half an hour.
Loon Mountain
Right in Lincoln — the closest lifts, a gondola, and an easy après scene minutes from home.
Cannon Mountain
Old-school, steep, and uncrowded in Franconia Notch, with the aerial tramway for non-skiers too.
Waterville Valley & Campton
Family-friendly Waterville (~30 min) plus small, affordable Campton Mountain for night skiing.
Beyond the slopes
Snowshoeing on the Lincoln Woods trails, tubing at Loon, and — in deep winter — the seasonal Ice Castles nearby. Check dates before you go.
07
Eat & drink
From brewery burgers to a proper sit-down dinner — all within about ten minutes. Weekends in season fill up, so call ahead.
Woodstock Inn Station & Brewery
A local institution in North Woodstock — big menu, house beer, lively porch.
One Love Brewery
Lincoln — craft beer, wood-fired food, and a relaxed family vibe.
Black Mountain Burger Co.
Lincoln — excellent burgers and a solid casual dinner after a long hike.
The Common Man
Lincoln — cozy New England tavern; the warm cheese-and-crackers welcome is a tradition.
Gypsy Café
Lincoln — eclectic, global small plates; a local favorite for something different.
Truant’s Taverne & Café Lafayette
Truant’s for relaxed pub fare in North Woodstock; the Café Lafayette dinner train for a five-course ride through the valley.
08
Family fun & activities
Rainy day or sunny — there’s plenty to fill an afternoon, almost all of it minutes away in Lincoln and North Woodstock.
Loon Mountain Adventure
Summer gondola skyride, the aerial forest park, and ziplines with ridge-line views.
Hobo & Winnipesaukee Railroad
Easy scenic train rides from Lincoln — great with younger kids.
Clark’s Bears
A White Mountains classic — trained bears, a train robbery show, and old-time fun.
Whale’s Tale Waterpark
Slides, a wave pool, and a lazy river for hot afternoons (seasonal).
Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves
Boardwalks, caves to squeeze through, and cascades in Kinsman Notch.
Alpine Adventures
Lincoln — ziplines and off-road tours for the thrill-seekers.
09
Worth the day trip
A little farther afield, and well worth the drive when you’ve got a full day.
Mount Washington
The Northeast’s highest peak by Cog Railway (Bretton Woods) or the Auto Road (Pinkham Notch) — about 45 minutes to either base.
North Conway
~40 minutes east: tax-free outlet shopping, the Conway Scenic Railroad, and Story Land for the kids.
Polly’s Pancake Parlor
Sugar Hill — a beloved 80-year-old breakfast spot; expect a wait and don’t skip the maple.
Santa’s Village
Jefferson — a charming, old-fashioned theme park about an hour north.
Franconia village
Robert Frost’s farm, covered bridges, and the back roads of Easton and Sugar Hill.