This article, at its heart, is about finding a good travel companion – and why you (yes, YOU) need one. While I adore Mr. Family Trip (we travel together very well) and my kids, sometimes you need to go on a trip without it being a family one. We all need a travel companion that “gets us,” doesn’t demand too much, meets us where we are, and makes traveling feasible, fun, low-stress and NOT about the kids.
For parents, I believe this is a vital lifeline…one that can bring us fulfillment, rejuvenation and vitality. But we too often push this aside. We think it’s selfish of us, or something we’ll get around to “someday” when things are less busy.
But because things ARE busy now, because the texts are pouring in and the kids need a shuttle service and the marriage needs tending, we should answer the call to occasionally travel unburdened now.
My travel companions as of the past few years have been my brother and sister. And while this means that my girls beach weekends, with shopping and frozen daiquiris, have (due to busyness of the entities involved) faded into the past, I have come to accept that and step into the next phase of travel. This season in my life I am enjoying adventure and exploration with my siblings. And these trips away make me a better, happier mother and wife.
This meant that when my brother and I began discussions on doing something during COVID times that would be safe yet also a change in scenery (anyone else tired of their own house?), I held on firmly to the chance and made it happen.
That’s how I found myself, without kids, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
Leaving the kids, virtual work (and school) and the household chores behind for a few days was an essential refresh for me, and I can’t advocate enough the power of exploring the world as the independent, powerful individuals we are, not through our identity and lens as parents.
I use these trips to reconnect with who I am and what I love. And after driving through eight states, checking into a VRBO rental at Loon Mountain Resort, looking at some of the most magnificent pieces of New England I have ever experienced, I remembered that I am good.
This was my first visit to this area and, to be frank, New Hampshire didn’t have much of an association for me. It was just…there…up in the north…somewhere…
But this area was spectacular. The mountain range covers about a quarter of the entire state. Which means that everywhere we went, the sheer amount of wild nature around, no sign of humans as far as the eye could see, brought me peace. It felt like here, nestled in the arms of these mountains, COVID and a messed up political season just didn’t exist. I was free to focus on me.
The White Mountains are said to be the “most rugged” mountains in New England. And by this, I would assume that means there is little development and little oversight. Here nature does her brutal handiwork, with little human assistance. It’s beautiful.
For our first hike into the landscape, we decided to tackle a fairly easy one. We wanted to get our legs under us (“warm up”) and be outside. So we did the Artist’s Bluff trail.
We knew right away that hiking in this area was going to be far more demanding than what we were used to, but it was exciting. We were rewarded with a short loop (1.5 miles) and a captivating view.
Artist’s Bluff is, apparently, a very popular hike but given that we were there mid-week, before peak fall foliage season, we were some of the only people on the trail.
The reason my brother makes for a great travel companion for me is that we are about the same measures of crazy and ambitious. After that hike, we felt energized. So we elected to find a small hike we could pack our picnic lunch to. We’d rather eat in the isolation and quiet of the woods than with crowds of strangers at a roadside picnic area.
That’s how we found ourselves at a lost waterfall. Alas, no water ran, but we enjoyed the solitude, as well as the challenging climb out! Using the ropes provided, we huffed up the incline and back to our car.
I highly recommend staying near the Loon Mountain ski resort. This gave us a feel for what a ski season in the area might look like as well as access to the cute town of Lincoln, New Hampshire.
But, also, we were able to take advantage of the slope itself. While neither my brother nor I are mountain bikers (Loon offers a mountain bike park that looked quite fun), we took the gondola to the top of the mountain to drink in the views and a brew at the mountaintop bar.
The next morning, still meeting each other ambition-to-ambition, we elected to drive up Mt. Washington. Knowing that the Mt. Washington Auto Road experience is not-to-be-missed yet can also get quite crowded, as soon as we were up and about in the morning, we got in the car.
This peak is the most prominent and the highest east of the Mississippi River (although we aren’t sure it’s technically higher than Mt Mitchell). Getting up to the top is like driving into an alien landscape.Â
This drive was far more intense than either of us were prepared for! You can check out the little video I captured below.Â
If you would rather, you can take the cog railway or have a guide drive you.
Tips for Driving the Mt. Washington Auto Road
- Check the weather. This peak sees some of the most intense weather on the East Coast. Visibility isn’t always great, and they will close the road. The website is updated frequently so check before you go.
- Get going early. The earlier you go, the less traffic you will have to pass and navigate on this wild drive.
- Reserve a spot at the Visitor’s Center. While there isn’t much in there by way of education or exhibits, there is a nice bathroom, it is out of the elements, and you can purchase coffee or hot chocolate yet still take in the view. (There is even a post office.) During COVID, entries are limited and do require reservations.
- DRIVE SAFE! Go slow, follow the rules, and be alert. This is not the road to talk on the phone while driving.
- Bring cold weather clothes. The summit is 6,288 feet up. It is cold and windy, no matter what is happening at the bottom. So bring a jacket.
- Be prepared to drop some good money. Driving the auto road is not cheap. But we thought it was worth it.
After some work and some rest (and some recovery back at ground level), we popped over to Diana’s Baths.
This famous spot in the White Mountains attracts thousands of visitors, and for good reason. The path to get here is flat, covered in gravel, wide and short (just over 1 mile out, and then the same path brings you back).
This area was (until fairly recently, 1950s) privately owned. It was a sawmill, of which you can still see the remnants, operated by the Lucy Family. The family found a way to make an ice house here and sell sodas and refreshments to the visitors enjoying the waters. So it’s safe to say that for decades people have been flocking to this babbling, gentle, and gorgeous waterfall feature.
This area is very popular with families and during the summer, as there are areas to wade in. We went when the water was low during a weekday evening. We had less of a crowd, but do plan to see many friends otherwise.
All of these adventures were memorable, but we had saved our Big Hike for the final day. We knew we wanted to tackle something grand and overpowering while enjoying in the ruggedness of the White Mountains, we just weren’t sure what was the right fit.
We had considered (very seriously) the famous Franconia loop. But given many details, talked ourselves into something a little less grandiose. Like Goldilocks, we wanted something “just right.”
When we read about the Welch-Dickey Loop, we knew it was what we were looking for. It was challenging, summited some peaks to present phenomenal panoramic views, and was just over four miles.
As we had come to appreciate and learn, the hiking in this area is not to be treated lightly. The trail was steep, sometimes requiring a little climbing (although still nothing like Old Rag), and took us along edges where those who have a fear of heights may not thrive.
But, again, my travel companion and I were so well-matched that we loved it. Both of us were in, and it was a phenomenal experience.
Our adventure-vacation to the White Mountains also gave us a chance to enjoy the enchanting town of Lincoln, New Hampshire. Even during COVID, while practicing safety and exercising caution, we were able to enjoy The Moon Bakery for fresh breakfast sandwiches and coffee, Woodstock Inn and Brewery for good beer and an outside garden to soak in the sun, and One Love Brewery for delicious calorie-laden eats to replenish ourselves after all our time in the woods.
But, ultimately, in between the tired legs, fall sunshine and cold brews, this is really a reminder to find the person you can travel with. Find someone that is willing to get up and go. Then do it. Don’t wait for the kids to get older, the pace of life to slow down, or for… whatever check in the box you are waiting for or have convinced yourself will make it all easier. If you have someone who can watch your kids, then go. For two days, for four, for a week, for one night… go get out there and be totally, fully and only you.Â
Sometimes the best trip is one that isn’t about the kids.
