Winter is the perfect time of year to enjoy the White Mountains, and particularly so if you love skiing and snowboarding. Crisp corduroy trails, snowy views, and après-ski entertainment are things winter memories are made of – but what if you don’t want to actually do the whole skiing part to enjoy yourself at a White Mountains, NH ski resort?

Our local alpine ski resorts have plenty of activities to keep non-skiers entertained throughout the season. If you’re traveling with friends of family who are enjoying the slopes the traditional way, use this blog as your guide to filling up the day with fun.

Are you taking a ride up a gondola? Dress for winter weather (including snow boots)! You will experience the same frosty temperatures and winds that skiers do at the summit.

BRETTON WOODS (Bretton Woods, NH)

Bretton Woods has fantastic ski trails for all ages and abilities, but in this blog we’re here to laud what awaits the summit: the Rosebrook Lodge. This sleek building houses several dining options, including the Switchback Grille, Peaks Café, and Crystal Hills, plus outstanding views of the Presidential Range. To get there, you’ll board the impressive Bretton Woods Skyway Gondola, which can accommodate up to four people and whisks you to the summit in 12 minutes.

Other activities for non-skiers include snow tubing at the nearby Bretton Woods Nordic Center, as well as winter horse-drawn sleigh rides, snowshoeing, the indoor Slopeside Climbing Wall, and even a Canopy Tour that will send you zipping through a winter wonderland!

Please note that a scenic gondola ride ticket does not guarantee seating at Switchback Grill. Limited seating is first-come, first-served. Wait times can be expected on peak days. Please plan accordingly.

For more information on the Skyway Gondola, dining, and all winter offerings, visit Bretton Woods’ website.

CRANMORE MOUNTAIN RESORT (North Conway, NH)

North Conway has been ranked the #1 Best Ski Town in the U.S. again thanks to the 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards, and in large part, that is due to the outstanding family-friendly activities at Cranmore Mountain Resort. Here, non-skier guests can enjoy it all: a Snow Tubing Park plus a Mountain Adventure Park filled with fun. Take a ride on the classic Mountain Coaster, ride the Giant Swing for a pendulum-like experience, and fly through the air on the Soaring Eagle Zip Ride.

Cranmore also offers fun events throughout ski season such as live music, fireworks, and Cranapalooza (for kids eager to meet C-more the Penguin).

And, new this season, Cranmore is also offering Arctic Lights Night Tubing on select dates! Whirl through a rainbow of colors with the glittering stars above, and listen to music pumping you up for another run down the mountain.

For hours, tickets, and more, visit Cranmore’s website. We strongly recommend booking tubing tickets in advance, especially on weekends and holidays.

Image Courtesy Cranmore Mountain Resort

LOON MOUNTAIN RESORT (Lincoln, NH)

If you find yourself in Lincoln, you’d be remiss to skip the Gondola Skyride at Loon Mountain Resort. Book your scenic round trip ride, and bundle up – you’ll travel 1,738 vertical feet to the summit of Loon Peak, where an observatory tower and Summit Café await! Along the way, take in views of White Mountain National Forest, as well as skiers and snowboarders zipping beneath your four-person gondola.

Additional activities for non-skiers at Loon Mountain Resort include their special Camp III Snowshoe & S'mores Evening Adventure on select winter dates, as well as shopping and strolling in the towns of Lincoln and North Woodstock.

Visit Loon’s website for more information on all winter offerings, as well as gondola tickets.

ATTITASH MOUNTAIN RESORT (Bartlett, NH)

At Attitash Mountain Resort, the fun for non-skiers is found during their après-ski offerings at Ptarmigans Pub and the Den. Let your friends have fun on the slopes, and meet up later in the day for snacks and live music.

For a full events calendar and a peak at the dining scene, visit Attitash’s website.

CANNON MOUNTAIN (Franconia, NH)

Enjoy Cannon Mountain's lively après-ski scene at the Cannonball Pub (inside the slopeside Peabody Base Lodge), including the Après Music Series every Friday and Saturday all winter long.

If you are a history buff, you could also spend some time exploring the fascinating New England Ski Museum, tucked away near the Cannon Tram building at the base. This free museum is open 7 days a week, and showcases everything from Olympic history to ski pioneers and the 10th Mountain Division. 

Visit Cannon Mountain's website for more information on the Cannonball Pub. 

GUNSTOCK MOUNTAIN RESORT (Gilford, NH)

Get ready for adventure at Gunstock Mountain Resort; this ski resort in NH’s Lakes Region has a great snowtubing hill complete with a conveyor-style lift, plus snowshoe tours departing from their Nordic Center. We’d say schedule both activities in one day for maximum fun!

For more information on non-skier activities, visit Gunstock’s website.

KING PINE SKI AREA (Madison, NH)

King Pine Ski Area's slopes are family-friendly, and so are their non-ski options! Start the day with snow tubing - King Pine's tubing hill has a magic carpet to convey you from bottom to top with minimal effort, and their 1-hour sessions will send you whooping down groomed snowchutes on repeat. You can also enjoy 20km of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails and proximity to the Hoyt/Audobon Wildlife Sanctuary; King Pine offers cross-country ski and snowshoe rentals when the snow conditions permit access to the trail network. Across the street, the Tohko Dome Ice Skating Rink offers limited skate rentals, a warming hut, and plenty of fun for all. 

Visit King Pine's website for the latest information on activity availability and more. 

Image Courtesy King Pine Ski Area

WATERVILLE VALLEY (Waterville Valley, NH)

Head to the Waterville Valley Adventure Center for all sorts of non-skier activities just a short drive from Waterville Valley Resort. Highlights include snowshoe rentals to explore the Valley’s vast network of trails, as well as fat biking on select trails when the conditions are favorable.

Visit the Adventure Center’s website for more information.

WILDCAT MOUNTAIN (Gorham, NH)

Similarly to Attitash, Wildcat’s winter offerings for non-skiers revolve around dining and music in the afternoon and evening hours.

Visit Wildcat’s website for more information.

There are also several great spots in the White Mountains for cross-country skiing if you’d like to try a more sedate sport involving skis. See you out and about, winter fans!