White Mountains DriveWise

On my trip I heard visitors speaking German, French, Spanish, and Russian, testimony to how far people will travel to see New England's colors, so reserve your lodgings well in advance. (New Hampshire's area code is 603.)

My favorite place to stay in the White Mountains was the Motel on the River (Rte. 16 in Jackson; 383-4241). Its cabins feature fireplaces, kitchenettes, screened porches, no phones, and the Ellis River (a fine trout stream) babbling not 15 feet from the door.

In North Conway I dined at Merlino's Steak House (Rte. 16, N. Conway; 356-6006), next to the L.L. Bean outlet, which is worth a visit, although it's not as comprehensive as its parent store in Freeport, Maine, and is open only 9 a.m.-9 p.m. (mid-June—Dec.) instead of round the clock. "The Strip," north of Conway, offers numerous factory outlets, including Ralph Lauren, Reebok/Rockport, Benetton, Dansk, and many others. Call the North Conway Chamber of Commerce at 800-367-3364 for a list. My favorite shop in Conway for sportswear is across the parking lot from Bean's: Chuck Roast (356-5589). It has a smaller selection than the outlets, but good prices.

For breakfast on the east side of the White Mountains, try the Glen JunctionRestaurant (Rtes. 16 and 302; 383-9660), where model trains, reminiscent of the old junction, circle the dining rooms. For nightlife, stop in at Delaney's Hole in the Wall (Rte. 16, N. Conway; 356-7776), a gathering place for locals, from middle-aged shopkeepers to college dropouts busing dishes until snowboarding season begins.

North of Jackson, the Mount Washington Auto Road may tempt you; just call 466-3988 first to check on weather at the top.

My second night I stayed at the Mount Washington Hotel and Resort (Rte. 302, Bretton Woods 03575; 278-1000, 800-258-0330), the finest of the remaining grand hotels. (Many, like the Glen House or the Crawford House, were all wood, without modern sprinkler systems, and burned years ago.) The Victorian-style rooms range widely in shape and size, and the whole resort feels pleasantly antique. Men must wear jackets at dinner; if you don't have one, they'll give you a well-worn loaner and seat you by the kitchen. The food, however, is excellent.

In Franconia, where you'll find the Frost Place (823-5510) a mile south of town off Rte. 116, I stayed at Lovett's Inn (Rte. 18, Franconia 03580; 823-7761, 800-356-3802). The inn, with plank floors and antiques, was built in 1784. Six of the 21 rooms are in the original inn; the rest are in cottages set on ten acres with woods, a swimming pool, and a duck pond. New owners JoAnna and Lee Wogulis run the place. A retired marriage counselor, JoAnna says of her new career, "I just wanted to be around happy couples." The food here was among the best I had: fresh baked breads, medallions of pork in creamy chipotle sauce, and a traditional New England dessert of Indian pudding.

You can get breakfast near Franconia also at Polly's Pancake Parlor (Rte. 117, Sugar Hill; 823-5575), a flapjackery that has fed leaf peepers for 56 years. The bacon is smoked, and the milk ice cold.

In North Woodstock, poke into Fadden's General Store (Rte. 3; 745-8371), with its antique display cases and squeaky wooden floors. The Millfront Marketplace (Kancamagus Hwy., Lincoln; 745-6261) has modern shops and craft galleries. For traditional tourist souvenirs, pull in at Clark's Trading Post (Rte. 3, Lincoln; 745-8913), where they have trained bears; the Indian maidens painted on the wooden plaques they sell in such places all resemble Janet Jackson.

Two easy hikes, both off the Kancamagus, are the Sabbaday Falls trail and the Railand River trail, three miles east of Sabbaday, starting behind the Russell-Colbath Homestead. For an intermediate hike, also off the Kancamagus, the Mount Potash Trail (11 miles west of Conway) takes two hours. In the north, off Route 302, you can pick up the Sugarloaf Trail (an hour to the top of one of the Sugarloafs) at the Zealand Campground, three miles east of Twin Mountain.

For information or reservations call: the White Mountains Attractions Assn. at 603-745-8720; New Hampshire Bed and Breakfast, 800-582-0853; or the chambers of commerce for the Lincoln-Woodstock area (800-227-4191) or for Mount Washington Valley (800-367-3364). In fall-color season, you can call 800-258-3608 for recorded foliage information.