Fall Foliage in the White Mountains

It's almost that time of the year again when the leaves on the trees change and the mountains are painted by the fall foliage. Sure the weather begins cooling off and the summer comes to an end, but there is still plenty to enjoy during the fall. I especially enjoy admiring the gorgeous scenery during foliage season in the white mountains because it is definitely something special.

The way the mountains are lite up by the various shades of red, orange, and yellow is beautiful. If you're an outdoors person who likes hiking than you could hike any of the mountains in the white mountains and enjoy the foliage views during your hike. If you want to view the foliage in a more relaxing setting than you could go out for a drive or even take a train ride such as the Conway Scenic Railroad or the Cog Railway. Which ever way you prefer, you should at least try to go out and witness the foliage because it only happens once a year. Go out and enjoy it while it lasts! You may even want to capture some pictures while making those fun memories to remember!

If you're wondering when fall foliage occurs in the white mountains then you're in luck. The foliage usually begins around the second to last week in September and lasts until about the second week in October, but can vary from year to year. The peak of the foliage is roughly around the beginning of October, which is when the color of the leaves is the brightest. So whatever your plans are for this September and October I would highly recommend setting aside a day, if not longer, to go up and visit the white mountains to admire the foliage. It really shows how spectacular nature is!

Sources:
White Mountains Foliage
Cog Railway
New England Foliage Map
Mount Washington Hotel Photo
Conway Scenic Railroad Photo

Making Memories and Enjoying Vacation

Vacations are usually all about having fun, relaxing, and making memories with family and friends. As summer is winding down and people are trying to get in that last big trip, try to remember not to stress too much about summer almost being over. Instead of thinking about summer being over, try to embrace that camping trip. Enjoy the vacation for all it has to offer and have fun with your family and friends. The best part of a vacation is the fact that you are on vacation, so soak it up!

Don't worry about what things you have to do after vacation so much because those things will only distract you from actually enjoying yourself on vacation. I know technology is a great resource and often a necessity now a days, but if possible, try to at least limit yourself during your trip. I myself am a huge fan of taking pictures to remember the fun things I do, which is alright to do. Sometimes though cell phones or i pads can be distracting and take away from fun moments. Every once in a while just live in the moment instead of trying to capture it. Play board games or some outdoor games with your family or friends because those are the truly memorable moments.

If your vacation is aimed at more of a relaxing type, then don't stress about work. You could enjoy the outdoors while reading a book or even go out for a calming hike. You could even start a campfire and kick back in a chair to enjoy. It doesn't even need to be a long and difficult hike, but could even just be a simple walk through the woods or by the water. The important thing is that you relax and remember that trip and all those good memories years down the road.

Vacations are important for all of us because everyone needs a break from work, school and other things every once in a while. Whatever type of vacation you are going on try to enjoy it and allow yourself to be on vacation. Enjoy and have fun!

Sources:
Vacation Mindset Tips

Cooking on The Campfire

One of the best parts of camping can be cooking your food on the fire. Most people may just think of cooking hot dogs and marshmallows on the fire, but really there is so much more you can make. One of my favorite tools for camping is my pie maker. It enables me to cook food inside it while putting it in the fire. If you are trying to figure out what to make for lunch you could make a grilled cheese using the pie maker and the fire. Besides tasting like a grilled cheese, you will also have the satisfaction of having cooked it camping style! If you're not a grilled cheese person or want to spice it up a little you can make a personal pizza by adding in some pepperoni or other toppings you like.

After a busy or relaxing day of camping and fun activities you can end the night with some delicious desserts. Whether you make s'mores or want to try something different such as pies, the campfire works great! To change up your s'mores you can also always use different kinds of cookies in place of the graham crackers to make an even more unique s'more.

Making a pie on the campfire may sound more complicated, but it's not that hard. All it takes is some bread, pie filling of your choice, a pie maker for the fire, either butter or none stick spray, and of course a campfire. Depending on how hot the fire is and how crispy you want your food determines how long you should cook it. At maximum it will only take you a few minutes and the results will be tasty!

So if you're out camping this summer and want to try cooking more than marshmallows on the fire, give it a try. Cooking on the fire is both satisfying and you can create delicious foods! I find cooking on the fire and then serving right on the plate makes whatever you made taste so much better! Enjoy and check out these videos below to see what you can cook!


Demo Videos:
Pepperoni Pizza On the Campfire
Breakfast Sandwich
S'more Pie

Thrill Seekers and Nature Lovers Looking for A Fun Ride

Don't know what to do or how to enjoy the fantastic white mountains? Are you a thrill seeker looking for something fun and exciting to do? I have the perfect solution for you. A great way to both enjoy the white mountains beautiful views and have a memorable experience is to take a canopy tour at Bretton Woods in Twin Mountain, New Hampshire. You not only get to have an incredible experience, but you are able to soar in and above the trees taking in the surrounding views. Looking to the sides you are able to take in the scenery or even look below you to watch for some wildlife. You never know what deer or moose may be out for a nature walk below you! The tour guides there are fantastic and make you feel comfortable and safe. They give you directions and demonstrations so you know what you're doing before getting out there. It is the perfect way to spend a few hours and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested.

I have done the canopy tour there and it was so much fun! It was a little rainy and cloudy, but still was a blast and I can't wait to go again! Despite the weather, you still could see the Mount Washington Hotel and part of the Cog Railway.

Standing up on the giant platforms in the tree tops you feel on top of the world. When you get to sit back and take off out across the canopy you feel like you're flying because in a way you really are. If you're up in the white mountains area or thinking about coming up to this area, I would definitely consider planning a trip to visit this fun attraction.


Want a sneak peek of what the tour is like, watch the short video below.

Sources:
http://brettonwoods.com/activities/canopy_tour/overview
https://s3-media2.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/qdaicaSAVE2IFASQdMPEYw/ls.jpg
http://www.newhampshire.com/storyimage/UL/20170303/NEWHAMPSHIRE0313/170309802/AR/0/AR-170309802.jpg?q=100
https://www.omnihotels.com/-/media/images/hotels/mtwash/activities/mtwash-omni-mount-washington-resort-canopy-summer-flowers.jpg?h=660&la=en&w=1170

Memorial Day Weekend

This weekend kicks off the first big weekend for the camping season! Come enjoy the White Mountains in northern New Hampshire to both relax and have some fun! Whether you want to do some hiking or even go to some of the White Mountain attractions such as the Hobo Railroad or the Flume. There’s plenty of things to do in the area and even if the weather isn’t so great, you can always stay and relax at the campground and go for a swim in the indoor heated pool. On site at the campground there is also other amenities offered for the whole family to enjoy such as giant chess and checkers, volley ball, horseshoes, shuffle board, and more.

In the area there is plenty of hiking for all ages and all levels of expertise. Mount Willard being at 2,840 feet in elevation is in Crawford Notch is only a short 10 minute drive east of the campground and is a shorter and easier hike, but it still offers great views.

 Feeling like seeing some waterfalls, there are those around here too. Arethusa Falls is also located in Crawford Notch and is a spectacular waterfall especially after it has recently rained. The waterfall is approximately 140 feet tall and about 1.6 miles from the parking area off of route 302. The trail to Arethusa Falls is tougher in comparison to Mount Willard because it is steeper, so if hiking there be careful with your footing. 

Finally, enjoy the weekend and I would also like to give a huge thank you to all the men and women who have and are serving our country! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Sources:
http://beechhillcampground.com/beechhill/activ.htm
http://www.parentingnh.com/May-2014/Check-out-what-adventures-await-you-in-the-White-Mountains/
http://images.goodsam.com/trailerlifedirectory/largefeatured/1000x/pho_830001464_04.jpg
http://www.southeast.k12.oh.us/sites/southeast.k12.oh.us/files/images/memorial-day-remember.jpg
http://www.summitpost.org/mount-willard/152234
http://www.northeastwaterfalls.com/waterfall.php?num=34&p=0