MomsTribute
Top of our family's Bucket List is to go on a gondola ride. This past summer we decided to make it a reality and headed up to Loon Mountain in Lincoln, New Hampshire for some family adventure. While this resort is open for all ski and snowboard activities during Winter from mid-November to mid-April, the Gondola Skyrides, Biking, Zip Lines at the Adventure Center and Glacial Caves are all available Spring, Summer and Fall. We decided to spend the whole morning at Loon and do some summer adventure activities along with the much-anticipated gondola ride.
We arrived at the resort and purchased the resort’s rechargeable “Go Cards” which served as our tickets to all the activities. We decided to start off with the White Mountain Express Gondola ride. My husband, two kids, and I boarded the small vessel and we made a steady climb to the peak of beautiful Loon Mountain. We all took in the majestic scenery along the way and enjoyed the bumpy, ear-popping ride. Below us, we could make out ski trails and a few mountain bikers. The ride, which was a little over a mile long, was so much fun and definitely worth the trip up north!
When we arrived at the top of the mountain, we were getting hungry so we stopped to eat at the Summit Café, one of the resort's convenient mountaintop restaurants. The restaurant had gorgeous views, both indoor and outdoor seating, and several kid-friendly food options such as macaroni and cheese, and sandwiches. With full bellies, we headed out to explore the summit. We walked along a short hiking trail, climbed to the top of an observation tower, and sat down to rest and take in the view at the resort’s amphitheater (which looked like it had just hosted an outdoor church service). Along the way, we encountered chipmunks, birds, and more amazing mountain views.
However, the best part was yet to come! It was time to explore the glacial caves, something the kids were particularly looking forward to doing. While a recent injury kept me from participating in the climbing fun, I still had a fantastic time watching from above as my kids skillfully ducked under boulders and navigated small spaces to motor through a series of rocks dating back to the ice age. When the kids met me at the cave exit, they were both excited to tell me that the experience was a little bit scary, but so much fun. In all honesty, I’m not sure that I would have been able to make it through all the tight spots!
We walked around the trail for a few more minutes and then re-boarded the gondola. The ride down the mountain was just as exciting as the ride up!
When we arrived at the base of the mountain, we headed over to the adventure center for some more outdoor fun. The kids wanted to do the zipline first. The adventure guides helped them put on all of their safety equipment and then whisked them away to the other end of the park where they boarded the zipline. I was a little nervous because my younger child had never done this activity before and I knew that he can sometimes be afraid of heights. From the sidelines, I anxiously waited for the small group of zipliners to appear from the trees. Well, let me tell you that my fears were instantly erased as I saw my son appear, gliding across the horizon high above the Pemigewasset River. He zipped right past me with the biggest smile on his face! My daughter followed shortly afterward and was equally enthralled by the experience.
Now it was time for some rock climbing at the adventure rock wall. The kids got suited up again and an instructor hooked them up to the wall using more safety equipment. While both kids were very determined to make it up to the top, the climbs proved to be a little challenging. There seemed to be some easier climbs, but these were already occupied by other guests. Nevertheless, the kids had a blast. We ended our visit by playing a few lawn games and then we headed to our nearby hotel to cool off in the pool.
When we returned home from our weekend trip, I gave the Summer Activities at Loon Mountain a five-star rating on the KidFriendlyVenues website.
For more information on Loon Mountain and the best places to visit with kids, search our free kidfriendlyvenues app. It is full of kid friendly venues that ensure your time management as a busy mom is well spent on quality experiences .
Kim F
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