Free & Cheap Things to Do in North Conway

Outdoors

A series of small cascades dropping about 75 feet over smooth ledges on Lucy Brook, reached by a flat, wide gravel path of just under two-thirds of a mile from the West Side Road trailhead. The pools are popular swimming holes in summer; the surrounding hemlock-and-birch forest is shady and family-friendly. Run by White Mountain National Forest as a free recreation site.

Address: 3872 West Side Rd, North Conway, NH 03860

Tip: Self-serve parking kiosk takes debit/credit, not cash. The lot fills by mid-morning in summer and on fall-foliage weekends — arrive before 9 a.m. or come late afternoon. Roadside parking is prohibited and gets ticketed. Path is stroller-friendly to the falls; rock-hopping above takes more care.

Outdoors

A drive-up vertical cliff rising 700 feet over the Saco River valley — one of the most iconic White Mountain views and a famous rock-climbing wall. A mile-long auto road climbs to the top, where an accessible viewing platform looks out over Echo Lake and the Saco Valley to Mt Washington. Open seasonally with donation kiosks instead of an entrance fee.

Address: Cathedral Ledge Rd, North Conway, NH 03860

Tip: Auto road opens for the season around May 2 and the park is unstaffed after October 31; gates may close in off-season. The drive is narrow with no center line — go slowly and use the small pullouts to let oncoming traffic pass. Rock climbers are a normal sight; stay back from the edge.

Parks & Nature

A small clear glacial lake at the base of Cathedral Ledge with a sandy swimming beach, picnic area, and a flat 1-mile shoreline loop trail. The reflection of the 700-foot cliff in the lake is the postcard shot of the Saco Valley. Hiking trails connect up to Cathedral Ledge for visitors who want to combine the two parks.

Address: 68 Echo Lake Rd, North Conway, NH 03860

Tip: Day-use only; the beach has a lifeguard in summer. Park fills on hot weekends — online reservations are available through nhstateparks.org and are recommended. Echo Lake and Cathedral Ledge are the same state-park unit, so the Cathedral Ledge auto-road trip and the lake swim pair naturally.

Outdoors

An American Scenic Byway running 34.5 miles between Conway and Lincoln through the heart of the White Mountain National Forest, with no developed services along the entire route. The drive climbs to 2,855 feet at Kancamagus Pass with overlooks at Sugar Hill, Pemi, and Hancock; signed pull-offs lead to Sabbaday Falls, Lower Falls, and Rocky Gorge on the Swift River.

Address: NH Route 112 between Conway and Lincoln, NH

Tip: No gas, no food, no cell service for most of the 34.5 miles — fill up and download maps before you start. Sabbaday Falls is the most popular stop (paved path, 35-foot waterfall). The byway is plowed year-round but the side trails close in winter. Pronounced 'KANK-uh-MAH-gus.'

Outdoors

About 45 kilometers of intersecting flat trails on a 180-acre town conservation tract just off Route 16 in downtown North Conway — wood-chip and pine-needle footing, white directional arrow blazes, and easy loops from 0.7 miles to several miles. Managed by the Conway Conservation Commission and the nonprofit Mt. Washington Valley Ski Touring Foundation, which grooms it for cross-country skiing in winter.

Address: Pine St off Route 16, North Conway, NH 03860

Tip: Parking at the Whitaker Woods lot off Route 16 just past Pine Street, or at John Fuller School next door. Dogs welcome on leash. The Town is currently removing dead red oaks from spongy-moth and frost damage — some loops look gappy but most stays walkable. Winter requires snowshoes or skis.

Shopping & Strolling

A walkable historic downtown along Main Street (US-302/NH-16) — boutique shops, the 1874 train depot still in service for the Conway Scenic Railroad, independent bookstores like White Birch Books, the original Zeb's General Store of New Hampshire-made goods, and the family-run Five and Dime. Schouler Park anchors the village green with a playground, free summer concerts, and a clear view of the depot platform.

Address: Main St, North Conway, NH 03860 (Schouler Park at 2747 White Mountain Hwy)

Tip: Tax-free shopping is the local hook — New Hampshire has no sales tax, which adds up on bigger purchases. Park free at Schouler Park or on the side streets off Main; the lot at the Conway Scenic Railroad depot is for ticketed passengers. Free Thursday-evening summer concerts run on the park bandshell.

Shopping & Strolling

New England's largest tax-free outlet shopping village — 70+ name-brand outlets including Under Armour, American Eagle, Michael Kors, Vera Bradley, Nike, and Polo Ralph Lauren, plus restaurants and a Customer Service kiosk that hands out a free 30-store coupon book. Open-air layout on Route 16 with public art, a labyrinth, an outdoor ping-pong table, and free WiFi throughout.

Address: 2 Common Court, North Conway, NH 03860

Tip: Pick up the free coupon book at Customer Service before you start — the savings stack on top of the outlet prices, which stack on top of New Hampshire's no-sales-tax. EV charging on site. Stroller and wheelchair rentals are also free at Customer Service. Labor Day to Columbus Day weekends are the busiest.

Parks & Nature

The largest known glacial erratic in North America — a 5,000-ton granite block 83 feet long, 23 feet tall, and 37 feet wide, deposited at this 17-acre Madison parcel by a retreating ice sheet about 14,000 years ago. Designated a National Natural Landmark in 1970. Free to visit, with a short flat path from the parking area through pine woods to the boulder.

Address: Boulder Rd, Madison, NH 03849 (about 10 miles south of North Conway)

Tip: Off-the-beaten-path even for locals — turn off Route 113 onto Boulder Road and follow signs about a mile to the small parking lot. The site was tagged with anti-tourist graffiti in spring 2026 and was cleaned by NH State Parks; the rock itself is unaffected. No facilities on site. Quiet most days outside fall foliage weekends.