Welcome to Jackson, New Hampshire (NH)!

A town know for iconic New England charm, a deep culture of skiing, historic inns, quaint locally owned shops, and is home to a James Beard nominated farm-to-table restaurant along with local restaurants with some of the best pizza, wings, and breakfast sandwiches.

Jackson, New Hampshire is also known for providing one of the best backdrops for weddings, and is a thriving destination for those seeking a mountain themed wedding!

Located just fifteen minutes outside of North Conway, NH, here’s the best way to spend a few days exploring Jackson Village, and making the most of what this local community has to offer! You can try, but it’s hard to soak-up everything in just a day. We recommend including this itinerary as part of a tour of Mt. Washington Valley, starting with your vacation in North Conway, NH, and then staying in Jackson, NH for a few more nights! For more local intel like this, sign up for our newsletter, Vacation Inspiration!

(But before you do anything, first, we implore you sign your name to the MWV Pledge to help protect the White Mountains and all it encompasses to ensure they stick around for years to come!)

Choose your adventure! Where you can start with a pedicure or manicure at Debony Salon! A salon and spa in Jackson Village, right over the covered bridge, Debony Salon offers metropolitan services in a mountain setting. You’ll find high-end services to enjoy ranging from spa pedicures that include a massage, foot mask and steam towel treatment to facials, massages, and blow-outs. It’s not uncommon for the stylists at Debony Salon to set-up side-by-side pedicures for friends coming in for a day of relaxation!

Book your appointment at Debony Salon after you’ve enjoyed a hike up Doublehead Trail! A mountain that becomes a backcountry ski trail in the winter, you’ll get a lot of bang for your buck with this hike. It’s a short, 4.4 mile round-trip hike, but don’t let that fool you. The vertical on this trail provides a challenge, and provides direct views of Mount Washington on clear day.

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(The iconic Jackson Covered Bridge, and Jackson Waterfalls are also two photographic opportunities that are a must to capture when visiting Jackson, New Hampshire!)

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There is a dedicated parking lot for this trail, so respect the signage and park where instructed. Jackson is home to many other accessible hikes. If the parking lot is full make your best effort to research other hikes in the area. You can always make a call to Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce, or stop in for a coffee and a sandwich at J-Town Deli, and the friendly folks behind the counter would be happy to share where to go next with you!

J-Town Deli is right down the street from some truly adorable shops. Shopping in Jackson, NH  is a one-of-a-kind experience. You’ll find the Jackson Historical Society as well as White Mountains Puzzles right across from each other. White Mountains Puzzles is a mecca of - you guessed it - puzzles! You’ll find New England and New Hampshire themed puzzles as well as any other topic you can possibly think of. Grab one to put together during down-time on your vacation in Jackson, NH, and grab a few more for Christmas gifts!

Ravenwood Curio Shoppe and Flossies General Store, just a short walk from White Mountain Puzzles, are two shops that are an absolute must to stop at. You’ve never seen a shop like Ravenwood before - we can guarantee it. The architecture is truly unique, and built by the owners. You’ll find home decor and art at Ravenwood Curio Shoppe.

Flossie’s General Store features items made by local artisans as well as collectibles and an array of gifts. It gives you that general store feeling, and as though you’ve stepped back in time.

A short three-minute drive from the center of Jackson Village is Jackson Art Studio & Gallery. A modern art gallery where you’ll find a range of regional artists represented in the form of glass-blowing, photography, jewelry, acrylic and oil paintings, and more. Jackson Village also offers art classes, so if you time your vacation just right you can plan on attending a painting class that addresses a wide range of skill and style.

Next up! Stop at Thompson House Eatery. a restaurant with a five-acre farm where its farmers grow a large portion of the ingredients you’ll find on the menu. James Beard nominated, this restaurant is truly unique. A husband and wife team, you’ll be greeted by Kate, while Jeff prepares your entree. They live on the property so they’re truly welcoming you into their home. Thompson House Eatery is a bar, restaurant, market and farm. An experience is what you’ll have there, and you’ll enjoy every minute of it.

Remember how we said you wouldn’t be able to experience it all in one night? You’ll need to spend the night at one of the many lodging properties in Jackson, NH. Home to what’s known as “baby grand” hotels from years gone by, you can book a room at properties like The Wentworth or Eagle Mountain House - two hotels that offer a luxury experience, with dining on their property.

You’ll also find warm and inviting bed and breakfasts in Jackson, NH. Signature Jackson, NH based events you’ll want to plan ahead and book a room for include the annual Jingle Bell Chocolate Tour, Inn to Inn Cookie Tour, Pumpkin People Festival and Wildquack Duck Race! You’ll also find live music every Tuesday night - also known as Hoot Night at Wildcat Inn and Tavern. For more information on events in Jackson, NH, click here.

If it’s the summer and fall, you’ll want to book yourself a golf cart and play at Eagle Mountain House Golf Course, a nine-hole course, or Wentworth Golf Club, which offers 18-holes.

In the winter, both courses turn into a trail network for the Jackson Ski Touring Foundation. You’ll find 50 trails and over 100km to ski. Parts of its trail network are dog-friendly, and the center has invested in its grooming team and equipment to provide quality conditions regardless of weather. Warming huts, and great views speckle the trail system.

You can also plan your day to nordic ski in the morning, and then jet up to Wildcat Mountain, to alpine ski in the afternoon. Wildcat Mountain is just a fifteen minute drive from Jackson, NH.

Of course, if you want to know where the locals go, they’re stopping at Shannon Door Pub and Restaurant after a day of skiing, golfing or shopping! An Irish pub that’s serving pints of Guinness and ice cold martinis, you’ll find comfort food in Shepard’s Pie and meat loaf, but this restaurant is also a hot spot for pizza and wings! If you want a local rec, order the buffalo wings and chase them with a pepperoni pizza. It’s the perfect combination after a day spent on the slopes. Shannon Door also hosts live music regularly.

For complete trip planning resources and information, explore this site, visitmwv.com, or call 800-367-3364 (800-DO-SEE-NH) to talk to a Mt Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce rep.  To learn more about New Hampshire vacations, go to www.VisitNH.gov.

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