1. Conway Scenic Railroad

    1. Conway Scenic Railroad

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    North Conway, NH

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    Conway Scenic Railroad

    3.0 (276 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

    Conway Scenic Railroad Photos

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    Rocky W.

    This railway is located in downtown Conway near the station and lots of restaurants. I went on a weekday and reserved my tickets the day of. I recommend the upper dome seats (elevated seating that is more expensive but better view as you're able to see above the trees) and sitting on the right side. The train has several coach cars that you can travel in between. The last train has hot chocolate, hotdogs, and some basic snacks. The roundtrip train ride is slightly less than an hour, but is lackluster. As other reviews have mentioned, the views are boring and the train goes in a straight line and then back. A few spots of the view were okay for viewing the fall foliage, but most of it is seeing people's backyards and a school. There is an an automatic electronic narration that tells you the history of the railroad on the way to the station. Once the train reaches the end station, there is a 10 minute stop but you aren't allowed to get off. There is a tradition where people switch seats from the left to the right and vice versa at this point in the trip. There's a gift shop, but not much worth buying. I can't recommend this, the Mount Washington Cog Railway is much better.

    The view?!
    Kimberly D.

    The most disappointing part of our vacation. For a family of 3 (2 adults, 1 child) in the premium section (dome windows) it was $156.388 You are told to be there 30 minutes early, but when you arrive you have to wait for 20+ minutes in the gift shop. With a child this is not ideal. They could put some benches inside the ticket area or something... It drives 5 miles down the road, stops for 10 minutes while they move the engine from one side pf the train to the other, then drive back to the station. The trip says it will be an hour and 20 minutes, it took 50 minutes. The guide only points things out going one way, the way back is in silence. And if you sit on the wrong side of the train (most things are on the right side) you don't get to see it on the way back. Our son even asked to lay down on the way back to the station because it was boring. Overall we were really disappointed, later we heard another couple chatting at the hotel who was discussing an awesome train tour they did, apparently the Mt Washington COG railway is less expensive (would be $142 for us) and was really awesome. Lesson learned....read the reviews first! - they also should change the same and cross out scenic...the photo here is the only view we got...and maybe a quick glimpse of the Saco. We luckily missed the waste treatment view....

    Bill S.

    The Conway Scenic Railroad has everything going for it: a great location in northern New Hampshire, right on the edge of the gorgeous White Mountains, and some of there most beautiful scenery imaginable. And, if you happen to be a rail fan, it's got some really nice engines and cars for touring. A lot to like, and we did like a lot of it -- but not all. Here's what we experienced the other day, and hope it provides some guidance for others who night be interested: We took the near-five-hour trip into the White Mountains, up to Crawford Notch. Lovely. We rode in the spiffy dome car, a pricey trip ($185 per) we felt would be extra fun. The views all around are good, although with the sun out the reflections could make some viewing difficult. The seating is ok; this isn't luxury seating; basically a table in the middle of each section of two sofa seats accommodating two persons on each. Not a bunch of leg room, and you hope your across-the-table neighbors are easy-going folks. Our dome car had AC (not all cars do), and it did get chilly. The problem for us arose with the narrator. He's a gentleman who tells travelers over the public address system what they're seeing on both sides of the train. And he never stops. Never. For four and a half hours, he drones on and on, almost no breaks, often repeating the same stories, coming and going. It moves from being amusing to being annoying and finally wanting to strangle the narrator (not seriously, please). It frankly nearly ruined the trip for us; the company urgently needs to trim the narration at least in half. You can buy a box sandwich lunch for the trip; the box is waiting when you board the train at the station. It's a decent sandwich with some extra goodies, priced at $20. There are clean restrooms in the cars, and there are conductors if you need assistance. Note: the dome car is not handicapped accessible though most other cars are. The Conway rail station is nice, with a small gift shop and museum and some very nice staffers eager to help you with any concerns. We'd suggest getting tickets in advance online to avoid showing up to find the train full. There are several shorter daily excursions if you don't want the long one we rode. maybe we should have done that. Still, it was a generally good experience, and we'll try to remember the good parts.

    Impossible to see sign when there are 200 people standing in front of it.

    An $84.00 Scenic Train Ride... Through Backyards and Chaos" One of the adventures I was looking forward to the most on our trip was the scenic train ride on the Conway Scenic Railroad through the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It's advertised as: "The 11-mile 55-minute round-trip Valley Train recreates the classic mid-twentieth century experience of traveling from town to town by train. Enjoy the sights and sounds of a traditional small-town train as it ambles its way along the Conway Branch. Valley Trains run several times a day from May to November, boarding at our one-of-a-kind 1874-built Victorian North Conway train station at Norcross Circle in North Conway Village. The train features a snack bar. Please refrain from bringing outside food on the train." Back in August I reserved two window seats in the dome car that would allow Julia and me to each have a window seat and face each other. I even contacted the booking agent prior to the reservation to make sure that I understood the seating arrangements, and she replied that I was correct that if I reserved seats B1 and B4 it would be what I wanted. What she or the website doesn't tell you that your dream train trip will consist of standing in confusing lines, wandering around a chaotic parking situation, and then taking a "scenic" ride past the backsides of mobile homes and dumpsters. And you get to pay good money for this "adventure." We arrived 45 minutes early (because we're those people who actually read instructions and try to overachieve) only to find parking basically didn't exist. After a nice brisk walk from what felt like another ZIP code, we discovered that even though we had printed reservations, we still needed "boarding passes" -- available only from a mysterious Will Call window hidden behind 200 people in a line evidently waiting for the same thing. (Note the sign for the Will Call Window in the picture and imagine 200 to 300 people standing in front of it.) No one working there seemed to know where it was, including the people working there. After getting sent inside to a ticket window, outside to another ticket window, and back into the ticket window again, I finally found a clerk who told me I was finally at the right window. She asked for my name -- twice -- before finding my tickets in a second box like she was uncovering buried treasure. As we were getting ready to board after a delay of 15 or so minutes, they tell us that the dining car we were scheduled to be on has been put out of service and if we want, we can get over-priced drinks and snacks from the train station to take with us. Boarding was another adventure. One small plastic step stool, set on a slant, to reach up about 15 inches to the steps for hundreds of people to climb up into the train. Very OSHA chic. We then climbed the steps to the dome car, only to realize our carefully chosen window seats (B1 and B4) had magically transformed into H1 and H2 -- a window and an aisle. The train steward shows up, asks if everyone found their seats OK and turns around and leaves without waiting for an answer. So, I decide that I'll discuss the change in our seats when we get back to the station and settle in to enjoy our scenic train ride. When I asked later, the response was basically, "Yeah, we can change your seats anytime we feel like it." And the view? Spectacular -- if you've ever wanted to see the backyards of trashy run-down trailers, the rear ends of local businesses, and a school soccer field. We also crossed a bridge (exciting!) and saw some scraggly trees and a cornfield that had already been harvested. After about five miles, the train stopped at a rundown train depot, the conductor switched ends, and back we went on the exact same track. The best part? There isn't one. So, if you're looking for a scenic journey through disappointment, disorganization, and the occasional chain-link fence, this train ride is for you. Everyone else: save your sanity and take a drive instead. You'll see more, spend less, and probably find better snacks.

    First class car
    Iris S.

    I am going to say this is about a 3.75 stars for us, so I am rounding up to a 4. My main issue was the cost, I think for the first class seating (there is AC in the summer for those wondering, not the standard seats), we did not do the dome seating, it was close to $150 for two of us on the Sawyer River 2.5 hour ride. I understand the cost of upkeep and running the trains is not cheap so we sucked it up because this was an experience. Not all train rides run everyday. I had called ahead of time to ask if the dome was worth it, she said if this is a bucket list item for you, do it. From videos we watched online, it seems to be worth the money to do in the fall- we went in June when everything was very GREEN and that's all you saw. We decided to buy tickets day of at the window since we were driving and were afraid what delays we could encounter. They let you select your seats, but i mean we had no idea what was good and what wasn't since this was our first time. And they all seemed to be pretty good. It was a Thursday so the train cars were not packed, most couples and families each had their own table to themselves in the train car. I imagine in the fall it gets PACKED. I would suggest booking online in those cases It was neat because they narrated the ride as we went, gave us some background- the seats were very comfy and clean. They did have snacks for purchase and I believe you could purchase lunch vouchers ahead of time, we did not and just planned to eat after the train ride. Overall, it was cool and I'd consider doing it again down the road, but it is for sure a touristy thing. I don't know that we had any locals on our train other than people working it.

    Behind the train
    Toni G.

    We visited in July weather was rainy but nice . Paid for VIP for a group of 10. View were nice. We decided to leave our rail car and walk thru . We were not impressed. We paid 100 for ten beers. the PA system wasn't working so you could not hear about the area . I would not pay for VIP however I would not sit in the other seats on the train Time for a little TLC . This would be so nice if the upgraded the inside of the rail cars

    View from train
    Danielle V.

    We did the hour long scenic train ride and we had a good time. We didn't get the dome tickets but the second level one with the seats facing out. The chairs were comfortable and you can see lots of scenery. I liked that you switched seats with the other side so you can see everything. They do have a snack shake on the train but we didn't get anything. Overall a little pricey but a fun one time thing!

    I was looking forward to a peaceful trip in the almost $200 per seat dome car with excellent views and taking lots of pictures. The noise level in the car was LOUD!! But worst of all - all of the windows were absolutely filthy!! Every picture looks like there's a sandstorm raging outside!! The top windows had old snow and ice that they never bothered to deal with and the side windows were so dirty that when the sun hit them, you couldn't see through the dirt!! And on top of all the noise of people being loud, you've got a guy on the loudspeaker "narrating" the whole trip. It did add some value to some people, but to me it just added more noise. But you'd at least think that they would do something so simple as clean the windows on one level of one single car!!! Crazy!! All that money, travel time to get there, etc. that the customer has to do, and they can't bother to wash a few windows??

    Saco River Trail by Attitash
    Will P.

    This ranks in the category of... Been there done that and it's checked off my list. The trains are reasonably enjoyable to ride. It's only an 8 mile trip from Conway to Attitash ski area. There's a cute bar with good food at the end of the trip if you want to spend a little time in the area. There's also a hiking trail along the Saco River once you arrive. You can find it on AllTrails. The cars were relatively nostalgic. I was very disappointed and dissed that the car with the glass dome was dirty AF. I don't think they've cleaned that in 10 years. I am not sure why they don't spend at least one day a week cleaning the glass. It was significantly embarrassing , not to mention the dirt that was around the inside of the windows. If the idea is to see the views, how can you see them? You're looking through frosted glass practically. The narrator did a very good job as we went up to the ski area on the history. That was interesting overall. Definitely not worth the money. Except for the nostalgic end of it. I did love the railroad cars and first class and coach.

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    We were able to take the 1 hour ride out of North Conway. We enjoyed the train ride...

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    Ask the Community - Conway Scenic Railroad

    Can you bring food?

    They say no but don't check. It's a rip off to buy it from them. If it's snack stuff I say go for it. Don't bring a meal!

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    Review Highlights - Conway Scenic Railroad

    Booked The Notch Train 1st class package to celebrate my 60th birthday, my wife & I kids and grandkids.

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    MWV Moose Bus Tours

    MWV Moose Bus Tours

    2.3
    (28 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    Absolutely awful. This tour guide was very bad at his job and the trip was super boring. The bus…read morewas full and we were all hoping to get some good views. This guide has no idea where he was going and led us to complete darkness in the sense we had to do a U-turn in the middle of nowhere. It was a 3 hour ride with everyone falling asleep. We were all also freezing and the driver refused to make it a tad warmer.

    If there was an option to give 0 stars, I would give it…read more Where do we start. This "tour" is nothing more than a tourist trap - a money grab. This business isn't one that should exist. Elwin, the owner, is a terrible business manager with disregard to his costumers - we were freezing and asked Elwin to lower the air conditioner needless to say he did not and we were left to freeze for the entire ride. However, the most startling moment was Elwin telling us he has only seen moose on 3/47 of his trips. DOESN'T A SUCCESS RATE OF 6.38% STRIKE AS A SIGN THAT A CHANGE IS NEEDED IN THE BUSINESS MODEL?! This was generally a tour that gave me flashbacks to my school field trips. We ironed the same three roads back and forth - you expected a safari? Well the entire tour is on paved road no safari whatsoever. The entertainment that was used to lure us in included a discovery channel documentary that bore us to sleep, another documentary, and a slideshow made by Elwin including photos of Moose to the tune of "Hey Mr.Moose." Honestly the fact that this business is still functioning is beyond me. How can one take $40 for this monstrosity and not feel ashamed. Please skip this tour. By the way our tour lowered his success rate to 6.25% - in other words no moose (must mention that he did invite everyone back for a free tour - but how should I put it: I think we'll skip).

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    MWV Moose Bus Tours
    Beginning of the 1Am texts
    Beginning of the 1Am texts
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    Diana's Baths

    Diana's Baths

    4.6
    (127 reviews)
    1.5 mi

    Parking instructions here were very unclear. What we initially believed were parking spaces turned…read moreout to be a line of cars waiting to park, with no visible signage where we entered. When we noticed an opening, we asked nearby drivers if we could squeeze in, and they had no issue with it. As we were parking, an employee approached us in a very aggressive and unprofessional manner and told us we could not park there. We apologized and explained that we were not from the area and had not seen any signs. We were told that the rule was "well known to locals" and that a sign existed at the front of the line--more than 25 cars ahead, making it impossible for us to see. Despite the surrounding drivers having no objection, the employee demanded we leave and became increasingly hostile when we asked questions or requested a manager. At that point, the interaction escalated unnecessarily, and we decided it wasn't worth the confrontation and left. I've never experienced such a level of rudeness from a staff member over an honest misunderstanding. Clear signage and more professional communication would have avoided the entire situation. Someone even yelled out "stop being a parking nazi". I would have otherwise liked to review the venue itself, but we were unable to do so as we never made it inside.

    Diana's Bath is a natural pool with some small waterfalls. The walk from the parking lot is about…read more.6 miles one way, it's a quick and easy hike to reach this gorgeous spot. There is a parking lot and we were able to find parking but I'm sure it gets full at peak times. We enjoyed the hike and the waterfalls. It was in late May so there were quite a few people there. It's a peaceful spot to relax, sit in the pool, and just enjoy nature. I'm glad my family and I got to visit during this trip!

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    Waterfall
    Waterfall
    Waterfall
    Waterfall
    Diana's Baths

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    Outdoor Escapes New Hampshire

    Outdoor Escapes New Hampshire

    3.7
    (3 reviews)
    16.2 mi

    I do not recommend any "Moose Tours" with Lucie. We drove 3 hours to meet her and she was an hour…read morelate to the meeting point(no cell service to contact her), completely unprepared for us as she "pulled the wrong file" "what did I tell you we were doing" We basically drove up and down route 26 for 6 hours looking for moose on the side of the highway. She stopped to asked the locals where to find moose and spoke endlessly about the types of trees in NH. No moose were spotted at all even after a desperate mosquito infested walk through the woods (yes, we had bug spray but it didn't make a difference). We were told "plan B" was to drive up and down the same highway at midnight to see if the moose were out. This was a surprise for my husbands birthday, It was a surprise for both of us! This was a complete waste of time and money.

    What a great experience we had and most of all a beautiful day with a great guide! I booked a one…read moreday trip kayaking for Lisa and I and it couldn't have went any better. Lucy met us in the morning and we went straight to the river. It was such a gorgeous and enjoyable ride and she was so pleasant and relaxed the whole way through. She gave us some simple tips on kayaking and also some nice information on some of the wildlife and history of the area. When we reached Lake Ossipee the wind was very strong which made the lake very choppy and her lead was so assuring in the challenge that lay ahead of us - she was awesome and we made it to the other side of the lake without any issues whatsoever. I would highly recommend Lucy if you want to experience a great day outdoors in the White Mountains

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    Custom hikes for all abilities...learn about local history and nature.
    Custom hikes for all abilities...learn about local history and nature.
    Family hiking tour.
    Family hiking tour.
    Private cross-country ski lessons/tours on groomed and backcountry trails.

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    Private cross-country ski lessons/tours on groomed and backcountry trails.
    Northern Waters

    Northern Waters

    3.6
    (5 reviews)
    50.2 mi

    Overall a great place to rent gear while at Lake Umbagog!…read more I'll be honest there was a staff misunderstanding/snafu that could have ended up being a really sour spot in our weekend, but the owner Thomas was amazing about going out of his way to fix things. The boat was in great condition, lifejackets were new, and the location of the shop was great for exploring and putting in. One thing to note, they apparently have spots on the lake that you can rent to camp at? Also their boats are cheaper than those at the state park, so maybe next year we'll go directly with NW for everything. Thanks again Thomas :) Jen

    Rafting was a normal experience with fun water currents and a fun ride. But after rafting, you're…read moregiven an option to go tubing for free, me and my family decided to go tubing down the river which we had to walk down the pathway which was fine. Once we got into the water with no instructor, the only instructions we were given was to follow the same path we took for rafting and swish towards the right after the bridge. We also were told not to get out of our tube. The experience was normal, but nothing really special, when we were tubing once we passed the bridge we tried to steer right, but nothing was happening due to the strong currents. When we were approaching the time where we're supposed to get out of the tube nothing changed. This led to me and my family having to evacuate our tubes and caused us to hit our feet on the shallow sharp rocks in the waters. It was painful and I don't recommend to anyone. We had to get out of our tubes, drag our tubes with us to the shore while hitting sharp rocks and it was not fun. Overall, the rafting was normal and expected, but the tubing was not fun and I recommended they have an instructor or staff help navigate the strong dangerous waters to prevent any accidents.

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    Northern Waters
    Northern Waters
    Northern Waters

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    Conway Scenic Railroad - tours - Updated July 2026

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