My husband and I went up to the summit of Mt. Washington in a tour van for the first time. We've been up there before, but never in a tour van. We were very happy we did! It was well worth the money! Our guide, Kevin, was excellent, very knowledgeable telling us all about the mountain, and just had the best personality ever! He also was very experienced in driving on that long road up!! We would definitely recommend this tour! read more

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What an absolutely amazing trip. Paul, our driver and super knowledgeable guide, made the trip!! His insight into the whole mountain from the bottom to the top was remarkable. He made it a point to make sure everyone got to see all the sights and was more than willing to snap photos and help us create memories. Once we were done, he made it a point to walk us through the Red Barn museum and let us look at the at the different modes of transportation that have made the climb up the mountain. Just can't say enough about everyone there...well worth the money!! read more

Mt. Washington Auto Road - Tours Near Me - Gorham, New Hampshire

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What a Beautiful place!! So much to do and so much to see. Great customer service! Tobey is #1!

Holy crap! Check the summit conditions before setting out. We encountered rolling fog whipping wind and rain with zero visibility. Talk about getting yourself nerved up! Am I glad I did it - yes! I earned that bumper sticker - would I check the summit conditions first, next time ?! Yeah!! That was a little too scary for my liking!! read more

What a great experience, awesome and unique with breathtaking views. Some may find the drive a little too much as there are lots of places you could easily tumble off if you weren't paying attention or freaked out. Def not a place to be texting and driving! Would do again. Pictures don't do it any justice, this is something that must be seen firsthand. I knocked off one star because it seemed a tad bit pricey. I don't understand why they charge extra for each passenger in your car. read more

Mt. Washington Auto Road - Parking lot - Tours Near Me - Gorham, New Hampshire

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Nothing like it ! Gun for the whole family . Great cafeteria at the top with nice chicken soup . American History and spectacular views. Bring a sweater ! read more

This was one of the best tours my family and I have been on. Our driver and guide Marc was great. Learning about the history of the auto road and many interesting facts about the mountain made for a great educational experience. Getting to explore the summit is an opportunity we'll never forget. I can't recommend this enough to everyone! read more

Our tour guide Marc was amazing!! Super safe driver as well as awesome at giving a detailed tour of everything around us!!

I first tried to drive Mt Washington back in 2002, during a mid-October road trip through New England. But it was already closed for the season! The disappointment lasted for eleven years, so when I planned my return visit, I made sure to come earlier in the fall. Mt Washington may end up as the longest-anticipated vacation destination that I have ever visited. Some reviewers ruefully note the prices ($26 per driver plus $8 per adult passenger), but allow me to point out that you get four attractions for the price of one. First, an absolutely spectacular view. Pictures don't do it justice. Second, a cool history lecture, in the form of the audio CD. There is also a museum at the summit which is not much more than the old hotel preserved in period furnishings with a few placards. The CD, however, is chock full of interesting information about the early history of the road; most fascinating was the cavalcade of lunatics who have raced up and down in various vehicles over the years. The narration is a nice distraction, too, from the stresses of the drive. Thirdly, a series of casual science lessons: physics, geology, meteorology, forestry, astronomy (well, maybe only if you get stuck overnight). The weather in particular is wild (famously, the highest winds ever recorded by a human occurred here); on our day the temperature sank from 62 to 37 degrees from bottom to top, and the wind was fierce. Also, I thought that it got really foggy about halfway up, but it turns out that we were DRIVING THROUGH CLOUDS. And finally, but most memorably, a thrill ride far more harrowing and about twenty times longer than you could find in any amusement park. My wife loves roller coasters but was terrified of this drive. Hypocrisy, methinks. I mean, it may SEEM dangerous, with the twisting, fog-bound, gravel road meandering up the side of the mountain with no guard rails to protect against a lethal mis-steer. But I'm sure that they wouldn't let people drive up here if there were regular fatalities. To be honest, I was a little scared, but all you have to do is limit your speed, pay close attention, and keep your cool. The payoff is absolutely worth it. read more

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Paul was amazing! Super knowledgeable and entertaining! We had a great time traveling up and down the mountain with such a lovely tour guide. Would recommend to others! read more

We had a great time in our trip up the Auto Road. I was worried that because we had done the cog the day before this would be boring, but boy was I wrong. Hans, our driver, was a wealth of information and provided a Wonderful tour. We had plenty of time at the top and with a little extra on the way down. Hans stopped to show us one of his favorite spots and took our pictures!! read more

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Many thanks to our guide, Mark, for a truly informative, scenic and fun adventure. The vehicle has retro fitted tires for a smooth, sure-footed tour. There is a soft pleasant bounce, comfortable seats and unparalleled vistas. Our guide, Mark, helped us up and down the steps to the coach, patiently took great photos and even shared some local family history on our tour. He has roots in this community and narrated stories we felt truly honored to hear. We left feeling a new connection to this area. Just go! read more

Sadly, this review isn't for the actual road.... Or the top of the mountain. I never made it that far. "its too cloudy", "I read it's dangerous", "it will be too old at the top!" ... Those were the excuses I got. So umm yeah, my only experience would be looking thru one of those quarter telescope viewing machines that you spend 1/2 of the 30 seconds trying to focus and the the other half trying to figure out what you're looking at ... And the gift shop. Typical gift shop with collectibles, souvenirs, post cards, key chains, ornaments, clothing, etc. nice clean restrooms and lots of maps and suggested stuff to do in the area. I'll be back Mt Washington to conquer you! ....and I won't be sitting shotgun. read more

Mt. Washington Auto Road - August 2015 - Tours Near Me - Gorham, New Hampshire

My wife and I took the guided van tour to the top of Mt. Washington on September 12, 2021. It was one of those things that we, as NH residents, have wanted to do for a long time. I know many choose to drive their own vehicle, but; I've heard stories of brakes overheating on the drive down, and other wear and tear issues on personally owned vehicles, so, we figured let someone else do the driving. Besides, your tour guide will talk about interesting facts about the road and mountain during the drive up, and the drive down. Our driver, Hans, was amazing! He told us many interesting things about the road, and mountain during the drive ... some of the facts were really interesting, and surprising ... I won't say anything here, as I don't want to spoil it for those who chose to take the van tour. The top of the mountain was covered in clouds, on this particular day, but; there were many awesome views to be had during the drive up. I suppose, at the 5,000 foot mark, things started to cloud up. The visibility was probably 50 to 25 feet. There are no guard rails on the road. The road seems to have 'just enough' room for two cars ... everyone coming down from the top had their lights on ... finally, we arrived at the top ... visibility must've been about ten feet ... our driver, Hans, must know the road very well ... he knew exactly where he was going ... a true expert. If I had chose to drive up, I probably would have 'frozen' in place, and someone would've had to get my car and drive it down. Not being funny here, this IS serious business. We got out of the van, and went into the cafe' and gift shop. My wife got a bowl of some type of squash soup, she said that it was amazing! We went back out, into the 70 plus mile per hour wind, and dense fog, and tried to go to the top to get a picture, but; were not able to do so ... that wind was strong, and you couldn't see anything any way. We went to the observation platform, the wind was blowing so hard, that it seemed like we were leaning forward to stand ... when we got to the railing, we couldn't see anything past the railing ... zero visibility. Ok, we had enough of the elements ... we decided to head back to the van. Our driver, Hans, was there, and we chatted with him for a while. The van was rocking due to the wind ... I kept thinking about 10 foot visibility and a road with no guard rails ... glad we had a skilled and experienced driver! When it was time to go, I felt sorry for those 'foolish' souls who chose to drive up, because at some point, they gotta come down! When we got to the 4,000 foot mark, we could see again ... I breathed a huge sigh of relief. We made it back to the lodge, said goodbye to our driver, and headed back to North Conway. Folks ... I want to tell you, as far as the excitement level, the van tour was worth every darn penny! There ain't gonna be any bored, sleepy people on this drive up, or down! If you do decide to drive up, do so if the top is clear, other wise, spend a little extra money, and take the van up. Would we do this again, definitely yes ... but only on the van tour! read more

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We traveled up the auto road by Snowcoach this winter. The arrangements were right on time and well organized. The vehicles were clean and relatively new. The ride was a blast! The views are incredible with no leaves on the trees. It seemed adventurous without being dangerous. Our guide/driver was very knowledgeable on a wide variety of subjects. The tracks are noisy, but the driver has a microphone to allow every to hear him. Overall the ride was certainly worth the price. read more

This is a must do if you're in NH for the absolutely spectacular views, incredible vistas, with trees and mountains for as far as you can see. When you get to the Toll House you get a CD along with a bumper sticker that says that your car climbed Mount Washington. Nice touches. Especially the CD which is full of history, information, and various records that have been set for climate, speed up the mountain by various methods and other useful and fun facts. It made the trip that much better. The drive itself is not for the faint of heart. It's a narrow road with two way traffic and no guard rails. The driver will likely not enjoy the same experience as the passengers, who will be astounded by some of the views and vistas on the way up. There are, however, multiple stop off points where you can relax and enjoy the view on the approximately 30 minute drive up. At the top there are lots of places to walk, hike and observe from over 6200 feet above, in the highest point in New England, or even the Northeast. It's truly breathtaking for everyone involved... Especially the drivers. You really must go if you can. There are few other experiences like this for everyone to appreciate. read more

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Enjoyed the adventure, then again I didn't look down off the road since there weren't guardrails. Definitely wouldn't recommend driving it yourself. You may be apprehensive about going if you're afraid of heights. There's a cog railway on the other side of the mountain. There's a museum behind the tour building that was nice. Oh, and drivers work for gratuities on top of the tour price. On top of the mountain it's cloudy 300 days a year. Be sure to look up the weather and dress appropriately. Oh, and be sure to go to the weather museum downstairs on top of the mountain. read more

Great time and bill , our driver was awesome telling us about mount washington. Fun facts and worth the trip! Would do again!!

A friend and I took the shuttle to Mt.Washington with our driver Ray. Not only did he have a vast knowledge of the history surrounding the auto road but he was a expert driver. The road is scary and he made us feel and. Ray also took our photos at the sign and we can't say enough about how wonderful our experience was because of him. read more

Worse value for money I've ever spent on a vacation in my entire life. It was a tremendous waste of money, boring, and ruined by weather and a complaining family who ended our trip early. I'd like my money back because the experience was TERRIBLE!!! read more

Breathtaking views and wind! The $29 we paid might seem steep, but the upkeep on the road and the amount of safety precautions necessary seem to justify the cost. Due to frost and wind, we could only got about half way up, but the drive wasn't too terribly difficult. If you're not very confident behind the wheel, there's a shuttle and a train available. If you're in the area, you absolutely must make this stop. read more

Mt. Washington Auto Road - Breathtaking views, but be prepared for ridiculous wind! - Tours Near Me - Gorham, New Hampshire

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Arrived at 4:30 PM. No veteran or senior discount. $105 for 4 to self drive. We're told that there was full services at the summit. Everything at the visitor center was closed at 5. Only the gift shop that the auto road owners owned was open. Rude treatment from all the owners of road and shop. Visitor center that had a restroom opened were friendly. read more

Enjoyed the ride up the mountain with our driver, who had interesting things to share with us. Visibility at the summit the day we visited was under 50 feet, and it was pretty wet, but we were still happy to have taken the ride up. The foliage at the base of the mountain and surrounding areas was spectacular. read more

The world's worst weather The sign at the bottom says, "If you have a fear of heights you may not appreciate this driving experience." I think scared out of your mind would be more accurate. It's narrow and bumpy with no guardrails. When you are going up and passing another vehicle coming down there is virtually no room the edge of the road and the edge means a long, long drop. Don't expect to bring your camper up here, the smaller the car the better. Bicycles aren't allowed except during the annual bike race. You better have some serious legs or be completely insane to enter that race. The road is only 7.6 mile to the summit but of course feels much longer. We made it in about 25 minutes but some people do take much longer. Fortunately there are places to pull off to take in the incredible views or to simply catch your breath. The grade is 12% and that 12% is a hell of a lot steeper than it sounds. Going down you better have good brakes and it is recommended that you stop from time to time and let your brakes cool, Surprisingly there have not been many fatalities up here. Many years ago a coach turned over and fell off the mountain and then in 1984 a fellow lost his brakes and couldn't stop. Once on top you will find a restaurant, gift shop and possibly some very wild weather. There is even a plaque with the names of the hundreds of people that have died hiking up here. When we left the bottom the temperature was about 70 degrees and pleasant but when we arrived at the top it was in the 30's with a 70 knot wind. It gets much colder and much windier than this and of course the road is closed in the winter. An absolutely wild and exhilarating ride and at the end you are rewarded with a fantastic view from the top of Mt. Washington and a bumper sticker that says "this car climbed Mt Washington". Just be aware that if you are afraid of heights you "may not appteciate the driving experience". read more

We took the stage up and it was a very pleasant and relaxing experience because we didn't have the stress of driving. the views were magnificent. At the summit, we had plenty of time to walk around and take it all in, visit the gift shop and get something to eat. It was quite crowded at the top, so we didn't have time to visit the museum - next time. Our driver, Hans was incredibly knowledgeable and shared so much information with us. it was truly a unique experience and I highly recommend it. read more

Unless you like scuba diving to see great white sharks or bull fighting or have nerves of steel, trust me this is to be avoided at all costs!! This is a white knuckle ride to put it mildly!! Part of the admission to try & drive up this mountain ( yes, people do fall off! ) is an audio disc that describes where you are and what you are looking at. SHUT THAT DAMN THING OFF! Who sees the views? You can't pull over and you NEED to keep your eyes on the road. We chose to drive up it and of course, then you have to come down! I'm surprised I'm not still at the top of it! Once you are on top and stop shaking, on a clear day you can see as far as 5 states or even Canada! It is the highest mountain top in NE America. This road was built for carriages in 1861 and is considered the nation's first man-made tourist attraction. I eventually crawled into the back seat and laid down, while my poor husband had to maneuver the one lanes, At most points and barely be on the road or take a tumble off the cliffs. Then there are the buses that want to go up ( and they have the mountain to hug and where do you go? I had nightmares for months. Been there, regret it and never again! On the other hand, the White Mountains, have a lot to offer. Lakes, the worlds first cog railway, ( rack and pinion railroad ), antiques, covered bridges, canoe, kayaking, fishing, water falls. It is beautiful, just skip the Auto Road or take the bus who wins!. read more

Not loving heights and a bit concerned about driving the road with an older car, our family of five decided to get tickets on one of the van tours. Reserving the tickets online was a breeze, and we were easily able to add a ticket by calling a day later. When we arrived, checking in was easy and since we were the only ones in this particular van, we were able to leave a bit earlier. Our driver was fantastic (SO glad it wasn't me driving) and his insights both as a driver and a former employee at the summit did enhance the experience considerably. We did not have great views from the very top, but being in the clouds is an experience with its own merits. I will say that I thought the ticket prices were a bit steep (and the reason for taking away one star), but this was a good compromise between the even pricier cog railway and driving on our own. read more

While this drive was scary as hell, it was also BREATH taking. I think the negative reviews here are a little unfair, as it says RIGHT at the beginning, that this road is steep, with no guardrails, yada yada yada. I don't think you should expect to have a leisurely drive up the side of one of the tallest mountains in New England. It was an adrenaline rush for sure. The summit was incredibly windy, but displayed some of the most beautiful sights I'd ever seen. I saw a lot of kids there, but I gotta say, with the amount of places a kid could potentially get hurt or fall, not to mention the fact that there were 50 MPH winds, I'm glad I left my 4 and 6 year olds at home.... read more

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I completely agree with the other reviewer, Lisa M...I too was petrified driving up the 7.6 mile road with my family. My husband drove a 2012, well maintained jeep Cherokee. I wouldn't trust my older car for that drive! I couldn't look down, my knuckles were white from gripping onto the top handle of the car. The 7th mile is not paved but I'm not sure that's why it's scary. The 7th mile is terrifying because there's no more trees lining the path; you're above the tree line. It's a 1,000 drop off that narrow road. Drivers going down yield to cars going up. It takes only about 20 min to drive up. Do your nerves a favor and listen to the cd they give you...the man's voice is soothing and gives you something to focus on and it is pretty interesting info about the mountain. My favorite interesting fact is that when your close to the top most of the trees are only about 3' tall conifers that look like Charlie brown's Christmas tree but they are 100 years old. The ride down is a breeze! You can have fun watching the terrified passengers in the cars driving up, since you just went through the same thing and survived. I know it's not the unpaved section of 7th mile that makes it scary because it's fine going down and I was even brave enough to enjoy the views. Don't ride your breaks (pumping is advised to not over heat them) or use air conditioner on drive up - good advice from the guy on the cd. There are plenty of spots to stop at to cool your car and breaks and take in the sights. We didn't stop on the way up, I just wanted to get it over with! On the way down we stop right after the unpaved road my mile 6. We found a little trail and walked out a bit to enjoy both looking up and down the mountain and to stand near those 3' trees that are so cute. At the top there are bathrooms and a cafe with chips, candy, drinks - all $2 each. For the kids there is a penny souvenir machine that elongates the penny...that's always fun (needs 2 quarters a penny). My husband has climbed, on his feet, to the top and has skied down the mountain tuckerman's ravine and he said the drive up was the scariest of all. When we were at the top ready to drive back down I envied the hikers starting their descent on foot because it seems less scary to be on your feet. It was embarrassing standing in line to take our pic at the summit sign along side the strong hikers who got there on foot!! If your car is in good shape, drive up yourself and save money by not taking the train or a service van...in the hierarchy of mt washington climbers, the train folk are at the bottom and the foot climbers are on top. Driving up yourself is part of the fun. . . It's like a Halloween kind of fun and scary combo :) Try it! read more

Mt. Washington Auto Road - Tours Near Me - Gorham, New Hampshire

We had such an amazing time! Ron was wonderful and so kind! He even took some amazing pictures for us. We learned so much about the mountains and can't wait to return again! Thank you for an amazing time and we can't wait to return again read more

Mt. Washington Auto Road - Top of snow coach - Tours Near Me - Gorham, New Hampshire

The 1st time I came to Mt. Washington, I drove up there in my van with 5 other friends, it was very scary, I froze in the middle of the road as the tour van was coming down. The road was clear though. This time we went on the last day of the tour for the season withe tour van, it was a great decision. Our driver/ guide Ray was awesome. We learned a lot about the road and other important informations. It was -12°F up there but we had a good time. Climed the summit. The buildings were closed for the season. read more

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Having never been on the Mt. Washington summit road, I almost decided to drive us up the long, beautiful, narrow road but after reading the reviews, decided to take the van tour. What an incredible decision! Our tour guide/van driver, Bill, did a masterful job of talking and driving at the same time (AND it was raining cats and dogs, to boot). Because he was an experienced year-round driver, Bill was really knowledgeable about the mountain in all seasons. His narrative provided excellent information not only about the history of the road but also the demographics of the mountain itself. It's WELL-WORTH the price to take the van tour rather than driving yourself! read more

We took a guided tour up, our driver Rick was competent, and confident. I noticed many white knuckles and wide eyes on the drivers heading down from the summit. A few cars didn't want to pass us. Glad we took the tour van. I would have loved to drive but the passengers would have made my life miserable!!! There's a Post Office at the summit. Hikers traveling the Appalachian Trail stop here. The museum and cafeteria staff spend a few day's up here at a time. Sometimes the road is impassable due to ice. It was so cold up there! 15° windchill and everything was covered in ice! It's a must, though. Three miles down the road is the Glenn Ellis Falls. What a day! read more

Mt. Washington Auto Road - The Top of Mt Washington! - Tours Near Me - Gorham, New Hampshire

Claude drove us up the mountain and was very informative and entertaining! Would recommend him and this business to anyone interested.

I bought a ticket for the Mount Washington summit tour. I decided to hike up and wait for the van at the summit. Met the driver and he told me they do not allow hikers to join them at the summit. I also talked to the manager, Kevin, who was very rude on the phone. They were unforgiving on the policy that you should ride with them going up, which was stupid, since I already bought a seat. They did not refund my ticket. read more

Did the guided tour... What they won't tell you is how far up the mountain it will go, so make sure you ask! If the weather isn't 100% ok, they won't go to the top. I paid $90 for two people to go halfway up and turn around. Not cool. They shouldn't charge the same amount for half the trip. Really weak. Kinda let down. read more

Mt. Washington Auto Road - Snow Coach - Tours Near Me - Gorham, New Hampshire

This was an amazing ride. We chose to do their van service up to the top - I highly recommend it! 1/2 way up I would've turned around if I was driving. It is a very narrow road with nothing holding the vehicle back from the insane drops. Our van driver had a great personality and told us some amazing stories about the mountain, the weather, the animals and trees in the area. I was really surprised to learn that the weather can change so dramatically so quickly and that you could even get stuck up top on a van tour for hours if the weather does change. Once you get to the top it is crazy windy and cold even on an early September morning. The winds were around 75 mph on the day we went - they will give you warnings depending on the winds if you have small children. We were told we came on one of only handful of days with such a clear view. We could see something like 230 miles. You could literally see the sun reflecting off the ocean in Maine too! These views are priceless and absolutely stunning. I would recommend that everyone checks this out once in their lifetime. read more

Beware of this EVIL Mafia company that has a monopoly for van transportation to Mount Washington Summit. I bought 2 seats on their 2hr guided tour to the summit. I decided to hike up and catch the van at the summit to get a ride back. When I arrived and talked to the driver, he said his manager prohibits him from taking people from the summit. I spoke to the nasty manager Kevin who said they don't take hikers from the summit because hikers don't usually arrive on time. Difference is - I showed up and met the driver of the van on the Summit- The same Van I booked!!! After sending them email with complaints and disputing charge with my credit card company they decided to refund my tickets. Nowhere on their page for the 2hr tour says - they will not take you from the summit. Stupid rules, poor customer service. I do hope they will change their rules , or make it clear before you buy that they will not take you from the summit. read more

What can I say?!? This place is phenomenal. While the drive isn't for a skittish driver, the journey up and down the mountain is a lot of fun. The cost is a bit exorbitant, but I'll probably do this once and that'll be it. You approach the entrance booth, pay the fee, and they give you a CD to play in your car as you ascend and descend the mountain. It's full of historical facts and details about you'll see as you drive. Spectacular views, many places to stop along the way up and down for photos, and some stuff to do at the top. Great day all around if you're visiting the area. read more

Great tour and tour guide, Randy! Very informative. Views were just stunning and so nice to be able to enjoy without having to watch the road! Hope to do it again!! read more