Getting here

Driving to North Conway

Most visitors arrive by road from Boston, Portland, or Manchester. Routes converge on NH 16 in the Mount Washington Valley, where weather and foliage traffic can add time.

Main approaches

Boston, Portland, and Manchester enter the valley on different roads

Boston

About 2.5 to 3 hours

The common approach uses I-95 or I-495, the Spaulding Turnpike, and NH 16. Friday traffic and foliage weekends can extend the trip.

Portland

About 1.5 hours

US 302 through western Maine is the direct approach. Check weather and road conditions before the final mountain-valley stretch.

Manchester

Roughly 2 hours

Manchester-Boston Regional Airport is the nearest large New Hampshire airport commonly used for this drive; a rental car is normally required.

Arrival details

The village is walkable; the outlets and mountain roads are not

The station, Schouler Park, and Main Street are walkable once the car is parked. Settlers Green, Cranmore, Echo Lake, Diana's Baths, and the Kancamagus are separate drives, and there is no general local transit network that replaces a car for those outings.

Check live traffic and weather before entering the valley. Scenic routes are not shortcuts: the Kancamagus is an attraction in its own right, and seasonal roads such as Bear Notch Road or the Cathedral Ledge Auto Road require a current status check.

Road trip town

NH 16, US 302, and the final drive into Mount Washington Valley

Boston traffic joins NH 16 from the south; Portland approaches on US 302 from Maine; Manchester adds a rental-car drive north. Map lines show corridors rather than turn-by-turn directions.

Boston is usually 2.5–3 hours before traffic; Portland is roughly 1.5 hours in normal conditions.
Park near the station for Schouler Park, Main Street, and village restaurants; drive separately to Settlers Green, Cranmore, and the outdoor sites.

Open driving directions →

Second Star gear guide

Road Trip Essentials

Road-trip packing list