Dartmouth-Sunapee (Winter)

Ivy League Dartmouth College and Mount Sunapee, one of New England's best ski mountains, give their names to this region bordering the Connecticut River in western New Hampshire. Dartmouth, in the town of Hanover, is the cultural and intellectual center of the area, with a regular schedule of music and performing arts all winter at its Hopkins Center. The college’s own mountain, Dartmouth Skiway, is open to the public, and an excellent small mountain for families – but with some exceedingly challenging terrain. The Dartmouth Cross Country Ski Center maintains more than 15 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails in Hanover, as well as the ...

Ivy League Dartmouth College and Mount Sunapee, one of New England's best ski mountains, give their names to this region bordering the Connecticut River in western New Hampshire. Dartmouth, in the town of Hanover, is the cultural and intellectual center of the area, with a regular schedule of music and performing arts all winter at its Hopkins Center. The college’s own mountain, Dartmouth Skiway, is open to the public, and an excellent small mountain for families – but with some exceedingly challenging terrain. The Dartmouth Cross Country Ski Center maintains more than 15 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails in Hanover, as well as the ice on Occom Pond for skating. The center’s facilities on Occom Pond provide ski and skating equipment rentals. Hanover hosts a full schedule of Ivy league hockey games, with local fans and classmates alike supporting Dartmouth skaters. Mount Sunapee is consistently named the top ski area in the east for grooming and snow quality. Its trails and new state-of-the-art equipment and lifts combine with a family-friendly atmosphere to make it one of New England’s most popular ski venues, despite the fact that it lacks the full resort facilities of many others.

About the Expert

Lura Seavey is the author of Fun with the Family in Vermont and New Hampshire and she has contributed to several Thomas Cook guidebooks, including Drive Around Catalonia, Travellers Mallorca, and Travellers Barcelona.