mount washington observatory weather discovery center

We've been going to N Conway for many years and had always driven by this place, but never stopped. We finally stopped this year, and are glad we did! The kids enjoyed it. We spent about 1.5 hours there, which was perfect. The museum is free, but we left a donation in the donation box. I would definitely go back again.

great little museum in down town North Conway. learn a lot about this mysterious mountain. live feed to the summit is great too. all should go through this treasure .

Some of us walked to the top...others ran up..others stayed in the car...its such a beautiful experience...The temperature varies from below to the top ...so be prepared....Bring your camera.....Such nice views...there is a place to snack and little boutique....enjoy!!

Arriving on the cog railway at the summit you then have about 45 minutes before you have to return to the cog railway carriage to go back down. First thing to explain the cog railway is not the only way to get up to the mount Washington summit. You can also drive up there or come by coach. It is so cold compared with down in the valley and at the bottom. Being so high up you think that you are seeing ice? But you soon learn you are actually seeing frozen clouds? The summit is a higher pile of rocks, then you can visit the weather station buildings and the Observatory building which again has a great museum and rest rooms, a restaurant and an high inside viewing area. The interactive exhibits where you can drive the snow cat and other exhibits recording wind speeds and recording the weather are all well thought out to give maximum enjoyment to all ages. The old hotel called the top house that was once used but is now left as it was so visitors can see how things were in years gone by when guests stayed up at the summit!We were very lucky according to our cog railway guide as the visibility had cleared and the views were the best to be seen at the time we were up there. As it was late there was an announcement loudly playing telling all drivers that they had to leave and start there drive down now as if they didn't they would be trapped on the summit as the gates were soon to be locked closing off the road. We also saw the sun begin setting in the distance from the summit view we had and was able to continue to watch it set as we boarded our train and it started back down.Such wonderful memories captured on video and photos we are so glad we decided to visit the mount Washington mountain summit on the day and at the time we did.Thank you for reading this John & Sue Webb Eastbourne UK

Sunny day or rainy day this is a great stop in the Mt. Washington Valley. Great for kids and adults too.

We travelled to the observatory using the stagecoach, bathed in sunshine at the bottom, the summit was wind blown and foggy, a remarkable experience. The display is well thought out, engaging and informative. It together with the drive to the top was a feature of our holiday.

Evert time we have friends & family in from out of town this is one of out MUST SEE stops. From young & old all have enjoyed their stops here. As a trivia buff I love the display of the extreme weather sites around the world.

It is only a rather small kind of museum. But there are several hands-on experiments for both children and adults. I was especially impressed with the mountain top experience (I don't know, what the official name was), where you can kind of feel what it's like to be on top of Mount Washington during a snow storm. That really caused some goosebumps...But I liked the other small weather experiments, too. I think they are both interesting and eduacational without being boring.Both times I was there it wasn't very crowded, so I was able to take my time and try some things several times.

This is a MUST for your North Conway vacation. The ride up is breath taking and NOT for the faint of heart. The road corkscrews up the mountain and you are often literally inches from the edge. Another thing to be prepared for: Ladies - in the summer they check your car in and ask for everyones weight if they are concerned that you are "overpacked". My sister almost had a heart attack right there in the parking lot! She slipped the warden her weight on a piece of paper!! Hysterical! He did rearrange our cars and who was in which - they take this seriously!View at top is breath taking! Be advised that even in summer it can be COLD at the top! Bring layers or better yet, climb down instead of driving via Tuckermans ravine. Be in shape!Just started snowcat tours in winter - on my "to do" list!

I have ventured up the auto road a few times in my life. Once younger, then mid way and now just a little older. Evertime it is completely different. I would think you could go up every day and be as just as wonderful as the day before. It is just breathtaking! I have spent a good part of my life in this area camping and hiking. It has lots to do with the skills that has got me thru life. Take the xbox away go to the local walmart grab a tent and supplies and spend a few nights in the woods It will do you all lots of good.

Great amount of weather related knowledge in entertaining and educational presentations. Something for everyone and all ages. Spend about 30 minutes here and you pretty much covered everything.The worst weather is on Washington? Nope, think not. Get your facts straight. Great marketing ploy though!

If you have a penchant for meteorology or just interested in experiencing some cool science stuff in a fantastic environment, this is the place for you. You can chose between a day trip to the observatory or an over-night stay. Either way, you'll assemble near the base of the Mt. Washington Auto Road where you'll be met by an observatory staff member. I went in the winter. So, from there we got into one of their "snow cats" and were driven up to the observatory. They will make a couple of stops along the way so you can briefly get out at scenic locations, which are great! Once at the top, you'll disembark and be taken into the observatory. Since it was winter, the concessions were closed down. We went directly into the observatory and met the scientists. They gave a great synopsis of what their job is and described the equipment and methods they employ. We were than treated to lunch prepared by volunteers who assist at the observatory. After which, we were taken out onto the observation platform. The temperature was around zero and the wind was howling. But it was exhilarating and the view is spectacular! The day ends with a ride back down in the snow cat. This is a great experience that any fan of the White Mountains should not miss.

This is a very scenic drive. The highest point in the east. The drive up is almost freaky as the road is quite narrow. Be sure to bring a warm wind breaker when you go up as the temperature drops quite a bit and the wind is quite awesome.

a must see for anyone going this way. though not for the faint of heart the experience is awesome. try and pick a day that is sunny just for a better view from the top. the road is narrow at times going to the top of the world so take your time. going down is just as exhilarating as going up. when they encourage you to stop at specific points on the way down to let your brakes cool, DO IT. going down in low gear and in 4 X 4 we stopped at all the safety points and still ended up smokin the brakes. while at the top its interesting to see an older building that is chained and anchored to the ground because of the high winds that are possible. washrooms and tourist trap are available at the top as well.

Both adults and kids loved the experience of the hurricane force winds produced by a winter storm. There are great interactive exhibits and we all learned a lot. The kids really took to the air cannon and how it can displace objects by air being channeled. Great selection in the gift shop of weather related items and books. Since in the winter you cannot get to the MW Obs, this is the next best thing. We'll come again AND go up in the summer. Great educational and fun experience.