An Economical Vacation in the White Mountains

Before the long weekend commenced, Z and I took a few days off to enjoy some time in the White Mountains before the holiday crowd overtook the area. Bright and early Thursday morning, we packed the car and made the sunny road trip up north.

Our destination: Joe Dodge Lodge in Pinkham Notch, N.H.

After a fun and relaxing road trip, we were excited to have finally arrived at our destination 3.5 hours later.

Our trip – which, for three nights and four days cost us only $400, most meals included - consisted of some scenic hikes, new friends and surprisingly great weather.

We also ate very, very well, including a return trip to a place I’ve been dying to go back to for over three years now: Moat Mountain Smokehouse and Brewing Co.

Located in one of North Conway's historic buildings, Moat Mountain features refined American eats as well as an impressive beer list, complete with their own brews, as well as some domestic and local brews. Z and I both had a sampler of Moat's own creations, which were all fantastic, with the exception of the Czech Pilsner. It just was not tasty. 

For a snack, we split the Mexican Nachos ($9.99), simply dressed with black beans and cheese, with salsa on the side. We also ordered a side of guacamole ($1.99). Despite the simplicity of the snack, the nachos were wonderfully crispy, and the toppings were consistently generous throughout. No soggy nachos here!

On Saturday afternoon, our trip in the White Mountains had come to an end, but our vacation did not stop there. Before an intense game of miniature golf in Lincoln, N.H. (which I won, might I add), Z and I had lunch al fresco at Woodstock Inn Brewery in Woodstock. There, I had a Raspberry Weasel Wheat Ale (and, later, a Pig's Ear Brown Ale, not pictured).

For our appetizer, we split the Loon Golden Ale Dip ($6.99), made with roasted garlic, jalapenos, gorgonzola, spinach and roasted red pepper. Served with spent grain flatbread and tortilla chips, this creamy, rich dip was addictive and delicious. 

For my entree, I ordered the Tuscany Salad ($9.99), which came with more gorgonzola cheese, mesclun greens, roasted mixed mushrooms, fresh pineapple, red onion, beets and honey roasted walnuts. Served with balsamic vinaigrette, this salad had a great blend of fresh summer flavors. The portion, however, was a little too unnecessarily big, and unfortunately about half of it went to waste. 

Overall, we had a fantastic vacation - it was so nice to get away, enjoy the scenery and not have cell service for a few days.

How was your long weekend?

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