Many of the eighteen major attractions in New Hampshire’s White Mountains Region are opening this holiday weekend, with updates and additions all over the region.

(TRAVPR.COM) USA - May 22nd, 2014 - North Woodstock, NH – Many of the eighteen major attractions in New Hampshire’s White Mountains Region are opening this holiday weekend, with updates and additions all over the region.

“There’s a lot of pent-up demand this year for summer to get started,” said Jayne O’Connor, President of the White Mountains Attractions Association. “After a long, cold winter, everyone is eager to get outside and enjoy what the White Mountains have to offer.”

In celebration of its 60^th anniversary, Story Land in Glen unveils a new dinosaur-themed area in the park, featuring Northern New England’s only wooden roller coaster - aptly named the “Roar-O-Saurus.”  Rory, “the little dino with the big roar,” leads the 1,242 foot long, 40 foot high coaster that will have riders screaming as they experience moments of gravity-defying air time.  The roller coaster will be surrounded by animatronic dinosaurs, confirming Story Land’s famous moniker, “The Land Where Fantasy Lives.”  The park will be open from 9:30am to 5pm all 3 days of Memorial Day Weekend then each weekend through June 8^th, daily from June 13^th through September 1^st 9:30am to 6pm, then weekends through October 13^th.

Attitash Mountain Resort located in Bartlett is home to the longest Alpine Slide in North America and the resort continues with their record setting ways this season with what will currently be the longest single span zip line in the contiguous United States, the Flying Bear and Attitash Aerial Zip Lines, totaling nearly 8,000 feet in length.  The new ZipTour (opening early summer) will carry riders from the summit of Bear Peak to the base of Attitash Mountain reaching heights greater than 400 feet off the ground as it crosses the valley between the two mountains. Along with the new ZipTour, Attitash’s Nor'Easter Mountain Coaster, Alpine Slide, Eurobungy Trampoline, 24-foot Climbing Wall, Airbag Jump, and Slacklines are all scheduled to open for weekends only beginning Saturday, May 24^th (including the Memorial Day Monday). Starting Saturday, June 14^th, the Waterslides, Buddy Bear's Playpool, Scenic Chair Sky Ride, Horseback Riding and hand-led Pony Rides along the Saco River also become available.

Opening this weekend is Clark’s Trading Post, in Lincoln, with Segway Safaris, train rides on the White Mountain Central Railroad, and the ever-popular bear shows on Saturday, May 24 running each weekend through June 15^th then daily through September 1^st.  Clark’s Trading Post Gift Shop is open daily for shoppers through October 13^th. 

Jefferson’s renowned Santa’s Village welcomes guests each weekend from May 24^th – June 8^th with a daily summer schedule beginning June 14^th. 

The Northeast’s highest peak will be humming with activity with both the Mt. Washington Cog Railway and the Mt. Washington Auto Road making trips to the summit.  The Cog Railway will begin its daily climb to the top on May 24, and the Auto Road is already open daily for guided tours and self-driving excursions from 8:30am to 5pm,  and the.  These iconic New Hampshire attractions are weather-dependent so visitors are encouraged to call ahead for details.

A well-known Jefferson attraction has reinvented itself for 2014 and the former Six Gun City is now the Fort Jefferson Fun Park.  Admission, parking, shows and access to the picnic grounds are free and visitors can purchase either an all-day ride pass or a coupon book to choose the rides they want to experience.  Overnight guests can stay where they play by renting a cabin right on the park’s grounds or setting up camp at the adjoining Fort Jefferson Campground.  Fort Jefferson Fun Park will be open on weekends from May 24^th through June 8^th then daily from June 14^th through September 1^st.   

Set within the White Mountain National Forest, Wildcat Mountain in Pinkham Notch opens for summer beginning Saturday, May 24^th at 10am offering New Hampshire's only ZipRider zip-line cable ride and the highest scenic gondola in the state, the Wildcat Express.  TheZipRider & scenic gondola will operate 10am to 5pm, weather permitting, during weekends only (including the Memorial Day Monday) beginning Saturday, May 24 and then will operate daily Saturday, June 14^th through Labor Day, then return to weekend only operations from September 6^th to October 13^th.   Wildcat Mountain also offers hiking, a lift-serviced 9-hole alpine disc golf course, and weekly guided tours and outdoor interpretive programs with the Tin Mountain Conservation Center and Appalachian Mountain Club.

Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway welcomes the summer season on Saturday, May 24^th with fun-filled outdoor thrill rides.  Their Mountain Adventure and Aerial Adventure Parks offer days full of play each weekend through June 8^th then daily from June 14^th through September 1^st with ropes courses, giant swings, ziplines, a mountain coaster and much more.

Lincoln’s Hobo Railroad begins their scenic train excursions along the Pemigewasset River May 24 and each day through the extended holiday weekend.  The Hobo Railroad’s one hour and twenty minute round trip train rides will then operate weekends through June 15^ththen daily from June 28^th through October 19^th.  The Hobo Railroad has teamed up with the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center once again this summer to entertain and enlighten guests with free presentations highlighting the wonders of New Hampshire’s wildlife and ecology.

Travelling a short distance east on the legendary Kancamagus Highway, the Loon Mountain gondola takes riders to the 3,000 foot summit. The Loon Mountain Adventure Park features a climbing wall, a 700 foot zipline across the Pemigewasset River, and a bungee trampoline and bicycle rentals to enjoy the paved paths and woodland trails throughout the property.  Loon is open the 3 days of the upcoming weekend then weekend through June 15^th.  Daily hours begin on June 21^st.  

Polar Caves Park in Rumney is already open for the season , and new for this year the park has guided tours available to explorers who want to learn all about the 9 boulder caves that make up this natural attraction.  Visitors are welcome to investigate on their own as well.  Polar Caves Park is open every day from 10am to 4;30pm through October 19^th.

The Conway Scenic Railroad currently has twice-daily train trips and will offer a total of five trips May 24-26 on their Valley Train schedule giving rail fans an opportunity to enjoy scenic rides at 10:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 2:30pm and 4:30pm.  Twice daily operations will continue through June 13^th with the full complement of 5 trips running through the end of August.  The popular Notch Train will start its schedule through Crawford Notch on June 17^th. 

More caves plus thundering waterfalls are waiting for sightseers at Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves in North Woodstock which is open daily through October 19.   Evening Lantern Tours are available each weekend from May 24^th through October 18^th.  A major expansion is currently under construction at Lost River Gorge and guests can watch the work in progress.  When completed this summer, a new Forest Adventure Trail will bring guests to a suspension bridge leading to a forest treehouse and 750 feet of winding boardwalk that snake through dense woods near a glacial boulder field at the foot of towering Dilly Cliffs.  Bird cage overlooks atop the boulders will provide breathtaking, soaring views of the gorge and Kinsman Notch.   

In Franconia Notch State Park, the Flume Gorge is now open and the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway will begin its high-flying schedule on May 23^rd.  Both of these famous sites have daily hours from 9am to 5pm.

Alpine Adventures headquartered in Lincoln is open year-round offering thrill seekers everything from a variety of Zipline Canopy Tours to off-road adventures aboard 6-wheel Swiss Army transport vehicles. 

Opening a little later in the season is the Whales Tale Water Park in Lincoln, with its 11 water slides, a wave pool, the one-quarter mile lazy river and more watery activities.  It will operate daily from June 4^th through September 1^st.

A pass for all 18 of the attractions is available at the White Mountains Visitor Center in North Woodstock, New Hampshire for $329, which has a value of over $1000. For pass details, or for updated operation dates and more information on the attractions, visit the WMAA website at www.VisitWhiteMountains.com. The White Mountains Attractions Association was founded in 1958 as a regional co-operative marketing association for the region. In 1983, it was also designated the State’s official Regional Association for the White Mountains of New Hampshire, able to assist the press and visitors with information about the region.

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