Waterville Valley is a premier ski resort town in the White Mountains
A small ski town with a central village square surrounded by snow-capped peaks. This might sound like a destination in the Colorado Rockies, but Waterville Valley is in the White Mountains of northern New Hampshire. “Waterville Valley is the Vail of the East Coast. Everyone is there to ski,” says agent Ben Wilson with Re/Max in the Mountains, who’s lived in the White Mountains for almost 30 years. The town is built around Waterville Valley Resort, one of the East Coast’s premier ski areas, founded by Olympian Tom Corcoran in 1965. It sits above the town on Mount Tecumseh, one of the White Mountains’ 4,000-foot alpine peaks. Almost everything in town is an extension of the resort, from the golf course and tennis center to the lodges, restaurants and shops. “It’s a real ski resort town, which is unique for New Hampshire,” Wilson says. “It has its own school and its own little town center.” With the essentials in town, full-time and second-home residents can take advantage of the top-notch skiing and hiking without leaving the mountain top.
Winter condos, luxury townhomes and mountain mansions
Waterville Valley has single and multi-family options, but condos and townhouses dominate the landscape. “There are a lot of vacationers and seasonal residents,” Wilson says. “So, there are a ton of condos.” Clusters of condos and rows of townhomes can be found all over town, catering to buyers who want to be closer to the town center or the ski slopes. They include everything from small older units to newly constructed luxury townhomes, ranging from $170,000 to $1.1 million. Ski chalet and cabin-style architecture that would be expected in a mountaintop ski town is common here. There are also late-1800s mountain lodges dating back to the town’s early establishment. Most single-family homes are on the larger side as well. Most of these spacious winter retreats and older lodges can cost $820,000 to $930,000. At the high end, contemporary mountain homes around the town center and modern mansions in Cascade Ridge — one of the town’s communities — can reach $1.5 million to over $1.7 million.
Waterville Valley Resort has some of the East Coast’s best skiing and
While residents are wintering in Waterville Valley, many start every day by making the short drive up to the ski resort. The resort has over 260 acres of downhill alpine skiing area with slopes of all levels and freestyle courses. In fact, Waterville Valley claims to be the birthplace of freestyle skiing, after offering its first freestyle skiing program in 1969. The slopes are also open for night skiing in the winter. “Skiing is big for everyone there,” Wilson says. “And the 4,000 footers give some seriously amazing hiking and mountain biking in the summer.” Waterville Valley has 125 miles of hiking trails and 50 miles of mountain biking trails accessible throughout the town. Summertime also means golfing at the Waterville Valley Clubhouse and playing at the Waterville Valley Tennis Center’s clay courts.
A variety of shops and restaurants in Waterville Valley Town Center
Waterville Valley Town Center is the community’s shopping and dining village. With a scenic setting next to Cochran Pond, residents and visitors walk among the storefronts that line the central square. People also gather in the square for live music and other events. Olde Waterville Pizza has been a popular casual post-skiing eatery for decades. Although, conquering a black diamond slope might deserve a celebratory meal at Valley Chop House. La Tasse Café is a common stop for breakfast next to the Bookmonger, one of the Town Center’s small shops. Jugtown Country Store covers immediate needs, but the closest full-size supermarket is in Plymouth, 20 miles southwest. The closest medical center, Spear Memorial Hospital, is also in Plymouth.
Waterville Valley Elementary is one of the best in New Hampshire
Despite its mostly seasonal population, Waterville Valley does have schools. Waterville Valley Elementary is the only public school, educating students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Niche gives the school an A rating and ranks it in the top 10 of New Hampshire’s public K-8 schools. The other option is Waterville Valley Academy, an A-rated private school serving sixth through twelfth grade. However, those taking the public route often continue at Plymouth Regional High, given a B.
Driving to Waterville Valley from New Hampshire’s larger cities
Most of Waterville Valley’s homeowners live elsewhere for the majority of the year. Lebanon, New Hampshire, is one of the nearest larger cities, less than 60 miles southwest. Interstate 93 leads 60 miles south to Concord, New Hampshire’s capital, and almost 80 miles south to Manchester, New Hampshire’s largest city. Boston is just under 130 miles south, making it the closest major city. Residents flying in and out typically use Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in Manchester.
