Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
In the foothills of the White Mountains of NH, Huttopia offers the peace and nature of a campground with the family fun amenities of summer camp. And before you think that I’m talking about traditional camping, let me show you the French-inspired glamping options!
I recently spent 3 nights glamping at Huttopia with Freja, Hadley and my mother. I was curious it would be to go glamping with 3 generations, but Huttopia delivered the perfect experience for everyone.. Below you can find our full itinerary of what we did as well as suggestions for all our favorite hikes and things to do near Huttopia. I’ve also shared my thoughts to help you plan and book the perfect stay.
Explore Huttopia.
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I stayed at Huttopia as part of a sponsored stay for 3 nights. All thoughts and guides below are my honet opinion.
What to do Near Huttopia, NH
There is so much to do right at Huttopia:basically lawn every sport , but one of the biggest reasons for choosing this as the place to stay is the incredible location and access of things to do in the area. Located just South of the Conway area and near the entrance to the Kancamagus Highway – there is plenty to do right nearby and even more within an hours drive.
Easy/scenic drives: the White Mountain National Forest is right on the doorstep, with over 800,000 acres of preserved forest; the Kancamagus Highway runs close. This is easily NH’s most popular drive for good reason, although Route 302 through Crawford Notch is also worth a drive. All these drives offer scenic overlooks and short hikes and can easily take a full day to explore.
See some of my favorite NH drives.
Local hikes: The hardest decision to make is where to hike. The mountains in the region offer almost unlimited hiking trails. Some of our favorite hikes can be found on the list of the 4000 footers and the 52 with a View.
Immediately near Huttopia some of our favorite hikes include:
- Sabbaday Falls: Easy, family-friendly, short walk to a beautiful cascading waterfall. A classic stop off the Kanc
- Boulder Loop Trail: Moderate, ~3 miles, with rewarding valley views without a huge time commitment.
- Diana’s Baths / Lower Falls: Easy, multi-tiered swimming holes and cascades, great for a hot afternoon. These are two different swimming holes worth visiting.
- Arethusa Falls: Moderate, one of the tallest waterfalls in New Hampshire; pair it with Frankenstein Cliff for a longer, more challenging loop. This is best done on a scenic drive up into Crawford Notch.
- Mount Chocorua: Strenuous, full-day hike (roughly 4 hours up, 3 down) with a dramatic bare summit and 360-degree views, a favorite for experienced hikers staying at Huttopia and one of our favorite NH hikes!
- Hedgehog Mountain: Moderate, a good middle-ground hike with nice views and less crowds than the bigger peaks. This is a great hike.
- White Ledge Loop: Moderate, starts right near Huttopia (trailhead is about half a mile away), rewarding ledge views.
- Black Cap Trail: Moderate, one of the more accessible bald-summit hikes in the area with big payoff views.
- Mount Willard — Moderate, popular for its dramatic overlook of Crawford Notch without an overly technical climb.
- Rocky Gorge / Albany Covered Bridge area: Very easy, a short paved path to a scenic gorge overlook, good for a quick stop or a hike with young kids.
Swimming/lake spots: There are lots of places to swim near Huttopia, but we also loved Iona Lake right on the property. Here are some of my favorite swimming holes in the area:
- Echo Lake: A calm swimming lake with a sandy beach in summer, plus a fun hike up to Cathedral Ledge above it for sweeping valley views. (there is a fee to get into the park)
- Lower Falls: A series of cascading pools right along the Kancamagus Highway, perfect for a mid-hike dip.
- Diana’s Baths: Multi-tiered rock ledges and pools, an easy walk in and a favorite for families.
- Jackson Falls: A little further north, but worth the drive for the natural rock slides and pools.
- Conway Lake: A quieter, less crowded option if you want a classic lake day away from the crowds.
Local Adventures: The White Mountains are full of incredible hikes, but there are plenty more adventures in the area. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Saco River Tubing: rent tubes and enjoy a float down the Saco River. This is perfect for a hot day.
- Silver Lake Rail Riders: book a ride on a railroad carts and pedal your way through the forest and alongside the ponds.
- Cathedral Ledge: drive right to the top for one of the best panoramic views in the valley — no hiking required, but it’s also a popular spot for rock climbers if you want to watch (or try it yourself).
- Mount Washington Auto Road: drive (or ride the historic Cog Railway) to the highest peak in the Northeast: not for the faint of heart if you’re not a fan of heights or switchbacks. Of course you can hike this mountain as well!
- Cranmore Mountain Resort: home to a mountain coaster, zip lines, and a ropes course: a great pick if you’ve got kids (or adults) who want a different kind of adrenaline than hiking.
Hidden Gems Near Huttopia: If you’re looking for something local and fun, check out:
- Albany Covered Bridge: One of New Hampshire’s most photogenic covered bridges, tucked just off the Kancamagus and easy to miss if you’re not looking for it, a great quick stop for photos or a picnic by the river.
- Madison Boulder: the largest Glacier Erratic in North America – this is a giant Rock- a short walk.
- Bear Notch Road: A quieter, less-trafficked alternative to the Kanc that connects to Route 302, with a couple of scenic overlooks and none of the crowds.
- Zeb’s General Store: A quintessential New England general store in North Conway packed with local goods, penny candy, and gifts: worth a browse even if you don’t buy anything.
What to Expect at Huttopia
I’ve heard about Huttopia for years and so was thrilled to get the chance to stay for 3 nights in a FRONTIER WAGON. While I loved the access Huttopia gives to the nearby mountains, the property itself offers a number of activities, comfortable glamping and a family friendly vibe.
Where to Stay
If you’ve never been glamping – Huttopia is the perfect place to start. Select from a number of lodging options. We stayed in a Frontier Wagon that was more like a cabin on wheels with comfy beds, a bathroom and kitchen. You can also stay in several different tents (choose a waterfront tent for the best experience or stay on the far side of the property if you want a quieter visit) and cabins.
Activities on the Property
Each day there are scheduled activities from yoga to building fairy houses. Our favorite part of Huttopia was the beach and dock on Iona Lake. We brought our own paddleboards, but you can also rent kayaks or just swim out to the platform. This is a great place all day or at sunset and sunrise.
In addition to the Lake, there is also a heated pool and pretty much every yard game you can think of: swing sets, basketball, volleyball, corn hole, ping pong, as well as board games.
Food and Drink
Every tent or cabin has it’s own kitchen, grill and firepit which makes it really easy to make your own dinner. If you aren’t up for making dinner every night, you can also order pizza for dinner or crepes for breakfast from the food truck on site. We loved getting a coffee and treated ourselves to crepes on our last morning.
What we did at Huttopia
Here’s exactly how we spent our time during our stay at Huttopia in the August.
Day 1
My mom, Freja (14) and I arrived at Huttopia around 4 pm for check in after making two stops along the way at the Madison Boulder as well as the overlook at the VDOE summit area. After checking into the Frontier Cabin, we explored the property and took a swim and Paddleboard on Iona Lake. We lingered here until the sunset before heading back to our Wagon to make burritos for dinner.
Day 2
After a pancake breakfast, we met up with Hadley and Calypso for a morning hike. We grabbed coffee at the Met in Conway and then drove up towards Jackson, NH and hike Iron Mountain, one of the 52 with a View. This was a great hike with views up through the valley.
After the hike – we stopped for ice cream and then headed back to Huttopia for an afternoon of swimming and playing games: volleyball, basketball, and cornhole were the favorites.
Day 3
Day 3 we treated ourselves to lattes from the food truck and then headed off for a drive up the Kancamagus Highway as far at Lower Falls with a stop at Albany Covered Bridge. At noon, we returned to try the Silver Lake Rail Riders. This fun tour takes you down the rail tracks in a pedaled cart through forests and ponds.
In the afternoon we headed up to Echo Lake for the views and a swim before our final night back at Huttopia.
Day 4
We got in one last morning swim before packing up and heading home.
Practical Info / Good to Know
Booking window
You can often score last minute bookings, but if you are going on a weekend or want a lakefront tent, you should plan to book a few months in advance.
Distance from Boston
Huttopia is about 2-2.5 hours from the Boston area. There can be traffic up on Friday and south on Sunday
Can you bring your Dog?
Yes! Huttopia is dog friendly. We brought up Cali for the day who loved hiking with us and exploring.
Is this good for Kids? Teens?
Absolutely! Huttopia is great for kids of all ages.
