Bellini's Ristorante Italiano (White Mountains, N.H.)
1857 White Mountain Highway•North Conway, NH •603-356-7000
You half expect to see Sinatra crooning from the corner of this Bronx-style Italian restaurant that serves gut-busting portions of pasta in a convivial atmosphere. While justly revered for its noodles, this North Conway favorite is equally adept at steaks and pizzas -- cooked in an open brick oven to the delight of the kids. The children's menu is extensive, with several different kinds of pasta and pizzas.
Despite the length of the menu here -- including everything from prime rib to lobster rolls -- chef Scott Ouellette never misfires in his imaginative twists on New American cuisine. The chefâs creative touch shows in delectable appetizers such as the ever-popular sweet-and-sour calamari, seasoned with Thai chili paste with just the right amount of heat, and continue in pricey-but-worth-it entrees such as standout rack of lamb with rosemary jus. The decor is casual, evoking a summer-camp feel with the obligatory views of the lake; four separate dining rooms allow couples to sit away from families with kids, so everyone is able to kick back and relax.
Fabyan's Station Restaurant (Bretton Woods, NH)
Route 302•Bretton Woods, NH •603-278-2222
This historic train station has been converted into a popular restaurant where families now watch the model trains speed through the dining room. The menu features a mix of sandwiches, salads, chile, turkey with all the fixins', chicken Parmesan, and a children's menu. Portions are large, so consider splitting an entree. Fabyan's is open for lunch and dinner and is just down the road from the Mount Washington Hotel.
Giuseppe's Show Time Pizzeria (Lake Winnipesaukee, N.H.)
Mill Falls Marketplace•Meredith, NH •603-279-3313
There's a reason the line snakes out the door on summer weekends. Located in an outdoor mall and sporting red-and-white tablecloths, this family ristorante looks like Italian by way of Epcot Center, but the food is anything but. The pastas are authentically prepared versions of Italian favorites -- puttanesca, carbonara, tortellini with cream sauce -- with fresh herbs that jump off the fork. The pizza menu is equally traditional, eschewing gimmicky gourmet recipes to serve enormous pies groaning under the weight of their toppings. The high-energy wait staff ensures a family-friendly atmosphere, with live entertainment most nights in summer; the eatery also delivers to area hotels.
Goosefeathers Pub (Mt. Sunapee, NH)
1398 Route 103•Newbury, NH •603-763-3500
The only full service bar and restaurant at Mount Sunapee ski area, Goosfeathers is a spacious restaurant with exposed beams and picture windows on the second floor of the main lodge. It serves typical pub grub -- burgers, sandwiches, wings, and chicken fingers -- and has both a big-screen TV and live music on weekends.
Gypsy Cafe (White Mountains, N.H.)
117 Main St•Lincoln, NH •603-745-4395
Sometimes the name just says it all. A nod to the owners' penchant for world travel, this restaurant feels like a taking a ride on a gypsy caravan through Europe and Mexico, by way of Southeast Asia. All flavors are energetically served up by a young staff in a crowded atmosphere -- from steak quesadillas to Indonesian peanut noodles. Children are happily accommodated in the chaos, and parents never have to worry about urging "inside voices" in the chatty medley of locals and skiers.
Hart's Turkey Farm (Lake Winnipesaukee, N.H.)
233 Daniel Webster Highway•Meredith, NH •603-279-6212
Generations of visitors to the Lake have been celebrating their special occasions -- or just a night out after the beach -- at Hart's, an institution since 1954 that still manages to deliver with its recipe of down-home New England cooking night after night. This isnât an intimate experience --with 500 seats and a ton of turkey served on busy nights, the restaurant gets crowded on summer weekends, when service can sometimes be hit-and-miss. But the food never ceases to disappoint, with succulent roasted turkey served along all the sides youâve been missing since Thanksgiving. The kids' turkey plate is a bargain, and a welcome relief from the children's menu rut of chicken fingers and mac 'n' cheese.
Lil Red Baron (Mt. Sunapee, NH)
8 Airport Road•Newport, NH •603-863-8226
Mexican food made from scratch -- that's all you need to know about this cheap and cheery taqueria that's about as close to Guadalajara as you are likely to get in New Hampshire. A horseshoe shaped bar engenders a rowdy margarita scene later in the night, but the cozy tables are perfect for families in the early evening.
Moat Mountain Smokehouse (White Mountains, N.H.)
3378 White Mountain Highway•North Conway, NH •603-356-6381
There's a great tradition in Europe, rarely seen in the States, where going out for a great beer doesn't mean leaving the kids behind. This North Conway mainstay creates that kind of vibe with an all-ages pub atmosphere featuring original microbrews that run the gamut from weiss to pilsner to stout. The food is all-American, including smoky ribs that will stick to your own, blackened chicken pizzas and Cajun catfish sandwiches.
One Mile West Bar & Grill (Mt. Sunapee, NH)
Brook Rd & Route 103•Sunapee, NH •603-863-7500
It's easy to find this classic American tavern in relation to Mount Sunapee -- the directions are right there in the name. Despite the generic moniker, however, this spot is a cut above most casual restaurants in the area, with fresh seafood dishes and overstuffed sandwiches, along with 20 beers on tap, served in a convivial apres ski environment.
Polly's Pancake Parlor (Bretton Woods, NH)
672 Sugar Hill Road (Route 117)•Sugar Hill, NH •603-823-5575
Located in Sugar Hill, a 30-minute drive from Bretton Woods, Polly's is worth the trip. Take note that it's only open seasonally from May through October. Choose one of the batters (plain, buckwheat, cornmeal, oatmeal buttermilk, or whole wheat), and an add-in (blueberries, chocolate chips, walnuts, or coconut). The six pancakes are served with maple syrup created at Polly's sugar house. One visit here and you'll be driving an hour out of your way to return again.
Salt Hill Pub (Mt. Sunapee, NH)
58 Main Street•Newport, NH •603-863-7774
Part of a mini-chain of local pub-style restaurants, this eatery gets all the details RIGHT, with an authentic Irish feel (the owners grandparents hail from the Salt Hill neighborhood of Galway), and a massive menu of straight-from-the grill items, including Cajun prime rib sandwich, a "firehouse" burger with pepperoni and horseradish, and beer-battered haddock po'boy.
Sea Ketch (Other New Hampshire Area)
127 Ocean Boulevard•Hampton Beach, NH •603-926-0324
The two outdoor decks of this seafood restaurant command an enviable spot in the center of Hampton Beach, overlooking the waves and the crush of beachgoers on their way to and from the casino ballroom next door. The seafood here is flapping-fresh -- battered, fried, baked and stuffed into fisherman's platters of all kinds. (If you must venture inland, the menu is rounded out with steaks and pastas.) Even amidst the energy and bustle of Hampton Beach, however, the restaurant is very accommodating of children, with friendly staff, a kids' menu and heat lamps to take off the evening chill.
Stickney's Restaurant (White Mountains, N.H.)
Route 302•Bretton Woods, NH •603-278-1000
Generations of families have made a point of stopping by Fabyan's Station, the train-themed eatery in a former train depot on the grounds of the Mount Washington Resort, for an apres-ski meal or hearty lunch. They often miss the vastly superior family-friendly restaurant in the base of the Mount Washington Resort itself, which has been recently renovated to make it even more enticing for kids and parents alike. Diners look out on a view of Mount Washington as they enjoy fresh seafood, spiced skirt steak, deli sandwiches and excellent burgers. Comfy leather booths keep kids contained, while ever-ready crayons and paper keep them entertained.
Summit Lodge (Mt. Sunapee, NH)
1398 Route 103•Newbury, NH •603-763-3500
A welcome sight for chilled skiers, the summit lodge is a warm and cozy eatery located right at Mount Sunapee's peak. There's a warm fireplace and cafeteria serving sandwiches and the like, but the big appeal for kids is the Chicago Hot Dog bar, that offers up natural-casing dogs with all the fixings.
The Common Man (Other New Hampshire Area)
60 Main Street•Ashland, NH •603-968-7030
The flagship restaurant of the Common Man family of restaurants has set the standard for quality and value in the state of New Hampshire since it opened nearly 40 years ago. Nobody is trying to reinvent the wheel here -- as the name implies, the menu runs to hearty comfort food, the likes of mac 'n' cheese, prime rib and roast apple chicken, along with a few specialties such as pan-fried rock crab cakes. But the ingredients are uniformly fresh and the recipes straight from grandma's kitchen and served in a rustic, unpretentious dining room that seems the farthest thing from a chain restaurant.
Top o'Quad Restaurant (Bretton Woods, NH)
Route 302 •Bretton Woods, NH •603-278-3320
Near the summit of the ski resort is this year-round restaurant offering outdoor seating and fantastic views. Ride the chairlift up in the winter or summer for appetizers, sandwiches, burgers and the like for lunchtime dining.
Town Docks (Other New Hampshire Area)
289 Daniel Webster Highway•Meredith, NH •603-279-3445
A member of the Common Man family of restaurants, this lakeside eatery is the equivalent of a senior week dockside party all summer long. With a laidback vibe and fresh lobster rolls, fish sandwiches and specialty frozen drinks, parents will find plenty to love. But kids will feel right at home too, playing in the sand that's been carted in to cover lakeshore, listening to the funky reggae-infused soundtrack, or just watching the boats glide into harbor. While the restaurant doesn't have a kids' menu as such, it does have dirt-cheap hot dogs and hamburgers that will fit the bill -- not to mention the ultimate bribery material: homemade ice cream that measures up with some of the best in the state.
Wild Coyote Grill (White Mountains, N.H.)
Rte. 49•Waterville Valley, NH •603-236-4919
The best family restaurants are those where you don't have to sacrifice the quality of the food for a family-friendly ambience. The Wild Coyote Grill scores on both levels. The restaurant serves New England farm-raised meat and produce in classic preparations -- braised short rib, pan-seared scallops, and veal scaloppini -- tweaked with creative flourishes drawn from influences, ranging from Mediterranean to Thai. The ambience is a relaxed, apres-ski atmosphere with distressed wood paneling and stunning mountain views, accompanied by zero attitude. As a bonus: the kids' menu is nearly as long as the regular menu, and ends with an Oreo sundae.
Wolfetrap (Lake Winnipesaukee, N.H.)
19 Bay Street•Wolfeboro, NH •603-569-1047
For those times when a day on the lake leaves you hankering for boiled lobsters and steamers, this casual Wolfeboro eatery is a reliable bet. The super-fresh seafood menu starts with the restaurantâs extensive raw bar, featuring clams and oysters on the half shell and shrimp and lobster cocktail. But the specialty of the house is a traditional New England clambake -- complete with corn-on-the-cob, steamed clams and boiled lobster, finished off with Haagen-Dazs for dessert. Outdoor tables on the porch overlook Lake Winni, while inside is a convivial bar scene with microbrews served up at a copper-topped bar inside. After a few of those, youâll appreciate the complimentary boat shuttle to downtown Wolfeboro.
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Sail & Sign Card
Carnival ships feature Sail & Sign cards, which make life so much easier. All you do is link a debit card or credit card to your Sail & Sign Card at Guest Relations or a kiosk on the ship. You'll then use your Sai...
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Carnival is known for its plethora of onboard activities, and the Miracle is no exception to this. Listed in the Fun Times, the ship's daily newsletter, activities include beanbag tosses, trivia, bingo, games, dance classes (including a "Thriller" class) ...
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During the cruise, I quickly learned that cruise food is every bit as big of a deal as the cruise itself. And when it comes to dining, the Carnival Miracle does not disappoint.
Bacchus Restaurant
Thousands of purple, bubble-like lights embellish Bacc...
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Carnival Miracle's rooms are simple, yet comfortable and clean, with flat-screen TV's, phones, complimentary bathrobes and stocked mini-bars. Anything consumed from the mini bars, which offer alcohol, sodas and energy drinks, will cost you an extra fee.
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In what seems like the blink of an eye, the kids you've raised are all grown up and off to college. As parents, you're worried. More importantly, you're anxious to visit them!
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You've unpacked your boxes full of gloves, ski masks and snowsuits. You've repaired your ski poles and sharpened your skis. Now, where should you go? More importantly, where will you find a good deal, preferably one that packages lodging and lift tickets? We've uncovered the best early (and even win...
So, you've got one day to see the most popular theme park in Walt Disney World. Twenty-four hours to conquer The Kingdom, the holy grail of family entertainment, all 107 jam-packed acres. Can it be done? Should it be done? I've read a lot of articles on how to see the Magic Kingdom in one day, m...