Polar Caves, the Kancamagus, Little Red Schoolhouse & Mt. Washington: The Full Day Trip

We set out at 8 AM and didn't pull back into the driveway until 9 PM. Thirteen hours, one overrated seafood shack, the most beautiful highway in New England, and a summit that tried to blow us off the mountain. This is the full, no-BS breakdown.

Stop 1: Polar Caves

We kicked the day off at Polar Caves — cool spot to bring the family, especially if you've got kids. Nine caves, which are really just crawl holes through some rocks. Let's be clear: this is not cave diving. It's more of a scramble-through-boulders situation, and it's genuinely fun for a few hours.

That said, it's not something you want to do over and over again. One visit, check the box, move on. Pricing was on the steeper side — $140 for three adults and two kids. Worth doing once, not worth making a tradition out of it.

Stop 2: Little Red Schoolhouse

From Polar Caves, we swung over to the Little Red Schoolhouse — a seafood spot that's been making the rounds on social media. Known for middle-of-the-state lobster and seafood. The vibe is roadside shack that got built up over time, which honestly has its charm.

Here's my honest take: the reviews are a little heightened for what it actually is. The crab cake sandwich was pretty good — I'd order that again. The lobster burger that everybody was raving about? Not a fan. Thought it was a waste of money. It's on the pricier end, the ordering process is a little chaotic, and the so-called 'treehouse view' is just a deck built on the side of a hill. It's not a treehouse. It's not much of a view. If it's more than an hour out of your way, I wouldn't make the drive just for this.

They do have canned beer and seltzers, which is fine. But don't go in expecting a full bar or anything memorable on the drinks side. It's a food stop, and even then it's a middling one.

The Drive: Kancamagus Highway

After the schoolhouse, we jumped onto the Kancamagus Highway — and this is where the day turned. The Kank is always gorgeous. The day was a little on the cloudier side, but it didn't matter. Once you take that road and run through the state of New Hampshire, there's really only one place you can end up.

Side note: if you're coming down from Mt. Washington afterward, there's a New Hampshire State Park along the highway where the Old Man of the Mountain used to be. There are some solid swimming spots in there along the road. Worth a stop if you've got time.

Stop 3: Mt. Washington Toll Road

If you've never done Mt. Washington, you've got to do it at least once. The toll road ran us about $150 total — and worth noting, it's charged per person, not per car. They also had a guy lean into our car at the gate to make sure nobody was hiding in the back seat, which felt a little excessive. But the road itself and the experience of driving to the summit is something else entirely.

The day we went, we had really good views on the way up — right up until we hit the cloud line. Then it was 70 mile-an-hour gust winds, couldn't see a thing, and it was absolutely nuts. That was one of the coolest experiences I've had. There's a little cafeteria up top — don't expect anything beyond cafeteria food, but it's there if you need it.

Bottom line: this is a full day. We left at 8 AM and got home at 9 PM. You could tighten it up if you skip the schoolhouse or cut the summit short, but if you're doing the whole loop — Polar Caves, the Kank, and Mt. Washington — build in the full day. You'll want it.