Sleighrides for Family Fun

Nothing says family travel in the New England winter like a sleigh ride across a white meadow and through snowy woods. Here’s where to find sleigh rides for families or couples in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Maine

Deepwood Farm, Bethel

Sleigh rides through the village leave Bethel Inn every half hour starting at 5 p.m. with the last ride at 7:30 p.m. The sleigh holds up to eight passengers, so there may be more than one party riding at a time. Rides are among the most budget priced, at $15 per person, $12 for children 4– 10, under 4 free. You can take sleigh rides at Deepwood Farm mid-week.

Highview Farm, Harrison

Ride behind a team of horses through the fields of a working farm. Family-owned since 1810, guests can enjoy a thrilling trip before stopping at a campfire for hot cocoa and a marshmallow roast. Rides are about 40 minutes, plus a campfire stop, and all rides are private for your party, with up to 10 people allowed per group.

Drafty Acres, Palmyra

Horse-drawn sleigh rides at Drafty Acres are about 40 minutes long, in a sleigh that can fit 12 adults comfortably.

New Hampshire

Charmingfare Farm, Candia

A 20-passenger logging sled pulled by draft horses takes riders on a 90-minute journey to explore the snow-covered forest, with a 45-minute campfire stopover under the pines. The two-hour Sleigh Ride Socials run through February and include a warm-up around several bonfires, with roasted marshmallows, hot dogs and hot cocoa.

Coppal House Farm, Lee

Thirty-minute private sleigh rides, pulled behind a team of draft horses, glide through the fields and pine woods of the 78-acre farm. Afterwards, gather around the fire to enjoy snacks and marshmallows you’ve brought.

Omni Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods

Because of the elevation and northern location, sleigh rides continue through mid-April, across one of the White Mountains’ most scenic valleys, with views of Mount Washington at every turn. Hotel guests get a discount, but these 30-minute rides are still among the pricier in the state.

Nestlenook Farm, Jackson

Take a 30-minute group ride in a custom-made Austrian sleigh that holds up to 15 people, or opt for a private ride for two in a one-horse sleigh. The setting is romantic, too, through the woods and around a pond filled with skaters.

Farm by the River, North Conway

Panoramic views include White Horse and Cathedral Ledges, Moat Mountain Range and the ski slopes on Cranmore Mountain as the sleigh travels along the fields of the wide snow-covered valley and through the forests.

Vermont

Kedron Valley Stable, South Woodstock

You’ll find warm blankets in the sleigh to keep you warm on the 45-minute private sleigh ride through fields and forests, with changing views of the countryside south of Woodstock. Rides leave from Green Mountain Horse Association, a mile south of Kedron Stables.

Taylor Farm, Londonderry

A 45-minute ride through Taylor Farm’s fields and along a woodland trail pauses midway at a bonfire and warming hut, where hot cider and roasted marshmallows await. Stock up on Vermont cheeses and maple syrup at the farm’s country store.