Steeped in history, Bretton Woods origins date back to the 1700’s, when King George III granted a large area of the White Mountains to Sir Thomas Wentworth of Bretton Hall, from which the name “Bretton Woods” was retained as the name for the Southeast corner of this parcel. In 1902, after just 2 years of construction, Bretton Woods saw the opening of the Mount Washington Resort, a stunning Grand Hotel which quickly rose to fame as a symbol of luxury and elegance. A visit to Bretton Woods wouldn’t be complete without a tour of this amazing structure, which has welcome royalty, presidents, and celebrities for over a century. During the tour, you can see the electrical panel wired by Thomas Edison himself, admire a chandelier whose only other twin exists on the now sunk Titanic, and soak in many other interesting sights and facts about this world treasure, including the room where, in 1944, Bretton Woods rose to international fame as the site of the UN Monetary and Financial Conference that gave rise to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
Today, it is a thriving community, primarily composed of vacation homes spread out around Route 302, the main road, and the pristine Ammonoosuc River in a number of different developments. The area’s beauty is incomparable, with Mount Washington rising high above the river valley and providing a majestic scenery year-round. The thick forest of maples, red spruces and balsam firs add to the natural beauty, which local owners share with the abundant wildlife that calls this home – moose, bears, coyote, bald eagles, white tailed deer, beavers and many more. The outdoor recreation opportunities are endless, from skiing to snowmobiling and snowshoeing in the winter, to hiking, fishing, swimming, tubing and more in the summer. And with its location at the base of the Presidential Range, Bretton Woods offers convenient access to innumerable attractions – from Santa’s Village, Storyland and Clark’s Trading Post to the Whale’s Tale water park to the scenic beauty of Crawford Notch, Franconia Notch and many other state park within easy reach. It’s easy to spend a week here and not do the same thing twice – so don’t hesitate to spend a little more time exploring!