5 New England Ski Shopping Meccas
Apres-ski’s most pop pastime is shopping—even in New England.
New England skiers and snowboarders can find super shopping within spitting distance of most major ski resorts, including these top five.
Quick quiz: what’s the primary off-snow pastime for ski and snowboarding vacationers?
Answer: shopping.
Shopping?
Yes - not skating, swimming, or even spa indulgences.
Luckily, New England skiers have great choices. Consider these shopping Meccas.
The Historic Church Street Marketplace entertains northern Vermont skiers. It's an open-air affair, ten cobblestoned and pedestrian-only blocks stuffed with 100-plus shops, cafes and boutiques. Males indulge sartorial fancies at Burlington's own Michael Kehoe's. Females choose among Ann Taylor, Expressions, and six more. Count Danforth Pewter, Boutiliers Art Center and Queen Anne's Lace among the specialty shops. CSM is festively lit, and hosts events like the Santa Claus Parade and Holiday Lighting Ceremony (Nov. 25), First Night (Dec. 31) and Magic Hat Mardi Gras (late February). The shopping spills liberally onto CSM's side streets, too.
Mt. Washington Valley’s myriad resorts sit a snowball's toss from hundreds of stores - more than 200 of ‘em, actually, all benefitting from tax-free shopping. Filling an often traffic-clogged, one-mile strip of Route 16, Settlers’ Green Outlet Village and Tanger Factory Outlets lead the bargain parade with brands like Nike, GAP, Liz Claiborne, Brooks Brothers, Polo Ralph Lauren, Orvis, OshKosh B’Gosh - the list goes on. Just north, North Conway Village exudes a more quaint atmosphere, and harbors shops like Zeb’s Country Store - the country' largest collection of New England specialty products - the League of NH Craftsman, and Essence of Art.
Some 170-plus stores amuse Stratton, Bromley and Magic Mountain denizens. A highlight? Peltier's Market, dubbed America's oldest country store. National names? The Manchester Factory Stores include Tommy Hilfiger, Bose, Dana Buchman, Ellen Tracy, Natori, etc. Something unique? Bob Gasperetti Furniture Makers’ handcrafted, Arts and Craft and Shaker-style furniture; Long Ago And Far Away’s Native American, Native Alaskan and Canadian Inuit art and jewelry; Equinox Antiques & Fine Art’s 18th & 19th century American furniture, porcelains and folk art; or contemporary artisans' work from The Artists Guild of Manchester Gallery and Frog Hollow at the Equinox. A bonus: no state sales tax on clothing purchases of $110 or less.
Shopping began here in 1911 with the opening of L.L. Bean’s store. Now, folks en-route to or from Sunday River find 170 emporia, mixing retail’s biggest names and charming small shops, crowding Main Street and filling character-rich side streets. Add outlet malls outside the village, and all tastes are satisfied. Major names include Cuddledown Catalog for bedding and sleepwear; Mangy Moose for small gift items, taxidermy, antler products, and furnishings; A. Wilbur’s Candy Shoppe for, well, candy; Super Shoes, for footwear; and national brands like The North Face, Patagonia, Anne Klein, Banana Republic, etc.
South of Loon Resort, more tax-free bargains. Tilton houses a Tanger Outlet Center, with 50 name outlet stores. In Concord's revitalized downtown, specialty shops, cafes and restaurants commingle with historic buildings and statuary. The League of New Hampshire Craftsmen preserves and inspires the state’s handcraft tradition through 350-plus members’ work. The action overflows into adjacent alleys, side streets and squares, offering handmade clocks, gourmet foods, books, music, clothing, antiques, crafts, mountain bikes and - well, you get the idea.
