NORTH CONWAY, N.H. — A post-weekend survey of Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce member businesses found that the 2026 Memorial Day Weekend produced a range of results across industry sectors, with weather emerging as the dominant factor — both helping and hurting depending on timing and business type. Despite an uneven holiday kickoff, a majority of respondents rated the weekend at or above expectations and expressed solid optimism about the summer season ahead.

Fifty-three percent of respondents rated their Memorial Day Weekend business as above expectations to well above expectations. Thirty-two percent rated the weekend as meeting expectations, and 16% rated it below expectations,  driven largely by rain and economic uncertainty.

"Memorial Day Weekend is the opening bell of the summer season for the Valley, and this year's results tell an honest and encouraging story," said Chris Proulx, Executive Director of the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce. "Weather played a role, as it always does, but what stands out is how many of our businesses met or exceeded their own expectations and how strongly our members are feeling about the weeks ahead. Visitor interest in Mt. Washington Valley remains high, and we're seeing that enthusiasm translate into bookings for July and August."

Guests enjoying the Mountain Coaster at Cranmore on opening weekend. Cranmore Mountain photo.

Lodging: Solid Performance with a Growing Late-Booking Trend

Lodging operators made up the largest group of survey respondents and reported the widest range of outcomes. At the high end, Beach Camping Area rated the weekend a perfect 10 — well above expectations — reporting a record Memorial Day after selling out a month in advance. White Mountain Hotel & Resort also rated the weekend well above expectations, attributing strong performance to favorable weather, guests choosing to travel closer to home, and a return to normal seasonal patterns after several years of disruption.

"We are going into a very strong Memorial Day Weekend," said Trevor Sullivan of White Mountain Hotel & Resort. "I don't believe it is due only to one factor, but decent weather, people traveling closer to home, and returning to a normal Memorial Day Weekend pattern for us all play a role."

Other lodging properties rated the weekend closer to or slightly below expectations, with rainy conditions dampening walk-in and last-minute activity. A notable trend surfaced consistently across multiple lodging operators: guests are reserving later and booking shorter stays than in prior years. Bretton Woods Vacations’ president Alexi Foti noted it was pacing ahead of the prior year for summer but flagged a slowdown in booking pace as a potential indicator of softening consumer confidence.

Purity Spring Resort described a busy weekend that fell just short of a sellout due to weather, and echoed the later-booking pattern: "People are booking later than usual for shorter stays," said Regional GM Amanda Buswell.

Sullivan noted the same dynamic. "Guests are booking more and more last-minute, so forecasts may be down until that month — and we have spiked up last minute to perform strongly this entire year so far. We hope that is the case for June, July, and August."

Restaurants: At or Above Expectations, with High Summer Confidence

Restaurant respondents rated the Memorial Day Weekend at or above expectations on average, and expressed the highest collective summer confidence of any industry group,  rating their summer outlook near the top of the best-to-worst scale.

Black Cap Grille described a weekend shaped largely by the weather calendar rather than overall demand. "Friday and Saturday were flat, but Sunday had a big increase in guests," said General Manager Bill Frittenburg. "Lots of repeat guests from years past with an overall excitement about summer season being here." Frittenburg also noted a multi-year shift in travel timing: more guests are now arriving on Saturdays rather than Fridays compared to previous years.

Cynthia Ehmett from Vito Marcello’s Italian Bistro reported, “We were fully booked with reservations weeks in advance. Just a few cancellations due to weather.”

Valley Originals rated the weekend in the middle of the expectations range, crediting strong local patronage as a bright spot and looking ahead to a near-best summer, among the more optimistic summer outlooks in the entire survey.

Retail: Valley's Authentic Character Keeps Shoppers Coming Back 

Retail was the most varied sector this Memorial Day Weekend, with individual ratings spanning from well below expectations to well above expectations.  

Rene Bajger of Beggars Pouch Leather, LLC, rated the weekend at or above expectations overall and noted that the Valley's profile as a wedding destination appears to be growing.

"The beauty of our valley and the friendliness and kindness of our residents,  and especially our merchants, garners a positive reason to return," Bajger added. "Our business, being an old-fashioned hands-on craft experience, delights shoppers and families. We offer a return to more simple times."

RavenWood Curio Shoppe rated the weekend well above the middle of the expectations range, and noted that Sunday — a rainy day that pushed visitors indoors and into shops — was actually the strongest day of the weekend. Owner Debbie Siebert observed that her clientele skews toward New England regional visitors, with fewer long-distance travelers this year outside of wedding-related guests.

Visitors strolling the streets of North Conway Village during Memorial Day Weekend. Chris Proulx photo.

Attractions and Recreation: Golf Booms; Mountain Resorts Look to Summer Openings

Attractions and recreation operators reported results ranging from at-expectations to well above, with strong collective summer confidence. The standout performer was Indian Mound Golf Club, which rated both the weekend and the summer outlook at the top of their respective scales.

"Golf Boom! Definitely seeing a huge call volume and bookings for the summer season and Fall," said Jonathan Rivers of Indian Mound Golf Club.

Becca Deschenes, Marketing Director for Cranmore Mountain Resort, reported Saturday as strong, with Sunday and Monday impacted by weather and unfavorable forecast conditions, and rated the summer outlook above the midpoint of the scale. Attitash and Wildcat Mountain were closed for the holiday weekend but plan to open sightseeing operations at Wildcat on Fridays through Sundays beginning June 26 through October 4.

Gas Prices: A Concern for the Majority of Respondents

When asked whether elevated gas prices affected Memorial Day Weekend business, nearly three-quarters of respondents said yes or maybe. Only 27% reported no perceived effect from gas prices.

Berry Companies, owners of Attitash Mt. Village and Eastern Slope Inn,  cited economic conditions, including gas prices, directly in describing the weekend's headwinds. "This weekend's weather did not produce a huge influx of cancellations, but it didn't encourage last-minute bookings either," said Paul Durfee, Marketing Director for Berry Cos. and the Chamber’s Board President. 

Several respondents noted what may be a related behavioral pattern: visitors taking shorter trips and spending more cautiously. "Shorter stays. Spending less," was how one respondent summarized observed visitor behavior. Whether gas prices or broader economic uncertainty are the primary driver, multiple businesses flagged it as a trend to monitor heading into peak season.

Notably, some of the Valley's strongest-performing businesses — including Beach Camping Area, Indian Mound Golf Club, and White Mountain Hotel & Resort — reported no gas price impact, suggesting that advance reservations and destination loyalty may buffer certain segments from fuel-cost sensitivity.

Summer 2026 Outlook: Optimism Outpaces the Holiday Weekend Across All Sectors

Despite a mixed Memorial Day performance, survey respondents expressed meaningfully stronger expectations for summer 2026. Fifty-eight percent of businesses rated their summer outlook at 7 or higher — toward the best end of the scale — while 42% fell in the moderate middle range. No respondent placed their summer expectations at the lower end of the scale.

Summer optimism outpaced Memorial Day weekend ratings across all business types. Restaurant operators and the event venue respondents expressed summer outlooks near the top of the best-to-worst scale. Attractions and recreation operators averaged close behind, while lodging operators expressed moderate-to-solid summer confidence.

Among lodging operators, advance bookings for July and August rated in the moderate-to-solid range at the time of the survey — an encouraging baseline given the compressed booking curves noted by multiple properties. Several lodging operators cautioned that current booking counts understate likely performance, given that reservations are arriving much closer to arrival dates than in prior years.

Bretton Woods Vacations offered a note of measured caution alongside its summer optimism. "We were pacing well ahead of last year for summer, but the rate of bookings has slowed down, which may point to a growing weakness in the market," said Foti.

Across all sectors, visitor appreciation for the Valley's natural beauty, outdoor recreation, and authentic New England character was a consistent theme. Multiple operators cited repeat guests and multi-generational loyalty as indicators of the destination's enduring appeal. The Valley's growing profile as a wedding destination was flagged by more than one respondent as an emerging driver of hospitality and retail activity.