North Conway was one of northern New England's first major outlet centers. As many as 200 shops are located along the strip, which extends about 3 miles northward from the junction of Route 302 and Route 16 in Conway into the village of North Conway itself.
That said, it should be noted the outlet scene has lagged somewhat in recent years -- the selection is not as upscale as in Freeport or Kittery, Maine, or in Manchester, Vermont. The strip is starting to be plagued by empty storefronts, largely because of the success of one rapidly expanding outlet center, which has absorbed much of the surrounding business into a villagelike mini-mall.
That place is Settlers' Green Outlet Village Plus (tel. 603/356-7031; www.settlersgreen.com), and shoppers should start here. The center features more than 50 shops, including J. Crew, Harry & David, Nike, Levi's, and Orvis.
Nearby is the popular L.L. Bean (tel. 603/356-2100) factory outlet at the Tanger Outlet Center (one of three Tanger centers in North Conway), located just north of Settler's Green. Next to L.L. Bean is Chuck Roast (tel. 800/533-1654), a notable local manufacturer of fleece that's well worth a browse.
Also of note is Yield House (tel. 800/659-2211 or 603/447-8500), the nationally known manufacturer of colonial reproduction furniture. The showroom and discount warehouse is on Route 3 (at Hobbs St.) at the south end of the strip, where it merges with Route 302. You can find some excellent discounts in the warehouse next to the main showroom.
Three good outdoor equipment suppliers are in and around North Conway. International Mountain Equipment (tel. 603/356-7013) and Eastern Mountain Sports (tel. 603/356-5433) are on Main Street, north of the green. My favorite for its selection and friendly staff is Ragged Mountain Equipment (tel. 603/356-3042), 3 miles north of town in Intervale on Routes 16 and 302.
