Is Winnipesaukee passe?

66WINN · 10-17-2008, 10:44 PM

Who says the Weirs hasn't changed? I remember the big attraction there was candlepin bowling. It's a world different than it used to be; but you can still make out the lanes under the arcade games. I'd rather take the kids there to bowl than to play video games. It would be a cool family activity rather than a single person plugged into a machine. But then, how many quarters did I drop into those machines when they first arrived? I would like to seem some better dining choices and maybe some more shops like Wolfboro.

VitaBene · 10-18-2008, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 66WINN

Who says the Weirs hasn't changed? I remember the big attraction there was candlepin bowling. It's a world different than it used to be; but you can still make out the lanes under the arcade games. I'd rather take the kids there to bowl than to play video games. It would be a cool family activity rather than a single person plugged into a machine. But then, how many quarters did I drop into those machines when they first arrived? I would like to seem some better dining choices and maybe some more shops like Wolfboro.

But when was that, and why would someone go to the Weirs to bowl when Funspot has great lanes with loads of parking up the street?

I would love to see the Weirs revitalized but it is going to take a lot of vision and $$ to come up with the master plan to do so. If Laconia invests the money, the Weirs can be one of the nicer spots on the lake.

Grant · 10-18-2008, 12:07 PM

Never boring.

Always cool.

Good for mind, body, soul.

24x7x365

I'd move there tomorrow & never look back. In fact, one day I plan to.

My kids, fourth generation in same spot, have fun doing the same things we all did (and do).

I suspect this trend will continue.

Many times, less is more. Way more.

SteveA · 10-19-2008, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grant

Never boring.

Always cool.

Good for mind, body, soul.

24x7x365

I'd move there tomorrow & never look back. In fact, one day I plan to.

My kids, fourth generation in same spot, have fun doing the same things we all did (and do).

I suspect this trend will continue.

Many times, less is more. Way more.

Best move we ever made was moving here from the Boston area 22+ years ago.

Note to Mr. V... Sarah Palin had good news for you seeing as you're in Portland. She moved New Hampshire to the Northwest.. I guess that makes your trip to NH alot easier!

KellyG · 10-19-2008, 09:30 PM

I just discovered Weirs Beach last year and I absolutely love it! We went last year and this past August and I plan on going again next year. I love the beach, boardwalk, the arcades, the train ride, and just walking around. I actually like the Half Moon arcades better than Funspot. I tell everyone at work that it is a great place to bring their kids. I have a trip to Las Vegas coming up next month, but I will take Weirs Beach over Las Vegas anytime!

Cal · 10-21-2008, 06:37 PM

Missed the lake this summer

. The wife had never been to California so we went. Overall it sucked. Went to Los Angeles. It's a big city with over crowded 12 lane freeways and $16. for two hour parking

Aside from a quite scenic ride on the Pacific Coast Highway and perfectly sunny skys for all 7 days it was pretty much forgetable. Give me the quiet or lack thereof , with the sound of big blocks going by (in pairs).Even a rainy day at the lake would beat the hussel and bussel of a big city. I can honestly say I was glad to get home and back to work

My idea of a vacation is doing nothing and doing that slow.

Orion · 10-18-2008, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VitaBene

.......If Laconia invests the money, the Weirs can be one of the nicer spots on the lake.

I agree, but it takes a coordinated effort to do what the developers did in Meredith, which is now one of the nicest ports on the Lake. A long-term vision and development plan have made Meredith a nice mix of casual and upscale restaurants, lodging, and shops. Visually, it is stunning from all perspectives.

Weirs certainly has that potential, but it would take some sort of consolidated effort and a lot of $$, which may be a problem in today's environment. I could see it happening some day, but I don't see anything in the works.

M/V_Bear_II · 10-18-2008, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orion

I agree, but it takes a coordinated effort to do what the developers did in Meredith, which is now one of the nicest ports on the Lake. A long-term vision and development plan have made Meredith a nice mix of casual and upscale restaurants, lodging, and shops. Visually, it is stunning from all perspectives.

Not so much a coordinated perspective, as it is one guy with a lot of money.

Irish mist · 10-18-2008, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M/V_Bear_II

Not so much a coordinated perspective, as it is one guy with a lot of money.

Right. It was Rusty & his millions that built Meredith. The Ames family that controls most of Weirs Beach has not shown that they have any progressive vision to change things up down there.
________
Indian cooking

VitaBene · 10-18-2008, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irish mist

Right. It was Rusty & his millions that built Meredith. The Ames family that controls most of Weirs Beach has not shown that they have any progressive vision to change things up down there.

Well at least I know I can still get dock space for an ice cream then!

GWC... · 10-18-2008, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irish mist

Right. It was Rusty & his millions that built Meredith. The Ames family that controls most of Weirs Beach has not shown that they have any progressive vision to change things up down there.

If only life were that simple...

The banks were full of fear and looked the other way.

It took VC's money to get the ball rolling.

When Rusty walks, he does so with an invisible wheel barrel and it’s not for the purpose of carrying his money. It took a big set and lots of belief in oneself to accomplish the task. Job well done.

aquadocton · 10-22-2008, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VitaBene

I would love to see the Weirs revitalized but it is going to take a lot of vision and $$ to come up with the master plan to do so. If Laconia invests the money, the Weirs can be one of the nicer spots on the lake.

I believe the city owns very little property in Weirs Beach. One family owns the drive-in and volcano golf, another owns the half moon arcades and cottages and another family owns all of the pier. Unless they decide to do something with their property it will look the same for many years to come.

kjbathe · 10-22-2008, 08:51 AM

I thought the Weirs was lame 20 years ago. My parents thought the same thing 20 years before that. My Grandfather sold his Weirs business some 20 years before that. And even though it really hasn't "changed" in those 60 years, it continues to be an attraction. Why? It has a public beach in a beautiful location and gives folks access to something they otherwise wouldn't have. And with that comes the need to eat, something to do to break up the time on the beach, people wanting to see and be seen, and there it is.

Hampton Beach. Salisbury Beach. Virginia Beach. Weirs Beach. At their core, they're no different. People, thankfully, just grow up and move on. The attraction is the beach.

HUH · 10-24-2008, 09:53 AM

Mills falls is a beautiful addition to Meredith ..However the traffic and general congestion is a huge downfall. Sure the weirs would be a wonderful outlet mall but I am not looking forward to the added congestion and infrastructure necessary to support it.

Lakesrider · 10-28-2008, 07:08 AM

Well, I had bought a dock at Quayside a few years back. Liked it so much I bought a house 3 years ago. But I still say that Lake George, NY has it all over Winni. The Weirs is a run down crap pile and people around here think it is the best thing since the Micro Wave oven. Look at it. It needs to be leveled. Bike week is slowly fading into oblivion, and the traffic this year was not nearly as bad as in the past. We will see what the Hannafords does to that now. Holy Moly that is going to be fun on a summer day. Now roundabouts are planned? I would drive around the lake the Wolfeboro way but 109 is so bad in the winter.....When driving becomes a burden, and there isn't enough to do, people will stop coming. They will find somewhere else to go. We keep thinking like people that live here. Because we do. But we need to look at it from the visitors point of view. What are the awesome incentives to come here? Not everyone wants to just veg out. Not if you have kids anyway. Take a look at the town beaches. Most of them are tiny and unkempt at best. Incentive? Well maybe if you want to come up to just look at at all the houses that crowd the shoreline, or the new developments, traffic snarls, mini malls, or run down 100 yard long boardwalk, 45 mile per hour speed limit this coming year....

Passee? No, but on it's way I think.

Island Life · 10-28-2008, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjbathe

I thought the Weirs was lame 20 years ago. . . . . .

Hampton Beach. Salisbury Beach. Virginia Beach. Weirs Beach. At their core, they're no different. People, thankfully, just grow up and move on. The attraction is the beach.

The Weirs IS lame - that's the appeal of it. There are plenty of places in New England where your kids can experience fun with modern technology (Six Flags, etc.) but not many places left where kids can have old-fashioned fun with simpler technology. For those who don't like it, it's fine to go someplace else. But don't pave over the past to put up one more brightly lit, high-tech could-be-anywhere fun-center. There are plenty of parents who want there children to experience (every once in a while) the kind of fun we had as children. In many ways, the Weirs is like a museum.

Are my kids (almost teens) the only ones around who love the Weirs? They know how lame it is compared to other places but they still love it. Bumper cars, the old games, trading in their tickets for cheap plastic junk . . . they beg to go there 2 or 3 times a summer.

As for the beach itself, I've never been there and have no desire to do so. It's the arcades that draws us, not the beach.

66WINN · 10-28-2008, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VitaBene

But when was that, and why would someone go to the Weirs to bowl when Funspot has great lanes with loads of parking up the street?

Bowling at the Weirs was long before there even was a Funspot. I was just saying tounge in cheek that the Weirs has changed (although not in the past 30 years)

mets3007 · 10-28-2008, 08:40 PM

Ok, This was the 1st summer in a long time I did not make it to the Weirs. I missed going alot and here is why. I live in Queens, NY, we have no lakes which makes Lake Winni pesaukee special, I also do not have any arcades around here like they have in NH, the people are nicer up there than in NYC as well. I will be honest the Weirs is old and yes it is falling apart. What the Weirs has is charm and the beauty of the Lake, what it does not have is a paint job. I swear I do not think the Mount area has been painted in years which makes it look old. I also feel a new fence could be put on the boardwalk, since that green fence is rotted away. I also feel thats all it needs, people will come to the Weirs beacause, its peaceful, the beauty, the arcades, and the old fashioned charm of the area.If some people do not like it then dont come, I will be back there hopefully next Summer and I cant wait to see good old Weirs and its charm.

10-17-2008, 10:44 PM	#1
66WINN Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 58 Thanks: 7 Thanked 4 Times in 2 Posts	The Weirs has changed Who says the Weirs hasn't changed? I remember the big attraction there was candlepin bowling. It's a world different than it used to be; but you can still make out the lanes under the arcade games. I'd rather take the kids there to bowl than to play video games. It would be a cool family activity rather than a single person plugged into a machine. But then, how many quarters did I drop into those machines when they first arrived? I would like to seem some better dining choices and maybe some more shops like Wolfboro.

10-18-2008, 12:07 PM	#3
Grant Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Pennsyltuckey, Tuftonboro, Moultonborough Posts: 1,505 Thanks: 385 Thanked 232 Times in 126 Posts	Never boring. Always cool. Good for mind, body, soul. 24x7x365 I'd move there tomorrow & never look back. In fact, one day I plan to. My kids, fourth generation in same spot, have fun doing the same things we all did (and do). I suspect this trend will continue. Many times, less is more. Way more. __________________ "When I die, please don't let my wife sell my dive gear for what I told her I paid for it."

10-21-2008, 06:37 PM	#6
Cal Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Pitman , NJ Posts: 627 Thanks: 40 Thanked 21 Times in 12 Posts	Missed the lake this summer. The wife had never been to California so we went. Overall it sucked. Went to Los Angeles. It's a big city with over crowded 12 lane freeways and $16. for two hour parking Aside from a quite scenic ride on the Pacific Coast Highway and perfectly sunny skys for all 7 days it was pretty much forgetable. Give me the quiet or lack thereof , with the sound of big blocks going by (in pairs).Even a rainy day at the lake would beat the hussel and bussel of a big city. I can honestly say I was glad to get home and back to work My idea of a vacation is doing nothing and doing that slow. __________________ Paddle faster , I think I here banjos

10-24-2008, 09:53 AM	#14
HUH Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 230 Thanks: 21 Thanked 14 Times in 8 Posts	The Weirs Mills falls is a beautiful addition to Meredith ..However the traffic and general congestion is a huge downfall. Sure the weirs would be a wonderful outlet mall but I am not looking forward to the added congestion and infrastructure necessary to support it.

10-19-2008, 09:30 PM	#5
KellyG Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Barre, Massachusetts Posts: 55 Thanks: 2 Thanked 7 Times in 4 Posts	I just discovered Weirs Beach last year and I absolutely love it! We went last year and this past August and I plan on going again next year. I love the beach, boardwalk, the arcades, the train ride, and just walking around. I actually like the Half Moon arcades better than Funspot. I tell everyone at work that it is a great place to bring their kids. I have a trip to Las Vegas coming up next month, but I will take Weirs Beach over Las Vegas anytime!

10-22-2008, 08:51 AM	#13
kjbathe Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 286 Thanks: 3 Thanked 22 Times in 12 Posts	I thought the Weirs was lame 20 years ago. My parents thought the same thing 20 years before that. My Grandfather sold his Weirs business some 20 years before that. And even though it really hasn't "changed" in those 60 years, it continues to be an attraction. Why? It has a public beach in a beautiful location and gives folks access to something they otherwise wouldn't have. And with that comes the need to eat, something to do to break up the time on the beach, people wanting to see and be seen, and there it is. Hampton Beach. Salisbury Beach. Virginia Beach. Weirs Beach. At their core, they're no different. People, thankfully, just grow up and move on. The attraction is the beach.

10-28-2008, 07:08 AM	#15
Lakesrider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 380 Thanked 1,016 Times in 345 Posts	Well, I had bought a dock at Quayside a few years back. Liked it so much I bought a house 3 years ago. But I still say that Lake George, NY has it all over Winni. The Weirs is a run down crap pile and people around here think it is the best thing since the Micro Wave oven. Look at it. It needs to be leveled. Bike week is slowly fading into oblivion, and the traffic this year was not nearly as bad as in the past. We will see what the Hannafords does to that now. Holy Moly that is going to be fun on a summer day. Now roundabouts are planned? I would drive around the lake the Wolfeboro way but 109 is so bad in the winter.....When driving becomes a burden, and there isn't enough to do, people will stop coming. They will find somewhere else to go. We keep thinking like people that live here. Because we do. But we need to look at it from the visitors point of view. What are the awesome incentives to come here? Not everyone wants to just veg out. Not if you have kids anyway. Take a look at the town beaches. Most of them are tiny and unkempt at best. Incentive? Well maybe if you want to come up to just look at at all the houses that crowd the shoreline, or the new developments, traffic snarls, mini malls, or run down 100 yard long boardwalk, 45 mile per hour speed limit this coming year.... Passee? No, but on it's way I think.

10-28-2008, 08:40 PM	#18
mets3007 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 170 Thanks: 3 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Ok, This was the 1st summer in a long time I did not make it to the Weirs. I missed going alot and here is why. I live in Queens, NY, we have no lakes which makes Lake Winni pesaukee special, I also do not have any arcades around here like they have in NH, the people are nicer up there than in NYC as well. I will be honest the Weirs is old and yes it is falling apart. What the Weirs has is charm and the beauty of the Lake, what it does not have is a paint job. I swear I do not think the Mount area has been painted in years which makes it look old. I also feel a new fence could be put on the boardwalk, since that green fence is rotted away. I also feel thats all it needs, people will come to the Weirs beacause, its peaceful, the beauty, the arcades, and the old fashioned charm of the area.If some people do not like it then dont come, I will be back there hopefully next Summer and I cant wait to see good old Weirs and its charm.