The hot, dry summer is giving many New Hampshire's tourist attractions a banner season. Jim Morash, captain and general manager of the M/S Mount Washington Cruises in Weirs Beach, said the company's three vessels on Lake Winnipesaukee are enjoying a very good season.

“So far we are certainly ahead of where we were the last three or four years,” he said, summing the reason up in one word: “Weather.”

Attractions, he said, are also dependent on the economy and are essentially an extra to any holiday. He said vacationers choosing to spend a little more to go do something is a clear sign that things are looking up.

In the Mount Washington Valley, resorts offering zip-lines and mountain coasters, as well as existing golf courses, businesses that offer kayak and canoe tours, horseback riding and gear for hiking are seeing a stronger than usual summer.

“It's the weather,” Marti Mayne said for the Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce. “This is family time more than any other time of the year. They come to the mountains for outdoor activity,” and because the weather has been so good “It's been a fantastic summer.”

Steve Capriola, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine, said it has been a pretty good summer so far in New Hampshire, with rain showers often “timely” and not impacting tourism for an entire day.

He said since June 14, there have been 27 days with no rain at all. And on other days, such as the Fourth of July, the rain fell late in the day, which did not wash out the entire day.

“The most rain we got came early in June,” he said, “And that was before the kids were out of school and the vacation season had begun.”

Jayne O'Connor, president of White Mountains Attractions Association, said in an email that reports from members are pretty consistent.

“Outdoor attractions have had a great spring and summer so far. The weather could not have been better for enjoying the outdoors this year, and I think we are seeing that also in the types of questions we are getting at the Visitor Center. Several of the attractions have added the zip lines and activity areas, ropes courses and such, which are perfect for a year like this,” she said.

Retail sales, too, are consistently up, “which means people feel good about purchasing a souvenir or T-shirt to take home. This is usually a sign that consumer confidence is up. Some attractions are reporting retail sales up 6 percent to 12 percent.”

Both Mayne and O'Connor noted that the trips people are taking are short and often spur-of-the-moment.

“The weekends are strongest this year so far, which indicates shorter vacation periods, but they should lengthen once we get to August,” O'Connor said.

Mayne said Canadian visitors are up, and often August finds many on extended vacation, which helps fill hotels and attractions.

Gasoline prices are also helping, she said.

The average price of fuel in the Boston area, which is the primary market, is around $3.50 a gallon, which allows people to believe they may have extra money to spend on a short trip.

The national Trader Sentiment Index this spring showed potential travelers at an all-time high Mayne said.

ptracy@unionleader.com