WHY GO: You can’t get more New England than the generally overlooked Southwest New Hampshire, known best as the Monadnock Region. In it’s own stoic way, there are no hyped-up ads urging you to visit, even though you’ll find Uncle Sam, Little Red Riding Hood, warm Maple Syrup, big scoops of ice cream, Yankee Magazine, and the 225 year old Old Farmer’s Almanac here.
Throw in gorgeous hikes on mountains and through gorges, Ken Burns’ hometown, one of the oldest artist colonies in the USA, and a true New England Country Inn, and you’ve got the makings of an incredible, deeply New Hampshire cultural weekend.
Care to extend your dreamy New Hampshire vacay? Check out these Best Romantic Getaways in NH.
Things to Do in Southwest New Hampshire – Monadnock Region
VISIT: Mariposa Museum, Peterborough
When David Blair and Linda Marsella, decided to showcase the folk art and artifacts they collected around the world, they envisioned the Peterborough Marionette Opera House, destroyed in a 1999 fire, as a hands-on institution where people of all ages could interact and learn about world cultures.
Blair and Marsella renovated the building in 2001, with a new contemporary, bright and soaring central 2nd story gallery accessed by a curved flight of stairs. With exhibit space on three floors, the Mariposa Museum is a peaceful, pleasant, and surprisingly engaging place to spend time.
There are rotating exhibits, permanent displays of carvings, puppets, and folk art from India, Tibet, Nepal and more, and a whole upper level filled with percussion instruments. Play the bells, harp, drums, maracas, and rain sticks laid out for the public to “please touch with respect.”
A hit with the kids, the Mariposa Museum elicits joy in their parents as well. Check website for hours and fees.
TOUR: Monadnock Center for History and Culture, Peterborough
If you want to delve into quirky local history, there’s no better place than the Monadnock Center for History and Culture. This organization also serves as the Peterborough Visitor’s Center, a performance space with great acoustics, and several buildings out back moved from across the river, now used for school groups and events.
The three-room “museum” has a regional, Southwest New Hampshire reach. Changing exhibits focus on local notables, like artist Nora Unwin.
Past exhibits featured Benjamin Russell, who helped design the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston,( and who, in the early 1900’s, transformed Peterborough though his Georgian Revival style buildings).
Downstairs, there’s a demonstration Colonial Kitchen. And upstairs, the “Town Attic” is set up for children with lots of interactive games.
What I found most interesting, however, was an item on one of the Peterborough timeline posters that hang in the building’s entry hall.
In 1922, the Mariarden Theater, possibly the first outdoor stage in America, opened here as a school for Shakespearean drama and dance. Charles Coburn and Walter Pigeon taught drama, Martha Graham taught dance, and until it closed in 1934, the Mariarden had drawn performing art luminaries like a young Bette Davis and Paul Robeson. Open Wed-Sat, 10-4.
EXPLORE/SHOP: Peterborough
There are several shops worth stopping into – all offering the bygone ritual of personal attention. The Toadstool Bookshop has been recommending the best in literature for over 45 years, and it’s where you’ll find the adorable café, Aesop’s Table. You can’t leave town without at least one Chocolate Turtle from Ava Marie Chocolate – award-winning for a reason.
POP IN: Yankee Publishing, Dublin
Remember the old Yankee Magazine; the small Reader’s Digest sized periodical for the same RD demographic? That’s been gone for years, and in its place a larger, glossy, top-drawer publication with a modern appearance that telegraphs a new New England sensibility. Without scrubbing its old fashioned virtues.
Yankee Magazine, New Hampshire Magazine, and The Old Farmer’s Almanac (under the Yankee Publishing umbrella, established in 1792 by Robert B. Thomas) are housed in a red barn building, next door to a white steeple Church, on the main Peterborough to Keene route in the two-blink town of Dublin. Stop in, say hi, purchase a magazine. And rest assured that print media is not only alive and well, it’s thriving in this small New Hampshire town.
This is also one of the Getaway Mavens recommendations for a quirky romantic place to pop the question in New Hampshire.
SHOP: Keene Downtown
If the urban label can be applied to any town in this part of New Hampshire, it should be applied to Keene. Yes, it presents, at first, as a Big Box store “anyplace” (Dicks Sporting Goods, Kohl’s). But Keene actually has a charming, “town-center” vibe.
You may find your own, but my two favorite shops are Miranda’s On Main for contemporary women’s fashion, and Ye Goodie Shop – for old fashioned candy made right on site.
DRIVE: Winery, Orchard, and Chocolates From Keene to Walpole on Route 12
The Summit Winery
It’s 17 miles from Keene to Walpole NH, home of documentary maestro, Ken Burns. On your way, stop at the Summit Winery for tastings of what fans call great Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.
Alyson’s Orchard
Up the road in the outskirts of Walpole, find the 450-acre Alyson’s Orchard – one of the largest in New England. It’s a pick-your-own fruit orchard, and popular wedding venue. From mid-summer through fall, pluck what’s in season – be it peaches, blueberries, raspberries, plums, pears, or apples.
LA Burdick Chocolate
Your destination in Walpole Center is LA Burdick Chocolate – the source for those ambrosial confections found in chocolate boutiques throughout the USA. And, The Restaurant at Burdick’s (see below), co-owned by Ken Burns. Burdick’s is the place to go in New Hampshire for a “Special Meal” according to readers and editors of Yankee Magazine.
HIKE: Chesterfield Gorge, Chesterfield
You’ll find the trailhead for Chesterfield Gorge on Route 9 between Keene and Chesterfield. It’s a popular one, as evidenced by the spray of walking sticks in a box at the beginning of the 1.6-mile trail.
To do it justice and get your forest bathing in, plan 45 minutes to an hour. While marked “easy” – this is not a flat paved path. There’s a 121 ft elevation, peppered with roots and rocks. But……white water tumbling over boulders and fallen trees in the cataract of a forest floor is as “gorges” as it gets.
HIKE: Pisgah State Park and Madame Sherri Forest
Pisgah State Park encompasses 13,500 acres with miles of trails that are popular with x-country skiers in winter. The Madame Sherri Forest has one of the most peculiar back-stories, based on an eccentric New Yorker – the Broadway show and Ziegfeld Follies costume designer, Madame Antoinette Sherri.
In the 1920’s, Sherri built a stone “castle” on land she purchased in Chesterfield NH. She hosted over the top parties for her city friends, until her money ran out.
Sherri died a pauper in 1965, three years after her “castle” burned down. Now, hikers can take the moderate 2.3-mile Ann Stokes Loop to Indian Pond to see the ruins.
PHOTO OP: Uncle Sam’s Boyhood Home, Mason
Yes, there was a real “Uncle Sam.” And he lived in New Hampshire before moving to Troy NY. Provisioner Sam Wilson supplied beef to the newly formed U.S. Army during the War of 1812. His shipment barrels were stamped “U.S.” to indicate U.S. Government property. But because his first name was Sam, the initials U.S. gave rise to “Uncle Sam.” Sam Wilson became the face of Army recruitment, broadening into a symbol of America itself.
SHOP/EAT: Pickity Place, Mason
You’ll have to make a concerted effort to get to the 10 acre Pickity Place, bouncing on miles of rutted dirt roads in rural Mason NH, before finding a sign at the entrance. But you’ll be in good company. Scores have been coming here to eat, wander the gardens, and purchase all manner of dig-in-the-dirt items in the Herb Shop since this 1786 farmstead opened as a 55-seat restaurant in 1977.
Pickity Place is “over the river and through the woods,” appropriately enough, as it was rendered as “Grandma’s House” in the 1948 American version of Little Red Riding Hood (Golden Books).
Commissioned to illustrate the European fairy tale for Simon & Schuster, Elizabeth “Twig” Orton Jones came to New Hampshire from Chicago. At first glance, she identified this red cottage as the perfect setting for the story. Now, a room off the entry foyer is set up as “Grandma’s Room” – straight from “Twig’s” illustration – complete with granny-hatted wolf on the bed.
But the real reason that generations have been making their way here for decades is the five-course “herbal cuisine” prix fix lunch (amazingly under $35pp). Delight in a succession of savory dishes visually enhanced by fresh-picked flowers and herbs from the on-site garden.
Recently, a 20-ish woman claimed that Pickity Place was her “favorite place on the planet.” Her grandmother used to take her here, and now she comes with her husband. It’s not an uncommon story. Check website for seating times, dates, and costs. Grounds open daily year round 10-4 (until 5 April – Dec.).
SHOP: Frye’s Measure Mill, Wilton (2 miles from Wilton Center)
Established in 1858 and on the National Historic Register, Frye’s is the last remaining “Measure Mill” in the USA. What’s a Measure Mill, you ask? It manufactures wooden boxes used to measure dry goods like flour and sugar.
Measures in 1, 2, 4, and 8 Quarts, and Half-Bushel, were first made at Frye’s on machinery engineered in 1858 by Daniel Cragin. Today, Frye’s still makes the 1 and 2-quart scoops with handles called “piggins.” Watch the mill in action, turning out measures as small as one cup, on select days. You can also find Shaker-style boxes and furniture in the showroom. Check website for hours.
DO: Climb Mount Monadnock from Monadnock SP, Jaffrey
Over 125,000 people a year climb Mount Monadnock. You can join them if you’ve got firm footing and firmer ankles, and are willing to attack roots and rocks on steep assents. With these prerequisites you’ll crush the 4.5-mile Mount Monandock Trail all the way to the 3,165 ft summit. The 4 to 5 hours hike is one of the most popular outdoor activities in this region.
ICE CREAM: Kimball Farm, Jaffrey, Southwest New Hampshire
After mountain climbing nearby, you’ll be well rewarded with a creamy, ambrosial ice cream at Kimball Farm, Jaffrey NH. The butterfat content is so high, it goes down smooth as silk. To top it off, Kimball Farm is known for doling out some of the largest scoops in New England. In season, be prepared to join a long line that wraps around the store and outdoor stand.
Restaurants in Southwest New Hampshire
EAT/BREAKFAST: Parker’s Maple Barn, Mason in Southwest New Hampshire
Join the parade of locals and tourists who enjoy the plate-sized buttermilk pancakes doused in hot maple syrup at Parker’s Maple Barn. The sweet amber syrup, made on the premises in their recently renovated sugar house, comes to the table in warm tiny bottles. The Sugar House, Restaurant, Gift Shop, and other buildings are situated in a pastoral, woodsy section of Mason.
Family owned since 1969 (first the Parkers, and, since 1987, The Roberts Family), the Maple Barn has garnered an enviable following. It often fills up its rustic, cozy, country-cute dining rooms with patrons from all over the world and just down the street.
Try the “Maple Coffee” or their signature “Maple Bourbon Latte” for a complete maple experience. And then, cross the small covered bridge to the Corn Crib Gift Shop where you can purchase as much Parker’s Maple Syrup as you’d like.
EAT/LUNCH: Pickity Place, Mason (see above)
EAT/DINNER: The Restaurant at Burdick’s, Walpole in Southwest New Hampshire
This upscale, finely tuned restaurant, touted by some fans as the Best in New Hampshire. It’s a revelation in a town so small, the eatery literally shares a wall with the local Post Office.
The Restaurant at Burdick’s, co-owned by documentary maker and homeboy, Ken Burns, also shares a wall with the chocolate maker of the same name – L.A. Burdick’s. The confectionary is known around the world, and the reason the restaurant exists here in the first place.
Dishes range from salads and burgers to more substantial fare in a sweet Parisian Bistro by way of New England Sugar Shack space. The Turkey Burger Reuben with thin golden fries is a crackerjack version of the corned-beef original. As are other tweaks on traditional dishes.
EAT/KEENE: Locals recommend
The Stage, which has “been there forever.” Luca’s for Italian. Also winning raves, Taqueria Odelay – for casual Mexican.
Where to Stay in Southwest New Hampshire
STAY: Chesterfield Inn, West Chesterfield in Southwest New Hampshire
From the fallen bones of 300 year old barns emerged the upscale Chesterfield Inn in West Chesterfield NH. In the early 1980’s, a collection of decrepit barns and sheds, first built in the 1700’s, were all that stood on this small hill overlooking busy Route 9. In 1984, Pamela Lendzion hired architect Rod Williams, who looked at these tumbling structures and saw….a Luxury Country Inn – much like the one he designed in Dover VT, the Inn at Sawmill Farm – and made it a reality.
Lendzion owned the 9-room Chesterfield Inn until 1987, when Judy and Phil Hueber purchased the ten-acre property, added 6 more rooms in two outbuildings, and never left. They’ve created a Yankee-luxe home away from home for corporate travelers, parents of students in Southwest New Hampshire colleges (Keene State, Marlboro, Landmark), girlfriend groups, and of course leaf peepers in autumn. “People mostly come from New England, New Jersey and Pennsylvania,” says Judy, “but in the fall, it’s lots of internationals.”
The lush and hilly landscape inspires poetic romance, so it’s no surprise that the Chesterfield Inn is a popular small wedding venue, especially for busy couples who want to elope with little fanfare (yes, there’s an “Elopement Package!”) Many of these couples return year after year to celebrate their anniversaries as well.
First Impressions of The Chesterfield Inn
After an abrupt turn off a busy highway, the Chesterfield Inn driveway winds uphill until the sprawling property comes into view. You can tell it’s an assemblage of buildings, united in the rambling way that farmhouse additions of yore were stuck on at various heights. Here, with a tidy contemporary exterior siding that pulls it all together.
Walk into a great room straight out of a New England guidebook. High cathedral ceiling, soaring brick wall with fireplace-turned-wood stove, floral wallpaper, wing-back chairs. It’s a kind of John-Adams-lives-here look. And the welcome could not be kinder or more down to earth – which is the secret to this place. This genuinely warm greeting by people who are inherently nice sets the tone for the guest experience to come.
A second large room, with plenty of seating and a second fireplace, serves as a space for guests to hang out and converse over afternoon tea and cookies.
If the weather is yucky, guests stay inside. But on beautiful afternoons, the patio, set with tables overlooking the green hills of western New Hampshire, is so where it’s at, you’ll have to wrangle a seat.
At 6:30 each morning, fresh brewed coffee and newspapers appear magically in the lobby. It’s the perfect start for early risers like me.
Rooms and Suites at Chesterfield Inn
A barn motif runs throughout the inn – starting with whitewashed barn doors that open into each of all 15 country-charming rooms. Ten rooms feature fireplaces, four have patios. The judicious use of floral wallpaper works well with one dark barn-wood wall or ceiling – an eye-catching balance of delicate and rustic.
Each wrought iron or four-poster bed is dressed in a white coverlet and warm throw. You’ll find Gilchrist and Soames toiletry products in immaculate, nicely lit marble sink bathrooms.
Dining at Chesterfield Inn
The small in-house dining room is open six nights a week, and draws locals as well, due to its top notch, farm to table cuisine.
A full country breakfast, made to order, comes with the room. Order everything from omelets to pancakes to French Toast and sides. It’s all plated and served cheerfully. Consult website or other booking sites for room rates. Includes full cooked to order breakfast, wi-fi, and parking.
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