Monadnock Region (Summer)

The Monadnock Region's namesake, Mount Monadnock, crowns the entire area with its ledge-capped peak. Monadnock is the most climbed mountain in America, offering a wide variety of trails ranging from the "slow and steady" approach to very challenging uphill battles. A splendid view is from the Cathedral of the Pines in Rindge, where the mountain stands grandly behind the altar. The nearby town of Peterborough was the setting for Thornton Wilder's timeless play Our Town, and is filled with marvelous shops, cafes, and a museum of world folk art: the Mariposa Museum. Shoppers will love Keene with its plethora of independently owned shops ...

The Monadnock Region's namesake, Mount Monadnock, crowns the entire area with its ledge-capped peak. Monadnock is the most climbed mountain in America, offering a wide variety of trails ranging from the "slow and steady" approach to very challenging uphill battles. A splendid view is from the Cathedral of the Pines in Rindge, where the mountain stands grandly behind the altar. The nearby town of Peterborough was the setting for Thornton Wilder's timeless play Our Town, and is filled with marvelous shops, cafes, and a museum of world folk art: the Mariposa Museum. Shoppers will love Keene with its plethora of independently owned shops inside a historic mill, the Colony Mill Marketplace, as well as Hanna Grimes Marketplace on Main Street for local crafts. Scenic drives are especially abundant in this area, any time of year. There are several covered bridges (one route in Swanzey, south of Keene, has five) and picture-perfect villages such as Westmoreland's Park Hill, Hillsborough's village ensemble, and Fitzwilliam's white clapboard meeting house, church, and homes around the green.

About the Expert

Lura Seavey is the author of Fun with the Family in Vermont and New Hampshire and she has contributed to several Thomas Cook guidebooks, including Drive Around Catalonia, Travellers Mallorca, and Travellers Barcelona.