Keene
Keene is a cute little town just over the Massachusetts and Vermont borders in southwest New Hampshire.
Modestman Brewing: A great brewery on Main Street with chill vibes, the nicest people, and a pizza menu. Highly recommend.
Margaritas: A Mexican restaurant in the heart of downtown. The have a nice front patio, friendly staff, and margarita flights!
Stay at Courtyard Marriott Keene: This hotel is right downtown off of main spot and incredibly convenient. It is a nice spot and the staff is very friendly.
Branch and Blade Brewing Company: A small spot with a restaurant inside and dog-friendly outside area. The beers here were a bit hit and miss for me, but I’ve enjoyed their cans in the past.
Mount Willard
White Mountains
The White Mountains region is located in northeast New Hampshire, about two hours north of Keene. It is a beautiful area full of hiking trails.
Arethusa Falls and Frankenstein Cliff Loop: This trail is 6.6 miles long with 1,637ft of elevation gain and takes just over 3 hours to complete. It is rated hard, and you’ll climb over 1,200ft in the first 1.6 miles which is quite steep at times. After this ascent you’ll reach the cliff which provides stunning views. From there you’ll journey to the largest waterfall in New Hampshire. You can also do just the cliff trail or just the waterfall trail—the waterfall trail is more popular and more maintained. It is $5 to park.
Mount Willard Trail: This trail is 4 miles long with 895ft of elevation gain and takes just over 1.5 hours to complete. The trailhead is at Saco Lake and then has a steady incline to the summit. This trail is wildly rocky, so be sure to wear sturdy shoes. There is a great view of the Crawford Notch at the top, though the summit can be overrun with bugs in the summer months.
Schilling Beer Co: Located in the adorable small town of Littleton, Schilling is a Lager powerhouse. Their beers are superb, and the atmosphere on the river is tough to beat. Their food menu is pizza-focused and full of absolutely delicious eats. They have three locations on their campus: the store and tasting room, the brewery pub and kitchen, and Mill Street Kitchen.
Maia Papaya: A delicious spot for breakfast, lunch and coffee in Bethlehem. An absolute delight!
Lonesome Lake via Cascade Brook and Pemi Trail: This trail is 8.1 miles long with 1,210ft of elevation gain and takes about 4 hours to complete. It is located at The Basin, which in itself is worth checking out. The lake is a popular trail but it is still quiet, and it is a part of the Appalachian Trail. As a heads up, the lake itself can be swarming with bugs in the summer months. I would not actually recommend this route, as the Pemi Trail is absolutely awful. There is a shorter, more direct trail that avoids the Pemi Trail, but you will also miss Cascade Brook which has Kinsman Falls, two stream crossings, and is pretty walking along the water.
Bald Mountain Trail: This trail is a quick .6 miles long with 242ft of elevation gain and takes about 30 minutes to complete. At the end it is a very steep scramble, but otherwise it’s very moderate. The views at the top are pretty but hindered a bit by the neighboring ski area. This trail also connects to Artist Bluff and Echo Lake.
The Flume Gorge Trail: This trail is 2.4 miles long with 482ft of elevation gain and takes about an hour to complete. Reservations are required and the entrance fee is $19. There are limited hours with the earliest you can enter is 9am, and I would recommend arriving around this time to have the trail to yourself. I found this to be a bit overwhelming, but it is quite popular. If you’ve been to Watkins Glen State Park in New York this has a similar vibe but is less impressive.
Look up! The stars at night in this area can be incredibly bright due to the isolation.
While you are in this area, Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, Vermont, is just about 1.5 hours away. They make incredible beers in a pretty, simple space.
