View from car of Monadnock region mountains, Peterborough, New Hampshire, November 2015

Peterborough, New Hampshire is an hour and thirty minute drive from Boston and the drive is part of the fun! In early November I was eager for a little fall foliage since I had missed the peak. Peterborough is located in the Monadnock region of southwest New Hampshire. Mount Monadnock and smaller Pack Monadnock are the nearby mountains. The ride to Peterborough on routes 119/124/123/101 offered the fall foliage and scenic mountain views I desired.

Depot Park, Depot Square, Downtown Peterborough, New Hampshire

Arriving in downtown Peterborough on the Main Street Bridge over the Contoocook River, I found a small village with Main, Grove, School and Depot Streets, plus Depot Square where shops were walkable and pretty. Depot Park is scenic and inviting. The Nubanusit Brook and waterfull provide extra scenic beauty.

Left: Nubanusit Brook & waterfall next to Putnam Park, Grove St., Peterborough, N.H.
Right: Unitarian Universalist Church and Mariposa Museum, Depot and Main Streets, Peterborough, N.H.

I meandered through the independent shops, such as Sharon Arts Downtown, Bowerbird & friends, Joseph's Coat, Toadstool Bookshop, and Ava Marie chocolates. Joseph's Coat had nice jewelry, accessories and gifts. Bowerbird & friends was a big space packed with antiques, gifts, furniture, rare books and metal garden decor. In the middle of Depot Square I enjoyed browsing in Sharon Arts Downtown where an art exibit was on display. Many local artists' works are regularly for sale. The glass, pottery and textiles here were beautiful. I was charmed by the wind chimes in the doorway as I left and planned to come back.

Left: Bowerbird & friends, Depot Square, Peterborough, N.H.
Right Top: Sharon Arts Downtown, Depot St., Peterborough, N.H.
Right Botton: Joseph's Coat, Grove St., Peterborough, N.H.

Twelve Pine has sandwiches and prepared foods for lunch with a pleasant seating area. Also, they have kitchenware, wine, prepared sauces and jellies, apple cider mulling spices, maple syrup, soaps and candles. It was hard to leave this store but after a tasty reuben sandwich I managed to get out and explore Toadstool Bookshop. This is a fairly large store with new and used books and cd's. There's the small cafe, Aesop's Tables inside if you need a snack and warm beverage.

Left: Twelve Pine, School Street, Depot Square, Peterborough, N.H.
Right: Toadstool Bookshop, and Aesop's Tables, Depot Square, Peterborough, N.H.

Passing the Nubanusit Brook waterfall and Putnam Park I was drawn to the hot chocolate sign in front of Ava Marie's. I picked up a pair of hot chocolate discs that I'm saving for the first snow. I quickly have gone through the bag of leaf shaped dark chocolates which were made on site and very delicious.

Left: Putnam Park, Grove St., Peterborough, N.H.
Right Top: Ava Marie's, Grove St., Peterborough, N.H.
Right Bottom: mulling spices and Italian candy from Twelve Pine; chocolates from Ava Marie's

On the way home, planning to use my apple cider mulling spices, I was also plotting a return to this lovely town with more nooks and crannies for me to explore, including the Mariposa Museum, several restaurants, cafes and a diner, and other shops. Only about 25 minutes from the northern Massachusetts border this close by slice of New Hampshire in the Monadnock Mountain region had the scenery and the shopping I was looking for.

See our webpage Scenic Shopping Peterborough for trip planning information, photos, and links to shops, restaurants, hotels and activities.