This New Hampshire Town Has The Most Walkable Downtown
Few towns in New Hampshire feel like Peterborough does. With its compact streets that house many of the best restaurants and shops, this community is among the most walkable and well-laid-out in the state. Set within the rolling hills of the Monadnock Region, this small town of 6,400 is a hidden gem of Hillsborough County. Its pulse beats strongest near Depot Square, where businesses support community life. This well-planned, several-block area has been recognized by both Yankee Magazine and the New York Times. Both noted that you don’t even need a car to experience the best of what Peterborough has to offer.
A Design That Favors Walking
Around Depot Square and Grove Street, shops cluster tightly down School Street and Main Street without stretching too far apart. Parking at either Depot Square or the Riverwalk lot lets visitors step out and wander freely. Alongside runs the Contoocook River, and the Riverwalk follows its edge and leads into the downtown shopping area.
One of the closest locally owned accommodations to the town center is Riverhouse by Weekender, located on 80 Concord Street, a short walk from Depot Square and steps from the Contoocook River. The property has hosted travelers for decades, evolving from an earlier mid-20th-century roadside motel run by the Robbins family into the Jack Daniels Motor Inn, before being renovated and rebranded as Riverhouse by Weekender in 2023. 17 updated rooms welcome visitors with fast internet, Serta beds, and a complimentary breakfast in the morning. Each year since 2012, it has held TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence without fail.
Dining Downtown on Foot
On School Street sits Harlow's Pub, operating steadily in Peterborough’s core for more than three decades. Live tunes often fill its two floors, giving Harlow’s a unique vibe. Behind the counter, cooks prepare classics like burgers, sandwiches, and salads. One of the most popular dishes to choose the Crispy Hot Honey Chicken or the BBQ Chicken Quesadilla.
A former Civil War building from 1837 now houses Post and Beam Brewing. This structure once housed the Peterborough Academy, a private high school. Since opening in 2018 under owner Erika Rosenfeld, it has drawn locals ready to try a wide selection of drafts and craft beers. For a bite at this popular local establishment, people can come here to enjoy some wood-fired pizzas on the weekend made by Blackfire Farm.
Shopping Downtown
At 12 Depot Square, walkers will find the Toadstool Bookshop, a cornerstone among New England’s independent bookshops since its opening in 1972. Though large, covering over 8,000 square feet, it maintains a very intimate atmosphere. Shoppers here can find new releases, secondhand books, sound recordings, and movies. Run by the Williams family for just over half a century, it recently changed hands in 2023. Despite the transition, familiar features are still very much a part of the vibe here, including guest writers appearing and helpful, talkative employees.
Niche shopping is one of the advantages of Peterborough's compact city center. Within a matter of a few hundred yards, you find multiple specialty shops like Grove and Main Antiques and Ava Marie Chocolates.
What sets Peterborough apart? Its stores cluster tightly, unlike bigger towns in New Hampshire, where shopping areas stretch along several roads. Instead of driving between spots, here everything gathers into one compact zone, where walkers can reach everything on foot.
Nearby Towns Worth Exploring
Keene
About 20 miles west of Peterborough, Keene serves as the economic core of the area. Originally opened in 1924, the Colonial Theatre on Central Square now draws crowds with performances ranging from film to live dance, having reopened after major 2020 updates that enabled larger stage acts. Shopping is a big part of the experience here in Keene as well, with multiple options for women’s clothing and accessories, including Miranda’s on Main and the upscale consignment shop, the Urban Exchange.
Milford
East of Peterborough, about 18 miles down Route 101, lies Milford. At its heart spreads the Milford Oval, known formally as Union Square, a triangle-shaped patch of open land edged with small businesses and eateries, anchored by the town office erected in 1870. Standing within this space is the Pillsbury Bandstand, dating back to 1896; every October, it becomes part of the local pumpkin celebration. A brief stroll away stands an 1889 relic: the Swing Bridge across the Souhegan River, among the last walking-only suspension spans still standing in New Hampshire.
Jaffrey
Roughly 8 miles south of Peterborough, Jaffrey is a gateway to Monadnock State Park, where Mount Monadnock rises as the world’s second most ascended peak, trailing only Japan’s Mount Fuji. Each year, over 125,000 people make the climb here; from the top, sightlines stretch across state lines into Massachusetts and Vermont, sometimes reaching Boston when skies are clear. Back in town, the Jaffrey Center houses several well-preserved historical properties, including the heavily visited Meetinghouse.
Discovering Walkable Peterborough
Though small in size, Peterborough maintains its standing as New Hampshire’s top walkable downtown thanks to tightly spaced streets and compact clusters of shops and restaurants. Places like Harlow’s Pub, Post and Beam Brewing, and the Toadstool Bookshop anchor daily life around Depot Square. Visitors can find lodging right in step with the pace of this walkable community at Riverhouse by Weekender, which is a great base of operations to explore Peterborough and nearby towns like Jaffrey, Keene, and Milford. When you are ready to explore a New England town where you might not need your vehicle, start in historic Peterborough.
