Overview
Keene is a city in southern New Hampshire.
1 sights · 2 things to do · 1 places to eat · 5 bars & cafés · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Keene
Park Hill Meetinghouse
built in 1764
Mount Monadnock
Monadnock State Park is located in and around the 3,165-ft. Mount Monadnock. The park is surrounded by thousands of acres of protected highlands. In 1987, Mount Monadnock was designated a National Natural Landmark. The p…
The Colonial Theatre
The Colonial Theatre is an 888-seat non-profit historic theatre operating continuously since 1924 and featuring the finest in live events and niche film. There is something happening every day at The Colonial Theatre, wh…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 84°F; winter lows dip to about 14°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Oct and Dec. (climate data from nearby Nashua)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- MHT Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, Manchester — 43 mi away. Directions
- LEB Lebanon Municipal Airport, Lebanon — 48 mi away. Directions
- BDL Bradley International Airport, Hartford — 72 mi away (major hub). Directions
Keene is most easily accessible by taking I-91 in Vermont to Exit 3 and getting on VT-9 in Brattleboro. Then head into the traffic circle until VT-9 continues and follow it over a small bridge into New Hampshire (VT-9 becomes NH-9). Follow NH-9 about 15 miles to Keene. From the east, Keene is accessible via NH-101. NH-9 also connects Keene to Concord to the northeast. NH-12 heads southeast and continues into Massachusetts as MA-12, where it leads to Fitchburg, Leominster, and eventually Worcester.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Park Hill Meetinghouse, The Colonial Theatre
- Lunch Brewbakers
- Afternoon Mount Monadnock
- Evening Colony Mill
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Keene also features several major chains of mid-scale restaurants, each of which have their own bars. On Winchester St. is Applebees. Located off Winchester Street, at the Monadnock Marketplace, are Chilis, and the Longhorn Steakhouse.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Keene is the county seat of Cheshire County and has been a local center of commerce and culture for a long time. This is reflected in the profusion of pretty buildings in town, only a few of which are pictured in this article.
Keene is also believed to be the inspiration of the fictional town of Brantford in Jumanji. Scenes from the film were shot here.
Get in
By car
Keene is most easily accessible by taking I-91 in Vermont to Exit 3 and getting on VT-9 in Brattleboro. Then head into the traffic circle until VT-9 continues and follow it over a small bridge into New Hampshire (VT-9 becomes NH-9). Follow NH-9 about 15 miles to Keene. From the east, Keene is accessible via NH-101. NH-9 also connects Keene to Concord to the northeast. NH-12 heads southeast and continues into Massachusetts as MA-12, where it leads to Fitchburg, Leominster, and eventually Worcester.
By plane
See
Do
Live Entertainment
Do The Colonial Theatre
The Colonial Theatre is an 888-seat non-profit historic theatre operating continuously since 1924 and featuring the finest in live events and niche film. There is something happening every day at The Colonial Theatre, whether it's an arthouse film, luring music, Broadway, dance, comedy; community events or the new Backstage Series (featuring alternative performers in a club-like setting).
Hiking
Highland Hill & firetower, Greater Goose Pond and Drummer Hill, Beech Hill Preserve, Beaver Brook Falls, Horatio Colony Trust.
Do Mount Monadnock
Monadnock State Park is located in and around the 3,165-ft. Mount Monadnock. The park is surrounded by thousands of acres of protected highlands. In 1987, Mount Monadnock was designated a National Natural Landmark. The park offers year-round recreational opportunities. Moderate to Difficult hiking to scenic summit from multiple trail heads in the region. Maps available at staffed park HQ.
Recreation
Keene offers a variety of recreational areas.
Wheelock Park, Central Square, Robin Hood Park, Otter Brook Dam Recreation Area
Buy
Keene, as well as New Hampshire as a whole, is a great place to shop due to the lack of a state sales tax. Keene has a wide array of shops and stores selling almostall things. Below are just a few examples of where to shop when in Keene:
Shop The Center At Keene
An open shopping center complex, with some interior hallways leading to the other side, housed in an old train station. Home to 24 businesses ranging from shops, businesses, a gym, and various eateries.
Eat
Keene also features several major chains of mid-scale restaurants, each of which have their own bars. On Winchester St. is Applebees. Located off Winchester Street, at the Monadnock Marketplace, are Chilis, and the Longhorn Steakhouse.
Eat Brewbakers
Wonderful little cafe where all the college and high school students hang out. Very busy during dinnertime and on the weekends; you'll be hard-pressed to find a table. Decks of cards, sketchbooks, and newspapers available, outlets and wifi easy to access. Delicious food.
Drink
Drink Colony Mill
Houses the Elm City Brewery, which is a micro-brew known for its wide selection of beers made on site. Different brews are featured daily, so check out the daily specials board for that day's choices. The Brewery also has a large menu of pub fare and main courses, at reasonable prices. It has several TVs, and an outdoor seating section during the summer.
Main Street area
The Main Street (Downtown) area of Keene hosts several bars and nightclubs.
Drink Kilkenny's
Primarily a beer bar, Kilkenny's has several pool tables. Although it is one of the smaller bars, its drinks are fairly inexpensive, making it a common starting point for people making the rounds of the Keene bar scene or doing a crawl. However, Kilkenny's does tend to draw more locals, and has a more conservative feel.
Drink Margarita's
A large Mexican restaurant. While it does serve a full range of drinks, it is mainly known for its creative, though expensive, margaritas. It has an extensive Mexican-themed menu, and outdoor seating. In addition to a restaurant section, it has a lounge area that also features a pool table.
Drink Lab and Lager
One of the newer bars in Keene. The Lap has a small outdoor seating section, and some pool tables indoors. It draws a college-aged crowd, though it is generally considered a cheap knock-off of the Railroad. Generally hosts an older, more mature crowd (30-40).
Drink 21 Roxbury
It is a martini bar with up-scale martinis and other cocktails. Its small, intimate location draws a more up-scale crowd, and is a good place for a date or a more quiet conversation.
Sleep
Go next
- Mount Monadnock is 12 miles to the east on NH-124 in Jaffrey. There is a small parking lot where NH-124 crests over the mountain. Just before Jaffrey Center, there is a sign pointing to the entrance to Monadnock State Park. The trails from both locations lead to the summit. Mount Monadnock is the highest mountain in southern NH and perhaps the most accessible for novice hikers, as well as being the most climbed mountain in the entire world. No special equipment is needed to climb the mountain and it can usually be done in about four hours round trip for a healthy person.
- Brattleboro, Vermont is about a 40-minute drive to via the Franklin Pierce Highway (State Route 9 West) and US Route 5 South and has even more beautiful buildings for you to look at.
Nearby
Swanzey
City / town · 1 listings · 4 mi away
Westmoreland
City / town · 8 listings · 9 mi away
Marlow
City / town · 2 listings · 13 mi away
Brattleboro
City / town · 24 listings · 15 mi away
Bellows Falls
City / town · 12 listings · 16 mi away
Peterborough
City / town · 15 listings · 17 mi away
Rindge
City / town · 8 listings · 19 mi away
Newfane
City / town · 1 listings · 21 mi away
My experience
Write about your trip here. Notes save automatically in this browser as you type; back them up from My journal.