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For character and charm, as well as being for someone 35+ who appears to be searching for quieter ("escaping the rat race")
I would choose Portsmouth, NH.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
10,744 posts, read 23,798,187 times
Reputation: 14650
Quote:
Originally Posted by 007jamesbond
Which of these 4 New England towns/cities would you most want to live in and why?
Salem, Massachusetts
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portland, Maine
Here is some criteria :
Which one is the best place to escape the rat race?
Which one is the most unique and has the most character and charm?
Which one is the best place for someone 35 years old and older?
I grew up and was raised in Newburyport and I lived in Salem (and loved it) from 2009-2012.
Which one is the best place to escape the rat race? - Portland would be your best choice, Maine is so very laid back. Portsmouth and Newburyport are still fairly disconnected from the Boston/128 rat race even though some people do that arduous commute form both. I actually commuted from Newburyport to Boston for a while, be it taking commuter rail or driving into the city, I hated it with every fiber of my being. I always remember exhaling a sigh of relief everyday when passing the Ferncroft on I-95 and going into Topsfield as the rat race element seems to dissipate right there.
Which one is the most unique and has the most character and charm? - They all have character and charm in spades.
-Newburyport is the smallest of the bunch and it has a slight air of snobbery, what I like about Newburyport the most is nearby Plum Island, a 10 mile long barrier island reminiscent of Cape Cod and beautiful beaches.
-Salem has the most compelling history and I find it to be the most eclectic city of the bunch, especially with the college town presence and easy access to Boston. It's the first day in October and I find myself reminiscing Salem a lot this time of year, Halloween was so much fun there! Salem still has quite a but of grit but it's downtown has come a long way over the last 10-15 years with lots of excellent restaurants and bars opening recently, I loved walking around there, it had a great ambiance. If you're looking to escape the ratrace though Salem probably isn;t your best choice as it's still within the thick of the urban/suburban elements of metro Boston and driving around Salem is challenging to say the least.
-Portland has a good mix of class and charm with down to earth blue collar elements and I find it to be the most scenic city with the best access to outdoor recreation in the great state of Maine.
-Portsmouth is beautiful and definitely my favorite city in New Hampshire, great place for a pub crawl and night life (as is Salem), and it's is my favorite restaurant/foodie city out of the bunch.
Which one is the best place for someone 35 years old and older? - Well this is the most subjective question, any one of them are suitable. Portland, Portsmouth, and especially Salem all draw in a youthful crowd but Newburyport is a bit more quiet.
If you have to work in or around Boston/128, definitely do Salem. Commuting from anywhere beyond that is atrrocious. If you can find work around Newburyport, Portland, or Portsmouth then they would all be excellent choices.
Last edited by Champ le monstre du lac; 10-01-2013 at 08:25 AM..
I grew up and was raised in Newburyport and I lived in Salem (and loved it) from 2009-2012.
Which one is the best place to escape the rat race? - Portland would be your best choice, Maine is so very laid back. Portsmouth and Newburyport are still fairly disconnected from the Boston/128 rat race even though some people do that arduous commute form both. I actually commuted from Newburyport to Boston for a while, be it taking commuter rail or driving into the city, I hated it with every fiber of my being. I always remember exhaling a sigh of relief everyday when passing the Ferncroft on I-95 and going into Topsfield as the rat race element seems to dissipate right there.
Which one is the most unique and has the most character and charm? - They all have character and charm in spades.
-Newburyport is the smallest of the bunch and it has a slight air of snobbery, what I like about Newburyport the most is nearby Plum Island, a 10 mile long barrier island reminiscent of Cape Cod and beautiful beaches.
-Salem has the most compelling history and I find it to be the most eclectic city of the bunch, especially with the college town presence and easy access to Boston. It's the first day in October and I find myself reminiscing Salem a lot this time of year, Halloween was so much fun there! Salem still has quite a but of grit but it's downtown has come a long way over the last 10-15 years with lots of excellent restaurants and bars opening recently, I loved walking around there, it had a great ambiance. If you're looking to escape the ratrace though Salem probably isn;t your best choice as it's still within the thick of the urban/suburban elements of metro Boston and driving around Salem is challenging to say the least.
-Portland has a good mix of class and charm with down to earth blue collar elements and I find it to be the most scenic city with the best access to outdoor recreation in the great state of Maine.
-Portsmouth is beautiful and definitely my favorite city in New Hampshire, great place for a pub crawl and night life (as is Salem), and it's is my favorite restaurant/foodie city out of the bunch.
Which one is the best place for someone 35 years old and older? - Well this is the most subjective question, any one of them are suitable. Portland, Portsmouth, and especially Salem all draw in a youthful crowd but Newburyport is a bit more quiet.
If you have to work in or around Boston/128, definitely do Salem. Commuting from anywhere beyond that is atrrocious. If you can find work around Newburyport, Portland, or Portsmouth then they would all be excellent choices.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
10,744 posts, read 23,798,187 times
Reputation: 14650
Quote:
Originally Posted by 007jamesbond
Thanks for all this great information!
You're welcome, as a North Shore native I know all these places very well. I got a little homesick typing that post. Which one are you leaning towards?
Last edited by Champ le monstre du lac; 10-01-2013 at 08:33 PM..
You're welcome, as a North Shore native I know all these places very well. I got a little homesick typing that post. Which one are you leaning towards?
I'm leaning towards Portland, Maine. However, they all sound lovely.
Portsmouth for me! Love that city, the architecture is awesome, has great bars and restaurants and love sitting by the rushing river and watching the tug boats.
I have great friends in Newburyport and been there a bunch of times. It is a charming city, again, amazing colonial architecture but a bit too small and provincial for me. Plum Island is fun.
Not that familiar with Portland- I've flown in and driven through several times but always on my way up to the lakes district by Rangely. I understand it is a great foodie city and also has some nice architecture.
I haven't been to Salem since I was a little kid and went trick or treating there back in 1970!
Portsmouth for me! Love that city, the architecture is awesome, has great bars and restaurants and love sitting by the rushing river and watching the tug boats.
I have great friends in Newburyport and been there a bunch of times. It is a charming city, again, amazing colonial architecture but a bit too small and provincial for me. Plum Island is fun.
Not that familiar with Portland- I've flown in and driven through several times but always on my way up to the lakes district by Rangely. I understand it is a great foodie city and also has some nice architecture.
I haven't been to Salem since I was a little kid and went trick or treating there back in 1970!
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
10,744 posts, read 23,798,187 times
Reputation: 14650
Quote:
Originally Posted by 007jamesbond
Portsmouth sure does seem great.
Portsmouth is lovely with a beautiful harbor, nice parks, and really nice coastal scenery nearby. It also has an outstanding selection of restaurants and bars for a little city. My favorite pizza/beer pub (Portsmouth Gas Light) and coffee shop (Breaking New Grounds | Portsmouth NH Cafe) in all of New England are in Portsmouth. Since these areas are my hometowns, I'm very curious to know what compelled your interest these cities? Are you from Seattle?
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