Folks 30 & older - How do you cope/deal/tolerate/enjoy the winters in New Hampshire? (how much, house)

[motoracer51]

The wife and I are still considering ( & actively trying to make happen ) moving to New Hampshire to get closer to family. After being born on Long Island, moving to Florida, and eventually moving out west to western Colorado, we miss our family a bit - Especially now that we know that we have a child on the way.

My question is how do you guys & gals deal/cope/tolerate/enjoy the winters in New Hampshire? I'll admit, it's the one thing I fear about moving there. I'm still young and active ( 34 ), and probably would pick up XC skiing as an activity ( it's also a great cross training method for my cycling ), but I know as I get older, I'll probably enjoy the cold less. I read it from many other older folks how much they've grown to hate the cold, long, snowy winters.

Do many of you break it up with a trip down south? You you like winter more than the other seasons?

I really want this move to be one in which we "stay put" for a long time. I want my kid(s) growing up in one place, and having a sense of "home". I also don't want to grow to despise the weather/place down the road and be miserable.

Do many of you see yourselves staying here in New Hampshire. or moving elsewhere to a warmer climate?

Thanks for any help and advice.

[steveusaf]

Do you like doing things outside in Western Colorado in the winter? If so, then NH will be no different. If not, then you may not like NH. If you're not into winter outdoor activities in CO, then you won't magically want to do them in NH either.

My dad fixates on the winter weather and is miserable. He works in home improvement and is outdoors a lot. He looks at winter as an impediment to getting his work done. He doesn't really have any activities that he does outdoors. He'd rather go to Florida for half the year. He's buying into the old blue hair "Oh my Gawd, it's so cold, I've got to go to Flawida" mentality because that's what his family before him and some of his friends do. It's almost expected.

On the other hand, I know people his age that embrace the winter and the opportunities it provides. Just because you get old doesn't mean you automatically have to hate winter. Your body might tell you to put another layer on, but it's all in how you think of it.

Attitude is everything. I could use a good snowstorm right now. It would certainly brighten things up.

[VermontNative]

Originally Posted by motoracer51

... After being born on Long Island, moving to Florida, and eventually moving out west to western Colorado, we miss our family a bit - Especially now that we know that we have a child on the way.

Well at least you made it out of Florida! Colorado is definitely a step up in visual candy vs Florida. We are moving back to New England in the near future, I have a few thoughts that may help you in your planning stages. I was born and raised in VT, my wife (who I met here in FL) has never been any further North than the Carolinas, so this might be a bit of a shock to her system.

Personally I would take a gray New England winter over hot FL summer any day of the week and twice on Sunday. My wife on the other hand... not so much, but almost all kids love the snow, so you cant really go wrong there. We are planning on playing a bit of the snow bird role, and coming back to FL for 2-3 weeks, more or less, in the winter time. My wife would have the opportunity to see her relatives here, the kids can see Disney World without the oppressive heat, and I can actually pick up some freelance work from my current client base. So in theory this has the potential to work out well for our family. We will have to wait and see what happens in the real world.

Originally Posted by motoracer51

Do many of you break it up with a trip down south?

Some people like my wife, would do well to break up the winter with a trip South. Others like myself are quite content, and somewhat enjoy winter. I read some advice on the forum that you definitely need a wintertime hobby in VT or NH, I think there is some validity to that statement.

Originally Posted by motoracer51

You you like winter more than the other seasons?

I could be wrong, but I don't think other New Englanders like winter more than other seasons, but I do enjoy the slower pace that winter brings. Spring is all the more wonderful and fruitful when you have had a chance to recharge. For me and my family, I don't see us leaving VT or NH for anything more than visiting. I have already been gone too long from my native homeland. Everyplace is what you make of it, but for me personally I believe raising children in northern New England beats anything that the South has to offer.

Good luck with whatever you decide, remember Google is your friend! There is a wealth of knowledge online and no shortage of opinions for and against a move to New Hampshire.

[maestramommy]

In my early 40s here. Grew up in Chicago, moved out to SoCal for 15 years, then moved out here with Dh and 2 little kids. Now have 3 little kids. Really the hardest thing about winter is making sure my little ones are properly outfitted for playing in the snow. They don't last long when snow keeps getting into their clothes. For me I pile on the layers and keep busy

We do see ourselves sticking around until retirement, if all goes well enough with jobs.

[lisa g]

I do not mind the snow and cold and do XC ski and snowshoe. There is much to like about the quality of life in NH. The only things I would caution about: learn about the budget of your town, especially school budgets. Go to the public meetings,learn from direct sources so you can actively fight corruption and spending that is not realistic. I do not like the culture for raising kids in S. NH, which largely stems from radical but pervasive progressive education philosophies generally lowering expected standards overall. I guess to sum it up I would recommend staying active in the winter and being as personally responsible as possible to protect and defend against local corruption affecting your new family's values and your bank accounts.

[db77]

Motoracer. If you want to be a true New Englander you'll have to learn to ***** about the cold and snow in the winter and the heat in the summer. It's what we do.

Seriously though. The winters are probably colder and snowier than a lot of other places you could live but it's not that bad. It's NH not Alaska. It doesn't really start to get cold and snowy until November. Then you trudge through Dec, January and February. March can still be a little snowy and chilly but it's not too bad because you know the good weather is just around the corner. We all find ourselves in the middle of January thinking about how nice it would be to pickup and move somewhere where it never snows or gets below 40 but then Spring rolls around and we remember why we haven't already left. Spring, Summer and Fall in New England make the lousy winters worth it. There's nowhere nicer to be from mid-late April trough the end of October.

[GotBackHome]

gawds help us we're retiring to NH and I don't like winter! <sigh> at least I remember what I'm getting into. DH enjoys outdoor activities and he would love to try snowshoeing. Me, I consider outside is what you have to go through to get where you're going! So I bundle up appropriately and convince myself that icepacks feel good on my knees, and this is just a very big icepack! and I really look forward to watching spring unfold. I'll get through - it's just one of the things that's part of the package deal. Yep, if you like winter sports you do much better. shame I don't. ah well.

[serenityisadog]

If you can tolerate the cold then there is snow shoeing, skiing, sledding, snowmobiles etc. Those things are fun but unfortunately you can't 'play' all winter. I am really starting to despise the cold, snowy winters.
Negative:I hate the shoveling and snow blowing, I hate walking the dogs in the winter where you are so cold that you are shivering to the point where your body is so tense and sore. Getting into a cold car and being so cold that you just pray that it heats up before you go numb and bite your shivering lips off. I feel like I can never get warm enough all winter no matter what, all I want is the sun!! I hate walking on slippery sidewalks and stepping in slush, driving to work/store in bad weather.

Positives: The good thing about hating the winter so much is by the time spring gets here life seems so good and you enjoy it all the more. Winter is a good time to catch up on house hold projects like painting etc. I do like the fact that we get a break from bugs in the winter.

Personally I want to move south and escape the winters, there are just to many cons and not enough pros for me to want to stay in NH. But who knows maybe I'll move south and miss it here? Guess I'll have to try it to find out?

[samantha10]

Wow Motoracer, i could have written this post myself.
My husband and I currently live in CT and are planning on moving to NH in 4 years. Even though we are in New England now, I have to admit that going even farther north in the winter scares me a little. Being in our late thirties, early forties, I am not so much too concerned now as we love being outdoors snowshoeing and such but I do worry what it will be like once we start getting older.

I am also curious as to how many "snowbirds" there are out there.

[NHartphotog]

Winters last forever here. We hope to semi-retire someday and spend the winters in a tropical climate. Until then, fingers crossed that an ice-caused car crash doesn't happen, and it's simply 6 months of very hard work, cancelled appointments, and inconvenience.