Exeter area (Manchester, Concord, Portsmouth: good schools, restaurants, shops)

[K&S100607]

What is Exeter like? How far from the coast, good place for young couples, big companies to work for, schools ? etc.

Thanks

[Valerie C]

Hiya K&S
Exeter is a very nice town, not too small, close to the main east/west highway 101 (so you can get to the Manchester/Concord area easy enough) and very close to Rte 95 (for easy access to Boston or Maine) Also the Downeaster train has a stop in Exeter, very convenient if you need to travel for work. A great walkable downtown, and you're not far fat all from the beach, maybe a 15-20 minute drive. Lots of shopping along Route 108, even more toward the seacoast along Route 1. Schools are great (Sau 16) Hope this helps!

[seattlerainer]

Exeter is a very good town. Stratham is a good community ten minutes away. Downtown Portsmouth (pronounced Port-smith) has many shops. Boston is an hour away and is a very nice city.

[fishnfool]

If you picture the classic main street of a colonial new england town then you are picturing downtown exeter. It's a great town with good schools and 15 minutes to the ocean. It's not really a big town so you won't find too many large companies in it, but when you look at the seacoast as a whole (which every town is easily commutable from exeter) you'll find one of the better areas for jobs in NH. That said it's still not Boston or even northern Mass....which even still can be commuted to from Exeter. Manchester is also doable if you don't mind a drive.

As for a young couple....the downtown is beautiful but pretty small. There are restaurants and bars but not too many. My guess is you'll head to Portsmouth for any real nightlife. My wife and I are in our late 20's and we always head out to Portsmouth or Newburyport if we want a night out.

[Katlakat]

Originally Posted by K&S100607

What is Exeter like? How far from the coast, good place for young couples, big companies to work for, schools ? etc.

Thanks

describe "big companies to work for"?

[NHDave]

Biggest company I can think of is Sig.

[rmcewan]

Originally Posted by NHDave

Biggest company I can think of is Sig.

Timberland's HQ is in Stratham.

[NHDave]

There's a chocolate mfg too, can't remember the name at the moment

[steveusaf]

Originally Posted by NHDave

There's a chocolate mfg too, can't remember the name at the moment

Lindt, maybe?

[NHDave]

Originally Posted by steveusaf

Lindt, maybe?

That's it!