White Mountain towns (Portsmouth, Hanover, Conway: condos, homes, college)

[niceguy19125]

I posted a similar thread for NH lake towns. I'm also considering White Mountain vacation towns as I plan to potentially move to NH and open a small business that is geared towards the vacation/tourist industry. My wish-list is as follows. Thanks in advance for any input you can provide.

- Looking for a town with a presence (Littleton or Franconia?)
- A town with a somewhat "upscale" downtown area geared toward tourists
- A place with at least a shred of gay owned/gay friendly businesses, I'm not looking for a Provincetown, but an area that has some concentration
- A town where someone who didn't grow up there could not only move there and feel welcome, but also feel supported were they to open a respectable (and needed) small business

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by niceguy19125

I posted a similar thread for NH lake towns. I'm also considering White Mountain vacation towns as I plan to potentially move to NH and open a small business that is geared towards the vacation/tourist industry. My wish-list is as follows. Thanks in advance for any input you can provide.

- Looking for a town with a presence (Littleton or Franconia?)
- A town with a somewhat "upscale" downtown area geared toward tourists
- A place with at least a shred of gay owned/gay friendly businesses, I'm not looking for a Provincetown, but an area that has some concentration
- A town where someone who didn't grow up there could not only move there and feel welcome, but also feel supported were they to open a respectable (and needed) small business

Yes, I think you could also include the North Conway area on your list. It meets more of your requirements and is the gateway to the White Mountains, Attitash, Wildcat, and Mount Washington. It has some outsiders moving in, is popular with tourists, and has a sizable chunk of 2nd homes. In terms of geography you can't beat the location (highway 16 corridor). It is a heavier traffic area with high visibility.

[Luke9686]

North Conway and Stowe Vermont.

[dognh]

None of the north country towns would be considered upscale - in the sense of Aspen of Park City.
North Conway is good otherwise as the center of a lot of tourist traffic - it's not dumpy or anything, I just would consider it more family-oriented vs. upscale. Neither Littleton nor Franconia have enough tourist traffic.

I agree with the other post that would direct you more towards Vermont.

[SanfordR]

I really agree with North Conway. It has lots of year round tourism, has lots of couples and groups as well as family, is gay friendly ( I lived there for several years- not gay but had several gay friends there who had no problems with the area), and unless things have changed in the 2 years I've been gone, could really use a gourmet food business. It's not like Aspen (they have Gucci and Dior there, sheesh!), but it has a certain upscalish quality. Meredith is nice for a lake town, but pretty dead in the winter. Good luck!

[NH2008]

Yep, North Conway. Not upscale at all, but getting somewhat more so (some nicer restaurants, organic foods, coffee shop, etc), tons of tourists and climbers, gorgeous setting, possibly more gay-friendly than points further north?

[niceguy19125]

Thanks for the information. Although my two threads are crossing a bit, I'll ask for some feedback here as well. How would you summarize Littleton and Bretton Woods?

[GraniteStater]

Littleton is a "regional center" town along I-93 that serves much of the North Country of western Coos County, Essex County VT, and Caledonia County, VT. It has a decent amount of shopping, big box stores, and a good Downtown area. I wouldn't call it upscale, but it is a plessant place for what it offers.
Town of Littleton New Hampshire

Bretton Woods is a resort area where the Mt. Washington Resort is located. It has a golf course and ski runs there. Condos are common there with little residential development since it abutts the national forest.
Mount Washington Resort - Bretton Woods, NH - New England's Four-Season Resort.

[Aptor hours]

What kind of business though? I don't think super expensive is going to work in my opinion.in the Littleton or Franconia area. You are also going to need to survive during "off season". I think you may need to also cultivate a market of people like myself that live near Littleton and Franconia that like to have some nicer things as well.

[vter]

I would consider Hanover. Not really a tourist town, but it's certainly upscale due to being the home of Dartmouth College. Portsmouth would really be the other option in NH IMO.