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East Coast charmers <150K (I didn't see a minimum)? I would include Belfast, Camden, Rockland, maybe Kennebunkport in Maine. In Mass, Newburyport, Gloucester, Marblehead, Salem, maybe Falmouth. If Nantucket why not Oak Bluffs and Edgartown? Greenwich Ct is charming? Yikes. How about Mystic, Essex or Stonington instead? East Hampton, Southampton and Sag Harbor, Long Island. Red Bank (close to beaches) and Cape May in New Jersey. Not so sure of things south of there but maybe Wilmington, NC and Beaufort, SC. Charleston can't be left off even if too big technically; it's over-the-top charming. In Fla, Key West seems charming; Naples seems like just affluent people warming up after Grosse Pointe.
East Coast charmers <150K (I didn't see a minimum)? I would include Belfast, Camden, Rockland, maybe Kennebunkport in Maine. In Mass, Newburyport, Gloucester, Marblehead, Salem, maybe Falmouth. If Nantucket why not Oak Bluffs and Edgartown? Greenwich Ct is charming? Yikes. How about Mystic, Essex or Stonington instead? East Hampton, Southampton and Sag Harbor, Long Island. Red Bank (close to beaches) and Cape May in New Jersey. Not so sure of things south of there but maybe Wilmington, NC and Beaufort, SC. Charleston can't be left off even if too big technically; it's over-the-top charming. In Fla, Key West seems charming; Naples seems like just affluent people warming up after Grosse Pointe.
You've gotten several excellent candidates, and even though Charleston, Seattle and Portland are significantly larger core cities than the rest, I have no problem including them here.
And so far, I note Savannah is running away with this poll.
In addition to Red Bank and Cape May in New Jersey, I'd also add Princeton to this list. It's an anomalous chunk of the Hamptons inserted into far more middling Mercer County. And there's no prestigious university in the Hamptons either. This town comes so close to choking on its own cuteness I usually refer to it as "terminally charming Princeton."
Pennsylvania has a few candidates too: Doylestown, the Bucks County seat, and New Hope, the adult playground in the same county, should make the cut if Gloucester does. (In Massachusetts, I'd probably swap Gloucester for Concord and Lexington.) Lancaster also qualifies near the upper end of the scale.
Of the poll options, Ive been to them all except Annapolis MD.
Vibrancy: Savannah
Aesthetic: Newport RI and Portland ME tie
Waterfront: Portland ME
Beaches: Maine beaches are my favorite. Its tough. But Nantucket has the best on the list I think. I dont like FL Beaches. So Nantucket MA
Food & Drink: Newport RI and Portland ME tie
Things to Do: Newport RI
Vibrancy - Portland, ME, and Annapolis, MD (their layouts are preferable to me)
Aesthetic - Newport, RI, Portland, ME and Savannah, GA (mansions for Newport, lighthouses for Portland, and architecture for Savannah)
Waterfront - Portsmouth, NH, Portland, ME and Nantucket, MA (I love New England waterfronts)
Beaches - St. Augustine, FL Marco Island, FL and Naples, FL (I love Southern beaches)
Food & Drink - Portland, ME (lobster mac and cheese mmmmmmm!)
Other - (HISTORY) - Portland, ME, Newport, RI, and Greenwich, CT (I love little historical homes to visit and New England's history)
Overall winner? Portland, ME!!
Edit: Asking for other cities to me mentioned. Cape May, NJ popped into my head as I find it well known. But I'm not sure if people would say it's well known... Just throwing that out there. Edit again: I just saw Missionhill mentioned Cape May, NJ as well.
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