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Old 03-25-2013, 11:37 AM
 
37 posts, read 121,874 times
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Wondering if anyone has any experience with the commute from Manchester-by-the-Sea to Boston. I'm interested in learning the difference from driving to taking the train. Is it safe to say that it's an hour commute....or is it even longer in rush hour?? I know the station there has extremely limited parking. How do the locals park and then take the train? Do people drive to nearby towns / train stations instead?
Is it possible to have the "quality of life" with this commute? Or does everyone just live for the weekend?? Also curious at to how "family-friendly" the town is. We have 2 young children so I'm interested to learn about their schools, park and rec programs, etc. Also wondering where locals go for bigger grocery stores, Target, etc.
Thanks!
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Old 03-25-2013, 11:45 AM
 
Location: Framingham, Mass
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The MBTA trip planner may be a good resource for you: MBTA Trip Planner > Find the Best Way to Get to Your Destination. Looks like it's about a 50-minute ride to North Station. It's the fourth stop from Rockport, so finding a good seat in the morning shouldn't be too hard. The commute is not unheard of--plenty of people even commute from Southern NH and Maine into Boston. It's not for me, but with some good music or a book on tape, nearly anything is doable.

The best way to find out is to try it--pick a day, not near a holiday but when school is in session, and take the drive. If it doesn't drive you nuts, Manchester might be your town--and it is certainly a beautiful place.
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Old 03-25-2013, 12:20 PM
 
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thanks for the info. i've checked out the mbta trip planner and did see that the train ride is about 50 mins....but was curious about the parking for the train and if locals actually use that station or other nearby stations due to the lack of parking avails right in manchester. also curious on the drive during rush hour. again, i'm assuming it would be an hour drive, but wasn't totally sure....wondering if it could be even longer.
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Old 03-25-2013, 12:47 PM
 
Location: Framingham, Mass
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While I don't live on the North Shore (I'm sure someone on these forums could help), I am familiar with the roads you'd be traveling. It's going to be 40 minutes without any traffic at all--with rare exception, you could probably double that on any given day.
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Old 03-25-2013, 12:48 PM
 
Location: Needham, MA
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Manchester by the Sea is quite the contrast to Newton! I remember you asking about Concord a while back. It seems the quieter towns appeal to you.
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Old 03-25-2013, 01:03 PM
 
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Manchester by the sea (MBS) has excellent school, strong real estate resell value and status (if that is also a factor you would like) especially compare to the less desirable neighbor town like Beverly. Although restaurants are much better in Beverly but I personally like to live in a quieter town so I have a choice to escape from the traffic into nature. Some of the people live there are very wealthy seasonal residents especially the ones near Singing beach. It is a pretty and laid back coastal town.
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Old 03-25-2013, 01:25 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikePRU View Post
Manchester by the Sea is quite the contrast to Newton! I remember you asking about Concord a while back. It seems the quieter towns appeal to you.
Right on Mike! It is great to see you remember each member you were trying to help and I think this where you are separated from the rest of the average realtor. It is great to see a realtor who cares each and everyone of his clients. You never ceased to surprise me with your memory and your contributions to this community.

Manchester by the Sea definitely has always been known by it's school system and the status quote on North Shore. While Beverly might cut your commute time by 5-10 minutes as well as it's cheaper housing, you will realize the concept of you get what you pay for right away. You should also check out Lynnfield if you want an easier commute as well as good school system for your kids. You can also check out Hamilton/Wenham if horse back riding/Polo is your thing (great school and very quite low key town). If you enjoy more laid back life style than North Shore is a good fit. Good luck.
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Old 03-25-2013, 01:26 PM
 
37 posts, read 121,874 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikePRU View Post
Manchester by the Sea is quite the contrast to Newton! I remember you asking about Concord a while back. It seems the quieter towns appeal to you.
ha! yes, VERY different from Newton! My husband is originally from the North Shore and living up there is his dream. I'm not sure if I think it's really realistic to live there and work in the city though. It is beautiful though. And yes, we really dream about being able to live some place that is very scenic and charming. T
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Old 03-25-2013, 02:41 PM
 
Location: Vermont
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I have family in Manchester and LOVE it there.
Lots of people commute to Boston so you would not be alone there.
I'm pretty sure that the parking at the train station is by permit. I'm not sure who you'd call to get one...maybe the town hall or police department? There are a limited number of non permit parking spots for train use as well. We use those on weekends when we visit and take the train into the city. Parking must be in MBTA designated spots or else you'll be towed.
Target, malls etc are in Danvers and Peabody. About 15-20 minutes, no traffic. Crosby's is a small supermarket right in Manchester. Allen's Pharmacy is in town as well. Otherwise you can go to Beverly or Gloucester (10ish min) for larger stores like Market Basket, Shaws and Stop and Shop, CVS etc.
As a resident you'll be able to purchase a beach parking sticker for summer - Singing Beach is fantastic.
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Old 03-26-2013, 06:44 AM
 
Location: Beverly, Mass
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As far as parks there is a community park on the waterfront with a playground for little ones, there are some trails and Agassis rock is a giant boulder, that is a big attraction, but it is a very small town, so you can find a lot more parks in Gloucester and Beverly.

Beverly's Lynch park is where president Taft had his summer White House, there is a rose garden, two beaches, two playgrounds, a carriage house which hosts weddings and functions, kayaks and beach volleyball.

There is a free summer playground program in Beverly, but I am not sure about Manchester.

Long Hill is an old estate in Beverly, that has expansive grounds with great landscaping, there is a garden, where you can cut your own flowers and a children's garden.

Stage Fort park in Gloucester is a huge waterfront park with a playground, beaches and a fort.

You can find more info on area parks and activities here:

Trustees of Reservations

North Shore Kid

Historic New England
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