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Heya folks...life long New Englander here just reporting in on a wonderful trip to the Seacoast.
My wife and I have been looking to relocate from semi-rural CT to either ME, NH or possibly Upstate SC. So...we took a trip to Greenville SC to visit and were so disappointed we left early. (That's another thread I'll be making on thier board. I feel so deceived by selective picture taking and boosterism...but I digress. ) On the way back I told my wife about the Seacoast region (She had never been aside from going past on I95 on our way to Maine).
We have a friend who moved to Keene and she (And I to some degree) doesn't really care for Keene so she was lukewarm on the NH idea and more sold on Maine.
I myself had not been to Portsmouth in about a decade...but told her in my view it's much different from the Keene area.
We drove straight past our CT home and got to Portsmouth late morning. Wonderful, WONDERFUL beautiful, historic city. Love it. She was smitten and totally blown away with the city. Since we are not "rich" and more middle class I told her not to get too excited as I don't think we will be affording a nice home in Psmith anytime soon.
So we spent the day walking around Market Square etc had lunch at Muddy River, dropped a few hundred dollars at Celtic Crossing (My wife is as Irish as they come - I didn't realize what the store was till we walked in. ) We then decided to head up to Dover and see what it was all about.
I was really shocked at how nice Dover actually was and how close it was to Portsmouth (I measured about a 10 minute drive up RT16). It reminds us much of where we currently live (Manchester CT) but much more vibrant and alive without the ghetto trash influence many former New England mill cities are experiencing.
We stayed at the Days Inn right in Downtown, wandered around the stores and shops. Got a fresh Crepe at Silver (Blue?) Moon next to the Strand Theater some fresh soup on the corner shop there at 3rd and Central etc etc.
In the morning got a nice traditional New England Breakfast at Harvey's in downtown and spent most of the day wandering around the city and neighborhoods.
To me, Dover is a true working class New England town with an alive downtown - families walking around, restaurants and pubs not dead etc etc. Love it. I also noticed that it's close enough to UNH to get some of the spillover and patronage but not close enough to feel like a college town.
The next day we went to Durham and while nice, for me had too much of a college town vibe. Went a little further into Newmarket - nice but a little to far from good hwy access and decide to head back to Dover.
On the way home the next day we wandered over Exeter. Nice town, but my wife and I for some reason had Dover grab us in a good way. It just feels like the New England that I remember as a kid in CT that is IMO far gone. Wholesome yet not Mayberry, sophisticated yet still down to earth etc. The fact that Portsmouth is so close the car will barely warm up by the time you get there is a huge plus also.
So, we are now making some long term plans to look more serious at the Dover area. It's only about 2 hours away from here so we'll be back soon!
We have not ruled out Southern Maine still but Dover is much closer for family in CT and what I would call a traditional small New England city that is still healthy and alive.
Thanks for having us and for reminding me what I still love about New England and will never leave.
Thanks for posting your impressions of Dover and the Portsmouth area. My wife and I are seriously considering that area as well. We took a trip out to the East Coast earlier this year, but unfortunately didn't have the time to see it. We were on the train going from Portland (which we loved) to Boston, so we just saw the country side, which, of course, was beautiful. I don't remember the small towns we went through, though. i wish you luck with getting out there. i can't wait to myself.
JViello I am so glad you posted this about your visit - my hometown is Dover and a few people probably feel I had a pollyanna look at it, but you just validated everything I have ever said about it. I like Portsmouth too for the things it offers, but I LOVE Dover and would choose that city to live - in a heartbeat. I see your trip included the Cafe on the Corner, and you even mentioned the Strand theater (an old theater but that's what's so "comfy" about it). Dover has everything to offer, and if you by chance can't find it there, Portsmouth is truly a 10 minute drive. The beaches, mountains, lakes, Boston, Manchester and Portland are all within 1 hour or less. It's like a gem hidden right off the path and while I like to promote it, I don't want it to come out of hiding either LOL.
Check out the hometown daily newspaper for the news on Dover and all the surrounding towns and of course state and national news too.
go to www.FostersDailyDemocrat.com
Did you see the train station, and the bus station as well. BTW I also agree with your assessments of Durham and Newmarket
I loved Dover too when I lived there. Can't go wrong with a visit to LaFesta for good quality pizza, or Dos Amigos for a burrito. Dover has a good varied music scene at night too. There's always something to do, and it's close to everything else.
Why is it no matter how many times you read your post before submitting, you always catch the grammer and spelling errors when you read it several hours later. LOL
Quote:
Originally Posted by grimstuff
Thanks for posting your impressions of Dover and the Portsmouth area. My wife and I are seriously considering that area as well. We took a trip out to the East Coast earlier this year, but unfortunately didn't have the time to see it. We were on the train going from Portland (which we loved) to Boston, so we just saw the country side, which, of course, was beautiful. I don't remember the small towns we went through, though. i wish you luck with getting out there. i can't wait to myself.
NP, glad to share! As for Portsmouth, think Old Port Portland mixed with Salem MA with all the old colonial homes etc. That's the entire city. No, really it is. I DO think Portland is a larger city and has more "city stuff", but keep in mind my perspective. Portsmouth NH is just about 2 hours from CT family and 2 hours vs 3 hours does make a difference. So for ME, I have keep such things in mind. I simply adore Portland myself and have spent many many days passed out at Two Lights State Park on the rocks listening to the waves crash.
As for Dover, if you went to Brunswick ME you kind of got the vibe IMHO. Brunswick is a different city on other levels but the DT has a similar feel to me. Dover actually reminds me dead on for Rockland ME which is my favorite city in ME but it's just way to far from family in CT.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NH2NCMom
JViello I am so glad you posted this about your visit - my hometown is Dover and a few people probably feel I had a pollyanna look at it, but you just validated everything I have ever said about it. I like Portsmouth too for the things it offers, but I LOVE Dover and would choose that city to live - in a heartbeat. I see your trip included the Cafe on the Corner, and you even mentioned the Strand theater (an old theater but that's what's so "comfy" about it). Dover has everything to offer, and if you by chance can't find it there, Portsmouth is truly a 10 minute drive. The beaches, mountains, lakes, Boston, Manchester and Portland are all within 1 hour or less. It's like a gem hidden right off the path and while I like to promote it, I don't want it to come out of hiding either LOL.
Check out the hometown daily newspaper for the news on Dover and all the surrounding towns and of course state and national news too.
go to www.FostersDailyDemocrat.com
Did you see the train station, and the bus station as well. BTW I also agree with your assessments of Durham and Newmarket
But...I'm a Republican?
LOL Just kidding. Thanks for the info. Yes, we did indeed find what you talked about. I spent the better part of 10 years wandering around the country before moving back to CT for the last 10 years. (Good Lord I'm getting old!) What I have found is there is NO PLACE in the country as unique as New England in regard to culture, history, landscape, proximity, architecture, history and international flare (And I mean it at an organic level, not the "oooh look honey a 'French' rest-o-rant" place on the corner everyone gawks at I found in other places in the US so deperate for "culture")
I did NOT see the train station...well, maybe I did. Hmmm. Got a picture? I can't remember. LOL
It was January in November on day 2 so the memory might be a bit fuzzy. lol
Quote:
Originally Posted by dubthang
I loved Dover too when I lived there. Can't go wrong with a visit to LaFesta for good quality pizza, or Dos Amigos for a burrito. Dover has a good varied music scene at night too. There's always something to do, and it's close to everything else.
HA! That's the one thing a local who lived in CT for a time talked about..."no real appreciation for Pizza in Dover". LOL Said person even talked about that fact and said most locals would not know the differernce between NYC style and New Haven Style. I have to be honest, some of us in CT are pizza snobs. (Me Included ) New Haven pizza takes you to another planet. So please forgive me for not getting excited about laFesta. It was very good by national standards...but by CT standards. Eh... But compared to CiCi's or "Papa Johns" or the other Southeastern "go to" places...fuggettaboutit. Ya got good pie there in Dover.
Quote:
Originally Posted by getmeoutofhere
That's awesome. I will have to bring my wife there over the summer and see if she bites on seacoast living.
Where are you coming from?
Thanks again to all for the kind words. Loved my short stay at the Seacoast. I'll be back for sure.
Jay psst I'm a Republican too by most standards but that's another thread LOL.
The train station is at the other end of the street from the Strand - you go past the Asia Chinese Restaurant (one of the best chinese in my opinion) and go across Chestnut St and voila you're in the parking lot for the train station. The bus station is up at the north end of Sixth Street up on the "uptown" side of Dover (by Chili's and such). Again welcome to our hidden gem - just leave a place for me to move back as soon as I can
We have been living in New Hampshire for 26 years and involved for over 40. We still go to the seacoast when we want to play tourist. Portsmouth is a thriving city in a stunning place and Dover is also kind of neat.
FWIW - As an example of the diversity there is a BISON farm in Newington on Dover Point Road with a sales room. Also Newmarket, just south of Portsmouth, is Old Fort Constitution (formerly William and Mary) where on Christmas Eve 1774 colonial rebels (us) took the place and captured all manner of weapons and ammunition with out any casualties on either side. This was before Lexington and Concord - where do you think the farmers got all the muskets?
We have been living in New Hampshire for 26 years and involved for over 40. We still go to the seacoast when we want to play tourist. Portsmouth is a thriving city in a stunning place and Dover is also kind of neat.
FWIW - As an example of the diversity there is a BISON farm in Newington on Dover Point Road with a sales room. Also Newmarket, just south of Portsmouth, is Old Fort Constitution (formerly William and Mary) where on Christmas Eve 1774 colonial rebels (us) took the place and captured all manner of weapons and ammunition with out any casualties on either side. This was before Lexington and Concord - where do you think the farmers got all the muskets?
The bison farm is in Durham, and Newmarket is west of Portsmouth across Great Bay. There is also an elk (?) farm in Newmarket, I believe, and a llama farm around there too.
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) On the way back I told my wife about the Seacoast region (She had never been aside from going past on I95 on our way to Maine). 
) We then decided to head up to Dover and see what it was all about.
) New Haven pizza takes you to another planet. So please forgive me for not getting excited about laFesta. 
