New Hampshire residents

[Bigfoot]

NH residents.

 

The wife and I are seriously considering moving to NH in a year or two when I retire. I've been to Portsmouth two times now and really liked the place but housing seems pretty high there. I'd like to be some great riding roads and the wife wants to either be on or near water and hopefully we can buy a boat. I've been advised to stay near the coast and in southern NH to avoid most of the mountain snows. I'd like to be within a hour of a decent size airport (Boston or Manchester?) to take trips to see the kids and grandkids. I'll also need to start my 2nd career so I'd need to be close enough to towns/cities where jobs are available. Any advice would be appreciated. Good, bad or indifferent.

[davecb]

Bigfoot,

 

I was born and raised in NH. It is fairly expensive to live there. Taxes are especially high.

 

I live in AL, but go there almost every year to visit siblings.

 

If you want specific info, just e-mail me.

 

Dave

[MikeM8560]

I lived in Alton bay for 29 years it meet all you critereia. an hour to manchester or portsmouth Peease is now running commercial flights.

You got lake winnipesaukee www.winnipesaukee.com with tons of awsome twisting roads around the lakes region. the snows not too bad. and an hour to the coastline where there great riding along usrt1 rye area is nice on up to the small islands like New castle on the maine border.

[k7mdl]

Spent 3 years in Groton, CT, and 9 months of it in Kittery, Maine, right across the river from Portsmouth years ago. Very nice areas. Put on loads of miles 2-up touring New England on my '79 XS1100 souped up for touring.

 

The coastline is great, and Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts (and the Cape), New York, Maine, and Connecticut are all great destinations and easily a 1 days adventure, sometimes 2 days.

 

We enjoyed picking out theme routes. Forest and mountain stops (Mt. Equinox, White Mountains, ski areas, Mt. Washington), small cheese shops all over, art museums (Rockwell), Gillete Castle, fall colors, stone walls in the rural/farm areas, high country lakes, outlet stores all over, or hit the array of swap 'n shops in the fields.

 

I liked the winter in Kittery. Not too cold on the waters edge. Much colder inland. A couple times a year I could cross country ski right from my back porch through the trees along the rivers edge. Walked a mile to work, so let it snow! Not that much really, but it seemed like a good dump and then would go away ovewr 2-3 weeks and do it again a few times.

 

The boating scenery is great - comparable to the Pacific Northwest almost! Large tidal swings to watch for and plan around at times.

 

 

There are articles on local boating life in many magazines. The Boat U.S. Foundation member magazine ran one a couple months ago about a town further up the Maine coast. Pretty much a seasonal thing though. I fish year round here so would suffer withdrawal symptoms if I moved back there - be prepared.

 

The shopping and restuarant selection was great all along Route 1 when I was there (1982-1985). I am sure all of it is has only got better. During those days, work was bit hard to come by it seemed. The Portsmouth area at the time was supported by Tourism, Sylvania light bulbs (which closed down while I was there), and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard where I spent my time. The shipyard is actually in Kittery, Maine and seemed to be constantly on the "about to be shut down threat list". Being a fairly rural (now suburban?) area at the time and an hour from Boston, I would think the requirement for the 2nd career would be the toughest part. I would consider living on the Maine side of the river, unless you go inland to Manchester or such.

 

Mike

Submarine NR-1

1982-1985

[Bigfoot]

Thanks for the info and keep it coming. I do like the Kittery area and we made it to the White Mountains while we were there. Lots of decisions to make.

[BOO]

Thanks for the info amd keep it coming. I do like the Kittery area and we made it to the White Mountains while we were there. Lots of decisions to make.

 

You might try emailing "PYRO" here on the forum, he has lived in the area all his life and is very knowledgeable about the area.

Jerry

[Guest r-retzke]

We are from NW OHio and after living in Bainbridge, MD, Saratoga, NY and Groton, CT in the 70's, happily arrived in the NH seacoast area in 1982. The seacoast region of NH is very rural Boston. UNH and Southern NH University are the leading day and evening higher education. The cost of labor has driven away some of our heavy manufacturing, but people here are dedicated and talented and unemployment is comparitively low. The "golden triangle" is described as Seacoast west to Nashua, north through Manchester to Concord, then back to the seacoast. (Portsmouth is attractive, expensive and the ingress/egress commute is painful.)

 

Ponds and lakes are everywhere; some have power/speed regulations. Motorcycle day / weekend trips are wonderful in any direction. Here are some resources to start out with...

 

http://www.visitnh.gov/

http://www.dred.state.nh.us/index.htm

http://www.nh.gov/