Submitted by volunteer85 t3_10oh14y in newhampshire
My wife and I will be moving soon to NH. We enjoy mountain biking, skiing, camping, and of course brews and jams. We are looking at the seacoast area. What advice do you have for us? And, what keeps you entertained during the seasons?
Thanks in advance!
Thank you and yes, I’ve noticed. Inland might be the better option.
You want to move to the sea coast in April and don’t already have a place lined up? Gotta respect the confidence
I mean it’s definitely worth it if you can afford it. Plenty of brews and jams in that area, you’ll have to travel a little bit more for skiing and stuff though.
Inland gets Trumpy real quick
You're saying seacoast aint Trumpy? Cmon son.
Not nearly as bad
I mean Manchester and Concord are pretty moderate to even liberal areas. But yea the boonies get real crazy conservative pretty quick. It’s very far from trump country tho, even the southern boonie towns have crunchy hippies who just wanna live in the trees.
Always thought Seacoast was pretty MAGA, along with entire southern border (for some odd reason, even though it borders MA - maybe folks just trying to get across the border to what they perceive as "safety" from them rotten libruls), then you gotta go to Coos before it starts getting really Trumpy again?
Nah seacoast is very blue. There are some Reagan/Bush era republicans who don’t like taxes haha. But nah seacoast is the blue haven
Cool! Thanks!
Maybe rethink the whole move to NH then?
People in NH strongly value their privacy and tend to keep to themselves more than in other places. We aren’t trying to be rude we’re just living our life and letting you live yours. We don’t tend to reach out to the government for help and pride ourselves on taking care of things as locally as possible.
This. Big adjustment when I moved here 25 years ago.
Inland maybe. Portsmouth is like the busy-body / Karen capitol of the world.
Without a doubt that is Portsmouth. Most of those seacoast money towns are full of busybodies who don’t want anything messing up their vision for the town. Even if I had the money to buy a home in that area I wouldn’t just because of the type of people that live there.
If you go hiking in the White Mountains, please be prepared. Then prepare again.
And don’t try to hike in the Whites on summer weekends. Everyone and their brother is up there. Weekdays and shoulder seasons are much better. I head to my favorite beaches in summer. Ogunquit Maine is current fave, but only at low tide!
So, don’t go to the Whites and hike because it’s too crowded but go to the beach?! Okay, that makes sense. 🤦♂️
You can check the previous 1000 posts describing the exact same situation and questions.
Honestly with all of the people moving to NH, I’d check out Rochester. Not far from the seacoast and super easy access to the mountains. Awful reputation but it’s bound to be gentrified sooner or later just due to its location. If you don’t have kids in schools and can handle some minor crime, check that out. Same thing with Franklin.
I moved to Somersworth 10 years ago and I am happy with the direction the city is heading in. I am close to the Boston area, the mountains, the lakes, and both NH and Maine seacoasts. All the stores you need including a brand new TSC. Market Basket? Check. I live in a family neighborhood with good people.
Like Rochester, awful reputation. But don't knock it til you tried it.
Somersworth is already seeing the Portsmouth and Dover exodus due to the more affordable options. The city has been poorly managed for a long time but it’s in good company in that regard. It’s definitely worth checking out but the prices are climbing quicker than Rochester or Franklin.
Berwick ME has it way more together than Rochester with the same price points on housing and all the benefits of living north of Portsmouth and Dover.
True but you can’t live in Maine if you’re moving to NH
It also unfortunately has a Maine state income taxes of 5-7% and a sales tax of 5.5% that you won’t find in NH
Definitely. Been in Rochester a few years and the city is dead set on improving downtown. They've made some good progress, too!
Franklin is on the move! They just opened the first whitewater park in the East on the Winnipesaukee River. Highland Mountain bike park is about 5 miles away. Many beautiful Victorian homes are being refurbished in the area and there are at least 3 brewpubs within about 5 miles…one right downtown. Avoid it if you have kids though as the school system there is currently underfunded.
Yeah Franklin is also full of drugs for such a small area
MEGATHREAD.
Right? Idk if I want this influx of people moving to NH who don't know how to search a sub.
I'm not sure about the coast, but for much of NH April is black fly season, so buy mosquito nets and wide brimmed hats. They are not there if it rains or is breezy, they don't come in the house and they disappear at night. When they are present it can be infuriating; not so much the bites as they swarm in your face. By May they are gone, mostly. Be prepared.
Thanks for the heads up!
And beware of ticks.
No black flies around Seacoast NH, you have to go farther north or west for them.
It's mandatory that you say happy birthday to me on the 5th of that month
A generator
It's muddy wear your muck boots
Urine is not actually sterile.
"Brews and jams" ..Should I tell them?
Not sure your situation, but if you are itching to buy, consider renting first if possible (though rentals are tight too). That way you can learn the area and figure out where you want to live long. I realize this may be hard given the market, but worth considering.
How old are you?
What do you know about the state?
Are you buying? Renting? Do you already have housing lined up? What do you do for work?
Happy to help but "what do I need to know?" is a little broad.
Good rule of thumb is to have an indoor and outdoor hobby for all five seasons. (Mud season is between winter and spring)
Mud Season
Mount Washington Valley if you work remote… amazing quality of life
The Seacoast is nice but hella expensive. Monadnock region is cheaper has a solid mix of all those things you’re looking for, especially if you need to hit the city for whatever reason. The further north, the cheaper homes get, with more outdoor adventures available.
A well-insulated house is worth the cost - energy costs are no joke.
Snow tires - absolutely critical. And All-Wheel Drive is a must.
Generator is useful - Eversource has screwed up the grid and we’ve had several bad power outages after relatively mild storms.
I find personal opinions of an area or town is completely at odds with reality. Yes - even mine. So take any person’s suggestion as a direction, and make your own conclusions with some research.
But FWIW for the Monadnock region, Peterborough is solid, and Keene is becoming popular. Hancock is super pretty. All of these areas have breweries, trails and even gnarlier experiences in the White and Green Mountains.
We gravitate to the gnar!
I mean, can’t go wrong anywhere then hahaha
But seriously, Monadnock region - draw a 25 mile circle around Mt. Monadnock and you’ll find enough good spots for jams, beers, biking and skiing.
As a fellow NH mtber, the Monadnock region has very few mtb trail networks. Seacoast and greater Manchester/Nashua have much more to offer. Trailforks.com is your friend for this area.
If you have your heart set on seacoast Exeter would be the play if it's in budget. Massive network called Fort Rock, Stratham hill nearby, Pawtuckaway and Bear Brook State Parks within 30 min. Bear Brook in particular is just amazing.
Thanks for the advice. Exeter is high on the short list. But we plan to explore and rack some miles across the state.
Live in Exeter. Been mountain biking 2 years and still haven’t hit all the trails in fort rock. It’s amazing gem of a trail system.
Of all the comments here, I have not seen anyone mention the taxes. NH has property taxes that royally suck (unless you want to get land in Bean’s Purchase where there are no taxes), and they can be a sticker shock. Do your research before purchasing a home.
Yes. I wonder how many people who want to move here realize that NH has the 3rd highest property taxes, and the northeast also has by far the highest heating and electricity costs in the country.
Oh yea. I’ve noticed. But I’m relocating and it’s either NH or MA. Through my research, NH is more like home to me.
Well, NH has been where I call home all my life, and I can’t see myself living elsewhere. I might change my mind when I’m in my 80’s and can’t handle the thought of doing wood for another winter.
I can’t really offer any advice for the sea coast area because I’m about as far inland as it gets in NH. But, locating in Portsmouth/Rochester area will get you decently close to the White Mountains for hiking, MTB , camping and skiing/boarding. Portsmouth has a decent music and microbrew scene, and a drive to Boston is relatively quick on the interstate. Plus, you will be really close to Maine and will be able to take advantage of the wonderful amenities of that state.
I think you’ll be glad you chose NH over MA once you’ve been here a while.
It’s not your home. Go to mass or stay where you are. We don’t need more people moving here and trying to change it.
Fair enough! Thanks for the advice.
I’m in the Concord area. I love the small city and busy downtown area. Being centrally located makes it easy to get anywhere in the state.
Bring bug spray
I love it here, I won’t live anywhere else (sea coast), yes housing is unreasonable.
Depending on where you're moving from and what you desire in MTB, you may be disappointed. The best riding is definitely in the northern half of the state (and VT). Riding south of green woodlands is pretty weak (minimal elevation, unchallenging except for the rock gardens).
Coming from the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mtns.
Ahh, I moved here from Roanoke and I've been largely unimpressed with the trails most accessible to me. Conway is very good, but it's a significant drive from the Concord area where I live. Same with Kingdom trails in VT. So, brace yourself. Trails in the blue ridge offer way more in the way of climbing and extended downhills than basically anything south of Conway. Green woodlands is the only possible exception, but it's not all that diverse (no tech, just lots of berms). I'm moving back to the rockies in large part due to the general crowdedness of this part of the country and the weak MTB and skiing.
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I love the seacoast! Hampton and Portsmouth have so many great places to eat, drink, swim, It’a wonderful here!
Made the move to seacoast NH (after being in MA for a decade) and haven't looked back. Great brews, jams, mtb-ing here. Great skiing/camping is a little over an hour in any direction. Do it!
You guys sound fun! We've got probably some of the best of all the things you mention right here in the state. highland mountain bike park is the best. I go to Loon for downhill, it's cheaper and less busy (they have a 8 pack lift now). For xc biking there's trails everywhere! Join the NEMBA, a great group of mountain bikers meeting up mostly on week nights.
Skiing has been tough in recent years, climate change is hitting new England hard but we still get a couple good rippable months each year, I do the ikon pass as there are lots of big mountains nearby. If you like back country hit tuckermans ravine.
I'd recommend trips to Canada, it's so close to here and it's amazing for all these activities too!
New Hampshirites are kind of quiet and self contained, it's been a struggle meeting other outgoing people since I moved here. Naturally everything else you listed is found in the white mountains, you'll never get enough, if you want a challenge try "the 48" but be careful and prepared.
Based on your hobbies/likes, you're moving to the right place! Check out Bear Brook for biking.
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I sent you a dm!
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Dover and Somersworth are a great area. Pretty close to the seacoast. Not too far from the lakes and mountains. Lots of decent night life
I'm a NH seacoast resident and homeowner. I love it so much. I love hiking and skiing more than anything. DM me and ask me anything.
Avoid Manchester like Chinese buffet pizza.
Big, bad, scawy Manchester
people drive too fast on the highway.
edit: I should of said people dont follow the speed limit..
The_Road_is_Calling t1_j6ek1l5 wrote
If you’re looking at the Seacoast, bring your pocketbook.