R130 - Manchester, NH or Manchester, VT? The former is dull, the latter is beautiful. Woodstock, Vermont was once voted the prettiest small town in America and after visiting it, it's clear why.
But these places are not, it is true, exciting - they are likely nicer places to live than to visit.
Vermont is one of the most beautiful places I have ever traveled through, at varied seasons. The autumn foliage, especially farther north, exceeded expectations and in the late spring, early summer the depth of green was on a par with the most beautiful parts of the English countryside at that season.
But if you're looking for clubs, excitement . . . these are not places you're likely to enjoy unless you're really into hiking, skiing, and camping. Same with Nantucket and Cape Cod. You go there for atmosphere and natural beauty.
I mentioned on another thread that I'd visited Salem, MA close to Halloween and was gobsmacked by the city's Halloween hysteria. It's a very strange little place, only 16 miles from Boston. However, the Peabody Essex Museum is one of the finest I have ever visited. Go figure.
You have to distinguish between tourism and looking for a place to live. I couldn't live in Woodstock VT, but I absolutely could live in Boston. For one thing, I'm heavily into classical music and Boston has the BSO and Symphony Hall, and it has nothing to apologise for in the way of art museums, restaurants, and interesting neighbourhoods.
All in all, having traveled fairly widely in America and having had to teach for a few years in New Mexico, if I were told I had to live someplace in America for the rest of my life but could pick any region I liked, New England, beginning with Boston, would be my first choice. I liked the feel of New England, loved Nantucket and Cape Cod.
The humid summers and wicked winters, however, are major considerations.
