First trip to NH, considering move

[Chemist]

I hope this is a good forum for my questions!
My wife and I will be visiting NH (first time for us) this year ('08) week of October 13th.  We have 3 kids 4, 6 and 9 but they will be staying here with G-ma so we can explore NH.  We have been entertaining the idea of moving for liberty and want to see what NH has to offer.   I'm originally from MN so I'm not worried about cold or bugs etc. Currently we live in IN and we are tired of explaining why liberty is a good thing.

We have 1-week for a time share and have options in most NH cities.  Is there an ideal place to stay in order to be able to see most of NH in a week?  Any special recommendations for the month of October? 

There are two things that would possibly make me stay in NH and send my wife back for the kids and dog: a good seafood restaurant and/or fish market and a good brew pub; the kind where they make their own beer and aren't afraid of hops.  Any recommendations?

From a freedom standpoint is there anything we should definitely do, see or visit in order to experience the "Live Free or Die" sentiment? 

It might be nice to talk with someone that has moved for liberty but it might also be nice to meet a few natives for the cause as well.  Is there a forum to find people to meet and have discussion?

I'm sure I'll have more questions but this is a start.  In all honesty it would be hard to leave IN; my parents and in-laws are about 60 miles away which is darn near perfect and a huge deal, especially with the kids. However, we are getting serious enough about the possibility of moving that we think we better check it out.   

[ancapagency]

I don't know exactly where the best place to stay is--but I'd say Lakes Region is probably the most central with possible time-shares available.  Bristol, Meredith, Laconia, Weirs Beach, etc.  NH isn't very big, so you could stay anywhere and still manage to get a look at most of the state in a week.

There are (so I'm told) several good seafood restaurants, although as I'm not a seafood person, I can't vouch for that myself.  I know there are a lot of good restaurants, though.  As for beer, I'm sure there are some places that make and serve their own beer.  But there's Murphy's Taproom, which although they don't brew themselves, folks seem to like the selection.  And there are a couple of Free Staters (Porcupines) who are planning to open their own brewery in Concord. 

There's a lot to see and do.  Depends on what sort of stuff you're into.  Give me some ideas of what you're looking for, and perhaps I can point you in the right direction.

As for the natives, I have found most of them to be pretty friendly and helpful.  They also seem to be pretty independent--they may not all be anarcho-capitalists like me, or even libertarians per se, but they do seem to be pretty tolerant of others and are generally more locally oriented than nationally--that is, they tend to do things within their communities, rather than begging Big Brother to come do everything for them.

[Chemist]

Thanks for your reply ancapagency. 

We really enjoy taking drives with interesting scenery.  I like looking for wildlife and doing a little bird watching while driving, hiking, canoeing, etc. Neither of us have been in that part of the country so it will be new and a little different I imagine.  I've been to Boston on business trips a few times but never really left the city.

My wife really enjoys seeing older cities, buildings and architecture.  Here (Lafayette) it is interesting because most of downtown was built in the civil war era or earlier and much of it has been preserved.  Any historic downtowns or neighborhoods would be fun for her. 

I have heard of Murphy's Taproom on FTL so I figure we should at least stop by there. 

Obviously I could look up tourist destinations and stuff online but we are looking at this trip as more of a way to get a feel for the area as a place to live and I figured asking around on a forum of similar-minded folks might be beneficial. We also tend to be very much "off the beaten path" types that like to get a feel for the places we go by hitting the local stores and establishments. 

We are both slowly morphing into anarcho-capitalists. 10 years ago neither of us voted because we felt we didn't identify with either party (a little naive in those days) then a friend of mine at my new job introduced me to the LP and I thought it was pretty cool.  A few years later I joined the local LP and eventually met a guy that mentioned the FSP through which I found FTL and have been listening semi-regularly for the past few years.  Right now I feel like the LP has been completely subverted and I'm not so interested in the system anymore but that is a different topic...

[Kat Kanning]

It seems like most of the little towns in NH have quaint old downtown sections with churches like this:



So driving around on the small highways is always pretty.  If you go way up north, you might see moose.  For birdwatching, it almost seems like you have to find some open area, which isn't that easy, since there is so much forest.

It's really easy if you'd like to meet freestaters while you're here....just let us know when.  Any excuse for a party, ya know

[Chemist]

Thanks Kat.  We would love to meet a few freestaters.  Is this forum the best way to set it up?  Is there anyone in particular I should contact?  We will get to NH around Oct. 11 (driving) and stay about a week.

[Free libertarian]

  I'm almost a native.  Moved here as a two year old back in the stone age, been here ever since except for the obligatory travel young people sometimes do, always came back though. Good that you know about winter, New Hampshire although it's small it can have very little snow in the coastal area and lots elsewhere.  In October depending where you are it could be hot, warm or cold. Bring a fall jacket and sweater just in case.

Portsmouth in the seacoast (southeast corner of  state) has alot of good places to eat and drink.
Probably any number of seafood places around there, Newicks in Newington is a basic, but good fried seafood place. Picnic tables indoors, plastic cups for beer etc. Fancier places right in Portsmouth I'm sure, depends on what you want.   
Rte. 16 is a decent highway but a little out dated for the amount of traffic it carries, it will bring you from the seacoast, past Dover and Rochester (both have a population of about 30,000 people)  thru the mountains around Conway and beyond to the north woods and the Canadian border. The Kancamagus highway is just south of Conway and is a nice scenic ride. 

  The farther north you go the less densely populated the state is.  The middle of the state has a good highway system, rte 93 that you can use to see Nashua, Manchester, Concord. Beyond Concord the population eases off and you can take side trips on country highways.  Plymouth is a nice little college town right off Rte 93.

The western part of the state is pretty rural, Keene, Claremont and Lebanon (15,000 - 20,000 ish) are small cities that have most major services. Keene is a college town. The smaller towns around them are starting to fill in, but still alot of country roads and should be lots of leaves turning colors that time of year if you venture onto the western side of the state.  Lots of freedom loving people in the Keene area.  Grafton (a very small town) has a contingent of freedom loving folks too, we are always looking for more people.  Other areas of the state have some people who can probably better detail what they are doing.
for freedom than I can.

  If you are a freedom loving person, thanks for considering NH...we need more people like that. Keep showing up here and you'll get all the help you need, the grandparents can always come to visit. 
   

[Atlas]

 
Keep showing up here and you'll get all the help you need, the grandparents can always come to visit. 
  

I could've swore I heard that NH was the nation's #1 retiree state (last week on FTL). Is this true?

[toowm]

First and foremost, we can definitely schedule a Meet n' Greet to for you and your wife. If we did it on a weekend, you could meet dozens of us, but even a weekday evening could fill a large table at a restaurant. If you let us know your interests, we can try to link you up with like-minded folk. For example, your oldest child is just a year younger than my youngest (twins), so my wife and I could talk to you about homeschooling and other educational opportunities in New Hampshire.

You're coming at a great time of year, but there might be as many tourists as we get for "leaf-peeping" season, enjoying the fall colors. If you want to go with the flow, and based on your outdoor interests, I'd suggest the Kancamagus highway http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/2458/stories/47172 for one day.

I agree that the Lakes region has the most rentals, and is very central, close to Concord and not far from Manchester.

For seafood, there are good fish markets in most towns. Lobster got down to $5.99/lb. last year and other local products - clams and mussels - are much cheaper than the Midwest (I came from the Chicago area in 2005). Restaurants are a little tougher, at least to my taste. Tons of fried seafood shacks, some chains like Weathervane and Newick's that serve baked seafood with butter and cracker crumb topping. The best fancy seafood restaurant in NH I've heard of is Surf in Nashua, but I haven't been there. If I really have a taste for good seafood, I go to Legal Seafood in Boston or Mass. suburbs

Brewpubs are easier - I think all the cities and many towns have them. I have been to and enjoyed Milly's Tavern in Manchester and Martha's Exchange in Nashua.

Anyway, thank you for planning a visit, we'd love to meet you, and hope you can find your way to freedom.

[Chemist]

Thanks so much for all the good info!  I've been exploring around the threads on this forum and most everyone seems passionate about freedom yet fun and active too. 

I will be sure get on here when it's closer to our trip and hopefully plan something.  If folks would be willing to do a meet n' greet that would be awesome!  We wanted to try to make it for Porc Fest but just couldn't get it to fit schedules.  In the meantime I think I'll keep looking around this forum and try to get a feel for things.  Are there any other websites I should look at?  I am familiar with FTL and FSP websites.   

toowm:   Overall I prefer non-fried food but I guess a little grease pit sometimes hits the spot.  I've been to Legal Seafood in Boston and it was outstanding. 

[Kat Kanning]

Thanks Kat.  We would love to meet a few freestaters.  Is this forum the best way to set it up?  Is there anyone in particular I should contact?  We will get to NH around Oct. 11 (driving) and stay about a week.

Posting it here would work.  If you pick a day like toowm was suggesting, we'll put it on the calendar (or you can add things to the calendar, too).  People will help you pick a location.

[J’raxis 270145]

Welcome!

[Porcupine_in_MA]

Can't wait to meet you Chemist.

[Chemist]

We are getting excited about our trip out there.  Looks like we will likely be staying in the lakes region; lots of options there.  I've been looking through the forum here and I certainly hope we get to meet some of you!

I am definitely interested in hearing from FSPers that moved and their experiences.  If any movers read this: What are a few things that stand out to you in regard to moving to NH?  Any surprises that you didn't consider (good and bad)?

[Porcupine_in_MA]

What are a few things that stand out to you in regard to moving to NH?  Any surprises that you didn't consider (good and bad)?

Good things - Its noticably freer here in NH than in Taxachusetts in every way, except for one which I will mention in my bad things paragraph. MUCH, MUCH, MUCH easier to get a gun and very little stupid gun laws (ie all gun laws). A very small amount of taxation overall in comparison to most states, let alone Taxachusetts. I'm a native New Englander and so I've spent a lot of time in New Hampshire over my lifetime and have always loved the state, its beautiful and has a strong libertarian streak already. More porcupines moving in every day, being active and opening up businesses, networking, growing the freedom movement.

Bad things - Government run liquor stores and no private run liquor stores allowed. Ridiculous. There are still gun laws. We should be like Vermont. Taxes still exist here, enabling certain individuals to have ownership of others property. There is still socialism in this state that needs to be stamped out with the laws and taxes that come with it.

So there you go, from my perspective.

[Chemist]

Bad things - Government run liquor stores and no private run liquor stores allowed. Ridiculous. There are still gun laws. We should be like Vermont. Taxes still exist here, enabling certain individuals to have ownership of others property. There is still socialism in this state that needs to be stamped out with the laws and taxes that come with it.

So there you go, from my perspective.

Government run liquor stores?  YIKES! Just liquor or does it include beer and wine?  I homebrew anyway and don't drink much liquor so I wouldn't feed the system.  Actually I think Montana is the same way which surprised me when I was there. We can't buy anything on Sundays here (IN) and the government mandated beer distributer monopolies severely limit selection.

Socialism is picking up pace here at an alarming rate.  Between a trolley that runs downtown (property tax) $250k+ public fountains honoring politicians (funded by tax), smoking bans etc. not sure there is much hope.  Just about everyone I talk to here is all for the smoking bans and "free" trolleys. I envision NH as a place, while not perfect, has more reasonable people that I could at least complain with if not make a change.