Portsmouth, N.H., Wins Our Facebook Fan Page Mini-Poll As Best Small City In New England

Downtown Portsmouth, N.H. (photo by Eric)
New England has so many wonderful small cities, so we thought it would be a fun idea to poll our Facebook Fan followers on their favorite communities.

Portsmouth, N.H., won with 24 percent of the vote, followed by Burlington, Vt. (about 19 percent), Newport, R.I. (about 12 percent),  and a tie between Portland, Maine and Northampton, Mass. (both at approximately 8 percent).  Other cities that finished strong were Salem, Mass., Keene, N.H., and Montpelier, Vt. Some fans voted for communities that are technically towns -- Provincetown, Mass., York, Maine, and Bethlehem, N.H., to name a few.

For those not familiar with Portsmouth, this is a wonderful, little coastal town with a population of a little more than 20,000 people.  The feeling is small-town, but the number of downtown restaurants, diverse array of locally-owned shops and cultural attractions give Portsmouth an urban feel. It's a perfect place for strolling, especially the quaint, brick-tinged Market Square business district (and charming side streets), Prescott Park with its waterfront views, and Strawberry Banke -- an early settlement that features restored historic Colonial, Georgian and Federal homes.

For more on Portsmouth, we recommend reading our "Portsmouth, NH, Offers True New England Coastal Charm" article at VisitingNewEngland.com. Log onto our Facebook VisitingNewEngland.com - New England Vacations Fan Page to become a follower of all things New England!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Good Eeeevening!: A Perspective on New Hampshire Meteorologist Al Kaprielian

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com Somewhere in the 1980s, my esteemed Arlington High School journalism teacher Len Tammaro tipped me off about a New Hampshire television weatherman that he called "Crazy Al Kaprielian." That night, I couldn't believe what I saw: this nerdy-looking guy with a high-pitched voice flailing his arms all over the weather map, contorting his face in every direction, and squealing, "Good Eeeevening!" and "HIGH PRESSURE!" (his future trademark phrases)." All that boundless energy and the myriad antics left the viewer laughing, yet enervated at the same time. In this world of slick, Ken and Barbie television meteorologists, Al Kaprielian has been the antidote to the standard, unctuous television personality. Twenty-five years later, Al is still going strong on MyTV New England with his unique style --perhaps validation that he really loves his job. No doubt, Al has always been an unconventional, unique-looking a
Read more

Remembering the Smiling Blue Whale Neon Sign at Yoken's Restaurant

Image
Article by Eric H. Sometimes, we affectionately remember restaurants that weren't all that great. Not that Yoken's "Thar She Blows" restaurant in Danvers, MA, was bad, but if it were in business today, we'd regard it as a New England tourist trap with too much fried food and dining rooms that looked like any other restaurant dining room. It was basically Howard Johnson's with a sea captain's hat. Yoken's was hugely popular at its Danvers and Portsmouth, NH, locations for its affordable and decent seafood dishes, friendly service and family-friendly environment. Perhaps it was most popular, however, for its attention-getting smiling blue whale neon sign. Yokens' perfectly tapped into a pathetic, universally acknowledged human weakness: who doesn't love a smiling, blue whale? Perhaps Yoken's greatest appeal was its innocence. You just don't see signs like the smiling blue whale in our society anymore. Today, we see signs with fancy fon
Read more

Visiting My Grandmother Had That Antiques in Wrentham, Mass.

Image
My Grandmother Had That...Antiques  in Wrentham, Mass., is one of those "hidden gem" antique stores that is jam-packed with antiques, collectibles and other items from the past. Located in a charming, two-story old red barn at 446 South St. (Route 1A), My Grandmother Had That...Antiques certainly lives up to its name. You'll find furniture, lamps, desks, chairs, plant holders, fine China sets and just about everything your grandma had, and also didn't have -- like a web address, Facebook fan page or any hint on the Internet that this place exists! Unless you're a Wrentham native, one familiar with the antiques industry, have driven by the red barn on South St., or somebody that just reads maps of Wrentham all day, My Grandmother Had That...Antiques is as hard to find as the rarest antique. You won't even find the name, "My Grandmother Had That," on the building, just a sign that states "Antiques." The My Grandmother Had That name is on
Read more