Portsmouth, New Hampshire

If you believe that the historic charm, quaint boutiques, and cobblestoned streets of old New England are gone for good, then you clearly have never visited Portsmouth, New Hampshire. With its red brick town centre - complete with 19th century churches - and picturesque rural outskirts, Portsmouth is one of the nicer towns on New Hampshire's Seacoast, with a wealth of cultural and culinary options. A hub of activity for residents of New Hampshire's Seacoast, Portsmouth is home to the Strawberry Banke Museum, a relic of colonial times, as well as to The Music Hall, a 900-seat theatre known for its cinema (including live televised opera and ballet), orchestral performances, and independent film screenings. Portsmouth is also home to a number of phenomenal restaurants, including the kitschily-decorated, all-day-breakfast venue The Friendly Toast and the slightly more upscale Flatbread Pizzeria, popular with locals and out-of-towners alike. The one negative of Portsmouth is its location; it lacks a railroad station, which means that transport to rail networks is limited to an irregular bus service to Durham (which is on the Downeaster). But for car-owning families, getting out of town shouldn't be a problem.