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Sleuthiestofsleuths t1_jcwfcmj wrote

I'm going to throw Newport into the ring. Yep, public schools are bad, but we did private school and it was great. With your budget you can afford what you're looking for, and it's a great place to live. If you can find something near/around the Ocean Drive, you'd be in heaven. And scooters to get around town are super common because everything is so close. Middletown and Portsmouth are also great for acreage and close proximity to the water. They have better public schools, but less of a "downtown" and less activity than Newport.

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Many-Froyo9699 OP t1_jcxx9rz wrote

Interesting. The hang up with Newport is just getting ourselves right into another joneses situation, lack of directly accessible train routes and smaller lots. Sounds like a fun daily lifestyle though. When we were considering Portsmouth NH (before deciding it was just not convenient enough to NY) it had a similar vibe.

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Sleuthiestofsleuths t1_jczfcwx wrote

Ok, so I talked to a few friends about this and we all agree that Newport doesn't have the Joneses thing going on. I've lived here 20 years and have never felt it or seen it. Most of the wealthiest people here, you would never guess to look at them. Everyone co-mingles and the only try-hards you really see are people from out of town. 😂 Most Newporters are pretty comfortable with who they are and enjoying the casual lifestyle. And, I also love Portsmouth, NH!

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Many-Froyo9699 OP t1_jczlgtz wrote

Thats great! Granted I have only been to newport once so I dont even know if this is a fair question, but how do you live your life around the busy, likely annoying tourist aspect? Is it the type of thing that when you are there you just know the local spots and so it doesnt impact you much or is it something you have to wrestle with over the summer and find obnoxious?

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Sleuthiestofsleuths t1_jd058wp wrote

Totally fair question! I don't find the tourists annoying at all. Every year I say the same thing - It's an awesome thing to live in a place people come from all-over the world to see. People are happy to be here and the energy is upbeat and fun. It's kind of like the town comes back to life. There are generally 2 types of people who come to Newport: those who have never been before, and those who come every year. Both types are happy to be here. There are definitely secret spots to grab a bite and a drink, but the more touristy places aren't tacky-cheap touristy, so we go to those too! There are always events happening, the history and architecture are remarkable, and Providence, Boston, and NY are easily accessible. I'm from Chicago, so needed to know I could get a city-fix easily when I moved here, and it's turned out to be the sweet spot of New England, for sure. Just today I went for a hike in Middletown, surrounded by the ocean, and I said, My God, we're lucky to live here! I say it on the regular, and it's genuine. Newport captured my heart the first time I crossed the bridge, and I recommend it 100%

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