Congratulations to you! I don't have an expert opinion on locations, I'm just sending happy energy your way.

You're not wrong about Susan Collins, she's a devil in a blue dress, and this horror show against women's rights would not be happening if not for her. But, rather than boycott Maine, may I suggest collectively showing Susan Collins the door.

I cannot answer all your questions with precise authority, but I have been researching a similar plan for a while and here's what I have found: Definitely talk to a lawyer about putting the land in a trust. This way it passes on to your children (or trustees) without inheritance tax, and remains intact. As for additional dwellings, it will totally depend on the town/county where you purchase the land. They all have their own rules & restrictions. However, one thing I've found that seems to be consistent is that you can build additional dwellings on your land where additional homes might not be allowed, as long as they're classified as "outbuildings." Meaning, not a legal 3,4,5, home property....maybe a 2 home property with 3 outbuildings. But, again, rules will be specific to the exact location.

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%

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!

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.

A New England summer trip is just about the greatest thing there is! Start in Mystic, CT (small but cute), head north into RI to the beaches in South County, stop for oysters at Matunuck Oyster Bar (sit on the roof - awesome view), and Ocean Mist for drinks. There's a huge amount of history throughout RI and the rest of NE, so I'd suggest googling "oldests" and "firsts" to find things you're interested in. Newport is awesome for history, mansions, architecture, lighthouses, and oldest Tavern in U.S. (Whitehorse, est 1673). Providence is a culinary paradise, with tons of history too. RI has many of the oldest churches & houses of worship in the U.S. because it was founded on the belief of religious tolerance, which is cool. Be sure to try coffee milk (RI' s state drink), Del's Lemonade (you'll find it at the beach), stuffies (stuffed quahogs, which are clams), clam cakes, hot wieners, RI chowder, and Italian food on Federal Hill. That's a pretty solid visit to RI :)

Park at the Gateway Center or in the parking lot at the Shops at Long Wharf. Then grab a spot right on Thames, by Sephora, and next to the Newport History Museum. The parade comes down through Washington Square and turns onto Thames, you'll be right there so you'll see everything coming down the hill before it gets to you. Bring cash because people will be selling hats, beads, balloons, etc, and your little ones will likely want a souvenir :)

I hope she can help! Funny that I had JUST read about her efforts for tenant rights before I read your post. Sometimes, the universe is paying attention :)

Contact state senator Tiara Mack. Not sure where you are, but she's district 6. She's speaking on Tenant rights legislation at the state house today, March 2nd. I just read about it, so she appears to be actively addressing the nonsense that you, and many others, are dealing with. She, or her office, may be able to suggest next steps. Good luck!

That's true, they are! Pretty much the only thing I see regularly fried, other than fish & chips

Kind of is. It's usually fun early in the day, when every one is feeling festive, but it typically takes a dark turn pretty quick and if you're not a big drinker it's a sloppy mess.

We're not big on the frying of seafood. Best fresh oysters: Matunuck Oyster Bar, Midtown Oyster Bar, DeWolf Tavern, Providence Oyster Bar, and Two Ten.

Stop & Shop has a small section of RI products, so you could put together a gift bag of treats. If you can get the Buddy Cianci marinara sauce, that's a definite choice. Iggy's clam cake mix or Doughboy mix, Del's lemonade mix, and Kenyon's pancake mix, if they have it. That would make a great gift!

It's literally the biggest day of the year for Newport drinking establishments. By mid-afternoon, most of the town is shit faced and people are passed out on sidewalks. The Police & Fire News section of the Newport Daily News on Monday after the parade is usually a full page long - mostly open container and public urination charges. The nicer the weather, the bigger the turnout.

Sunrise in Middletown is really good. I'm not Vietnamese, so I can't speak to authenticity, but it's as good as every big city I've ever eaten in. And the people are as nice as can be.

Castle Hill lighthouse in Newport. Congratulations!

Shouldn't this connect to the Wickford Junction artery?? You know, so that it would have a function.

When my son was little, he'd get so excited to toss it in from the back seat.

It was pretty slim pickings for Langevin's seat, so will be interesting to see what kind of potential congressional inventory we've got.

Thanks! Good food is important to me, and pretty much everywhere in Maine has that covered, but James Beard caliber is awesome!

I stayed there 2 years ago and loved the mill area on the river. I haven't seen a ton of properties for sale there and figured I'm a little too late to the party, but yes, I'll definitely investigate further!

Thanks! I kinda loved Gardiner, and what it's trying to be, when I visited a few months ago. But I've read articles talking about Lisbon's revival, and it's closer to Portland and all the things, so that's what makes it a contender for me. Good to get feedback from people who know the areas.

Just did a bit of sleuthing, and it seems totally legit on a local level (I'm in Newport). The first thing is, when I googled Elite Divers, llc, Google filled in "Newport, RI." So, it has search traffic. Second thing: the phone # exchange is 848. This is old school Newport. 846, 847, and 848 used to be the landline numbers for Newport, and people could tell where you lived by your phone number. They've had that number a long time. I have an 847 landline # I got when I moved here in the 90s, and I won't give it up 😂 Finally, I texted a friend on the State Police dive team and he knows the owner. I hope the job works out for you and you have a great time in Newport!