Exeter

Exeter wears its history and intellect on its sleeve. As New Hampshire’s Revolutionary capital, its 18th-century core still frames Water Street, the String Bridge, and the American Independence Museum, home to a rare Declaration broadside. Phillips Exeter Academy (1781) sets the town’s rhythm; Louis Kahn’s celebrated library and a constellation of galleries and bookstores give this small river town an unmistakably cosmopolitan hum.

Daily life feels easy and connected. The Squamscott glints behind walkable blocks of cafés and fine dining; the Amtrak Downeaster puts Boston and Portland within reach; and each Labor Day weekend, the “Incident at Exeter” UFO Festival adds a wink of local lore. Coastal access without the beach crowds, premium housing with historic-urban flavor, Exeter is where New England charm, academic energy, and modern convenience meet.