Home               Vol III    Issue 4          January 24, 2008              Previous Issues

 Nestled Among Scenic Lakes and Green Forests, Idyllic Meredith, New Hampshire Exudes Quintessential New England Charm

Cost of Living: Above the National Average

 

International Retirement Spots

 

 

Active Retirement

 

 

Real Estate for Retirement

 

 

Active Adult

 

 

Master Planned Communities

 
Scenic drives during the spectacular autumns can be found along Route 109, from Center Sandwich to Wolfeboro; along Route 113, from Holderness to South Tamworth and along 3A and Newfound Lake Road, from Bristol to Hebron.   This is not a large state so it's easy to drive from the southern edge to the Canadian border in a day.  There are also a number of photogenic covered bridges, including Durgin Bridge in Sandwich and Squam River Bridge in Ashland.

 

Most shopping in Meredith is of the specialty and antique variety; there are delightful old fashioned country stores, art galleries and craft shops, most of which cater to the tourist.  The Mills Falls Marketplace has 14 shops in a renovated historic mill.   There is a good selection of restaurants, and because there are numerous other villages nearby, it is easy to slip down the road to find more shopping and places to dine.   This is New England so with just a little exploring, it's commonplace to come upon roadside farmers' stands, cozy bed and breakfasts tucked inside in 200 year old buildings, old barn restaurants specializing in down-home cooking and fun antique auctions.   New Englanders are often known for their reticence, but Meredith is noted for its friendliness, perhaps because it caters to tourists.

Meredith and the surrounding area also has a good selection of festivals, including the annual Meredith in Bloom (May) to celebrate the return of warm weather; the Lakes Region Fine Arts and Crafts Festival that brings more than 100 juried artists to town (August) and the Sandwich Fair that celebrates the colors of autumn.  Indeed, nothing is quite like fall in New Hampshire when the sky is cobalt blue, the air is crisp and the leaves crunch beneath the feet.

Another plus of retirement in Meredith is the low crime rate, which is well below the national average.  There are ten churches (more in nearby towns), a public library and just about every service needed, although broadband internet is spotty.     

The senior center, the InterLakes Senior Center (603-279-5631), works with Meals on Wheels, provides transportation, nutrition programs and senior companions for retirees who feel isolated from the community.   

The nearest hospitals are Lake Region General Hospital in Laconia (10 miles), Speare Memorial Hospital in Plymouth (13 miles) or Huggins Hospital in Wolfeboro (22 miles).

There are definite drawbacks to a Meredith retirement, primarily that it takes a healthy retirement income to afford it.   Traffic also clogs streets in the summer when tourists come to visit, and in the winter, the snow and cold may be too much for some.  The growing season is short.   Heating oil, which can be expensive, is the primary home heating source.  Major shopping needs to happen in Laconia or Plymouth or Manchester (50 miles away, it is the closest city).   There is no public transportation.  The area is not ethnically diverse in anyway whatsoever.  There are also rumors that a room in the Nutmeg Inn is haunted, but we're not sure if that is really a drawback. 

Flying into Manchester is usually the best way to get to New Hampshire.  The airport is smaller and much less congested than Boston's Logan Airport, and ticket prices are often less.  Meredith is at the junction of Routes 25 and 3, two well-maintained roads that circle the Lakes Region, and just 11 miles from I-93, but it is still somewhat inaccessible.   

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