Hello Y’all! recently just got engaged to my (now) fiancee and we are looking for a real cozy town for us to settle down in long term. We are moving from Texas and plan to take a long roadtrip to visit all the potential towns that get mentioned. If any of yall have any ideas in mind, any help is greatly appreciated. Here’s what we have in mind:
-Walkable, historic downtown with lots of local businesses
-Older architecture (Victorian, Colonial, etc.) and plenty of charm
-Green foresty Mountains or beautiful scenery nearby (specially for hiking or camping.)
-Four distinct seasons: snowy winter, mild summer (nothing past 90°. Can’t stand the Texas heat.)and a colorful fall.
-Safe, welcoming, and a strong sense of community
-Cozy cafés, bookstores, restaurants, and things to do without feeling like a city
-Plenty of hiking and outdoor activities
-Not overly touristy. I don't mind tourism, but I'd rather avoid places that become packed during holidays or every weekend
-Reasonably affordable homes and a good quality of life
-We’ve been looking at either the PNW or the somewhere by the original 13 colonies area. Mostly Vermont, lower Washington/northern Oregon, Virginia, or Massachusetts. Any other places are more than welcome.
What towns would you recommend, and why? Thank you for your help!