Miami

Miami

Miami is Spanish before it's English, salsa before it's small talk, and a cortadito before it's a coffee. South Beach Art Deco glows pink at night, Wynwood is a city-sized mural, and the Cuban sandwiches in Little Havana could end fights. Summer is bath-warm ocean and ceiling fans turned up high, and October feels like everywhere else's perfect August. Bring linen.

Manchester

Manchester is built around the Amoskeag Mills, once the largest cotton mill complex in the world, now converted into apartments, restaurants, and offices along the Merrimack River. The downtown's grown into a real food and brewery scene. It's the largest city in New Hampshire (still relatively small) and a quick drive to the lakes, the mountains, or Boston. Plus there's no state income tax or sales tax.