San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo (SLO to locals) sits halfway between LA and San Francisco on the central coast, with Cal Poly students, gorgeous wine country (Edna Valley and Paso Robles nearby), and a Thursday night farmers market that takes over downtown. It's been called the happiest city in America (multiple studies, Oprah included), and the vibe really does back that up. Bubblegum Alley is exactly what it sounds like. Mellow and beautiful.

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.