thanks dfrostnh!

Lowell also has the Spinners - Single A minor league baseball team that is so much fun. Also the Lowell Music Festival has some pretty good acts. Lowell Memorial Auditorium attracts reasonably big names and there isn't a bad seat in the house. We've seen two of our favorite concerts ever there.

The Merrimack Valley (which is the general name for the area that we've been describing) is a great place to live with easy access to ocean, mountains, rivers, shopping and culture. Easy access to Boston too. We've been here for 23 years and love it. I grew up on the South Shore so moving to the North Shore was a change but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

If having kids are in their plans, they should also consider the school system and availability of good quality day care.

Thank you all for the thoughtful information! You've given us a lot of leads on what we should investigate and consider!