1. Portsmouth is the most charming city.

This small, charming, coastal city is full of plenty of places to sip, sit, shop, and dine. Although busier in the summertime, Portsmouth is vibrant at all times of the year. If you are looking to have dinner and drinks with a beautiful view, the decks are filled with crowds flocking to find freshly fried seafood and choice beverages. While taking a break from shopping at the cute boutiques in downtown (such as Second Time Around or Serendipity), visitors are welcome to grab some lunch at Flatbread Company or the Gaslight. Looking for something sweet? Grab a treat from Popover’s (Portsmouth Orange Cake is to die for) or reserve a seat for yourself atThe Friendly Toast, where you will find gingerbread waffles, dinner-plate sized pumpkin pancakes, or pancakes smothered with bananas, chocolate chips, and peanut butter. To work off your breakfast, you can take a stroll in Prescott Park. Full of flower gardens in the warmer months, Prescott Park is side-by-side with the waterfront and looks out over the river into “The Vacation State” of Maine.

2. You can find some of the most delicious pizzas EVER at the Pizza Barn.

If you’ve been anywhere near the North Conway area of New Hampshire and you haven’t made a stop at the Pizza Barn, you are seriously doing something wrong. Located in Ossipee, New Hampshire, Pizza Barn is a tourist staple located near many vacationers’ homes and resorts. Therefore, Pizza Barn is the perfect place to go for dinner with a big crowd. Housed in a rustic barn built in the 1800s, the atmosphere is upbeat and casual with picnic tables made for guests’ seats. With many different pie sizes, this pizza joint has everything from pizzas loaded with tons of pepperoni to pies with (the best!) Alfredo sauce that can possibly be found on a slice of pizza.

3. Hampton Beach.

Hampton Beach is important for one thing and one thing only: tourists. While the locals do NOT enjoy the traffic, ruckus, and colony of “Massholes,” they are happy that these groups are contained to the strip and leave the smaller, more secluded beaches for locals. So, to the tourists who make it a priority to come back to Hampton Beach every year, please keep coming. We won’t be there, but we will be sunbathing at a quieter coast location farther down the road.

4. No Sales Tax.

Enough said.

5. “Live Free or Die.”

It’s got a little ring to it, but sometimes things just can’t be justified by the New Hampshire motto. By all means, it can be a bit intimidating and maybe somewhat stubborn, but it is the greatest state motto out there.

6. New Hampshire has four beautiful seasons.

New England is lucky enough to have a year of four seasons, and New Hampshire is one of those lucky states. Whether its 30 degrees Fahrenheit in January and a blizzard is on its way, you go apple picking in September, you’re making s’mores and sending off fireworks by the lake in July, or falling asleep to the rain in April, New Hampshire is a wonderful place to be at all times of the year. Every season gets its turn in a timely fashion and although we say we hate it, we love to see the first snow fall while we sit inside drinking hot cocoa in our flannel PJs. One day you could be dressed in tanks and shorts, and the next day, riding boots, vests, and, scarves. You never really have to find a place to hide your summer clothes for the winter months.

7. Residents get the best of both worlds.

If you live near the seacoast like myself, you’re lucky enough to live less than twenty minutes from several beautiful beaches, an hour from Boston, and an hour from the mountains. With that being said, New Hampshire residents get the best of all worlds. Whether you want a relaxing day of paradise at Rye Beach or a road trip to Mount Monadnock or the White Mountains for a fulfilling hike, you got it. New Hampshire also houses several large shopping malls, cities such as “Manch-Vegas,” and picturesque, village-type towns that are too cute to pass by.

8. Every town has at least one or two awesome ice cream shops.

Personally, I believe that New Hampshire has the BEST local ice cream shops. Something about ice cream gets everybody excited. Whether it’s Lago’s homemade Kahlua Fudge Brownie flavor or making your own ice cream sundae at Kellerhaus in Laconia, it all tastes like magic. No one ever skips the after-dinner ice cream run (ever). To top it all off, a ‘kiddie’ is the size of a ‘medium,’ a ‘small’ the size of a ‘large,’ and so on, EVERYWHERE you go. In New Hampshire, every town has an ice cream joint. It is most definitely a necessity.

9. Pancakes come in all flavors and sizes.

If you are anything like myself, food is a very important topic. The pancakes in N.H. come from little breakfast stops and diners all throughout the state and every town boasts at least one or two awesome places to grab some pancakes for a filling brunch. Although the diners are tiny, the pancakes are enormous. I highly recommend getting some of the best pancakes from Harvey's Bakery and Coffee Shop in Dover, but they are all incredible wherever you choose to go. You definitely can't miss out on all of the pancakes and pancake flavors New Hampshire has to offer (and don't forget the real maple syrup).

10. There are fairs and festivals GALORE all year long.

Every season, N.H. hosts several annual fairs, seasonal festivals, brew festivals, and more. There are always a plethora of fairgrounds that seem to persuade people with fried dough, fair food, and aging carousel rides. Many festivals take place annually, as well. The Hampton Beach Seafood Festival entertains guests with considerable food vendors that feature chowder, lobster, fried clams, and more. Another popular event, the Pumpkin Festival, previously located in Keene, will be making its debut in Laconia in 2015. The Pumpkin Festival is famous for its giant display of pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns, rows of food goodness, and craft vendors. There is always something for everyone.