With 100+ towns and cities comprising Metro Boston, it’s hard to know where to start your home search–especially if you’re relocating from Out-of-State. To give another frame of reference, we’re Spotlighting some of these great local areas…
Crossing the bridge that marks the border from East Boston to Winthrop, you enter a town so close to the city and yet so distinctly different from the other suburbs. Settled in 1630, Winthrop is one of the oldest communities in the country–yet it remains somewhat unknown even to those living in the Greater Boston area. The thickly settled 1.6 square mile peninsula snakes its way into the sea–where the Boston Harbor and the open ocean meet–and it feels more like a relaxed summer getaway then the “Gateway to the North Shore.”
Large Colonial and Victorian homes mix with smaller more typical seaside dwellingsand vacation homes, creating densely packed neighborhoods of mostly one-way streets. Surrounded by water on all sides, it’s easy to lose your bearings as you make your way through the streets of Winthrop. Nestled within the center of town, the charming downtown area is full of small, locally owned restaurants and shops; there are very few chains and franchises in Winthrop.
With 7 miles of coastline (which eventually connects Winthrop Beach and Revere Beach via an isthmus at its other border), the beaches each have something unique to offer. At Donovan Beach you can enjoy the sweeping skyline views while watching planes take off and land; on the opposite side, the crashing ocean at Winthrop Beach or Yirrell Beach will make you forget that the city is just miles behind you. If you head to the end of the peninsula, Deer Island Park features miles of hiking trails, family picnic areas and you can even tour the waste-water treatment plant.
Surprisingly, the home prices in Winthrop have stayed well below average per square foot, and you are guaranteed to be either walking distance from the water or have a view of it (or both). With many other outdoor recreation options–including a 9-hole golf course, 2 yacht clubs, multiple town boat ramps, several beaches, historic Forts, Belle Isle Inlet, Coughlin Park, Point Shirley–Winthrop is clearly the place to live if you want easy access to the city while living the beachcomber lifestyle.
