Your recommendations for cosmopolitan living outside of London

[Kalaboom]

DH and I are looking to move from our small rural village to somewhere with a bit more buzz and more in the way of restaurants, bars, shops and community social events.

We had the kids quite young and they're about to fly the nest, meaning we have the luxury of downsizing to a more expensive area if needed and we don't need to worry about schools etc. We're barely grazing 40 and this is a sort of second lease of life for us, so we really want to find somewhere with a vibrant, welcoming community and more going on than our sleepy spot in suburbia currently offers!

London not an option and ideally we'll stay in the south east close to family.

Possible contenders include:

Marlow
Henley
St Albans
Winchester
Windsor

We'd really like it to be somewhere with a bit of charm and character as opposed to being very urban or built-up, hence the list above. Bonus points for being on a river or canal or with easy countryside access for some scenic walks with the dogs.

Am I missing anywhere else worth considering? And can anyone share first-hand experiences of what any of the above places are like? We've visited all of them regularly on days out but appreciate living there is a different matter.

Is Oxford worth adding to the list? I've heard it's not so welcoming to non-locals and can be quite cliquey...

erm.. dunno bout 'easy'

Brighton? I lived there in my early 50's - fabulous fun & by the sea & great walks a- easy access to London

Chichester

Another vote for Lewes, where I’d live in a hearbeat if it was closer to family.
I don’t think anyone’s said Berkhamsted yet, which surprises me. Independent art deco cinema, all the cafes you could wish for, a full size Waitrose, gorgeous canal walks and pubs, and I believe there’s a direct train to Clapham Junction.
Amersham, which is similar and very much surrounded by nature, but without much entertainment beyond wine bars and cafes. It does have an old and a new town, and the old town is beautiful. In the new town it only has a ‘Little Waitrose’, so wouldn’t hit the spot for everyone, but you’re 10 minutes from Beaconsfield and Chesham which both have Waitroses (can that be the plural? It can’t be. It’s so… ordinary!?)
Beaconsfield - posh and conservative like Marlow, but with really really good train connection into London which Marlow doesn’t have. Cafes yes, nightlife yes but not as much as Marlow, Waitrose yes. What it lacks in nice parks/public gardens it makes up for by having an old and a new town, and its own model village. Three towns for the price of one.
Thame, which isn’t as ‘cosmopolitan‘ but does have a really tight community, loads of properly independent businesses, and is a half hour bus ride from Oxford, so you can have Oxford’s best bits without the traffic nonsense. The Waitrose is stunning. The little theatre shows fairly arty films weekly. There’s a Gail’s now, so it’s getting fancy.

Sort of agree but I think the “braying poshos” are mostly the many, many people who have moved in since the 80s because of the commuter links and schools, pushing the house prices to the levels they are, so that those who grew up here can’t afford to stay!

I’m lucky that I have been able to stay as generally it’s a nice place to live and I’m happy here but I do have to travel to the surrounding area and London for something to actually do or for some decent shops!

Greenwich is lovely as is Blackheath.
Sevenoaks has a bit going on.

I’ve heard lots of great things about Guildford

OP has said 1-2 bed flat potentially for £700k so that is why I suggested Chiswick. Terrible value but lovely

Look at Thorpe bay Essex. Beach within 5 minutes. 40 mins into London. Really nice area.

The places you mention don't seem to me to be cosmopolitan at all, or to have a 'buzz'. They are sleepy but nice, expensive, not multi cultural places where mainly posh people live. Fine of course if that's what you want - just feels at odds with what you say you want re general vibe.

I'm another one struggling to work out your criteria @Kalaboom cosmopolitan with a buzz and vibe, cultural activities, but also nature, suitable for dogs and close to family. The South East is a vast area, so where, approximately, would be convenient for family ties?

I'd be looking at Chichester or Brighton and Hove areas given what you've said.

3 bed terraced house for sale in New Park Road, Chichester PO19, £700,000 - Zoopla

Howard Terrace, Brighton, BN1 3 bed terraced house for sale - £700,000 (onthemarket.com)

There are two examples of the kind of place in your budget where you're close to green spaces but also close to town centres and amenities.

Are you looking for a particular kind of lifestyle from the property? Any preferences, or are you completely open minded? Personally given that you have endless opportunities, I wouldn't be looking at apartments when you have dogs.

I think Chichester's a good suggestion.

700 k won't go far in Henley, it's not really an apartment community.

I love Oxford. Depends on your budget as it's pricey there. Bromley in Kent has plenty going on and is SE, or what about Tunbridge Wells (but pricey); Deal or Margate in Kent.

Outside of the South East I would go for Brighton, Exeter, Poole in Dorset, Stratford-upon-Avon and Cambridge.

Another vote for Tunbridge Wells. Excellent cosmopolitan living and plenty going on. Lovely countryside nearby.

I also like Chelmsford. Some lovely parts a bit further out from the centre. I wouldn't go Thorpe Bay. Nice place but really far out and surrounded by some not so lovely places e.g. Shoeburyness, Westcliff

Winchester is extraordinarily dull. It has good schools which is not to be sniffed at, but is about as far from “cosmopolitan” as it is possible to be, it’s very monocultural.

I'd have a close look at Oxford. In my personal view it's much more fun than most of the others youve mentioned. Two possible options here to give you an idea - small house in Summertown to start with. Summertown is a lovely place in itself (Gails, Daunt Books, a fair number of independents) plus a great quirky arts and performance centre 3 mins walk from this (North Wall), but it's a short bus ride or cycle to 3 more theatres, a children's theatre, 3 national class classical concert venues, great museums, a medium gig venue and a busy small gig venue, plus lots else going on. Spaces within reasonable distance include Portmeadow and the Thames. https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/148304984#/?channel=RES_BUY

Or this... out West of Oxford there are some amazing green areas that are still 15-30 minutes' bus or cycle from the centre. This house has been on the market for ages and is in my view horribly overpriced because it needs a major renovation, but it could be a wonderful place to live.
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/141320885#/?channel=RES_BUY

Hull.

Harpenden

we looked at Petersfield in Hampshire but I think Chichester or Horsham might better fit your bill. Chichester is lovely market town has a festival with arts theatre, Goodwood for horse racing and cars and other things. Lovely beach at West Wittering.

Tunbridge Well is lovely, with lots going on, as is Berkhamsted, I’ve spent lots of time in both visiting friends, and I’d happily live in either. I think both would tick a lot of your boxes. Oxford is another place I’ve spent a lot of time in, and is FABULOUS, with such a lot going on culturally. However the traffic is atrocious, it really does have to be seen to be believed.
Marlow and Henley are lovely (I live nearby, and know them both well), but I’d say they’re more moneyed and well heeled, rather than cosmopolitan. Put it this way, it was a big deal when Marlow got a cinema- if you’re wanting a busy, cultural life with gigs and theatre you might be disappointed! And the trains to get into London in the evening to see shows there can be unreliable, infrequent and slow from either Marlow or Henley- thank you, GWR!
To be honest, I never quite get what the fuss is with Windsor- expensive, teeming with tourists, parking and traffic are a nightmare, and on the flight path to boot!

Hmmm, safe and nice shops, attractive town centre. Not sure about cosmopolitan. Very middle class, not very mixed in terms of nationality and an ageing population for sure. I lived there for 25 years and although it was ok I don’t miss it. It was a bit dull.
Hove just west of Brighton is great. Very cosmopolitan and loads to do, plus beach on your doorstep. My two early teen girls love it as much as we do.

Tunbridge Wells and Lewes also well worth look.