anywhere in new england but my specific choice would be portland maine...any outdoor activity is less than 2 hours from town--whitewater rafting, hiking, camping, beachcombing, sea kayaking, skiing/snowboarding, etc...you can hike mt washington (the biggest mtn in the northeast) one weekend and then hike the rugged maine coast the next...or sit on the beach during the summer..plus portland is a very lively small city with lots of new people--overall its your best bet for a good mix of outdoors and basic everyday life on the east coast
..where else can you see mountains and the ocean right from town??