I’m not best to answer - but the town is about 20 minutes from Portsmouth - which is a super cool beach town, quintessential New England and even has an airport (I think Allegiant).
Also, there’s a train from the school (or near the school) to Boston.
Others can tell you more about Durham itself. Sounds like @thumper1 has been.
But I was in Portsmouth 20 mins away this summer - and I liked it more than any town we went to, even the Maine towns.
Thanks