Smaller "Athens-Like" City/Town (Atlanta, Savannah: home, school, colleges)

[lastminutemom]

Originally Posted by AtlJan

There is a Buford, SC, but I'm pretty sure you meant to refer the OP to *Beaufort* SC...It is on the coast (which the poster likes) and has a charming downtown.

Yep... that one!

[drfranklin]

As mentioned above, I highly recommend the OP investigate Greenville, SC and/or Chattanooga, TN - I've lived in Chattanooga and currently reside in Greenville. Further, I've commuted to/worked in Athens, GA since 2008.

Greenville, SC has significant parallels to Athens: beautiful downtown area, great amenities, etc; however, Greenville's downtown area is much larger and its metro population is much bigger (1.2 million). The immediate amenities of Greenville are a notch or two better than Athens: Whole Foods, REI, Total Wine, Anthropologie, Mast General, biggest Children's Museum in the Southeast, Fluor Field, Peace Center, Greenville Zoo, etc. Conversely, Athens is relatively close to Atlanta (with its very upscale shopping, dining, and professional sports).

IMO, 2 significant advantages elevate Greenville (SC) over Athens:

• Falls Park - perhaps one of the best downtown parks in the country (I live just south of this and never tire visiting it)
• Proximity to the SC/NC mountains - Greenville is only 75 minutes to downtown Asheville - additionally, I'm 45 minutes to elevations > 3,000 feet (example: Caesar's Head State Park, in SC) - access to the mountains cannot be overstated esp in the Southeast's hot summers - the prior mentioned state park is easily 10-12+ degrees cooler than Greenville

[vwgto]

Originally Posted by J2rescue

The first city that came to mind is Greenville SC and since being close to Atlanta is not a requirement, its worth consideration. Its a smallish city (pop. 60,000) with a lively downtown but part of a larger metro region so amenities will not be an issue.

I have been doing my own research on a move, and have gravitated to Greenville. I like how both Charlotte and Atlanta are reachable via 85, easy drive to Asheville, big enough to offer a real downtown (much more to offer than a place like Rome, as an example).

[batsinthebelfry]

Hiya --

We live very near NBPT now, but until a few years ago, lived off the square in Decatur. Newburyport was the place we wanted when looking here, though we ultimately chose a house in a town just south.

Decatur really was my all-time favorite place to live. However, we can't afford now the size of house and outdoor space we'd ideally like to have. It is a wonderful city, with a great mix of urban and suburban, backyards and trendy shops. However - and I say this because I've lived both places - it is very, very different from Newburyport. And most of the other towns you mention will be as well. Decatur is trendier, has much better food, and is also more dangerous. It is far more diverse than North Shore MA - I say this as a good thing - socioeconomically, culturally, ethnically, politically.

I'm subscribing to the thread because I'm interested in what folks suggest. And I'm happy to chat if you'd like.

[deacongirl]

Fernandina Beach, FL.

Mayo Clinic and other excellent health care is in Jax.

[masonbauknight]

@LovinDecatur. The town of Darien, GA is a village. It is VERY small and isolated (Savannah lies to the north, but feels very far away.) You can't say Darien is "a smaller Athens." It's more like a smaller Mayberry.

@DrFranklin. Greenville is nice and it is much larger than Athens, but metro Greenville is 800,000 according to US Census, not 1.2 million. Greenville is also very conservative, the home of Bob Jones U. (super-fundamentalist) and Furman U. (conservative). Athens and the U. of Georgia are a Woodstock love festival compared to Greenville. Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair. Greenville has some nice flower gardens though.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaLakeSearch

LaGrange in Troup County. It is a nice small town with more amenities.

What about Columbus GA? It is more of a city though. You can really live there without having to leave.

Since the OP asked for a smaller city than Athens would strike Columbus, but would heartily endorse giving LaGrange a look. In my book it is larger than a small town, has a college but it doesn't dominate the scene the way UGA does Athens. The Callaway foundation has given back to the city time and time again through the years.... it gives the city a special panache that you don't see in other cities and towns its size. The downtown square is lovely. Many beautiful historic homes. It is close enough to go to Atlanta when a city is needed but definitely outside the metro area. Yet it is only a little more than an hour to the airport.

Would take a look at Griffin as well, closer to Atlanta and officially in the metro area but still not suburbanized to much of a degree. Newnan is very nice as well but Coweta is beginning to be swallowed up by the metro area... if that is something you want to avoid.

Thomasville is one of the gems of far south GA that hasn't been mentioned yet.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by masonbauknight

@LovinDecatur. The town of Darien, GA is a village. It is VERY small and isolated (Savannah lies to the north, but feels very far away.) You can't say Darien is "a smaller Athens." It's more like a smaller Mayberry.

@DrFranklin. Greenville is nice and it is much larger than Athens, but metro Greenville is 800,000 according to US Census, not 1.2 million. Greenville is also very conservative, the home of Bob Jones U. (super-fundamentalist) and Furman U. (conservative). Athens and the U. of Georgia are a Woodstock love festival compared to Greenville. Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair. Greenville has some nice flower gardens though.

Its not all that isolated. Downtown Brunswick is only 17 miles away. Darien is part of Brunswick's MSA, which stands at about 100,000.

[red92s]

Have you looked at St. Marys? It's a quaint little historic coastal town, just north of the GA/FL line. Savannah is close enough for some weekend trips, and Jacksonville is near enough to provide most of the "big city" amenities (international airport, professional sports, etc). It's the gateway to Cumberland Island, a fantastic protected natural resource.

[masonbauknight]

@LovinDecatur. Darien is the STICKS -- an isolated and backward little country town. Depressing as hell. Brunswick isn't much better (the 100,000 folks in the Brunsiwck MSA are spread out over a score of small towns, rural counties, and resort islands--it feels much smaller than 100,000). There are many other "small, Athens-like" towns to choose from. And much less depressing than Darien and Brunswick.