Visiting before moving: where to go?

[Puppyaddict]

LOL...interesting to see the conflicting opinions. For what it's worth, I think all of you have said something valuable, so THANKS everyone!!

I think I will rent a car (especially since even if I wanted to take public transport, it would be difficult to get to some of the beaches & stuff), drive around a different area each day, and within those drives stop, (window) shop, walk, interact...eat, drink and hopefully be merry.

And yes, very good perception Jim...though I'm certainly not in a high income bracket, I'm not in the lowest either, and I doubt I'll be looking to actually live in N. Charleston...more likely Folly, Mt Pleasant, Ashley, or downtown--something closer to the ocean breeze. I'm not sure I can afford IoP, but I do plan to swing through there while I'm visiting--maybe I can wind up somewhere adjacent so I can enjoy what it has to offer without paying through the nose for living space.

[Jim3310]

Please pay special attention to these two things:
Employment vs Enjoyment.

Don't waste time stuck in traffic, when you can be going the opposite direction at 65 mph & still hit downtown whenever you want.

Been there & learned that lesson, 85 miles one-way on the NJ Turnpike.
I think I lost 10 years there, that would be a crime here in Charleston.
jim

[OleTomCat]

Ok, I agree with both Jim and Geechie.

You have four days, spend one with an agent and the others on your own investigating the areas they show you.

A rental is absolutely required....

Reds is a great place in Mt P, all of the clubs and resturants up and down market street, no luck on a blues joint here, Momma's Blues Palace is closed down.

Good Luck

Al

[OrangeCountyGirl]

Originally Posted by ah090206

As pp said, I'd rent a car. Charleston might not make a good impression on you if you take the buses around

LOL, I don't know that she will be more impressed with us when she sees how Charleston drives............!

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by Jim3310

"Won't learn a thing & learn absolutely nothing..."

I suggest you take another look at her original post. "Schooner, Moonlight Mixer, Carolina's for happy hour, carriage ride, Daniel Island...". I'm not sure she wants/needs to see North Charleston or Cannon & King.

I understand why you would think that she is not going to get a flavor for the people with a Realtor's tour. But she should at least get an opinion from someone who has relocated into the area.

Six hours in a car with someone who knows exactly where they are going, because they have done it a hundred times before, lends itself more to a guided tour of the area. It is not meant to be an immersion into the culture of the Charleston area. She would have plenty of time on her own to go out & get a feel for the people.

Consider it like the horse & carriage tours downtown. After an hour, you have a very slight idea of what this town is about. You don't really have the culture & people for sure, but you have a starting point.

Try to learn this area by yourself in a short period of time and, if you don't get lost, you run the risk of wasting your time, or missing some of the best things about being here.
jim

In my opinion that would be the equivalent of planning to live in Rio with only the experience of six hours in Ipanema and a couple of the major tourist sideshows:

Great for the investment required for a five day vacation; hopelessly inadequate for the investment required for a move.

And unless you are one of the privledged few who can afford a gated life, you really need to know how in to interact with the folks who live between Calhoun and Cannon, as they will be part of your comminity.

My opinion, of course.

[southernmeltdown]

Originally Posted by Jim3310

"Won't learn a thing & learn absolutely nothing..."

I suggest you take another look at her original post. "Schooner, Moonlight Mixer, Carolina's for happy hour, carriage ride, Daniel Island...". I'm not sure she wants/needs to see North Charleston or Cannon & King.

I understand why you would think that she is not going to get a flavor for the people with a Realtor's tour. But she should at least get an opinion from someone who has relocated into the area.

Six hours in a car with someone who knows exactly where they are going, because they have done it a hundred times before, lends itself more to a guided tour of the area. It is not meant to be an immersion into the culture of the Charleston area. She would have plenty of time on her own to go out & get a feel for the people.

Consider it like the horse & carriage tours downtown. After an hour, you have a very slight idea of what this town is about. You don't really have the culture & people for sure, but you have a starting point.

Try to learn this area by yourself in a short period of time and, if you don't get lost, you run the risk of wasting your time, or missing some of the best things about being here.
jim

the biggest mistake people make relocating is finding the perfect house or neighborhood then finding nothing in common with the people around you.. sure you could show them every nice area in the town but if the hate the folks around the they will never be happy.

[Jim3310]

Originally Posted by southernmeltdown

sure you could show them every nice area in the town but if the hate the folks around the they will never be happy.

You are absolutely correct. And there is no way of fixing that when she is in town just to get a feel for it while on a job search. That happens much further down the road in the process, but it will always be a variable, no matter where you live.

jim

[OrangeCountyGirl]

I think you guys are totally missing Jim's point.

He is not saying that in his six our tour she will have a handle on the area. WHAT COULD BE DONE IN SIX HOURS THAT WOULD REALLY GIVE HER THAT FEEL?!

You know she will need more time to dig a little deeper, especially in areas that interest her. He's just giving her the first bite of getting to know a city and it's layout.

Jesus.

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by OrangeCountyGirl

I think you guys are totally missing Jim's point.

He is not saying that in his six our tour she will have a handle on the area. WHAT COULD BE DONE IN SIX HOURS THAT WOULD REALLY GIVE HER THAT FEEL?!

You know she will need more time to dig a little deeper, especially in areas that interest her. He's just giving her the first bite of getting to know a city and it's layout.

Jesus.

.

Point is from the tour described she will only know one small section of the area (from a social standpoint), and it will be unrepresentitive of the Trident Area besides.

A more diverse tour (over a couple of days, as the op has indicated they have) will better showcase what there is, and what there ain't , in Charleston, SC.