Planning a move... (Charleston, Myrtle Beach, York: appointed, apartments, rental)

[automated]

Hi all,
Another northeasterner planning a move to what looks like a nice city. I've been offered a job and am very likely to accept, but relocating from NYC I have serious concerns about how comfortable I'll be there, and unlike others Charleston wasn't on my radar until this job came up.

My situation:
- Early 30s hitched male who likes night life, not live music necessarily, just a place with a good DJ or non-top 40 jukebox.
- Will be taking a great job that I'll love in a down economy.

Big concerns:
- For a city its size, it doesn't seem like it has much going on culturally- not much by way of an alternative culture or club scene outside the tourist looking places.
- Bugs and heat- can't get a true sense of how bad these things are there. I dread heat and humidity, but have been told the adjustment period is pretty quick and many people just hide out during the summer months. How many months out of the year is it unbearable?
- Feasible to live downtown? Worth living downtown? Safe? If not, where are the better options? Any hidden gem type areas or blocks worth checking out, good record shops, comic shops, book stores, coffee houses?
- Direct/cheap flights from NYC to Charleston? Looks like the better/cheaper move might be to fly into Charlotte and drive from there...

The sense I get from reading this board is that I might be a bit bored there, which is certainly a concern. Any thoughts people can provide are much appreciated. This is by far the most active forum I've found on the region, thanks for your responses...I want to make sure I have a smooth transition.

[DJShymansky]

Early 30's hitched male myself, I'm rarely bored here. But I'm sure Charleston's offerings can't compare (in volume) to everything you can find in NYC, for obvious reasons. Charleston's a small town, in comparison.

-Bugs and heat/humidity are inescapable if you're outside from June to September. You'll adapt, but it won't be quick.
-It's certainly feasible to live downtown and there are some fantastic areas to do just that. You've got your pick of homes, condos, townhomes, apartments to buy or rent. It just depends on what you're looking for. Some areas of the lowcountry might suit you better than others.
-Direct flights? I'm not sure. I don't know what airlines still fly into Charleston International from NYC, I know you can find direct flights from D.C. and NJ, but it's been awhile since I flew up north.

[guttata]

Charleston is almost the complete opposite of the hustle and bustle of a large city like NYC. It is an old, historic town. The pace is much, much slower here. Things get done when they get done. Some like this lifestyle, some hate it.

I am originally from outside NYC - but am not a big-city person. It's fun to visit in the city, but I find it too stressful, expensive, congested, and impersonal. I love Charleston, but have met other New Yorkers who hate it. The main complaint is that they are too bored. NYC is truly open 24 hours. You are going to have a greater selection of clubs, restaurants, bars, museums, etc in an 8M city compared to a 150k city. It would be unfair to compare the two cities. There will be some things you will miss: the public transportation, NY pizza, bagels, seemingly unlimited restaurants of all types, worldclass museums, true 'Nathan' hotdogs, the lights, Broadway, shopping, delis, diners, Central Park, Bronx Zoo. But, people move to Charleston (as well as NYC) looking for something different. Keep that in mind...

Personally, my quality of life is much better here. But, for others, it may be worse. Traffic is nothing like NYC. People are friendly and will talk to you just about anywhere. The beaches, ocean, and sailing are great. Golf is great. I find it very peaceful here.

The weather has already started to get humid - seems like the worst months are from June-Sept, so you get at least 8 good months of the year. No snow, ice, or salt needed (may need to scrape your windshield a handful of times). Having lived in the South/Southeast for many years, I still have not adjusted fully to the heat - not sure if it will ever happen. It definitely gets humid here. But, as opposed to NYC humid summer, it lasts a lot longer. I cannot speak for the alternative scene. There are direct flights (few times a day) from Charleston to LGA (Delta, US Air). CHS is an easy airport to fly out/into.


If you have the option, I would rent and see how you like it. Perhaps you have the option of transferring back to NYC if you hate it. Just don't make the mistake of comparing Charleston to NYC, otherwise you will be very disappointed (just as if someone were to compare NYC to Charleston).

[automated]

Originally Posted by guttata

I am originally from outside NYC - but am not a big-city person. It's fun to visit in the city, but I find it too stressful, expensive, congested, and impersonal. I love Charleston, but have met other New Yorkers who hate it. The main complaint is that they are too bored. NYC is truly open 24 hours. You are going to have a greater selection of clubs, restaurants, bars, museums, etc in an 8M city compared to a 150k city. It would be unfair to compare the two cities. There will be some things you will miss: the public transportation, NY pizza, bagels, seemingly unlimited restaurants of all types, wonderful museums, true 'Nathan' hotdogs, the lights, Broadway, shopping, delis, diners, Central Park, Bronx Zoo. But, people move to Charleston (as well as NYC) looking for something different. Keep that in mind...

Personally, my quality of life is much better here. But, for others, it may be worse. Traffic is nothing like NYC. People are friendly and will talk to you just about anywhere. The beaches, ocean, and sailing are great. Golf is great. I find it very peaceful here.

If you have the option, I would rent and see how you like it. Perhaps you have the option of transferring back to NYC if you hate it. Just don't make the mistake of comparing Charleston to NYC, otherwise you will be very disappointed (just as if someone were to compare NYC to Charleston).

Thanks for your response. You're right, it would be wrong to compare (my NYC life is very tranquil, I don't drive, my commute to work for 5 years was a 2-mile walk each way), but I have lived in cities similar in size to Charleston and found good scenes, of course nothing that compares to NYC. I'm hoping I adjust, the job is great, and though I'll never be ready to leave NYC, it is difficult to do much beyond live hand-to-mouth here unless you're working in particularly high-paying sectors (though with rents plummeting, that is changing).

[automated]

Originally Posted by DJShymansky

Early 30's hitched male myself, I'm rarely bored here. But I'm sure Charleston's offerings can't compare (in volume) to everything you can find in NYC, for obvious reasons. Charleston's a small town, in comparison.

-Bugs and heat/humidity are inescapable if you're outside from June to September. You'll adapt, but it won't be quick.

So just to follow up- bugs/humidity an issue all year round, or just during the warm months I'm willing to treat June/July/August like I treat Jan/Feb/March up here and just hang inside most days as long as we can take advantage of the outdoors comfortably during the rest of the year.

Thanks for taking the time to reply, this really seems like the place to come for helpful advice on the area.

[StarryEyedSurprise]

Originally Posted by automated

So just to follow up- bugs/humidity an issue all year round, or just during the warm months I'm willing to treat June/July/August like I treat Jan/Feb/March up here and just hang inside most days as long as we can take advantage of the outdoors comfortably during the rest of the year.

Thanks for taking the time to reply, this really seems like the place to come for helpful advice on the area.

Hello from a fellow former-NYCer

The bugs seem to come out sometime in April, and disappear in October. Skin-So-Soft seems to help with them.

I didn't start feeling real humidity till this week, but the heat and the humidity will most likely last through all of September, and maybe early October. IMO, the autumn season here is very short, or even non-existent. In fact, I missed the whole changing leaves thing so much that my husband and I drove up to Biltmore just so we could have a mini-fall. When you are from New England, you really miss that sort of thing (oh, and HILLS).

I always thought I was a summer sort of person, always liked the heat of NYC, and could go without A/C. Not here! for the next four months, every time I leave the house I will be saying, "DAMN it's ridiculously hot out here!" and strongly hint to my husband that I indeed want a remote start for my car so it will be nice and cool when I get in!

As far as a nightlife... if you like NYC clubs, there is nothing like that here. I used to go clubbing when I was in college (only 29+1 years old here!) but I don't miss it, I outgrew it long since. Charleston does have nice bars (especially outdoor ones, and I love Coconut Joe's for the live music and beach views), and even piano bars, and I even think the food here is great. I will warn you of a microbrewery where Yankee fans are shunned... who would have thought there would be a frickin' BoSox bar in Charleston LOL. It's pretty much a college dive though, so easily avoidable

Any more questions, feel free to ask

[automated]

Originally Posted by StarryEyedSurprise

Hello from a fellow former-NYCer

The bugs seem to come out sometime in April, and disappear in October. Skin-So-Soft seems to help with them.

I didn't start feeling real humidity till this week, but the heat and the humidity will most likely last through all of September, and maybe early October. IMO, the autumn season here is very short, or even non-existent. In fact, I missed the whole changing leaves thing so much that my husband and I drove up to Biltmore just so we could have a mini-fall. When you are from New England, you really miss that sort of thing (oh, and HILLS).

I always thought I was a summer sort of person, always liked the heat of NYC, and could go without A/C. Not here! for the next four months, every time I leave the house I will be saying, "DAMN it's ridiculously hot out here!" and strongly hint to my husband that I indeed want a remote start for my car so it will be nice and cool when I get in!

As far as a nightlife... if you like NYC clubs, there is nothing like that here. I used to go clubbing when I was in college (only 29+1 years old here!) but I don't miss it, I outgrew it long since. Charleston does have nice bars (especially outdoor ones, and I love Coconut Joe's for the live music and beach views), and even piano bars, and I even think the food here is great. I will warn you of a microbrewery where Yankee fans are shunned... who would have thought there would be a frickin' BoSox bar in Charleston LOL. It's pretty much a college dive though, so easily avoidable

Any more questions, feel free to ask

Thanks for replying. I wondered if people do the remote starter down there like the upstate NY'ers do here. We will miss the fall, for sure, and Vermont/NY state are really beautiful during the summer/autumn months. Hoping that the trade for 8 months of outdoors works out in our favor. I think NYC summers are pretty miserable (the last two have been mild though) and my AC usually goes on June and gets turned off mid-September. Is it breezy/cooler closer to the water or is it pretty much constantly sucky everywhere?

I'm not really looking for NYC-style clubs (west side/meatpacking district), but just smaller nights that play alternative music. That's really all I go out to in NYC anymore, but I do so often, and more importantly, so does my girl, and I want to keep her happy :>

I'm a Met fan, hopefully we slide under the radar...

What did you move to the area for? How's the employment/wage situation? Where did you end up living? We're thinking we'll rent downtown for a year while we scope the area out, then see if we can afford to buy or at least move out to the surrounding areas. A lot of it hinges on if/when/where the better half finds gainful employment, but she's got a good degree and a lot of experience, so we're optomistic...

[guttata]

It is definitely cooler by the water. There is a good breeze on most days which can make it feel cooler in the summer and very cold in the winter (colder than you would think). Yesterday, the high was in the low 90s. It was humid. But, by 7-8pm, it cooled down nicely.

I think you would like living downtown as a young hip couple. There is usually something going on every weekend. I have not really gone downtown much at night, but just be careful and walk in a group.

Just make sure to visit the rental because bad and good neighborhoods can be on the same street/block. Not sure why, but this is more common in the south.

[automated]

Originally Posted by guttata

I think you would like living downtown as a young hip couple. There is usually something going on every weekend. I have not really gone downtown much at night, but just be careful and walk in a group.

Just make sure to visit the rental because bad and good neighborhoods can be on the same street/block. Not sure why, but this is more common in the south.

We'll be heading down to hunt soon. It'll be weird to worry about walking the streets alone, in NYC my wife routinely walks home from the bars alone at 3 AM in the East Village (it was a different story 15 years ago, of course...).

[beachme]

Also, flights may be cheaper if you fly into Myrtle Beach rather than Charlotte or charleston. Myrtle is a hour and a half drive away.