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Haven't visited all four yet but hopefully New Orleans will happen this November Would love to visit the other three cities as well, most especially Savannah.
Never been to Wilmington. Savannah, Charleston, and New Orleans are all great cities. If I had to choose one to revisit on vacation, I would pick New Orleans. If I had to choose one to live in, I would say Charleston.
I grew up in Savannah, love it, and I love all four of these cities. However, any of you considering a move from a large city like Denver, LA, Seattle or Phoenix to Charleston, Savannah or Wilmington will be moving to a much smaller, far more provincial place. NOLA (1 million-plus in the metro) and Charleston (metro 700,000) are somewhat larger, but even there, the areas that people seek out are limited and they'll become small to you very quickly.
I've read recent C-D posts from people who left Denver and Phoenix for my hometown and now think it was more or less a mistake ("too small," "not enough amenities," "a nice place to visit but..."), even though they landed a good job and nice salary in Savannah. It made me shake my head, and I wish I could have talked to them beforehand and just said, "Savannah is stunning, it has a cool downtown, people are polite and helpful, but it's a very small city." Folks, please: think seriously before you leap.
I agree that Savannah is too small. If it were about four times larger (especially the Historical District) I would strongly consider moving there myself. I love the walkability, charm, and liveliness of the District. And correct me if I'm wrong but none of the other towns have homes quiet like this.
NOLA is a relatively big, cosmopolitan city. The other cities listed are essentially small towns, and not really comparable. It's like comparing NOLA to NYC or something.
Also, just my opinion, but I find Charleston to be extremely overrated, and don't "get it". It's very sleepy, stuffy, outrageously expensive, filled with rich old conservatives, and the historic area is quite small. It's like a theme park for country club senior citizens from southern exurbs.
Savannah I really like, is very charming, and has a huge historic area.
NOLA is a relatively big, cosmopolitan city. The other cities listed are essentially small towns, and not really comparable. It's like comparing NOLA to NYC or something.
That's a HUGE exaggeration. If NOLA is a relatively big city, then the others would be midsized cities. NOLA's metro is less than twice the size of Charleston's; that's not a huge gap.
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Also, just my opinion, but I find Charleston to be extremely overrated, and don't "get it". It's very sleepy, stuffy, outrageously expensive, filled with rich old conservatives, and the historic area is quite small. It's like a theme park for country club senior citizens from southern exurbs.
Wow, could your perceptions be any more outdated and stereotypical? The old blue blood native Charleston crew is pretty much a minority these days (although they still retain their influence); a lot of those expensive homes on the peninsula actually belong to Northerners. Charleston is actually getting a bit "Yankeefied" these days, both in the city and the 'burbs and I wouldn't be surprised if it's home to the most native Northerners of all the cities in this line-up. Outside of the historic homes downtown, Charleston isn't "outrageously expensive." Where are you getting that from???? And the city is actually left-leaning; when the state put the gay marriage ban referendum on the ballot a a couple of years ago, the majority of citizens in the city of Charleston voted against it. So yeah, I think you need to get caught up to speed about what Charleston is like in the 21st century.
People like Charleston because it's beautiful, historic, artsy, has ocean vistas, beaches, a great downtown retail scene, an excellent foodie culture, and lots to see and do for its size. As a metro, it's one of the nation's fastest-growing, has strong job growth, a well-rounded economy, and desirable suburbs with good schools. If you put a big premium on getting drunk in the streets every night, then no, it won't be your cup of tea; in that respect, it's like most cities in the country. But there are plenty of reasons why people enjoy visiting and as the fastest-growing metro of this bunch, more people find it desirable as a place to live as well.
More beautiful than the pics of Savannah I just showed? Wow, I gotta get there and see what you guys are talking about.
They're both beautiful, but their beauty is highlighted in different ways IMO. It's worth the trip.
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Would love to visit the other three cities as well, most especially Savannah.
