Thinking of moving to Wilmington from CT (Durham: apartments, rent) - Coastal North Carolina - North Carolina (NC) - City-Data Forum

Oceans03211 · 12-21-2011, 11:01 AM

I currently live in CT in Guilford, which a great little shoreline town. I love the New England feel but I HATE the loooooong frigid winters. 5 feet of snow last year was all that I needed to decide I want to move. I'm torn on which areas to consider, and I'm planning on coming down to visit to see it all in person but maybe some of you that live in the area can help me out. here's some of what I'm hoping to find....

I love the water, so ideally I want to be in a beach town. I also love nature, hiking, photography etc. so I'd like to be somewhere with good wood trails.

I'm 33 and single, so I'd like to be in an area with other young people, being close to a city with good nightlife and nice restaurants would be ideal. Initially I was thinking Charleston, SC but I am afraid of how humid it gets there and I have asthma so I think I would just be uncomfortable on those sweltering days. Wilmington seems to have a lot of character but I don't really know where else I should be considering. Any thoughts?

coffeebean330 · 12-21-2011, 12:04 PM

Just so you know, Wilmington gets pretty humid in the summer too. Definitely come visit in July or August. Then you'll be able to really decide if it's right for you.

Francois · 12-21-2011, 01:42 PM

Yup, not much difference in humidity in NC and SC--you might need to look more in the VA/Maryland area.

Oceans03211 · 12-21-2011, 04:32 PM

I should have specified the cold weather is MUCH worse on my asthma, and I LOVE the heat. I deal with the humidity here in CT okay and I won't let it stop me. It's controlled and I'm on good medication. I was just under the impression that it was worse the more south you go. I appreciate the info on the humidity but I'm really looking for answers on the questions I was asking. Thanks!

coffeebean330 · 12-21-2011, 05:26 PM

Well if you're looking for nightlife, then downtown is your best bet. You can rent houses downtown for decent prices, but a lot of the areas aren't the best. I'm sure the condos are different, but pricey. They are building new apartments on South Front St, but the last I knew that weren't open yet. I definitely suggest coming down for a visit though.

Wilmington Rltr · 01-23-2012, 08:10 AM

Wilmington is a great place to live! Lots to do -- great cultural events, movie studio, UNC Wilmington, festivals almost every weekend. Wilmington is located between the beach and the Cape Fear River so you've got two beautiful areas on the water. The downtown would probably be a great place for you to look into. Tons of good restaurants and nightlife. There are plenty of parks and trails for sightseeing. Hope this helps!

mlhm5 · 01-26-2012, 08:13 PM

There is a marginal difference between the humidity between Charleston and Wilmington. I was in Wilmington last summer during the first two weeks of August and the temps were in the mid to upper 90's and the dew point was over 75.

The temp difference in the Winter between the two is marginal if any at all. Vastly more to do in Charleston, however housing is a lot more expensive and there is traffic, especially on and around 17 and the bridges.

I would not rule Charleston out.

NM posts · 01-28-2012, 08:05 AM

The humidity in Wilmington in July/August is stifling and I almost passed out in my backyard.

That said, air conditioning is great !

You'll want to be outside early mornings...

I moved here from Durham and to be honest am constantly wishing Durham were closer because the restaurants are so much better there. But the beaches are here. We have good restaurants in Wilmington, but if you're into ethnic like I am, choices are limited (except for Thai/Vietnamese).