Why is everyone that posts here moving to Johnson City? (Knoxville: ski resorts, best cities)

[bktx1]

I am considering Johnson City or the nearby area for early retirement. Where is the best place to be for proximity to hiking trails/mountain biking areas? I want to be able to access trails within 10 minutes of wherever I live.
thanks.

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by williboy

I have also heard that moderators love Johnson City.

I think you heard correctly! I heard that certain Moderators especially loved going to PRD's and other hangouts in Johnson City!

[jabogitlu]

Poor Richard's or the Down Home, and you're all set.

[fallfanatic]

bktx1.... You might want to start a new thread so your question doesn't get lost in this one. I am not in TN yet, however I can tell you that I have read alot of answers to questions like yours. Kingsort aparently has a beautiful park call Warriors Path (I think). I know there are alot of parks, hiking trail, fishing spots etc. in the Tri-Cities area. If you have the time go to the Kingsport-Johnson City-Bristol sub forum and under the search button put in parks or whatever else you want to know about and alot of threads will come up which you can read through and find all kinds of info and links to websites about the parks, recreation, camping etc. The people on here are extremely (sp?)helpful and will help you as much as they can. Good luck!
Tennesseestorm...For what it's worth, I have little interest in JC. I am however, looking very forward to spending time in Bristol and Kingsport. Not that there is anything wrong with JC, just not my cup of tea. And you in particular have peaked my curiosity about Bristol and now I am really looking forward to visiting and scouting out the area. I have seen some beautiful pictures you have posted and am really looking forward to seeing the area for myself. Thanks!

[Troyv1]

As an out-of-towner who has visited for 30+ years, I think TennesseeStorm answered her/his own question - "despite my thousand trips there over the past 31 years". Residents in all three cities treat the area as one. Folks in Elizabethton regularly travel to Johnson City or Bristol to shop and eat and the same is true for folks in Kingsport, Johnon City, Bristol. The area - tri-cities - is more like a single metro area since they are all so close together. Driving 40 miles to shop or eat has never been an issue, mainly because 40 miles there is like 10 or 15 in the big cities. All the new highways have closed the gaps even more. Johnson City seems newer because new development rings the older city and it has the State of Franklin Road to connect all the outer areas. It also has the University and big hospitals (on State of Franklin). Kingsport is an older industrial city and Bristol is just an older city. Note that development in Bristol tends toward VA Exit 7 as posted by another. Cities grow outward and Johnson City has the advantage of that big "bypass" to grow around to make it more suburban but you won't find much in the old core downtown after 6 PM. It will be interesting to see how this suburban metro area sustains in the era of $4 gasoline.

I wouldn't travel 40 miles to a restaurant here unless it was really special, but tri-cities folks do it all the time.

[jabogitlu]

It's a holdover from a much more rural past; driving 40 miles simply meant driving to town. That's changing, now, though, as all three cities become more and more settled with equal amounts of (the same) restaurants in each. Though Johnson City does still have the advantage on some restaurants - Marco's, Salsaritas, Barberitos, all three cities now have the regular, staple dinner fare.

Johnson City's downtown is changing fairly quickly. I drove through the other night around 8:30 and Russo's had a lot of people in there. Then there's the Mid-City grill, too. As more people move into newly developed downtown condos and more and more restaurants open (and the more that the city pumps money into the downtown-ETSU corridor), hopefully we can see a more active downtown.

[McHumkin]

Growing up we went to J.C. all the time and I just visited last weekend and still love it. It has that small city charm and amazing mtns all around it. My husband and I live in Charlotte, which we love, but it's nice to get away. We had a great time at a local downtown bar, Halo's, which had live music and was still going strong when we left at 1 a.m. There is also a downtown restaurant which served delicious hummus and the best tofu sandwich I've ever had. We are heading back up to J.C. for Blue Plum fest and are really looking foward to it. I'm glad to hear J.C. is growing, I just hope it keeps its mtn. charm.

[12buttons]

Originally Posted by Tennesseestorm

Just out of curiosity does any of the other locals here know why most people that post here from out of town are so attracted to Johnson City? I am a Tri-Cities native and have been all over Bristol, Kingsport and Johnson City and the rest of the metro. I have relatives in all three cities as well.

I just personally do not know why JC is the area of choice among newcomers... is it because its slightly larger in population than Bristol or Kingsport? The slightly larger diversity? The larger mall? Any other suggestions? Its a nice area, I am not saying that, but I am wondering if there is a part of JC that I have never seen before despite my thousand trips there over the past 31 years?

so where would you pick to live if you had your choice? your dream location?

[Tennesseestorm]

Wilmington, North Carolina or Charleston, SC - if its as nice as it was in 1994 (or somewhere in southeastern NC or eastern South Carolina/eastern Georgia/northeastern Florida - lets say the southeast coast or coastal plain). HOWEVER, after living here all of my life, I would get homesick and want to come back.

If I got out more, I wold probably like it more here. I am one that does not get to travel (as much as I would like) anywhere and anytime I want and live the "dizzy life" like alot of people do. I work alot and when I am not working, I have ill grandparents that I help tend to. No one i know likes to travel, or can travel, or can afford it, so I linger here. Example - last week, I was on vacation and went nowhere. I get another vacation next month or July, again, probably going nowhere. The plan has been to go back to the coastal parts of NC/SC or even Florida. I have never been to Florida (despite having relatives there) and want to go visit and see if its as bad as everyone says.

Last "real" vacation was in 1994, when we went to Wilmington for a week. Then summer of 2006, we went to Charlotte/north central South Carolina for a few days and I loved it. I like the fast paced dizzy life, unfortunately, my folks, nor anyone else I know does. My dad said he would never go to Charlotte again.

Originally Posted by 12buttons

so where would you pick to live if you had your choice? your dream location?

[jabogitlu]

Originally Posted by 12buttons

so where would you pick to live if you had your choice? your dream location?

You mean with no regard whatsoever, with an assurance of being happy (mostly) there? I'd split half my time into Norway and half into Italy.

But I have too much family here (and too little cash) to ever leave NETN. I'm pretty happy regardless, as the scenery is beautiful, the people are friendly. Besides, where could I find bluegrass musicians to jam with in Italy? (In Norway, at least in Oslo, it might be possible, but...)