compare Charleston and Knoxville? (Chattanooga: crime rate, house, neighborhoods)

[snapdragon]

Ok this might seem like a silly question, but I am serious.
Has anyone lived or visited both Charleston, SC and Knoxville?
If so would you say the two cities are comparable? As in similar?

Background: I'm from Charleston (not currently living there) and as long as hubby's contract looks good we will be moving to Knoxville within a month. I did visit last year and have researched.

So far I have the impression that Knoxville is a nice small city with lots to offer. Except maybe Arts (as stated in another post). Do you get the small town feel, where people know your name when you walk down the street?
And Knoxville has great outdoor activities, within an hour you can drive to the Smokey Mountains. I know the mountains and beach are opposites but they are both outside.

Does this make any sense? Am I correct in my assumption of Knoxville being a young Charleston or am I totally offbase?

[jabogitlu]

I love Charleston and have spent a lot of time there, but I don't really think that Charleston and Knoxville are much alike. I can't even think of one way to compare them... welllll, actually parts of Mt Pleasant remind me of West Knox, but beyond that...

Where I lived in Knoxville, you're not going to get the walk down the street, get first name recognition. It's a city. In the west you don't walk, in the east there are too many people to remember... not sure about north/Fountain City as it seems to have a slightly different feel to it.

[hiknapster]

Yeah. I don't think there is any comparison. If I could afford it, I'd move to Charleston in a heartbeat.

[jabogitlu]

Me too. I loooove that city.

[hiknapster]

I am still trying to figure out if I can get down there for my birthday, this weekend. That's all I want for my birthday...a trip to Chaleston.

[pdq]

There are few comparisons. The crime rate is high in both places, and the wages are low for most of the population. At least in Charleston you can go to the shore or do something exciting every day. In Knoxville you can watch TV and go to the mall, or drive an hour or two to the mountains. That's about all there is to do. There is very little small town feel here, you can get to know your immediate neighbors if you're lucky. This is not Mayberry, just a small city that constantly tries to be bigger and bigger, and always tries to be something it's not. That said, you can't go wrong with most any place in SC, easy access to the beach and easy access to the mountains.

Best of luck to you.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by pdq

In Knoxville you can watch TV and go to the mall, or drive an hour or two to the mountains. That's about all there is to do.

Oh give me a break. There is a heck of a lot more to do in Knoxville than just watch TV or hang out at the mall. I find it hard to believe that someone who actually lives in Knoxville can make such outrageous statements about it.

There are some neat things to do downtown, particularly in the summers and the outdoor concerts and movie showings on Market Square.

There are all kinds of sporting events, and I don't mean just football or Lady Vols basketball.

Knoxville has some wonderful parks and paved bike paths through the city.

Being home to the nation's largest movie theater company, Knoxville also has some great cinemas, including an 8-screen arthouse theater.

Knoxville may not have artsy neighborhoods, but Knoxville does have a very good symphony and, thanks to U.T.'s excellent music and drama departments, there's almost always a play, a concert, a recital, SOMETHING going on for those who love the performing arts.

To say that Charleston is close to the mountains is also incredibly misleading. While I love the SC Low Country culture, too, the mountain culture around here is also fascinating. There's no shortage of beautiful parks, both state and national, that offer incredible scenery and lots of outdoor activities in four very distinct seasons (something else you don't get in Charleston).

If you're up for a road trip, you can go to some interesting cities within a few hours of Knoxville that you can't do as easily from Charleston: Chattanooga and Asheville are 1.5 hours away, Nashville and Atlanta are 3 hours away.

I've had the pleasure of living in Knoxville off and on since 1994. It's a nice city that sometimes does feel like a large Mayberry and sometimes feels like a smaller version of Nashville. Anyone who says that there's nothing to do in Knoxville just needs to get out of the house more.

[gemkeeper]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I am still trying to figure out if I can get down there for my birthday, this weekend. That's all I want for my birthday...a trip to Chaleston.

For your birthday you can go, hiknapster. We'll all watch Lauren for you. (Wish we could.)

Pack your lunches (pb & j, tuna in the flip lid cans, apples, chips, 6 pack of Coke - go), stay at a Comfort Inn where you can get an inexpensive clean room and FREE breakfast, and have one great birthday dinner at a nice restaurant. Not too pricey. Have fun.

[gemkeeper]

Pdq, I have to whole-heartedly agree with JMT!! I don't even live in Knoxville yet and we have experienced many of the things that JMT listed and more!! Knoxville has so much to offer to all types of people. This ? is like apples and oranges.

After living in SC for several years and visiting touristy Charleston several times, I would have to say that Charleston has nothing over and above Knoxville - except maybe more costumed residents!

They are so different that while Charleston might appeal to the gentility of some, the diverse culture, entertainment and natural surroundings of Knoxville is going to appeal to many others.

So, I think it boils down to what would appeal to the OP. We don't want or need two Knoxvilles nor do we want or need two Charlestons.

[snapdragon]

Those are some interesting and varied views.
I guess you can't really compare the 2. I just thought I'd try.

Charleston is wonderful and will always be my home, but I look forward to getting to know and love Knoxville.