DC resident thinking of moving to NC, need suggestions on places to live (not in the Triangle!) (Charlotte: fit in, transplants) - City-Data Forum

WestCoastDreamer · 02-15-2011, 11:19 AM

Hi,

My small family and I are thinking of relocating from Washington, DC to North Carolina. We have some family in the Research Triangle area and in central NC. We've heard good things about Chapel Hill and Carrboro, which sound right up our alley (being that we'd be coming from a big, liberal city like DC). And I've heard Durham is OK. But I don't think we can live in any of those places.

The downside of the Triangle area is family. They're great, but they tend to be an interfering bunch, and we want to steer clear of interference, but still be close enough to visit every month or two. We visited Asheville and didn't like it (no offense, Asheville), I liked Wilmington a lot but, alas, there are no jobs there. So...

I'm not opposed to working in the Triangle area and commuting, I don't know, like 45 minutes home? Would like to keep the commute under an hour if possible. Where can we live that wouldn't be too small-townsey, that's fairly liberal (we're an interracial couple), and isn't within super close distance of the Triangle?

Thanks!

meh_whatever · 02-15-2011, 11:55 AM

Holly Springs? It'll be a 15 minute commute once 540 opens though, so maybe you wanna be further away from your family than that.

Greensboro? That's about an hour to RTP, though. Hmm... Hillsborough? Is that far enough? I love their downtown area. It's neat. But... is it far enough from the family?

Charlotte485 · 02-15-2011, 12:39 PM

Charlotte seems like the fairly logical choice in my opinion. 4 hours or so from Raleigh.

- Moderate to Liberal city
- Big city feel

I don't know what else you are looking for or else I'd comment more on what Charlotte has to offer.

WestCoastDreamer · 02-15-2011, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GayCharlotteGuy

Charlotte seems like the fairly logical choice in my opinion. 4 hours or so from Raleigh.

- Moderate to Liberal city
- Big city feel

I don't know what else you are looking for or else I'd comment more on what Charlotte has to offer.

Thanks, GayCharlotteGuy. Charlotte has been on my radar for a while. The deal with it is, though, that I've heard people talk about how they like it because it's so similar to the Midwestern city I'm from, and I'm not terribly fond of my home city (whose name I won't mention). The problem is, I like hippies. I'm not really one myself, but I always feel like they are an indication of a progressive city. And from what I've read, hippiedom doesn't exist much in Charlotte.

Also, I'm not terribly fond of the South in general (no offense, I've been to most of the Southern states and just didn't much like them), so I'm not keen on living in some conservative-ish Southern, religiously-oriented city. I'm Northern in a lot of ways, one of which is I don't like people nosing into my business, and I don't want people telling me about their religion. I think I'd get depressed pretty fast if I was surrounded by one iota of that. Not sure if that describes Charlotte well because I haven't spent much time there, but that's my fear.

Thanks for taking the time to respond!

Charlotte485 · 02-15-2011, 01:27 PM

There is Hippiedom (I think) but it doesn't take over the feeling of the entire city of Charlotte.

NoDa comes to mind.

NoDa; Make Charlotte Weird

NoDa (neighborhood) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Pictures from Wikipedia page)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/S1AJ400.jpg (broken link)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2553/...94b93b3192.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_IMEB_L8Pjs4/SKM8QUxL2mI/AAAAAAAADIU/tHh4Ayd82DU/IMG_7236.JPG (broken link)
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_IMEB_L8Pjs4/SKM8QUxL2mI/AAAAAAAADIU/tHh4Ayd82DU/IMG_7236.JPG (broken link)

I don't know if that's what you consider hippy or what. It's not my scene at all.

If you don't mind the mountains, then I'd suggest Asheville, NC. I hear a lot of "arty" "hippy" people go there. I don't know if it's true or not or whatever. But I hear lots of things on the "hippy" "arty" "progressive-ness" scene in Asheville.

Francois · 02-15-2011, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WestCoastDreamer

Also, I'm not terribly fond of the South in general (no offense, I've been to most of the Southern states and just didn't much like them

If you don't like the South, then WHY are you moving to a Southern state??

Bringing a condescending attitude towards the natives of the area (actually that would be true of any area, anywhere) is not a good way to win friends and influence people. Remember, you're the outsider. Are you sure NC is where you should be?

Also, unrelated, you don't say what fields you work in as far as where would be good places to look for jobs. If you've already turned up your nose at Asheville, the Triangle, and Charlotte, your options are running out... Again I say, are you sure NC is the state you want?

Charlotte485 · 02-15-2011, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WestCoastDreamer

Also, I'm not terribly fond of the South in general (no offense, I've been to most of the Southern states and just didn't much like them), so I'm not keen on living in some conservative-ish Southern, religiously-oriented city. I'm Northern in a lot of ways, one of which is I don't like people nosing into my business, and I don't want people telling me about their religion. I think I'd get depressed pretty fast if I was surrounded by one iota of that. Not sure if that describes Charlotte well because I haven't spent much time there, but that's my fear.

Thanks for taking the time to respond!

It at all doesn't. Charlotte is not conservative. Nor is it religiously oriented. Nor is it southern feeling, from what I hear. Most people are transplants from the North.

Another District that comes to mind is Plaza Midwood for Hippy arty stuff.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/newre...ply&p=17880057

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...aMidwood98.jpg

Plaza Midwood seems to be pretty active everytime I drive around. I show pictures because I don't know how to describe that "scene."

Not a North Carolinian City, but I highly highly suggest Austin Texas if you're into that kind of scene, by the way.

WestCoastDreamer · 02-15-2011, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GayCharlotteGuy

It at all doesn't. Charlotte is not conservative. Nor is it religiously oriented. Nor is it southern feeling, from what I hear. Most people are transplants from the North.

Another District that comes to mind is Plaza Midwood for Hippy arty stuff.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/newre...ply&p=17880057

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...aMidwood98.jpg

Plaza Midwood seems to be pretty active everytime I drive around. I show pictures because I don't know how to describe that "scene."

Not a North Carolinian City, but I highly highly suggest Austin Texas if you're into that kind of scene, by the way.

GayCharlotteGuy, I appreciate all of the photos, and for taking time to respond yet again! Very helpful. Charlotte definitely seems OK, I have no hate for it or for North Carolina, I'm just not sure if it's for me. But I'm a visual person, so these photos help a lot.

I love Austin, Texas. Don't even get me started - it's the coolest! My partner is just not that into it, and it's a bit far from family. Trust me, if I was single, I'd be there in a canary's heartbeat.

WestCoastDreamer · 02-15-2011, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Francois

If you don't like the South, then WHY are you moving to a Southern state??

Bringing a condescending attitude towards the natives of the area (actually that would be true of any area, anywhere) is not a good way to win friends and influence people. Remember, you're the outsider. Are you sure NC is where you should be?

Also, unrelated, you don't say what fields you work in as far as where would be good places to look for jobs. If you've already turned up your nose at Asheville, the Triangle, and Charlotte, your options are running out... Again I say, are you sure NC is the state you want?

I hear you, Francois, and I certainly didn't mean to come off sounding condescending. I've been to NC many times to visit family, and it's a great place to visit. Just not sure (judging from stories my in-laws tell me about the Bible-belted-ness of it, etc.) that I'd fit in. Again, no offense intended, I'm sure there's plenty about the North lots of people don't like.

Charlotte485 · 02-15-2011, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WestCoastDreamer

GayCharlotteGuy, I appreciate all of the photos, and for taking time to respond yet again! Very helpful. Charlotte definitely seems OK, I have no hate for it or for North Carolina, I'm just not sure if it's for me. But I'm a visual person, so these photos help a lot.

I love Austin, Texas. Don't even get me started - it's the coolest! My partner is just not that into it, and it's a bit far from family. Trust me, if I was single, I'd be there in a canary's heartbeat.

Have you looked into Greenville, SC? I think you would be very pleasantly surprised. It's close to the NC/SC border. 1.5 hours or so away from Charlotte. I think you would really like Greenville if you looked into it and especially if you ever visited. Just my feeling.

Check out the Greenville Section.