Low Crime, Sunny part of North Carolina (Charlotte, Raleigh: living, restaurants)
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I'm planning to retire to NC within the next two years. I've been looking for a sunny area with low crime and so far have been unsuccessful. Over the last 17 years I've made many trips through NC traveling between work and family, mostly on the 95 corridor. I've noticed that on many occasions it was raining in and around Rocky Mount. I made so many trips that I eventually became habituated to stopping at the Smithfield exit going south and the Roanoke Rapids exit going north. It always seemed to me that Smithfield was sunnier and safer than the RR area.
I like both mountains and ocean so I would like to live somewhere in between. This would allow me to travel to each and enjoy a weekend or holiday in one or the other. From my limited experience it would seem something below Rocky Mount and west of I95 would be a better option. I remain open to alternatives because I just don't know enough about the areas beyond the I95 corridor.
I like both mountains and ocean so I would like to live somewhere in between ... I remain open to alternatives because I just don't know enough about the areas beyond the I95 corridor.
Get a map; then take a couple of weeks to explore the rest of NC.
But forewarned... the distance between the mountains and the beaches is formidable.
That 450 miles is certainly doable but not a drive that many will (or want to) do too often during the season.
Even from here in the Triad it's 300 very boring I-40 miles.
Actually there are beaches within 200 miles or so of the Triad--North Myrtle Beach is 200 miles from Greensboro, a little more from Winston-Salem. Pretty much anywhere in the middle area of the state offers relatively easy access to both the mountains and the beaches. If you draw a rough rectangle from the Triad to Charlotte, east to Southern Pines/Pinehurst, up to the Triangle and back over to the Triad, pretty much anywhere in this area you can find great places to live. You could choose a suburb, or a small town that's within an hour's drive of larger cities like Raleigh, Greensboro/Winston-Salem, or Charlotte.
About the rain, I think you may be a little off base. Rocky Mount is no more rainy than any other part of the state, as the climate here is rather homogenous with the exception of the mountains and extreme coastal areas which are affected by the geography. I wouldn't consider the weather as an issue to your choice, except that you'll get more snow in the mountains.
Arbyunc, I think you have captured my thinking with regard to the area of choice. You may be right about the weather but generally when I check the weather (sunny days) in towns on city-data, they tend to be consistent with my perception.
Within the area you outlined, do you have any places that you definitely would recommend as good or bad?
Within the area you outlined, do you have any places that you definitely would recommend as good or bad?
I have lived in the Triangle, Charlotte, and now the Triad. All are very nice, although each has its areas to avoid. I much prefer the Triad (I live just outside Winston-Salem), but that's my personal preference. Among the many reasons I like it better are:
--The climate is a bit cooler due to the slightly higher elevation. While it does get hot here, it usually cools off nicely in the evenings. Not so in Charlotte or Raleigh, where the heat often lingers well into the night.
--The hilly terrain is prettier IMO. I love the mountains, and we can get there in about an hour. Yet the beach is only 3 1/2 hours away when we want to go there.
--This area offers lots to do--arts, restaurants, shopping, history, etc.--yet the traffic is much more manageable than the Triangle or Charlotte.
But this is no slam against either Charlotte or Raleigh as they offer great living for those who prefer a larger city. There are some very nice suburbs you might consider if you don't want the city life. You could live on Lake Norman near Charlotte, or a smaller surrounding town like Waxhaw, Davidson, or Concord. Raleigh also has a number of surrounding towns that offer a slower pace while being close to the city amenities. You might also consider Burlington, Asheboro, Sanford, or Pittsboro, and if you're really into golf then Southern Pines/Pinehurst is a great choice.
I don't know where you'd get the idea that NC isn't sunny! Have you researched any hard data or just based it on a few visits?
Here is the City-Data page of all municipalities in NC over 6000. Every page has lots of info, including climate data as well as crime. Get out a map, find places you're interested in, and research them, not just on City-Data but on Wikipedia, the town's own web page, etc. The I-95 corridor that you are familiar with is probably one of the most boring parts of the state. Crime is very localized and it's not very accurate to speak of a whole city having "high crime" or "low crime" because every place has good an bad areas of town, This is not, of course, unique to NC--isn't this the case everywhere?
To be close to BOTH mountains and beach, VA may be better than NC, which is farther east-west. The Appalachians go SW-to-NE, so in Virginia, the mountains are farther east. Somewhere like Richmond is close to both.
Thanks everyone for your responses. I'll try to follow-up on all your suggestions.
Sorry, I didn't get back sooner. I was called away a little sooner than expected and couldn't get back.
Arbyunc, I tend to agree with you about the mountains/hills but my wife prefers the water and I have to admit, I sometimes like the sound of the waves and the sea breeze.
When I mentioned sunny, I didn't just mean not rainy, I meant not cloudy, overcast, partly cloudy or partly sunny. Some places have rain everyday but it is still very sunny. Sorry, if that wasn't clear.
Thanks again for your responses, maybe I'll post again after I've reviewed your suggestions.
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