Looking for a walkable town in NC (Charlotte, Raleigh: transplants, chapel)

[MarilynK]

I am looking for a walkable town in North Carolina, friendly people, tennis, and outdoor activities, liberal, all ages....ideas? I've come up with Fearrington Village, Wake Forest, Asheville or Hendersonville.

[mm34b]

Hendersonville along with Henderson county is historically conservative. Statewide, 12% of the population is 65 or older. In Hendersonville, it's 31%.

[NCN]

Union County North Carolina

Waxhaw fits the description you stated. Tennis at Parkwood High School (There may be others, but that is where we played when we played.) Cane Creek Park is nearby and you can find information on Cane Creek on the website above. Five miles from the Queenscup Steeplechase. There are sidewalks and people walking all over this tourist town. This is the area where Andrew Jackson was born.

Waxhaw.com

[cooperwx]

North Asheville in particular would suit your wish list very well. Between I-240 and Beaverdam road near Merrimon Avenue. Parks, a library, grocery, coffee, quiet hilly streets, historic houses...

[RuralCoastalGuy]

Have you given any thought to Apex or Chapel Hill in The Triangle area?

[nyxmike]

Originally Posted by North Carolina Native

Union County North Carolina

Waxhaw fits the description you stated. Tennis at Parkwood High School (There may be others, but that is where we played when we played.) Cane Creek Park is nearby and you can find information on Cane Creek on the website above. Five miles from the Queenscup Steeplechase. There are sidewalks and people walking all over this tourist town. This is the area where Andrew Jackson was born.

Waxhaw.com

I live in "Waxhaw" (Well, technically it is Marvin) with my parents while I attend college. Waxhaw is liberal? I wish...

Look at Chapel Hill or Carrboro. If you are looking in the Charlotte Metro there are no liberal towns - you would have to move into an older part of Charlotte.

[stillma]

If you're looking for that "Leave it to Beaver" kind of town where kids ride their bikes through the neighborhoods, late night walks are common place and neighbors always wave "hello", you need to visit Tarboro. Our tennis courts are in the centrally located town common.
We have a huge 65 block historic district that surrounds our downtown, so walking to the coffee shop is easily done. Two blocks from the town square is our river park, a great place to walk the dogs, ride a bike, go fishing from the shoreline or launch a canoe.
The town is picture perfect, but has not yet been fully "discovered" by the retiring baby boomers so properties are still VERY affordable. There's a good mix of Tarboro "natives" and recent transplants and the town is very open to hearing new ideas on how to keep our town growing in a positive direction.
The downtown has businesses such as antique shops, funky collectibles, wine shop, jewelers, and ethnic restaurants.
Tarboro has a population of about 11,000 people, big enough to have all you need , yet small enough to be friendly. It is located about 1 hour east of Raleigh, about 30 minutes from Greenville, Rocky Mount or Wilson, convenient to major highways, just a 2 - 3 drive to the beach (depending on whether you're going due east or southeast).
We've been here for about 3 years and LOVE IT!!

[santos]

Stillma, this is exactly what I am looking for. Going to reference it right now.

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by cooperwx

North Asheville in particular would suit your wish list very well. Between I-240 and Beaverdam road near Merrimon Avenue. Parks, a library, grocery, coffee, quiet hilly streets, historic houses...

Don't think they were asking about a 3 mile long commercial strip that is also a major thoroughfare with sidewalks, which is what Merrimon Ave is. With the exception of the well hated Staples, everything is on the far side of the parking lot, and Staples presents only a brick wall to the sidewalk.

[jlat]

Originally Posted by North Carolina Native

Union County North Carolina

Waxhaw fits the description you stated. Tennis at Parkwood High School (There may be others, but that is where we played when we played.) Cane Creek Park is nearby and you can find information on Cane Creek on the website above. Five miles from the Queenscup Steeplechase. There are sidewalks and people walking all over this tourist town. This is the area where Andrew Jackson was born.

Waxhaw.com

Waxhaw, except for downtown isn't really "walkable". I don't think that it is very liberal either. Based on the OP requirements, I would look at someplace like Asheville. A vibrant downtown, with lots to do and a very liberal vibe in general.