Moving to Fayetteville, NC within the next 3-4 months (Charlotte: condo, motels)

[gentlearts]

OK, all I can tell you is my Ohio impression of Fay.
My DIL was raised there in the upper eschelon, the "satin pillow", of the town. If you have big bucks, it doesn't matter where you live. If you are not in that upper eschelon, then Fayetteville is a sea of tattoo parlors, used car dealers, and pawn shops.
My son lives there and he is married to a Fayetteville girl. They live in a very nice neighborhood, but they found it because she's a NC debutante, and knows everyone else in the upper crust in town.

[eek]

its not that i have any expectations at all...i'm pretty open minded.

but you have got to be from a smaller town (raeford, sanford, lumberton, etc.) to appreciate fayetteville. have to be. there is no way somebody from anything larger than raleigh or greensboro could say that fayetteville is the place to be.

there is nothing there. nothing.

cross creek mall is one story and full of stores for teenage girls. most of the youth go to walmart, the mall or the movies to have fun...until the night hours where they go to the club.

there is a lot of youth there because of the military and the colleges and high schools.

the crime rate is high.

downtown is complete garbage. its disgusting at night (the roach problem is INSANE) and during the day there isn't anything to do anyway.

all you can do in fayetteville is eat (fayetteville has many restaurants), go ONE mall (there's only one mall), the movies and walmart. wow.

unless you are military or trying to go to college for a low price, stay away.

even if you are a debutante, what is the point? you're a debutante of fayetteville. congrats.

[faabala]

Here is a short incomplete list of things to do besides eat.....

Airborne and Special Ops Museum
The Art Center
Fayetteville Museum of Art
Museum of the Cape Fear
82nd Airborne Division Museum
Fascinate-U Children's Museum
Cape Fear Botanical Garden
Fayetteville Symphony
Swamp Dogs Baseball
Fayetteville Guard Arena football
Fire Ants Hockey Team
Cumberland County Parks and Recreation sports programs and classes for youth and adults
Concerts at The Crown Center
Fayetteville State University Theater Program
Gilbert Theater on Bow Street
Methodist College Monarch Theater
Fayetteville Area Transportation Museum
Fayetteville State University Planetarium
Many many Golf Courses
Plus a couple of miniature golf courses
Several movie theaters with a new 14 screen facility being built
Fishing in the many lakes and the Cape Fear river
There is an active old/classic car scene with Fri and Sat night cruise-ins
Lots and lots of activities for motorcycle riders (something most every weekend)
Firing ranges for competitive rifle and pistol shooters
Rockfish Bowhunter Archery club (indoor and outdoor Archery leagues)
Fayetteville Motor Sports Park (dragstrip)
Downtown events like Fayetteville after five, Glory Days, Parades, International Folk Festival, concerts in Festival park
Every civic organization you could thing of, Elks, Moose, Masons, American Legion, VFW, Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry, and more
The annual Greek festival
The Sandhills Sankofa Festival
Cumberland County Fair
The Dogwood Festival

Sorry, eek.

Fayetteville sure is not perfect but there are worse places to live. It is only boring if you want to make boring. I chose to move back here after I retired. I could have gone about anywhere. I'm not a big city guy and could not stand to live in one. For me there is enough to keep me busy in Fayetteville area.

[LRoyal10900]

Don't forget the Soccer Complex behind Methodist University
Clark Park
Rowan Park
Skating rinks
Bowling alleys

[MarshainLA]

I went on to Ft Bragg for the day and yes I went on to see where my better half busts his hump every day lol but even if I didnt know anyone based there it was a very fun place to be. The museums and various other activities, and learning about those who risk their lives every day for us is something to see and experience and is a good day to spend

[al_roethlisberger]

I've lived in Pittsburgh, PA; Houston, TX; Dallas, TX, Orlando, FL; Tampa, FL; Cary, NC; and San Jose, CA.... none of which are small towns, and we are quite happy in Sanford. I've also lived in a host of smaller towns.

It is all perspective, and one's goals and ambition that makes all the difference. If one moves somewhere and expects that place to fulfill their needs, versus making a concerted effort to do so oneself, the likelihood for disappointment is high. Instead of complaining, make an effort to improve the place and one's life. Even in a particularly "challenged" location, there is probably loads of opportunity to make a difference.

Al

[Gerania]

faab, you forgot the film!


YouTube - Fayetteville WOW!

Originally Posted by faabala

Here is a short incomplete list of things to do besides eat.....

Airborne and Special Ops Museum
The Art Center
Fayetteville Museum of Art
Museum of the Cape Fear
82nd Airborne Division Museum
Fascinate-U Children's Museum
Cape Fear Botanical Garden
Fayetteville Symphony
Swamp Dogs Baseball
Fayetteville Guard Arena football
Fire Ants Hockey Team
Cumberland County Parks and Recreation sports programs and classes for youth and adults
Concerts at The Crown Center
Fayetteville State University Theater Program
Gilbert Theater on Bow Street
Methodist College Monarch Theater
Fayetteville Area Transportation Museum
Fayetteville State University Planetarium
Many many Golf Courses
Plus a couple of miniature golf courses
Several movie theaters with a new 14 screen facility being built
Fishing in the many lakes and the Cape Fear river
There is an active old/classic car scene with Fri and Sat night cruise-ins
Lots and lots of activities for motorcycle riders (something most every weekend)
Firing ranges for competitive rifle and pistol shooters
Rockfish Bowhunter Archery club (indoor and outdoor Archery leagues)
Fayetteville Motor Sports Park (dragstrip)
Downtown events like Fayetteville after five, Glory Days, Parades, International Folk Festival, concerts in Festival park
Every civic organization you could thing of, Elks, Moose, Masons, American Legion, VFW, Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry, and more
The annual Greek festival
The Sandhills Sankofa Festival
Cumberland County Fair
The Dogwood Festival

Sorry, eek.

Fayetteville sure is not perfect but there are worse places to live. It is only boring if you want to make boring. I chose to move back here after I retired. I could have gone about anywhere. I'm not a big city guy and could not stand to live in one. For me there is enough to keep me busy in Fayetteville area.

[eek]

fayetteville <<
there is nothing there. that list posted above is hollow. i doubt you do more than two things on that list. i doubt anyone living in fayetteville now has done everything on that list.
everyone i know in fayetteville wants to get out.

the only ppl that want to stay are former military that bought houses there because they get stationed there so much. or because they get deployed to korea or iraq or afghanistan or germany and have a wife and children that want to stay behind (or have to, depending on the country).

most ppl in fayetteville are military, former military, military families or ppl from surrounding towns like raeford or sanford.

you want to live an hour away but not in a big city? raleigh is your answer. at least when you want to shop and have fun you don't have to drive an hour and a half.
find something in raleigh or on the outskirts of raleigh if you think raleigh is "big."

you're still close to your fam in fayetteville if you choose raleigh.

there is no way i would suggest moving to fayetteville, though. ever. you don't want to be 48 making 22,000 a year.

sorry, faabala.

[LRoyal10900]

My husband is 37 and makes $52K a year. And he works in Fayetteville. "Most" people in Fayetteville are NOT military and are not trying to get out. Don't speak for "most" of us.

[eek]

reread the sentence. i said:

Originally Posted by eek

most ppl in fayetteville are military, former military, military families or ppl from surrounding towns like raeford or sanford.

and your husband is lucky. most of the ppl that i know that live there aren't making anything. most of the youth are just sitting around looking for jobs and have been for the past couple of years...most are trying to get into the military or have because there is no other way out. etc. etc.
most have parents that were in the military at one point. etc. etc.

you can't sit there and act like a lot of ppl in fayetteville have nothing to do with the military and got there because of the army. fort bragg is right there.

fayetteville from a 20 something year old's perspective is full of 6-8 dollar an hour jobs, high crime and nothing to do. raleigh or the outskirts is a far better option for the OP.