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In my opinion, The Triangle and NC as a whole offers one of the best compromises of many things
in the country.
It offers a little bit of many things, and but specializes in none:
____________
1) Some Southern-ness
2) Some city-ness
3) Some small-town qualities
4) Some affordability
5) Some exposure to all 4 seasons of weather.
6) Some affordability compared to other areas across the country.
7) Short drives to Beaches and mountains.
8) an abundance of reputable higher education options mostly for in-state students...
9) All while living in one of the country's best-run states (politics not included)..
10) Natural beauty of one of the country's more attractive regions.
Check out Carrboro, the Zoo in Asheboro, Old Salem, NC's respectable aquariums, the 3 distinctly different coastal regions, Hell, even the destitute attempts at the arts in my rural hometown of Louisburg.
Their long, gray ponytails & ill-fitting drab attire worn as they paint bowls of fruit standing behind an easel, might match your definition of a gypsy, who knows?
I would be contemplating suicide daily if I had to live with the dreary and chilly conditions of even San Francisco.
Exposure to the sun really does activate some feel-good chemicals for me, and overcast conditions connote the very opposite for my optimism quotient.
I like this and lepoisson's responses.
For me I agree or align with the above except (2) although I am in that camp referred to earlier in this thread of not having seen as much as I should have, and, confess that I really don't know anything about the Durham DT vibe, which might be a welcome option to the limits of DT Raleigh, which is nice though something >=4x its size would be more to our liking. I knew that when we moved here. As posted elsewhere we like it here, don't love it, might eventually love it.
I would also argue the "short" in (7).
And to ucctgg who replied to my post here, my post was for the OP, who is the only one who can comment its fit for their situation.
lepoisson's was eye-opening, MO was a surprise, and TX a disappointment because, depending where they were there, it seems one of two most likely next moves, if any, for us.
So OP you are not entirely alone although to a greater degree than I.
Definitely check out Downtown Durham. It's fun. I like Durham a lot.
Short, as in possible for a day trip. I was hoping to do a day trip to the beach with my kids over Spring Break, but I think they've filled it up with other activities with friends. We might still possibly get down there, though.
ShadesofKray, what are your thoughts after reading this thread? Are you still feeling the tug of Seattle? It's a great city and I can see why you would want to be there.
Would it be beneficial to you to stay here for another year or two and see if you can save some more money to put it toward a place in Seattle?
Or would you rather move before your kiddo starts school?
Would it help for folks on City-Data to continue to suggest places to go and things to do here?
Wrightsville Beach can be reached in less than 2 hour via I-40 from Raleigh.
That is short to me, but I think that 2:45 minutes to Atlantic Beach is also short.
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Raleigh was always portrayed as the sophisticated city on the Andy Griffith Show.
I remember Barney ordering the soup of the day, "do jure".
Albeit on a small scale, I think Raleigh's NCSU campus, Cameron Village and downtown has an urban quality to it, especially compared to suburbia in other parts of the country like Orange County, CA.
I lived in Aliso Viejo in the 90's and the entire town looks like you're in one apartment complex, and the town center is a strip mall with a movie theater.
Raleigh is Gotham City compared to California's surburbia.
But really I should have said "some-city-amenities-ness"
I won’t claim to have coined it, but something similar to it passed through my mind on a July week I spent out there a few years ago.
San Fran has never been a hot place - it's attraction is its consistency from summer to winter. While my wife is shivering in Raleigh I am running along the Embarcardero in 60* weather wearing shorts .
That being said I do prefer more southern CA weather. But the poster brought up how they thought San Fran was dreary and sunless which is how it came up in the first place.
Hi folks - I feel very conflicted with my current situation and would much appreciate some guidance.
My husband and I and our young son moved here in January of last year from the East side of Seattle. We moved for a lower cost of living, we essentially were pushed out financially and my husband took a job offer here.
We both love our jobs but myself not much else. There are things I appreciate, but ultimately there's so much about the Pacific Northwest I miss. The weather (yes, even with the gray sky / drizzle trade off), the abundance of outdoor activities, more seasonal activities, the mountains, the water, the rocky beaches, ferrys, the overall culture....I could go on and on.
As for here I struggle with the landlock feel, the brown, the urban sprawl and the decrease in businesses / activities / services that come from living in such a largely populated area. Also, I HATE with a passion hot weather (anything over 80 really) which is much of the year here.
We have a plan to move back this summer but I'm having nagging doubts. I started off "hating" it here but things got easier 10+ months in, we settled into a routine and I generally realized my dislike is not specific to the area. I'd say this is the most preferable place for us on the east coast, and honestly much of the US. It's just Washington specifically that has so much unique to it that feels like home.
So with getting acclimated, where's the problem? We've paid down debt and have a plan that is a safe bet moving back. Both of us are in fields where work is plentiful there, my husband's advanced his career, and we are now in a position to buy a condo where we couldn't then. We would still not do as well as we can here on our salaries, but we could make it.
So there lies the debate.. I'm finally realizing how much "easier" it is here. Incomes stretching further, $300k gets you a house vs a condo there, less traffic, more plentiful childcare / after school options, a slower paced lifestyle. It feels "safer" financially.
Our son is set to start kindergarten and has a fantastic school lined up. That exists there as well. There are a lot of similar aspects to both places, but ultimately I know I'd love it there, it's just very expensive.
I'm normally not so torn on decisions, but I truly can't make this one with confidence. Any guidance or advice you can offer would mean a lot to me.
The South has been a difficult part of the USA for me. to get acclimated to, also. I moved from Miami, FL in the middle 80s. It took me 7 yrs to not hate everything about NC, and the best factors for me was the weather and no cockroaches. I met a good man, had a child, went back to college and worked weekends and made 2 great girlfriends. I find Southern women quite different in oh so many ways than ones I am used to (think Patricia on Bravo's Southern Charm as the norm). Now, 33 yrs have passed and the once quaint town I moved to is rapidly being transformed into Mini Chicago, Atlanta, NewYork with a cost of living so high I will not retire in it. Crime is up, traffic gridlock unmanagable in all directions and my 2 'besties' have already taken their familes to smaller cities in other states. I'm looking at retirement in Jax, FL as soon as my son graduates from UNCC next year. I love fishing in the ocean, walks on the beach, bridges, and warmer winters.
Follow your heart...life is too short to live where you aren't happy to open your eyes each & every morning. Your kids already pick up on your angst about liking where you are.
Gee I don’t know how old you are, that might influence my opinion on your situation...but at some point in our lives most of us have to accept that some ships have already sailed, and one has to focus on family, creating a real home, saving for kids education, saving for your own retirement, many unexpected things that happen in life. You said you were pushed out of Seattle financially, which is getting more and more expensive, and with your new plan to move back you would be able to “make it” (which sounds like you’d be cutting it close financially again). I really can understand your feelings because the west coast is very hard to give up, I’m being pushed out of SoCal myself because of the COL but I’m in a different phase of life than you are. Where do you think your careers would grow better, especially financially?
We lived here 28 years and what we miss the most is rail transit like we had in NYC.
With the poorly planned, unlighted roads and scanty bus service combined with the rotten aggressive drivers moving here, it has become very hard to get around.
If our children and grandsons weren't here, we'd try to find an affordable area with good public transit.
Even many Raleigh city streets have been gerrymandered into complex road systems that are difficult to navigate as you age.
I have to avoid many areas and intersections.
You need to consider all aspects before you decide to stay or leave.
We lived here 28 years and what we miss the most is rail transit like we had in NYC.
With the poorly planned, unlighted roads and scanty bus service combined with the rotten aggressive drivers moving here, it has become very hard to get around.
If our children and grandsons weren't here, we'd try to find an affordable area with good public transit.
Even many Raleigh city streets have been gerrymandered into complex road systems that are difficult to navigate as you age.
I have to avoid many areas and intersections.
You need to consider all aspects before you decide to stay or leave.
Funny enough, the only road here I actively avoid is Capital Blvd.
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