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I don't think he's going to like Hillsborough. I was disappointed in my day visit this past summer. I think Chapel Hill/Carrboro is definitely more what the OP is looking for. And what isn't there on a daily basis, or what he gets bored with/needs a change of pace, he can find close enough close by in the other cities and towns. The biggest downside to the CH/Carrboro area is the dominance of UNC, but like I said...get sick of it? Take a break and go to another town.
Folks say that Hillsborough reminds them more of New England, fwiw. I think it's pretty darn Southern myself and may have more in common with Charleston than Newburyport, but while you are in the area I think it's worth a look. I also like to have a look at Google images when I'm going to visit somewhere and sometimes that gives me a decent idea what to expect. You get lots of real estate ads and homes for sale, but that helps fill in the picture too.
If you're open to other areas in NC, maybe New Bern??
I don't think he's going to like Hillsborough. I was disappointed in my day visit this past summer. I think Chapel Hill/Carrboro is definitely more what the OP is looking for. And what isn't there on a daily basis, or what he gets bored with/needs a change of pace, he can find close enough close by in the other cities and towns. The biggest downside to the CH/Carrboro area is the dominance of UNC, but like I said...get sick of it? Take a break and go to another town.
Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
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Newburyport sounds wonderful! If they didn't have winter, I'd be very tempted to move there! :-)
I agree that Chapel Hill/Carrboro or Hillsborough are probably your best bets around here to match what you are looking for. Hillsborough has the look of a quaint downtown similar to the myriad quaint downtowns of New England and the Mid-Atlantic, although may be less of a match for amenities that you want.
Carrboro's downtown is not as cohesive or pretty looking as Hillsborough, although it is functional and adjacent to Chapel Hill which seems to match the amenities that you want the most. Chapel Hill's downtown is dominated by the university presence which gives it a different feel than a town without a large college contained in it. And except for the downtown area, you will be driving most places (or taking the bus if that works) in Chapel Hill. So places like the natural pet store, Phydeaux and the bookstore, Flyleaf are places you'd most likely be driving to, since they are not in the heart of downtown which is dominated by restaurants, bars, and student-oriented stores.
The other difference I see is that all three towns in NC will have a much higher diversity level with regards to race. Citydata says that Newburyport is 95% white! The poverty rate and crime rate will also be higher here than what you find in a town like Newburyport. I'll be frank and say that the amount of poverty was quite jarring to me after even living in towns outside of DC that had a ton of racial and ethnic diversity but not much socioeconomic diversity. There are many more homeless/down on their luck people living in these towns.
Downtown Cary might be worth investigating, too. I'm not up on all the changes that are taking place there. Of course it is but a subsection of a much larger suburb of 100K+ population, so it will be a different vibe than a stand-alone small town.
Thanks for posting this- I have to admit that living on the south end of Chapel Hill right next to Carrboro has so far been a lot more fun for us than when we lived on the north side of CH.
I find Carboro the most crunchy/granola but personally think Pittsboro is way more artsy. I work in an arts facility in Cary and just know there's a fairly vibrant arts scene in Pittsboro.
I live in DT Cary and it's no where near the crunch level of the other towns mentioned here but I do think it's leaning and emerging that direction... Definitely a good arts scene, interesting people and an overall interest in more independent stores and restaurants.
no, you're describing "crunchy granola". And Chapel Hill/Carrboro comes closest to that. The "Old West" Durham post is also accurate ... it's much like Carrboro.
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