Carrboro/Chapel Hill Neighborhood Info Needed (Raleigh, Greensboro: for rent, houses, neighborhoods)

[CamperVan]

Hi all,

We are visting the Raleigh area this weekend and I am looking for advice on Chapel Hill/Carrboro neighborhoods. I'm specifically looking for neighborhoods with LOTS of kids (I have a 7 year old boy) and good schools.

We looked at neighborhoods around the Triangle (mainly Cary and Raleigh) a couple of years ago, but we didn't discover the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area until the end of our stay. We really loved the feel of Carborro... Weaver Market was so nice and we saw tons of bike riders everywhere, which we find very appealing. Carrboro seemed to have a laid back atmosphere that we like. However, most of the homes we saw were older, and in my experience that usually means not many kids. It seems that young families tend toward the newer builds. Perhaps Carborro is an exception? Also, as Chapel Hill is right next to Carrboro and we've read lots of good things about their school system, we're hoping we might find some nice neighborhoods there.

In addition to scouting out neighborhoods, we want to do some fun things with our son - thanks to a couple other posts on this forum we plan to visit the American Tobacco Trail, several children's museums, Pullen Park, and Adventure Landing. We were hoping to go to the New Hope Valley Railway for our 7-year old train freak, but unfortunately that appears to be open only on the first Sunday of each month. If there's anything else (fairs maybe?) going on we'd love to know.

Also, any restaurant recommendations would be much appreciated. Somewhere that doesn't mind kids, but is not a chain. We've been to and loved Elmo's. We've also liked David's? (an Italian place) in Apex. Anything that has a good vegetarian selection would be great, though we aren't strict vegetarians. We like Mexican, Indian, Thai, etc. And of course, a good pizza place is always invaluable. Thanks for any info!

[MrsSteel]

Since you're going to be checking out Carrboro, you should definitely head up to Maple View Farms. You may have noticed their small store across the street from Weaver Street Market. They also have a country store just north of there on the same land where they raise their cows. Eat an ice cream cone while sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch. Good times.
Welcome to Maple View Farm **Warning! This page moos at you, so turn down the volume on your speakers **

[omamia]

We're in that area and were in the same boat about a year ago. I got so much help from this board, thought I would pay it forward.

Quarterpath Trace off of N.Greensboro St. is chock full of kids and is a beautiful neighborhood. That area isn't brand new and is well established. Houses were built in the early 90s. It connets with Bolin Forest where the construction is a little better and also Fair Oaks which is quite nice.

Lake Hogan Farms is a little further north and is FULL of kids! It's got an awesome pool and is fab. Much newer construction and a lake and trails. Super close to 40 and downtown CH.

Amantes pizza is seriously the best in town. Yum!

We like to go to Tyler's Taproom with our son. The food is super yummy.

As for activities, I would check out the Museum of Life and Science in Durham. It's really great and you can ride the train all weekend. Morehead Planetarium is pretty cool too.

Hope that helps on the CH info!

[CamperVan]

Thanks Omamia for all the great info. We will definitely check out those neighborhoods. We'll also go to the Life and Science Museum and ride the train. My son will be thrilled.

I really appreciate you "paying it forward." I hope I get the chance to do the same a year from now!

Also, MrsSteel, I went to the Maple View Farms website. Very cute. Fresh icecream on the front porch sounds worth a visit too!

[geoff2v]

Most areas in Chapel Hill have good schools. As far as places with lots of kids, it's hard to say. Your best bet is to scope things out on a weekend by driving through or hanging out in a particular neighborhood. If you live someplace with decent bus service, then your boy (when he gets a bit older, of course) can go visit friends around the city without him needing to drive or you needing to chauffeur him everywhere -- almost like living in a real city!

Amante's pizza is good. I looked at a house in Lake Hogan Farms, and it was nice if you like the classic American suburban lifestyle.

[CamperVan]

Well, classic American suburban lifestyle was not our first choice in the past, but we've found that the neighborhoods we naturally gravitate toward do not tend to have a whole lot of kids in them. It seems that there is an inverse relationship between kids and trees. The more trees in the neighborhood, the fewer kids. At least that's been our experience. Since having a kid we've had to adjust our priorities. Lots of little buddies are especially important when you're an only child. So with this move, our top priority in a neighborhood is kids, kids, kids. And good schools. We will check out Lake Hogan Farms. Thanks for the tip! The bus service idea is helpful too.

[omamia]

Geoff,

I used to snort at the Lake Hogan Farms thing too pre-kids. I grew up in a horrible suburb of Dallas as a teenager and swore that I would never go back.

But as they say, having a baby changes everything. I can see why people may scoff at it. My old indie-rocker self still does sometimes. But having sidewalks, tons of kids, trails and open playing fields trumps my old needs to be cool and renovate an old home into an atomic ranch. Maybe someday when my needs change and I have the time for old home quirks and renovations, I'll go that route but right now having a place that requires little upkeep, has lots of space for kiddos and 6 three year olds on the same block rocks.

Besides, my old suburban hell didnt' have all of the trails, lakes etc. Chapel Hill has some lovely suburbs even for those of us for whom suburb used to be a dirty word.

[geoff2v]

Originally Posted by omamia

Geoff,

I used to snort at the Lake Hogan Farms thing too pre-kids. I grew up in a horrible suburb of Dallas as a teenager and swore that I would never go back.

But as they say, having a baby changes everything. I can see why people may scoff at it. My old indie-rocker self still does sometimes. But having sidewalks, tons of kids, trails and open playing fields trumps my old needs to be cool and renovate an old home into an atomic ranch. Maybe someday when my needs change and I have the time for old home quirks and renovations, I'll go that route but right now having a place that requires little upkeep, has lots of space for kiddos and 6 three year olds on the same block rocks.

Besides, my old suburban hell didnt' have all of the trails, lakes etc. Chapel Hill has some lovely suburbs even for those of us for whom suburb used to be a dirty word.

I have three kids. All those things are nice (especially sidewalks -- why do they still build places without sidewalks!!!!), and I live in a place with some of those characteristics, but I don't subscribe to the theory (not espoused by you, of course, just sayin') that kids need to live in a place with a backyard and lots of other kids and with whom they can play in the street and swim in the neighborhood pool to grow up healthy and happy. If it were solely my choice, all else being equal I'd like to raise my kids in New York City or San Francisco or some other large American city, but that's not in the cards for now.

[omamia]

Yeah, I know I'd love SF or Brooklyn. But I have friends raising little ones in both and da*n it's hard. Kids obvs don't need green lawns but it is awfully nice. Our culture is way too focused on raising perfect little bots but honestly, I love having all those amenities because it makes life easier for me, not that it makes my kiddo the best most perfect all-around boy in the world! Also, i have such fond memories from my own childhood running/biking around college towns (pre Dallas) that I want to give it to my little guy.

[Dahlya]

Check their website at SouthernVillage.com there are several apts and homes for rent and sale.
They have outdoor movies, and a large movie theater, great places to eat and if you like Natural and great foods, there is a brazilian place called Jaluka, with the REAL Acai, apparently it is frozen and imported.
There is a gym, stores, ice cream parlor and the atmosphere is friendly, plus there is a lot of cool stuff there. Check it out.