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My wife, 7 year old daughter and I have always enjoyed living in small village type areas (e.g. Chestnut Hill (Philadelphia), Princeton, NJ, Ithaca, NY) were we can walk and drive only if we have to. In other words, an area where we can walk to a small grocery store, bakery, hardware store, dry cleaning, some shops and restaurants and perhaps even a park. Is Chapel Hill, Durham or another area a possibility? We don't mind the old homes and neighborhoods. As a matter of fact, we prefer it.
If we made the move, our daughter would attend the Emerson Waldorf school in Chapel Hill (New Jericho Rd, right of rt 40), which I am sure we'd have to drive to. Thanks in advance!
I think Chapel Hll, Carborro or Hillsborough would nicely fit the bill and all would be nice places to raise a family. While Durham has some great walkable neighborhoods, it is much more of a city than the previously mentioned.
Most of the places I would recommend would be in Chapel Hill (Southern Village, Meadowmont - both are newer communities) or Carrboro (old, eclectic, junky to some) , but if you're going to send your daughter to private school, there's no sense in paying the taxes for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. (It'd be like paying double tuition.)
Hillsborough, Carrboro - also Durham (Old West Durham/9th Street area). Do a search for Bull City Rising because his posts have a ton of Durham info, much on this subject. I don't know how close these areas are to that school though.
You'll definitely have to drive to Emerson Waldorf, there is a neighborhoods within a long walk (0.5-2 miles, heavily wooded neighborhood with houses on 1-2 acre lots, pretty spread out), but the closest grocery/dining/shopping would be about 3 miles away.
That said, Chapel Hill proper and Carrboro, while not "village living" per se, would allow you to get around town with minimal driving due to the bus system. Central carrboro sounds closest to what you are looking for with alot within walking distance (restaurants/shopping/grocery/parks/farmers market/library), and most people in that area do walk. Also, if you lived within a mile of the Franklin St/Elliot Rd intersection you could walk to the grocery and alot of dining/shopping (but in a strip mall...not a village square (although most living in that area don't walk).
Southern Village and Meadowmont are an acquired taste. To me they are Stepfordian. Others love them. Both would be about a 20 minute drive into Emerson Waldorf, completely on the opposite sides of town.
Downtown Hillsborough would be just slightly further away than Carrboro from Emerson Waldorf, and there is much more of a village main street there (hardware/dining/grocery), although I know little about the housing options within walking distance of it.
In other words, an area where we can walk to a small grocery store, bakery, hardware store, dry cleaning, some shops and restaurants and perhaps even a park.
You just described the best thing about Cary. There are several areas that provide this exact thing. Check it out. You will love it. We do.
You just described the best thing about Cary. There are several areas that provide this exact thing. Check it out. You will love it. We do.
Come on, Dude, we know you love Cary, but their child is going to go to school in Chapel Hill......that's quite a commute....
Chapel Hill's bus service is free, btw, no kidding!
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