GA or TN? (Knoxville, Johnson City, Kingsport: fit in, rentals, house)

[Southbound Jo]

My husband and I have decided to relocate to Georgia or Tennessee.

We live in the Hamptons on the east end of Long Island and are looking to escape, 1) tourists, 2) the ultra-wealthy and the attitudes that go with them, 3) the crowds. We are going to be 40 next year, have no kids, (but a black lab that's like one), and we really enjoy the outdoors - hunting, fishing, hiking, etc. We are planning to semi-retire - working maybe 20 hours a week each.

Our dream is to have a house on a lake with 2 or more acres.

Where do you think would be a good place to start? We've only just made this decision and are planning a scouting trip. Thanks for your help in advance!!

(P.S. I posted this on the Georgia sight, too.)

[alleycat]

Well, we have quite a few lakes here, both large and small -- some are remote and some are near cities. Places to hike and fish are relatively easy to find. Hunting is a little more difficult to arrange but is doable.

I'll throw out a few ideas just as a starter. The Center Hill Lake area (one drawback: it's becoming too popular), the Dale Hollow Lake area (more remote), the Kentucky Lake/Land Between the Lakes/Paris, TN area. Those are in Middle Tennessee. The mountain areas of East Tennessee might be something for you to consider as well. There's some beautiful vistas and mountain streams.

One think to keep in mind. Here, even if you live in one of the cities (or near one of them) or in one of the larger towns, it's not that far of a drive to get out into the country, to a state park, a lake, etc. You might even consider someplace like Hendersonville near Nashville which is on Old Hickory Lake; on the weekend take a drive out into the more rural countryside somewhere to hike or do whatever.

Good luck. You've find lots of folks here with lots of helpful (but varied) opinions.

Oh, and in Georgia there someplace called Big Canoe. My brother and sister-in-law who live in Atlanta bought a weekend place there. They love it. I don't think I would, but you might check it out.

[mbmouse]

Hello, Welcome to the TN forum. I will expound a bit on the great info alleycat already gave you in regards to North Eastern TN. There are 3 main lakes: Boone Lake, is nearest Johnson City and is out side the city limits (some of the lake) yet is close enough to "run into town", there are some folks of the same caliber as the Hampton's, or close to, and it is easy trips to hiking and hunting. Here is a link to more info on Boone Lake: Boone Lake Info.Com - Boone Lake Tennessee Information, vacation and Boone Lake relocation information
South Holston which is closer to Kingsport which you would have the same amenities as above but have more hiking opportunities closer as Kingsport has the "Greene Belt" here is the web site: Take a Virtual Stroll Down The Kingsport Greenbelt! here is a link to the lake info: South Holston Lake Tennessee Information - South Holston Lake Vacation and Relocation Information
There is also Watuga Lake which is rather rural. It would take a bit more of a drive to major city but very beautiful and one of the cleanest lakes and over 300 feet deep in places. There you have hiking, fishing and hunting right in your back yard basically.
Here is a link for that area:Watauga Lake Tennessee Information - Watauga Lake vacation Information, cabin rentals, lodging, vacation rentals, Marinas

If none of these fit what you are looking for then here is a link to all the TN lakes and info about each of them:Tennessee Lake Information -Tennessee Lake Vacation information rentals cabins
Hope that helps.

[Southbound Jo]

MBMouse - Thank you so much!!! I'll definitely check out those sites!

[middle ground]

Dear Jo,

Your question "GA or TN?" is common with the exact question I have been asking since I retired in 1999. I was raised in Macon, GA, worked for 30+ years in Tri-Cities (northeast), TN, and lived in Ocala, FL, as a retiree, returned to Macon, GA, as a retiree, and last month moved to Clayton, GA--still working on this retirement thing until I get it right!

No matter how careful my wife and I were in selecting a place to live (residence and city), there were always compromises to our ideal goal.
Then after we relocated, we discovered pros and cons that were not considered in the decision-making process, and some things we just got down-right wrong!

Because I lived in the two states that you and hubby are considering, I have insights and of course, biases. I also see things from my own perspectives and my interests. For instance, one of our hobbies was sailing; and although TN is land-locked, we much preferred sailing in TN lakes than in GA. Watuaga Lake was great for us. Yes, it is rural as the other post indicated, but the people of the Tri-Cities area are well-educated, friendly and welcoming. Someone coming in with a "better-than-thou" chip on shoulder will not fit in. I'm not saying you are like that, but you probably know neighbors in the Hamptons who are like that!

Another facet important to me is the climate. I have a medical condition where I cannot tolerate cold temperatures well. I cannot bear real cold weather and real hot weather--Tri-Cities was too cold and Macon was too hot. I have such a narrow range of temperature tolerance that I will not ever be satisfied--one of the compromises for me.

I wouldn't say that Tri-Cities is better than Nashville. Both have great lakes. One is small city, other is large city. I like small city better. Nashville has better employment opportunities; our son recently interviewed there.

My brother, an author, recently moved to Savannah, GA, and loves it! It is a great city on the coast with good beach-walking, historic sights, great restaurants, and lots of things to do. But it does not beat hiking the Appalachian Trail, which goes from north Georgia, through NE TN and on to Maine.

These are just a few factors among the limitless number of parameters that affect how happy one will be in a new locale.

I will be happy to contribute more, but list of topics is limitless. You seemed to have similar mindset to my own Jo, and I thought, hey maybe someone can benefit for my 50+ years of experiences.

Best wishes on moving!!!

[hiknapster]

Since "Jo" hasn't been on City Data in three years she probably won't benefit from your wisdom, but someone else might, I suppose.

Basically you said that it depends on the individual.

To me, Georgia is too hot and buggy. I can get milder weather in Knoxville. Georgia is a big state, though, so there is some fluctuations. A lower unemployment rate, better schools and much better tax implications also help.