cookeville/crossville (Memphis, Jackson, Sparta: for sale, rent, hotel)

[tennesseedreamin]

What are the pros and cons of each? Which city has the best hospitals/doctors? No need of schools but low rent and beauty along with convenient locations of neighborhoods to town are needed. Thank you

[JMT]

Originally Posted by tennesseedreamin

What are the pros and cons of each? Which city has the best hospitals/doctors? No need of schools but low rent and beauty along with convenient locations of neighborhoods to town are needed. Thank you

Those are both nice places, and I'm sure you'll get a variety of responses.

Cookeville is the larger town, about 3 times the size of Crossville. Both are growing fairly quickly. Crossville is more popular as a retirement area and has more golf courses. Cookeville is more popular with families and has a ton more restaurants and shopping.

Cookeville is also a lot closer to the Nashville airport which has the cheapest air fares in the state (thanks to Southwest Airlines).

Crossville is up on the plateau and has slightly cooler, dryer weather in the summer and slightly colder, more snowy winters.

If you want to live right in town within walking distance of restaurants and stuff, Cookeville has more of that than Crossville.

If you want to live on a golf course and rub shoulders with a bunch of other retirees, Crossville has more of that than Cookeville.

The Cookeville hospital is larger than Crossville's and has a much larger heart center. But Crossville's hospital is quite large for a small town.

Crossville has the Cumberland County Playhouse, Tennessee's largest playhouse with plays and musicals going on all the time. It really is impressive.

Cookeville has 2 symphonies (a university symphony and a community symphony) and has more art galleries, concerts, book signings, lectures, things like that. It also has NCAA sports because of the university.

Cookeville is also closer to large lakes and some beautiful waterfalls, although Crossville has a beautiful state park (Cumberland Mountain) right outside the city.

Those are my impressions. I personally prefer Cookeville, but then again I tend to prefer towns with universities.

[Tinman313]

Not knowing your age... but I some what like Crossville a little more. But just down the road 25-30 miles is Cookeville.

http://www.cmchealthcare.org/

Welcome to Cookeville Regional Medical Center — Growing for you.

[JoeCartpath]

I'll be there tomorrow! My wife and I think we might like to move to that area (from Memphis), so we're going to spend 3 or 4 days in the area to get a feel for it. We're staying in Cookeville, but I've got a whole folder full of homes for sale from Cookeville to Sparta to Crossville in different price ranges. We'll also visit Burgess Falls, several quilt shops (her hobby), the one stained glass shop in Cookeville (my hobby) - and are really looking forward to lunch in Muddy Pond on Friday!

We're really looking forward to the visit. I just wish the weather was cooler here so we'd be willing to take the MGB instead of the Subaru...it would be a LOT of fun in those hills!

[JMT]

Originally Posted by JoeCartpath

I'll be there tomorrow! My wife and I think we might like to move to that area (from Memphis), so we're going to spend 3 or 4 days in the area to get a feel for it. We're staying in Cookeville, but I've got a whole folder full of homes for sale from Cookeville to Sparta to Crossville in different price ranges. We'll also visit Burgess Falls, several quilt shops (her hobby), the one stained glass shop in Cookeville (my hobby) - and are really looking forward to lunch in Muddy Pond on Friday!

We're really looking forward to the visit. I just wish the weather was cooler here so we'd be willing to take the MGB instead of the Subaru...it would be a LOT of fun in those hills!

Lunch at Muddy Pond? I'm so jealous!!!

Do you need some recommendations on other places in that area where you should eat?

You're right that the MGB would be a heck of a lot more fun on those hills. But I drive a Subaru, too, and it's pretty fun as well. And even though the daytime temp will be almost as hot as Memphis, you'll probably notice that at night it'll cool down more than in Memphis.

Have a wonderful trip!

[JoeCartpath]

I'd love to have recommendations of local restaurants in and around Cookeville. We don't want to eat at the same chains that are available everywhere...we want to sample what the locals have to offer. Even in Memphis, we try to avoid the national chains as much as possible and support the local restaurants.

Any suggestions on night life for Saturday night would be welcome too. I imagine the clubs are pretty much for the college age crowd but, if there's a place a couple of young at heart 50 somethings would enjoy, let me know!

Thanks in advance....

[JMT]

Originally Posted by JoeCartpath

I'd love to have recommendations of local restaurants in and around Cookeville. We don't want to eat at the same chains that are available everywhere...we want to sample what the locals have to offer. Even in Memphis, we try to avoid the national chains as much as possible and support the local restaurants.

Any suggestions on night life for Saturday night would be welcome too. I imagine the clubs are pretty much for the college age crowd but, if there's a place a couple of young at heart 50 somethings would enjoy, let me know!

Thanks in advance....

Coming from Memphis, you may think our bbq in this part of the state is inferior. But you might like it, too. With that in mind, here are some places around Cookeville I like:

Bobby Q's - 1070 North Washington Ave. It was written up in Family Circle magazine for its bbq, but particularly for its banana pudding.

Chattahoochee BBQ - 652 West Main Street, Algood (about 20 feet from Cookeville)

Dipsy Doodle - 1442 West Broad Street (US Hwy 70N). Meat & three diner with great burgers and amazing breakfasts (biscuits and chocolate gravy!)

Spankie's - 203 East 9th Street, adjacent to the university. But it's not a college hang-out. Excellent casual food.

Gondola House - South Jefferson Ave just south of I-40. Greek and Italian food. It's been a Cookeville institution for probably 40 years.

Christy's Cafe - Interstate Drive next to Fixtur-World cabinet store. It's like a local version of Panera.

Jackson Street Grill - 780 West Jackson next to Kohl's. Higher end casual fare known for its beer selection.

Beethoven Bistro - 2240 West Broad Street (US Hwy 70N). Amazing German and French food. They never advertise but the place is always packed. People drive in from Nashville. But I believe the elderly owner (a big jolly Austrian) has been of poor health lately so you might want to check to see if it's open before you head out there.

Maddux Station - in the old Maddux Hardware building on the Courthouse Square. I've heard it's excellent. High-end with an impressive bar, I've been told.

In downtown Cookeville around the Depot are a bunch of great, independent restaurants. Here's a run-down:

• Taiko - sushi and noodlery
• Cafe Trio - great sandwiches and desserts
• Thomas Andrews - high end Southern food
• Mauricio's - excellent Italian food in an old Victorian mansion
• Crawdaddy's - Cajun food, very nice outdoor patio (the patio reminds me of Cafe Ole in Memphis)
• Soup Kitchen - soups and sandwiches, I think it's open at lunch only
• Intrepid Traveler - coffee shop run by a retired couple from Montreal, great wraps, muffins, Belgian chocolates
• Ralph's Donuts - the best doughnuts on the planet, I swear.
• I've heard there's a new cafe that's opened next to the chamber of commerce (one block north of the Depot) but I haven't tried it yet.

[JoeCartpath]

Awesome! Thank you!!

We'll only be there Thursday afternoon thru Sunday morning so we probably can hit them all....but I'll do my best!

That's a great selection of different types of restaurants...

Biscuits and chocolate gravy!!!!!! I guess we'll skip the free breakfast at the hotel at least one morning!

[Tinman313]

I'll trade you on the "heat" it was 103 heat index on the east coast of FL today.....
Cookeville is a like a buffet bar of restaurants....... I here that BBQ place in Algood is super.....

[Bones]

Joe, the temperature is suppose to drop here for next several days.....

Originally Posted by JoeCartpath

I'll be there tomorrow! My wife and I think we might like to move to that area (from Memphis), so we're going to spend 3 or 4 days in the area to get a feel for it. We're staying in Cookeville, but I've got a whole folder full of homes for sale from Cookeville to Sparta to Crossville in different price ranges. We'll also visit Burgess Falls, several quilt shops (her hobby), the one stained glass shop in Cookeville (my hobby) - and are really looking forward to lunch in Muddy Pond on Friday!

We're really looking forward to the visit. I just wish the weather was cooler here so we'd be willing to take the MGB instead of the Subaru...it would be a LOT of fun in those hills!