Exploring Eastern TN (Knoxville, Johnson City, Kingsport: real estate, crime, hotels)

[flynavy89]

Hello all. Well - I believe I have found just the place to get lots of feedback and honest opinions on what folks like or dislike about TN! My husband and I are considering a move in the next couple years, so I'm starting to explore the options. We currently live in VT and although I love it up here, hubby isn't so wild about it...too much snow...hunting isn't great etc etc. I've told my husband...don't care if we move - but I'm not living where it's flat...and not living where it's 100 degrees 100% humidity all summer. (Although our last couple summers have definitely been humid!) A co-worker of mine just moved to VT from TN and he said the Smoky Mountains are not unlike where we live now, so I'm thinking the extreme Eastern part of the state is probably a good place to start. We're headed down there this fall to take a look at things, but I was hoping to hear some recommendations on places to stay that we could sort of "base" out of to spend some time looking around. Thanks for any feedback or info you may have!

[SPLIT]

Hello Navy: Spend lots of time at Killington and SugarBush and Mt Stowe up by Burlington. Sounds like just inside the N.C. border up and down the rt #411 and 321 corridor may be your fancy. East of Greeneville was quite nice during our trip.
Maybe our foliage color is two weeks later than your state, end of Oct.?

[mbmouse]

Hello FlyNavy89, welcome to City-Data!
I am originally from CT and have spend some time in VT so I think I know what you are asking and where you are coming form. Yes, VT and North East TN aren't much different in topography except our roads are wider LOL! I don't know what part of VT you are coming from? I am familiar with Jaffrey and yup, I have climbed Mount Madnondock. Here in the Smokie Mountain area, there are similarities to the White Mountains but we do have more open land at our foothills ( North East TN) which I personally prefer because during day to day(working ) life, you have nice long range views of both the Smokie and and Clinch Mountains. I will post some of my mountain pictures to give you an idea but tell us more of what you are looking for in a new home town? Topography and weather (some snow but not near as much as VT and it is only very hot a few weeks in winter, but never as much humidity as 100%!! hahahha) Other than that, if you tell us more about what you are looking for we could help you out more. There are great folks on this forum that love talking about the areas of TN they love.
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The next few are in the Smokie Mt.National Park.

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[flynavy89]

Thanks for the photos - incredibly beautiful, and yes - very reminiscent of the White Mountains. I love it over there even more than in the area that I live in. I'm looking forward to showing them to my husband.

We live in West Newbury (or South Ryegate - depending on whether you go by 911 address or school district.) It's close to the Eastern border of the state - about 2/3's of the way north just off of I91. We work in White River Junction at the VA hospital - so we'll likely be looking to transfer to similar jobs down that way. I've been told the Asheville area is nice - but property anywhere close is pretty expensive. I'd rather not live an hour from work again - so we'll have to see how the logistics of all of that will pan out. Hubby said some snow is OK - but he doesn't want to deal with not being able to see the ground between December and the end of April any more. I love being outdoors as well, but not when it's so completely hot and oppressive that I'm miserable. We have a son in SC and my brother-in-law lives in GA, and both say the summers are miserably hot and humid. So NC or TN is about as far south as I'm willing to go. We're actually both originally from PA in the Susquehanna Valley. Hubby spent 20 years in the Navy and lived in CT as well, so he'll likely be interested to hear where you hailed from there.

So - in a nutshell - must have mountains, some snow OK, but shortlived and infrequent; we both hunt, fish, hike etc - so prefer rural areas. I'd like a decent grocery store within 15 minute drive - but I guess that's just me. Don't mind hot days during the summer - but don't want to spend the entire summer inside because I need gills to breath if I go out.

We plan on heading down that way around the second week of October. It's a dual purpose trip in that we'll also be checking out colleges for my daughter, but I'm hoping to spend as much time as possible in the Eastern part of TN. I was looking around Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge to stay. I saw some posts that say Gatlinburg is pretty "touristy" though, and I'd like to get a better feel for the local life. Maybe further northeast toward Newport or Dandridge?

Thanks for your reply!

[daniellefort]

Originally Posted by flynavy89

Thanks for the photos - incredibly beautiful, and yes - very reminiscent of the White Mountains. I love it over there even more than in the area that I live in. I'm looking forward to showing them to my husband.

We live in West Newbury (or South Ryegate - depending on whether you go by 911 address or school district.) It's close to the Eastern border of the state - about 2/3's of the way north just off of I91. We work in White River Junction at the VA hospital - so we'll likely be looking to transfer to similar jobs down that way. I've been told the Asheville area is nice - but property anywhere close is pretty expensive. I'd rather not live an hour from work again - so we'll have to see how the logistics of all of that will pan out. Hubby said some snow is OK - but he doesn't want to deal with not being able to see the ground between December and the end of April any more. I love being outdoors as well, but not when it's so completely hot and oppressive that I'm miserable. We have a son in SC and my brother-in-law lives in GA, and both say the summers are miserably hot and humid. So NC or TN is about as far south as I'm willing to go. We're actually both originally from PA in the Susquehanna Valley. Hubby spent 20 years in the Navy and lived in CT as well, so he'll likely be interested to hear where you hailed from there.

So - in a nutshell - must have mountains, some snow OK, but shortlived and infrequent; we both hunt, fish, hike etc - so prefer rural areas. I'd like a decent grocery store within 15 minute drive - but I guess that's just me. Don't mind hot days during the summer - but don't want to spend the entire summer inside because I need gills to breath if I go out.

We plan on heading down that way around the second week of October. It's a dual purpose trip in that we'll also be checking out colleges for my daughter, but I'm hoping to spend as much time as possible in the Eastern part of TN. I was looking around Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge to stay. I saw some posts that say Gatlinburg is pretty "touristy" though, and I'd like to get a better feel for the local life. Maybe further northeast toward Newport or Dandridge?

Thanks for your reply!

Hi there. i just bought land in eastern TN. born and raised in the white mountains of N.H. small town called Berlin. Been in FL 13 years and looking to get back to the mountains and 4 seasons. I have to say, eastern TN does remind me of N.H. in many ways and it was just too cold to move back to N.H. though all my family is still there. i think you'll feel just like at home anywhere in Eastern TN at least the scenic and surroundings of it. I know VT doesn't have much either other than farming, cows and more cows so traveling is probably something your used to anyways. there's a lot of places in eastern TN where you have to drive a ways to get to anything but it's not far out of the city before you get into the country open fields so it's probably not as bad as VT.

[jguillot]

Originally Posted by mbmouse

Hello FlyNavy89, welcome to City-Data!
I am originally from CT and have spend some time in VT so I think I know what you are asking and where you are coming form. Yes, VT and North East TN aren't much different in topography except our roads are wider LOL! I don't know what part of VT you are coming from? I am familiar with Jaffrey and yup, I have climbed Mount Madnondock. Here in the Smokie Mountain area, there are similarities to the White Mountains but we do have more open land at our foothills ( North East TN) which I personally prefer because during day to day(working ) life, you have nice long range views of both the Smokie and and Clinch Mountains. I will post some of my mountain pictures to give you an idea but tell us more of what you are looking for in a new home town? Topography and weather (some snow but not near as much as VT and it is only very hot a few weeks in winter, but never as much humidity as 100%!! hahahha) Other than that, if you tell us more about what you are looking for we could help you out more. There are great folks on this forum that love talking about the areas of TN they love.
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The next few are in the Smokie Mt.National Park.

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Hi mbmouse,

Great pictures! Thanks for sharing. Were all of the pictures taken in Northeast Tennessee? You have a beautiful state. Hopefully it will by my state as well in about 7 years.

[mbmouse]

Hello, yes all those pictures were taken between Knoxville and Tri-Cities area and a few over the TN/NC boarder.
I am sorry flynavy, I lied to you (really I just had a brain fart when I was typing heheheh) Jaffery is in N.H. you were looking for comparisons to VT. Yes, I have gone on several trips to VT too, just not very far north in the state.
I would suggest you look at the Tri-Cities area (mainly because that is where I love. ) I think you will see the similarities to New England states there. The biggest difference is that in New England you feel like you are driving in the woods a lot, not many long range views while traveling. Here the land rolls about the same way but more long range, open views but not flat.
There are many areas that are only a mile or so off the main highways and bi ways but feel very rural.

[alicenevada]

We love Johnson City. I know it's been in the 'top 100 places to live' countdown for several years running. Lots of gorgeous rural areas outside the metro area.

[flynavy89]

Thanks for the feedback and photos! I've been on the ****** website and Johnson City/Kingsport area did show up on my results. There were some in Central and Western KY and TN as well, but I am hoping to stay east further. I'll try to concentrate on that area to spend some time looking at real estate etc.

I had considered NC at one point, but I've heard from a couple different sources that the locals are not at all accepting of outsiders moving in and in fact, are known to run people out if they can. (There is prejudice up here, but honestly - I haven't met a Vermonter yet who isn't willing to help other people if they're in a bind, regardless of whether they're "flatlanders" or not.) Although I'm sure it happens everywhere, does anyone see that as being the rule of thumb in TN as well?

[Catq]

Hi, I live in Florida and am looking forward to moving to East Tn within the next year. Let me tell you exactly what I am looking for. First of all I a looking at the private christian colleges for my son. Secondly we would like to buy in the area where you see the most snow in TN. Where the greatest chance for snow is and it does not melt by noon. Secondly we love the mountains. We want a rural area. At first I was certain the tri city area was ideal for us? Is this area what I just described. Then I started reading about meth labs in the tri city hotels and ilegal immigrant issues with crime and drugs. I am a single mom. I want the above in topography and weather but not if it is going to come with the area with the most drug or crimes. I work from home and homeschool and so neither schools nor jobs is a factor. Like I said before Colleges are. We heard og King college in Bristol. Tusculum is in Greenville. Temple is closer to Chatanooga. and Bryan in Dayton TN. Which of these areas would have the desired weather and scenery I described earlier as well as the most family friendly environment? Thank you thank you and Thank you, by the way the pictures are beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 I cannot wait. you know what it is, Living here in Florida we have always had to drive to see snow. My kids and I want to be able to enjoy snow right in our yard!

CAT