Undecided - Need Help (Wilmington, Jacksonville: fit in, insurance, neighborhoods)

[danielle79]

I'm hoping anyone can help me out here. I was thinking of moving from MA to Wilmington area in the fall and I have been reading many posts and now I am actually reconsidering this area. I am 28yrs old and am looking for an area that is more country like, small townish feel, nice neighborhoods but accessible to grocery stores, beach, restuarants/bars without having to drive 30min or more....I am coming to visit NC next week and plan to travel to alot of different towns and see what they have to offer...I can also tell by the posts in here that a job is a must before I move as it seems they are limited or at least the "good ones". I am in the financial/insurance industries. Are there any large companies out there for this?? Could anyone recommend a good area that they feel I would fit into with just the basics I have listed above?
I appreciate any feedback~ Thank you!

[LittleDolphin]

Two towns that come to mind that might suit you are Conway SC and Beaufort NC. Both have intact Main Street shopping districts and still have a small town flavor.

Conway is close to Myrtle Beach and all it has to offer, which may or may not appeal to you.

Beaufort NC is on a sound and so offers all sorts of watery adventures on boats and paddle craft and beach strolling including the nearby beautiful Cape Lookout National Seashore. URLs for both are below.

Conway Main Street USA :: Historic Downtown Conway, South Carolina
Beaufort, NC Travel Guide (http://www.coastalnc.org/beaufortnctravelguide - broken link)

As far as careers, in Beaufort, the locally owned Sound Bank has recently expanded and the largest local insurance company, I think, is Farm Bureau. Don't know if they're hiring...

You'll have to do some research on the Conway area as I'm not familiar with the job scene there. You might start with the local Chamber of Commerce...

Hope this helps...

[dsobotta]

Originally Posted by danielle79

I'm hoping anyone can help me out here. I was thinking of moving from MA to Wilmington area in the fall and I have been reading many posts and now I am actually reconsidering this area. I am 28yrs old and am looking for an area that is more country like, small townish feel, nice neighborhoods but accessible to grocery stores, beach, restuarants/bars without having to drive 30min or more....I am coming to visit NC next week and plan to travel to alot of different towns and see what they have to offer...I can also tell by the posts in here that a job is a must before I move as it seems they are limited or at least the "good ones". I am in the financial/insurance industries. Are there any large companies out there for this?? Could anyone recommend a good area that they feel I would fit into with just the basics I have listed above?
I appreciate any feedback~ Thank you!

Trying visiting the area from Swansboro to Morehead City. You can live there and work in the area or in Jacksonville or New Bern.

You can also read my post on the small town feel of the area and Why Carteret County fit our needs.

Check out my travel guides to Swansboro or Emerald Isle (http://coastalnc.org/emeraldislenctravelguidecd - broken link) for travel information.

We drove down to Myrtle Beach last week, and the closer I got to Wilmington the more I was reminded of city life. When we crossed the SC border, I felt like I had been smacked by traffic and golf courses.

If small towns are what you want, you will be happy on the Crystal Coast if you can find a good job.

Lots of pictures on this site.

[Oyster07]

Hi Danielle79. I believe you said you are interested in the Wilmington area. For small town feel not too far from things, I would suggest Hampstead. It's growing but is still very much a small town. It's about a 15 minute drive to Wilmington.