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Hello. I currently live in Myrtle Beach and I am looking to escape the muggy weather, hurricanes, and the tourists. Any suggestions on places to move?
Criteria:
Cool summers and snowy winters
Plenty of fun things to do (carnivals, live music, sports, etc.) [doesn't have to be a big city]
Would prefer to be somewhere not that touristy
Somewhere in good economic shape
Close to family in Festus, MO and Asheville, NC (would prefer to be less than 10 hours, could go up to 12 if needed)
Would prefer to be somewhere republican-leaning, not the most important thing (I just don't wanna deal with the kind of people you would find on the west coast)
Rural areas that make good off-grid spots
Plenty of lakes
What are "cool summers" to you? Highs averaging 82 in July? 75? Less?
"Snowy winters"? 25 inches per year and often gone in 1-2 days? 50 inches and sometimes sticks around? 75 inches and count on it sticking around a lot of time? Can you accept snow in November, March, April?
Are you really going to go totally off grid? Generally speaking I'd guess that a lot of folks who talk about going off-grid, don't do it or aren't totally off grid or aren't that way in 6-12 months. No lines of any kind or just cable / internet? Need propane trucks to deliver or making 100% of your own heat & electric?
What if any spots are you considering near Asheville?
Are 3-4 lakes plenty or do you be within an hour or so of 10 plus?
Pittsburgh is about 10 hours drive from Festus MO, 8 from Asheville. So judgment call how much further north to consider.
How near a town for basic good & services? Commute to a city for work or nah?
I think the place that's going to check the most boxes is Nashville, TN. Hear me out:
Cool summers and snowy winters: The one thing that doesn't fit your criteria. Not sure if it's a dealbreaker.
Plenty of fun things to do (carnivals, live music, sports, etc.): It's known as Music City for a reason. And it's home to the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators.
Would prefer to be somewhere not that touristy: Not a local, so I can't vouch for this.
Somewhere in good economic shape: As far as I know, Nashville is pretty well-off economically.
Close to family in Festus, MO and Asheville, NC (would prefer to be less than 10 hours, could go up to 12 if needed): Nashville is almost exactly midway between Festus and Asheville.
Would prefer to be somewhere republican-leaning, not the most important thing (I just don't wanna deal with the kind of people you would find on the west coast): Nashville is Republican-leaning.
Rural areas that make good off-grid spots: Probably anywhere more than an hour outside the city would qualify as "off the grid".
Plenty of lakes: A lot of lakes are reservoirs created by TVA dams, e.g., Center Hill Lake, Kentucky Lake
Hello. I currently live in Myrtle Beach and I am looking to escape the muggy weather, hurricanes, and the tourists. Any suggestions on places to move?
Criteria:
Cool summers and snowy winters
Plenty of fun things to do (carnivals, live music, sports, etc.) [doesn't have to be a big city]
Would prefer to be somewhere not that touristy
Somewhere in good economic shape
Close to family in Festus, MO and Asheville, NC (would prefer to be less than 10 hours, could go up to 12 if needed)
Would prefer to be somewhere republican-leaning, not the most important thing (I just don't wanna deal with the kind of people you would find on the west coast)
Rural areas that make good off-grid spots
Plenty of lakes
Quote:
Originally Posted by secondbreakfast
I think the place that's going to check the most boxes is Nashville, TN. Hear me out:
Cool summers and snowy winters: The one thing that doesn't fit your criteria. Not sure if it's a dealbreaker.
Plenty of fun things to do (carnivals, live music, sports, etc.): It's known as Music City for a reason. And it's home to the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators.
Would prefer to be somewhere not that touristy: Not a local, so I can't vouch for this.
Somewhere in good economic shape: As far as I know, Nashville is pretty well-off economically.
Close to family in Festus, MO and Asheville, NC (would prefer to be less than 10 hours, could go up to 12 if needed): Nashville is almost exactly midway between Festus and Asheville.
Would prefer to be somewhere republican-leaning, not the most important thing (I just don't wanna deal with the kind of people you would find on the west coast): Nashville is Republican-leaning.
Rural areas that make good off-grid spots: Probably anywhere more than an hour outside the city would qualify as "off the grid".
Plenty of lakes: A lot of lakes are reservoirs created by TVA dams, e.g., Center Hill Lake, Kentucky Lake
I recommend looking about an hour east of Nashville at the Cookeville area. It gets more snow than Nashville (something 8-9" a year), it's a few degrees cooler and a bit less humid, and it has everything else the OP is looking for:
Tons of festivals, parades, concerts, live music, sports (NCAA).
Not touristy at all, certainly nothing like Nashville's Lower Broadway.
Similar to Nashville, Cookeville's economy is humming along just fine with very healthy growth.
Definitely Republican-leaning.
Only about 3 hours from Asheville, 5.5 hours to Festus MO.
1200 miles of lake shoreline within 40 minutes of town. Tons of lake activities. Also lots of canoeing and kayaking on area rivers.
Off-gridding is popular around here, particularly in more rural areas to the north and west of town. In addition, those rural areas also have gigabit internet, one of the few rural areas in the country to have that option.
I'd go with the suburban counties around Asheville (Henderson, Haywood, or Madison). They're gorgeous, affordable, and conservative. The city of Asheville itself is very liberal and expensive. The economy is good, but does revolve around retirees/tourism/healthcare. LOTS to do (especially outdoors). Awesome 4-season climate without the extremes. We live in a suburb west of Charlotte and are only 1 hr. 20 min. to Asheville. We day trip there a lot and love the area.
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