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Don't know a lot of the places mentioned but we are in the process of buying in Blue Ridge Ga. We were there last week and met a few people, a gay couple and a few others at a craft brewery. The airbnb we were staying at was also run by a gay couple. It has a nice vibe/culture/restaurants/mountain scenery. It's a small town but you are not far from Atlanta or Chattanooga TN. About 1 .5 hrs or so. It does it for us and we've traveled quite a bit. Good luck.
How about the Hudson River Valley? Lots of great little towns with plenty of amenities. Hiking and open space nearby. You could even take the train into New York City on a whim if you want the big city amenities.