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I like Winston. It has a cool vibe. I moved from Charlotte where it is crazy and has settled in Winston. None of the things you said in your post are an issue in Winston. I like Greensboro but they are very similar but I like WS a bit better.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LadyBlue111
I guess I am thinking about places off the beaten path a bit. After living in on- the -beaten- path Denver and Dallas, one can appreciate an off the beaten path and more low key place for various reasons. You've got places these days with such awful problems like extreme crowding, horrific traffic, rampant homelessness, extreme poverty and the social ramifications of this, sprawling development for mile upon mile upon mile, very low housing inventory, hyper competitiveness for everything (jobs, housing, daycare/schools, parking spaces, restaurant reservations) and very high COL.
Sure, Winston may be a bit rough around the edges in places, not exactly a widely known exciting and hip hotspot but so many of the hotspots these days have such awful underbelly issues. It could make one really appreciate an off the beaten path place with lower COL and lots of undiscovered potential. Maybe a potential gem that just hasn't come into its own yet but could. There is enough to enjoy without all of the extreme underbelly problems of other places.
If you buy a house in Winston, are you bidding way over asking and competing with at least 10 other buyers? Do you have to walk past a tent city of homeless people many out of mind on substances on the way to get coffee or a bite out? Do you sit in ungodly amounts of traffic to get to and from work each day risking life and limb with crazed maniacal drivers on super highways? If you go the park, do you worry a lunatic could jump out of a bush and stab you with a dirty needle or knife or that you could step in their excrement on the sidewalk? Do you have to get to recreation sites very early way before opening to have a even a shot at getting a parking spot, ticket, etc?
Sadly, these are some of our cities these days and I want to avoid high hassle, high aggravation places like this. I kind of hope to find an old fashioned place, behind the times, slower- even if a little crusty and dusty- but still nice enough because it has enough going for it. Winston is on my radar as potentially one of these places.
I have lived in both Winston and Greensboro. I lived in Winston back in early 2000s before the downtown revitalization.. I'm in Greensboro now and for awhile thought that I'd move back to Winston-Salem in my retirement years (which is a ways off...2045).. but honestly alot of Winston that I love is slowly disappearing or not what it use to be.. I meet my dad There , alot on wknds and it's sad to see certain things change or disappear. Thou that happens with every city . I just know I'd be sad if I moved back trying to be in the Winston of the early 2000s and realizing it's not there.. as they say . You can never really go back... So Winston is kinda off my list of future cities to live in.. now as far as Greensboro, it just never has really grown on me.. seems like a transit town where people only stay for awhile and then move on.. perhaps it's due to the fact of all the colleges in Greensboro. Greensboro does have a vibrant downtown that feels more walkable then Winston's downtown.. I think of Winston having a more of a retirement vibe to it and Greensboro has more of a party night life vibe to it.. again that is probably due to the colleges.
Greensboro and Winston-Salem are both wonderful cities, and yes, they are very similar to each other. I would live in either one. I expect that they will continue their long term progress in transforming their legacy tobacco-textile-furniture industries into 21st century economies. Greensboro is heavily focused on insurance and aerospace, while Winston-Salem is focused on healthcare.
Greensboro and Winston are more alike than different, although the differences are apparent if you've lived in the Triad. Greensboro is (or was) a textiles headquarters city, more so "New South" as someone else mentioned. It's not exactly blue-collar, it has always been fairly suburban and middle class. Winston, on the other hand, has more in common with Durham IMO, as both cities have tobacco histories, arts scenes, and prestigious universities (Wake Forest, Duke).
I lived in Greensboro for two years, and it's a nice city given the close-proximity to Charlotte and the Triangle via I-85. I prefer Winston because it's closer to the mountains, though. There are a state parks (Hanging Rock, Pilot Mountain) right outside the city that offer mountain-like hiking, even though they're not technically in the mountains.
Greensboro and Winston are more alike than different, although the differences are apparent if you've lived in the Triad. Greensboro is (or was) a textiles headquarters city, more so "New South" as someone else mentioned. It's not exactly blue-collar, it has always been fairly suburban and middle class. Winston, on the other hand, has more in common with Durham IMO, as both cities have tobacco histories, arts scenes, and prestigious universities (Wake Forest, Duke).
I lived in Greensboro for two years, and it's a nice city given the close-proximity to Charlotte and the Triangle via I-85. I prefer Winston because it's closer to the mountains, though. There are a state parks (Hanging Rock, Pilot Mountain) right outside the city that offer mountain-like hiking, even though they're not technically in the mountains.
Winston-Salem is closer to Charlotte and more convenient with two options of 52/85 and 40/77.
Winston-Salem is closer to Charlotte and more convenient with two options of 52/85 and 40/77.
The two convenient ways to get to Charlotte point is nice. But the 10 extra minutes it takes to get to Charlotte from Greensboro isn't really a big deal. Plus Greensboro is quite a bit closer to Raleigh than Winston-Salem... but not by a huge amount or anything.
That said, the two cities are quite similar. They remind me a bit of Virginia Beach (Greensboro) and Norfolk (Winston-Salem). Greensboro feels a little more suburban with a very small downtown footprint (similar to VB and their Town Center). Winston-Salem feels a little more urban on the surface as well as a bit older. But like VB/Norfolk, Greensboro and Winston-Salem are really very similar at their core and their culture. Like VB/Norfolk, the two cities often fight to each other's detriment when working together would be far more beneficial for both.
Winston-Salem is only slightly closer to Charlotte. Greensboro is obviously closer to the Triangle, though. A commute from Greensboro to RTP might be brutal, but it's doable. In fact, it's hard to drive anywhere in North Carolina without driving through Greensboro.
Winston-Salem is only slightly closer to Charlotte. Greensboro is obviously closer to the Triangle, though. A commute from Greensboro to RTP might be brutal, but it's doable. In fact, it's hard to drive anywhere in North Carolina without driving through Greensboro.
And it shows in Greensboro’s infrastructure, a ton of freeways and now a 50 mile loop that circles the city and will directly connect with northern VA and beyond.
The two convenient ways to get to Charlotte point is nice. But the 10 extra minutes it takes to get to Charlotte from Greensboro isn't really a big deal.
Depending on exactly where you're starting from in G'boro or W-S, the difference in travel time to Charlotte could be as much as 30 minutes.
Depending on exactly where you're starting from in G'boro or W-S, the difference in travel time to Charlotte could be as much as 30 minutes.
True. But it's also possible depending where in each city you theoretically start that the trip is equidistant.
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