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I see where the OP is coming from. I used to live in CA, and NC reminds me of it a bit. The two states are not similar at all, but they both have mountains/beaches, pretty good weather, and a wide variety of cities. If you had to pick a East Coast California, then North Carolina would be it. They are similar on the surface, but culturally and in other areas? No way.
I don't think the OP is actually expecting NC to be like CA, just that it has a good mixture of all the things one could want...much like California does. Just having mountains is going to be awesome for me, because I haven't been that close to mountains since I lived in CA...so naturally I'd compare NC to CA visually.
Yes it seems that many people think that I expect NC to be just like CA. I know that CA has almost 4x the population and is much larger, better weather etc. (The largest city Charlotte in terms of population is actually closer to Sacramento which in no way is close to LA) However what other state can really be compared to CA? The Northeast has great schools but terrible weather. Seattle seems to be nice, but once again, they do not get to see the sun, and it is much colder. Colorado is beautiful, but no beaches, and colder. Austin looks nice but it is an island in terms of natural beauty and culture.
Maybe if NC kept growing at a large rate, then the amenities and culture would change. It seems to me it is the only other place in the US that has as much to offer in terms of a potentially diverse and nice experience. But obviously it would take much time, immigration and else to achieve anything similar in scope.
Maybe a better way to frame the question is - If NC has steady and large growth, by 2050, would it be considered a great place to live, California's little brother?
Yes it seems that many people think that I expect NC to be just like CA. I know that CA has almost 4x the population and is much larger, better weather etc. (The largest city Charlotte in terms of population is actually closer to Sacramento which in no way is close to LA) However what other state can really be compared to CA? The Northeast has great schools but terrible weather. Seattle seems to be nice, but once again, they do not get to see the sun, and it is much colder. Colorado is beautiful, but no beaches, and colder. Austin looks nice but it is an island in terms of natural beauty and culture.
Maybe if NC kept growing at a large rate, then the amenities and culture would change. It seems to me it is the only other place in the US that has as much to offer in terms of a potentially diverse and nice experience. But obviously it would take much time, immigration and else to achieve anything similar in scope.
Maybe a better way to frame the question is - If NC has steady and large growth, by 2050, would it be considered a great place to live, California's little brother?
No. North Carolina is becoming Florida, a place where northern retirees are stored until they die.
Yes it seems that many people think that I expect NC to be just like CA. I know that CA has almost 4x the population and is much larger, better weather etc. (The largest city Charlotte in terms of population is actually closer to Sacramento which in no way is close to LA) However what other state can really be compared to CA? The Northeast has great schools but terrible weather. Seattle seems to be nice, but once again, they do not get to see the sun, and it is much colder. Colorado is beautiful, but no beaches, and colder. Austin looks nice but it is an island in terms of natural beauty and culture.
Maybe if NC kept growing at a large rate, then the amenities and culture would change. It seems to me it is the only other place in the US that has as much to offer in terms of a potentially diverse and nice experience. But obviously it would take much time, immigration and else to achieve anything similar in scope.
Maybe a better way to frame the question is - If NC has steady and large growth, by 2050, would it be considered a great place to live, California's little brother?
Argh it's really frustrating to encounter this Californian mentality that Cali is best and everywhere needs to be 'like Cali'. It's one of the main reason they have a bad reputation as transplants.
An east coast state will never be like a west coast state --- 3000 miles gulf.
The state is oriented east west vs north south beach to mtn is 6 hours
There arn't hotels at the beaches it's like cottage rentals and families puttering around and old dudes fishing
It's humid
There are bugs
The mtn skiing sucks
There are no jobs in asheville, no skiing either. It's just a bunch of hippies selling beads, college students waiting tables, and breweries.
But yes from our central region it's very common to plan mini vacations to either the mtns or the beach and it's nice and fun and people like it.
You're welcome to come and life here is good but don't be another Californian bitching about how it falls short of Cali. Come like you wanna be a local not some early adopter trying to be first in on the Californication bandwagon.
If you wanna talk about what you're looking for in a move and what's bad and good about Cali we can have an interesting convo but this "gotta be like Cali" is really disrespectful to be honest. Our local culture is its own thing and fine and no one spends a SECOND wondering how to be more like Cali..except jaded transplant Californians.
I'm from the Eastern part of the state lived in the mtns 5 years and live in the triangle now btw.
Argh it's really frustrating to encounter this Californian mentality that Cali is best and everywhere needs to be 'like Cali'. It's one of the main reason they have a bad reputation as transplants.
An east coast state will never be like a west coast state --- 3000 miles gulf.
The state is oriented east west vs north south beach to mtn is 6 hours There arn't hotels at the beaches it's like cottage rentals and families puttering around and old dudes fishing
Yes there are...Atlantic Beach, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, to name a few.
Maybe a better way to frame the question is - If NC has steady and large growth, by 2050, would it be considered a great place to live, California's little brother?
I sure hope not! California has already gone down the tubes with overcrowding. The cities are ringed with low-income neighborhoods, and all the middle class can afford are tiny, over-priced bungalows.
I hope North Carolina manages to have more restrained growth and retain the charm of its rural, Southern origins.
Last edited by goldenage1; 08-09-2015 at 08:25 AM..
Yes it seems that many people think that I expect NC to be just like CA. I know that CA has almost 4x the population and is much larger, better weather etc. (The largest city Charlotte in terms of population is actually closer to Sacramento which in no way is close to LA) However what other state can really be compared to CA?.......
Maybe if NC kept growing at a large rate, then the amenities and culture would change. It seems to me it is the only other place in the US that has as much to offer in terms of a potentially diverse and nice experience. But obviously it would take much time, immigration and else to achieve anything similar in scope.
Maybe a better way to frame the question is - If NC has steady and large growth, by 2050, would it be considered a great place to live, California's little brother?
Bless your little heart. Based on your post and my previous experience with many Californians, you have no idea how you're coming across. Here is what you are saying (in blue):
California is the best place ever. No other state can compare. Everybody agrees with this.
No, many people do not care for California. It has some very nice things, especially outdoor beauty. So do other states.
Maybe, just maybe, with lots of time and lots of people coming from other places (especially California), the native culture could be erased and North Carolina could become something cool and desirable, possibly even Californiaesque?
I think you are actually trying to compliment North Carolina here. Fail.
California is currently the only nice place to live. Maybe North Carolina has the potential to be second place.
Now you've also insulted the rest of the country, without even offering them a condescending compliment to wash it down with.
If North Carolina could really work hard at becoming just a little bit more like California, could it then be a great place to live?
Millions of people think it already is a great place to live.
North Carolina's greatest aim would be to become as much like California as possible, and possibly earn the privilege of being considered California's little brother.
No thanks, we'll pass.
For some reason, I need to live in another state even though I'm enamored with California. Please agree with me that North Carolina could make me reasonably happy.
It could if it suits you. It won't if you won't accept it for what it is or if you can only be happy if it becomes as much like Cali as possible.
North Carolina and California do share some similarities, including some similar landscape in some parts. They are also very different in many ways. If you're family is in California, though, this is a pretty long way away and visits will be expensive.
The whole east coast is very different from the west coast. North Carolina does have a lot to offer, especially outdoor beauty. It also is within the same distance of major cities as you have living in California. (Raleigh to NYC is roughly the same distance as San Diego to San Francisco.) We're not so much stuck on only enjoying our own state, although we do enjoy our own state. The east coast is densely populated enough with smaller state sizes to make interstate travel a commonplace thing. And as a previous poster mentioned, nobody here is really even thinking about California, although we're sure it's a fine place.
In short, if you've got to leave California, prepare yourself for change, and be open to something new. If you move here, do your best to improve it where it needs improvement, but let it be its own place. And please, keep on loving California, but don't insult everyone else in the process.
Bless your little heart. Based on your post and my previous experience with many Californians, you have no idea how you're coming across. Here is what you are saying (in blue):
<snip>
And please, keep on loving California, but don't insult everyone else in the process.
I love it!!! Wish I had said it myself. 10+++ (it wouldn't let me rep you )
Unlike CA, NC is hot and very humid from late April through September and the Winters are far colder.
Charlotte is home to the largest group of wealthy Rednecks in the U.S. The RTP area is the prime area of NC.
From the RTP the mountains are 3+ hours and the closest beach is 2+ hours.
Absurd and inacurate generalizations.
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