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Carrboro is a pretty neat little town. It is small, though, so it wouldn't be "metropolitan" as you had said before. It feels a little bigger since it blends in with Chapel Hill. It has lots of great independent shops and restaurants in a walkable area. It's definitely crunchy for NC, though you might think nothing of it having lived in Burlington. It's also home to Cat's Cradle, one of the best places for live music.
I like the idea of living in a place like that, but being close to a rather large city. Would the connection between Carrboro/Chapel Hill and Raleigh/Durham fit the bill?
Chapel Hill is still very much a town, not a city. They do have a nice, central scene, though, so you have tons of restaurants, bars, and entertainment options all in a centralized area.
Areas of Durham has a much more urban feel, even though it's a still a small city. However, it is not as centralized as Carrboro/Chapel Hill. The whole town is full of pockets of amazing restaurants and bars, but it's not all in one cohesive place. Raleigh is a medium sized city, but has a more suburban feel overall. It does have a decent downtown scene, though.
Chapel Hill is definitely close enough to take advantage of all that those cities have to offer, especially Durham. Not sure what you are looking for in terms of a "large city." It has nationally recognized restaurants, big name music and entertainment, and people from all over the world. It does not compare to a big city in terms of atmosphere, but I think that it has a lot more than most cities its size.
As a former college student who lived in a "college town" (Burlington, VT), I wonder if Chapel Hill has a similar vibe. Mostly young people, lots of partying, etc...?
From what you posted, Durham or Carrboro do seem like good fits within the Triangle. Great restaurants and local haunts. I love this area.
Have you checked out the Asheville area? There is a lot more you can do outdoors there since you have the mountains. There are nice things around here, but it's nothing compared to what the mountains can offer. It's only an hour further from Winston-Salem than the Triangle is. It's worth checking out.
I lived in Asheville and absolutely LOVED it! But please be aware that there is a tremendous amount of development going on there right now, which is disappointing to those of us who love trees. And unless you are independently wealthy, it's really hard to afford to live there. The housing cost is ridiculous compared to the amount of jobs and the low salaries. Seriously, there are very few jobs and tons of competition from locals and people looking to move into the area.
Also, for those who live in either area - do you like it and why?
For this particular question, your best bet is to search this forum. There have been tons of recent posts asking this same question.
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