Relocating from PhiliBurbs...think its a fit? (Raleigh, Durham: apartments, crime rates)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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mommalove, did you ever define what exactly you mean by "quaint?" Or, more to the point, what specific attributes or characteristics of older towns do you tend to feel drawn to? Personally, I disagree that towns in North Carolina are not quaint. But it clearly is true that due to a history of somewhat different development patterns, the quaintness here is a bit different from the quaintness of little towns in Pennsylvania, New York, and New England. There are simply fewer quaint old towns here, and they're mostly smaller than the ones in the Northeast, so the total volume of quaintness is a lot less. And the quaintness is often a little looser and scruffier. But I still find a lot of North Carolina small towns to be quaint and charming in their own ways.
THanks Goldenage1 - yes, government jobs are definitely options and not something that we have even considered as yet. First we need to get down there for a short-term assignment and then we can start exploring the towns/places that you all are recommending - I will definitely come back to this forum and take notes of where to go as soon as we arrive:-) I would be interested in checking out the coast as well, so thank you for the specific town names.
Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
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Hi,
I grew up in Phila. suburbs and my parents live in Bucks County as does my sister's family, so I am quite familiar with that area. I am new to the Triangle (live here one year now) after having lived in the DC area for 23 years, but I can give my perspective. Many places outside of the Northeast do not have a plethora of the old, traditional walkable town setup that was common when towns were formed more than 100 years ago. Because the Triangle has grown in the last 50 years, most places are suburban-oriented and car-centric. Having said that, there are definitely some walkable towns - some quaint.
As others have mentioned, Hillsborough is a quaint town. It developed in the 1700's and has dozens of historic buildings and homes. The downtown is walkable and has restaurants, a farmer's market, a library, and some shops. Pittsboro, which is about 20 minutes south of Chapel Hill has a small, quaint downtown. Carrboro and Chapel Hill have small, walkable downtowns. Carrboro looks a bit run down to me, so I wouldn't call it quaint. Chapel Hill has a college vibe, but the historic distict has some quaintness to it. I am not familiar with the suburbs of Raleigh to comment on those areas.
Overall, though, I don't think this area has much in the way of Media, West Chester, or Doylestown. Hillsborough comes the closest, and I really liked it. However, the schools won't be as good as those that you find in Bucks. It's surely cheaper than Doylestown, but it's probably a bit less upscale, too - that is, outside the downtown proper, you likely see some rundown houses, houses with things on the lawn, etc. that you just don't see much of in Bucks County. But, overall, it's nice, and so far, my favorite area of the Triangle.
Well, I can't really compare very well since I don't know Bucks County, however, I do think there are quaint towns in NC. They are Southern towns, though, so I agree that they are a different flavor of quaint. Hillsborough sprang to mind when I read your post. Hillsborough is in Orange County close to Chapel Hill, home of UNC, and Orange County as a whole is pretty progressive, although more progressive closer to Chapel Hill. You would have no trouble finding farmers' mkts, CSAs, etc. This area is frequently written up in national publications such as Bon Apetit and the NY Times for the local food movement. There's currently a plethora of Indian restaurants on West Franklin St in Chapel Hill (4 in 1-2 blocks) and some pretty good Thai, too, so that shouldn't be a problem.
Things on the lawn are part of Southern quaintness, michgc! I think Carrboro might better be described as "funky" instead of quaint, but I think it's a fantastic town and might be just what you're looking for. It's super progressive with a wonderful local co-op and tons of vegetarians.
I am not, however, confident on the job front. Chances are pretty good being in healthcare, but NC has one of the worst unemployment percentages in the country right now in part because people keep moving here w/o jobs thinking it will be easy to find one. I think we're in the top 5 in unemployment right now, but you would have to do some research on that and on the field.
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I agree with Poppydog that Hillsborough or Carrboro are probably closest to what you are looking for.
To be clear, let's bear in mind that the "quaint town" thing wasn't really a central part of what the OP said she's looking for. That was just one item on a list of kinds of places that she said her family is "drawn to," but she certainly didn't say that finding a quaint town was crucial or that a lack of quaintness was a deal-breaker, and she didn't even actually say specifically that she wanted to live in a quaint town, just that she was drawn to them. I and a few other posters kind of seized upon the whole thing about "quaintness" and went off on a tangent (shock!), but that wasn't really what this thread was supposed to be about. Considering everything that mommalove said, I'm not sure that Hillsborough or Carrboro really are the closest to what she's looking for, despite being relatively quaint-ish compared to the rest of the region. But they're nice places, and worth considering for mommalove.
I agree with the others...the triangle area is good for 'newness' not 'quaintness'. I am familiar with Bucks County, and real estate is probably cheaper here. There is no Peddlar's village or New Hope or Newtown here though. Not a lot of the old has survived. Older homes here are in general from the 60's and later with the exception of a few (expensive) locations. Still, you can find every thing you need here, stores are not at all crowded, and the developments are usually quite nice and always family friendly. On the other hand, schools can be crowded because of the continuing influx of new residents. As for wooded views, there are plenty of trees here as pine and sweetgum grow easily and sprout up everywhere. The nice thing is that even in the winter the heavy presence of pines keeps the landscape somewhat green and we have alot of winter sunshine.
Considering everything that mommalove said, I'm not sure that Hillsborough or Carrboro really are the closest to what she's looking for, despite being relatively quaint-ish compared to the rest of the region. But they're nice places, and worth considering for mommalove.
I disagree, Tom. I think Carrboro and Hillsborough do closely match what she said she was looking for.
She said she wants:
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We are NOT city people - instead we are drawn to quaint towns with interesting architecture, good eateries, funky boutiques, friendly locals, family-friendly small events. We are outdoor/nature people and need green space and ample, easy access to parks and recreation.
Hillsborough and Chapel Hill/Carrboro may or may not be quaint, but I think they do have great eateries, funky boutiques, friendly locals, and family-friendly small events, such as Hillsborough's Hog Day, and Carrboro's 4th of July parade. They both offer easy access to parks and rec and plenty of green space. I love living in Chapel Hill and being 10 minutes from the country at any spot in town. Hillsborough is quite historic and has lots of lovely old homes and businesses. Occoneechee Mountain State Park and the Eno River go right through Hillsborough.
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We are vegetarians and eat fairly healthy, so the BBQ, fried foods and seafood are not a draw. I NEED my fixes of Thai and Indian at least a couple times a month :-) We are big fans of farmers markets, eating local, would like to belong to a CSA (community supported agriculture).
I addressed this in my initial post, but plenty of veggies in CH/C and H-boro.
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We are liberal in our political and social views; spiritual rather than religious.
Again, Orange County is one of the most liberal places in the state with a 70/30 spread for Obama. All kinds of religion and spirituality in Orange Co.
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We are leaving a home in the woods - beautiful and private but lonely. I want to find a nice development (with some trees!) with a pool/recreation within walking distance that is situated in an environment that is open, friendly, more laid back, more affordable (I want to be home with my kids for a couple years) and supports a more relaxed lifestyle.
Chapel Hill and Carrboro and Hillsborough have many neighborhoods that meet this description. Hillsborough also has the Triangle SportsPlex with pool, ice rink, and I think gymnastics. Chapel Hill/Carrboro is well known for the summer swim league with area pools. Hillsborough would be more affordable than CH/C, but I don't know how either compares to their current area.
To be clear, let's bear in mind that the "quaint town" thing wasn't really a central part of what the OP said she's looking for. That was just one item on a list of kinds of places that she said her family is "drawn to," but she certainly didn't say that finding a quaint town was crucial or that a lack of quaintness was a deal-breaker, and she didn't even actually say specifically that she wanted to live in a quaint town, just that she was drawn to them. I and a few other posters kind of seized upon the whole thing about "quaintness" and went off on a tangent (shock!), but that wasn't really what this thread was supposed to be about. Considering everything that mommalove said, I'm not sure that Hillsborough or Carrboro really are the closest to what she's looking for, despite being relatively quaint-ish compared to the rest of the region. But they're nice places, and worth considering for mommalove.
Take her whole OP into consideration.
Quaint towns, interesting architecture, funky boutiques, unique eateries, etc.
The Triangle area may have a little bit of these things, but it's sure not the first area that springs to mind. By a long shot.
The OP should visit. She might like it here, she might not.
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