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There is plenty of shopping in Raleigh. I wouldn't even call Raleigh that small at all. I wonder if y'all have ever been to an actual small city, like Des Moines, Little Rock, Birmingham or Louisville? Sure, Raleigh isn't just a dense core of skyscrapers and it is sprawled, but it has all the shopping and dining you'll ever need. The Triangle as a whole especially does. I'm sure OP will like it just fine based on his criteria. Like C_lan said, city life =/= NYC life.
Location: River's Edge Inn, Todd NC, and Lorgues France
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LordHelmit
There is plenty of shopping in Raleigh. I wouldn't even call Raleigh that small at all. I wonder if y'all have ever been to an actual small city, like Des Moines, Little Rock, Birmingham or Louisville? Sure, Raleigh isn't just a dense core of skyscrapers and it is sprawled, but it has all the shopping and dining you'll ever need. The Triangle as a whole especially does. I'm sure OP will like it just fine based on his criteria. Like C_lan said, city life =/= NYC life.
If you are just comparing cities, Louisville has about 170,000 more people than Raleigh.
Well, obviously we can only go on what bobrob wrote, but when he said:
Quote:
My wife and daughter love NYC life. My daughter rather go shopping, plays, concerts ect ect.
I thought that seemed pretty clear that he was saying his wife and daughter really like NYC life and I don't think it's at all unreasonable for folks on this thread to point out that Raleigh life, even in a downtown condo, is not at all like NYC life and if they're looking for something similar they're not going to find it in Raleigh. Most people go to the malls to shop, rather than go downtown, and although I think the Triangle gets some good shows it's nothing like NYC.
Guaranteed the entire family is already aware that Raleigh life is not going to be like NYC life. Well...maybe not the 13-year-old, but they are hard to please. The OP was merely listing out some things the family enjoys.
So. OP, you'll find a lot here to enjoy, it's just going to be more spread out. You'll probably enjoy downtown Raleigh, but would likely also enjoy Chapel Hill. Definitely visit both - and spend time in downtown Raleigh evenings and weekends. I like going there during the day on weekends sometimes to get a little bit of a city feel (I used to live in NYC...and was aware that NYC is NYC, here is here). Visit Durham as well - if you do move to Chapel Hill, you may want to go to restaurants in Chapel Hill, Durham, Carrboro, Pittsboro, Hillsborough. All of those towns are terrific and interesting.
DPAC has the touring musicals; there's good theatre around but again it's spread out. The NC art museum (right near NC State) is amazing, as is the park around it. I feel like there are great opportunities for kids in the arts in Chapel Hill and you can't go wrong with the public schools...but I don't have kids, so others can advise more.
Location: Sodo Sopa at The Villas above Kenny' s House.
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I think we all agree that the area has shopping and entertainment . My reply and Im sure others is to make the OP aware that most of those things do not necessarily happen downtown. The OP stated a condo dwntwn was an option because of the activities his wife and daughter enjoy in NYC. Posters just wanted to make sure he knew that its different here and living downtown( though great) doesnt currently offer those ammenities. With their budget Id go with a house downtown because a condo even smack in the center isnt going to give you theater and shopping outside your door.
Well, the OP hasn't come back to clarify but I am pretty sure that living an hour outside NYC (which is actually considered a pretty good distance up there) the wife and 13 year old weren't spending all their free time gallivanting around Manhattan. There's just not enough time for that on weekends unless the child has zero other interests or friends. So, will she survive her teenage years in a suburban wasteland that's probably similar to where she is currently domiciled? Yes, she will. All the shopping she has up there is available here, and some of it is better (Belk and Dillard's come to mind). Surely they knew before this thread that this area isn't like NYC, no place is. But if they didn't, they do now.
Well, the OP hasn't come back to clarify but I am pretty sure that living an hour outside NYC (which is actually considered a pretty good distance up there) the wife and 13 year old weren't spending all their free time gallivanting around Manhattan. There's just not enough time for that on weekends unless the child has zero other interests or friends. So, will she survive her teenage years in a suburban wasteland that's probably similar to where she is currently domiciled? Yes, she will. All the shopping she has up there is available here, and some of it is better (Belk and Dillard's come to mind). Surely they knew before this thread that this area isn't like NYC, no place is. But if they didn't, they do now.
I agree, living one hour outside of NYC in NJ puts you in some very suburban areas. It sounds like the OP and his family are looking for a change if they are considering a condo downtown.
OP come visit, see if it is for you and yes also come and check out Durham and Chapel hill they have some nice things to off too including entertainment and great restaurants.
WOW, thanks for the info, I'm going to NC end of January for about 2 weeks to look around (house hunting). I have been studying the NC map, schools ect. ect..
Great idea. You should be able to get the feel of our are in 2 weeks. Good luck!
I think I'll just wait for the other bo bro to return and provide some extra detail on what lifestyle they seek before passing judgement, or aspersion.
Indeed. Strangely my Google result have me Louisville's 1999 population. Weird. Still, RDU metro is larger than Louisville, right? I'm on my phone right now and don't want to look lol. I'm assuming it is tho.
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