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HELP! In need of insight on the wheres of Triangle living...from yes...another snotty New Yorker (oh the NY bashing I've seen in this forum!). I'm actually escaping from Alabama... I visited the Triangle area a couple of weeks ago, drove around (dumb idea, with no context, who KNOWS where I was?) I DO know I drove through and liked areas in Olde Raleigh, Cary, BrierCreek and around...the Crabtree Mall(?)...I think SouthPointe Mall too. I didn't care for what I saw of Morrisville and, tho' I have read some GREAT things about Durham in this forum, in my random drivings, I only saw ugly, ugly and ugly...so I'd like to know about PRETTY Durham. I also didn't get to see Chapel Hill/Carresboro. I am a 45 y/o, single (and loving it) black lesbian, writer and crafter. I want to rent a house or a townhouse for a year (to see how it goes), in a settled, well-landscaped neighborhood.
As I'm a Westchester (suburban) girl, I REQUIRE upscale shopping--especially groceries--in the immediate area, and I need to have fairly easy access into Raleigh for medical (within 30 mins/non-rush hour).
While funky, artsy/bohemian areas would be nice (like Chelsea and Park Slope circa. 1990; upper Westside circa. 1985), mostly, this TRIPLE Libra wants lovely and quiet (the sound of children playing/laughing/crying is not noise), as I'm completing a book.
I've seen some lovely properties in Clayton, online, and the area seems nice, albeit rural (not a problem if the above requirements are present). Someone wrote that shopping, from Clayton, is a hike tho...and who trusts photos in a world with Photoshop? Once I know WHERE to look, I can come up again--with purpose (and a map). I plan on relocating before the end of February, so I am DESPERATE for advice/direction. I loved the 'feel' of the Triangle...and think it is the place for me to begin...anew.... thanks!
Chapel Hill and Carrboro tend to have the more "bohemian" reputation (I grew up in chapel hill), durham though, I believe also has a great artists culture. Those three locations also have nice food/grocery store choices (whole foods, trader joe's, etc). Chapel Hill has UNC Hospital, and Durham has Duke, so both are very good teaching hospitals, with national recognition. Raleigh has wake med which has a main location (new bern ave) and branch locations throughout the raleigh./cary area.
Durham/chapel hill/carrboro have the college students, graduate/professional students, but also families. Now this is just my opinion, but the chapel hill/durham/carrboro area seems to be what may work for what you have said. Housing prices in durham are lower than chapel hill. In ranking of priciest to least expensive is: chapel hill, carrboro, durham.
If you love Durham, as well you should, check out some more areas. If the urban eclectic is more your style, look in Trinity Park, Watts and Hillandale areas around downtown and Duke. If suburbia is more your flavor with nearby easy shopping and friendly neighborhoods check out areas off Hwy 98 near Brier Creek (like Brightleaf, Ravenstone and Grove Park) and South Durham near Southpoint Mall.
Along with the above suggestions, I would recommend that you check out the Stonehenge area which is a short drive from Crabtree Mall, north on Creedmoor Road (Highway 50).
There is fabulous dining, shopping and every convenience within a two-mile drive in each direction, access to greenways if that's your thing for hiking and biking, small lakes, lots of established neighborhoods with large trees and an abundance of wildlife. Absolutely beautiful in spring and fall... and winter if it'll ever snow here again.
A lovely drive to downtown Raleigh on Glenwood Avenue in which you'll drive through historical neighborhoods. Only takes 10 mins. to get to the Glenwood South area.
Established, beautiful neighborhoods just north of Lynn Road and Creedmoor Road.
I'm not familiar with Durham, but it's a long drive between Raleigh and Durham, so it depends on where you'll be working. Clayton doesn't sound like a place you would enjoy, but that's just my opinion.
Since you mentioned upscale food shopping, you really need to know about A Southern Season: A Southern Season, award-winning source for gourmet gift baskets and fancy foods.
It's a large gourmet food store located in Chapel Hill. It's pricey, but it's also beautiful. It isn't a proper grocery store, but they have a lot of specialty items as well as a bakery and a food bar/deli. My favorite area is the wall of chocolate (although I can find my bars of Green & Blacks much cheaper at Kroger now). If nothing else, it's a feast for the eyes (and there are plenty of free samples). Definitely worth a visit.
About a mile north of A Southern Season, you'll find Trader Joe's and Whole Foods in the same shopping center. The Trader Joe's is very new - just opened around Thanksgiving. The only other Trader Joe's in the Triangle is located in Cary.
Carrboro is home to Weaver Street Market, a local co-op grocery store. The Weaver Street Market Cooperative
They also have a location at Southern Village in Chapel Hill & within the coming year a new location will open in Hillsborough.
Durham also has a food co-op.
Durham Food Co-op | Food for People, Not for Profit (http://www.durhamfoodcoop.org/ - broken link)
Pretty much every community here has a farmers' market once a week during the warmer months. Durham's farmers' market is open a couple of times a month during the winter, but it will be open two days a week (Wednesdays and Saturdays) starting this spring. Durham Farmers Market
I agree with the previous posters that you'll probably be happiest on the western side of the Triangle. However, Carrboro and Chapel Hill may be too far west if you need to be in Raleigh within 30 minutes. If you only think you need to be close to Raleigh for health care, you should certainly see if the hospitals tied to Duke University in Durham or UNC in Chapel Hill can take care of you. If they can't and you still need to be close to Raleigh, look into Durham. I live in southern Durham & I really enjoy it here (I think I live in one of the pretty sections of Durham that you missed ). I frequent most of the stores I've listed above & find that I have very little trouble getting to the stores in Chapel Hill. For instance, I can get to Trader Joe's within about 10 or 15 minutes. In southern Durham we also have the Streets at Southpoint, a mall with some upscale stores (Nordstrom, Williams Sonoma, etc.), so that might be able to handle your other shopping needs. This is a mall, though, so you won't find much funky/bohemia here. For that you'll have to look into pockets of Chapel Hill & Carrboro (Franklin Street), Durham (9th Street), or Raleigh.
Also check out Wake Forest it may fit your needs. There is no upscale shopping maybe some medium to downscale but you can be upscaling it in less than 30 minutes in non (take no prisoner) rush hour traffic. Good luck in your house hunting!
In terms of a bohemian vibe and an easy commute to Raleigh, I'd definitely lean towards the older, more progressive neighborhoods in Durham, such as Trinity Park, Watts-Hillandale, Duke Park, Old West Durham, Old North Durham, or since I suspect your New York dollars will stretch further in this area, Hope Valley or Forest Hills may be a possibility. Well, I know you're coming from Alabama, technically, but you may have some carry-over from New York.
I commuted from one of these neighborhoods to Raleigh for some time, and it was a breeze. I was always heading the opposite direction from the main flow of traffic, which tends to run from Raleigh and Cary to RTP, so I'd be whizzing by backed up folks on the other side of I-40.
If you are accustomed to long commutes, given that you are coming from New York, Chapel Hill/Carrboro are doable. I've done it, but found it more driving than I could bear.
I get my grocery foodie fixes at Weaver Street Market (co-op), Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and Southern Season. There is also an outstanding farmer's market with local and organic produce + meat and cheese in Carrboro. I think of the arty scene as being in the countryside around Ch/C in Orange + Chatham Counties, but everyone comes in to eat!
During non-rush hour traffic, Raleigh can be 30-35 minutes away.
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). I'm actually escaping from Alabama... I visited the Triangle area a couple of weeks ago, drove around (dumb idea, with no context, who KNOWS where I was?) I DO know I drove through and liked areas in Olde Raleigh, Cary, BrierCreek and around...the Crabtree Mall(?)...I think SouthPointe Mall too. I didn't care for what I saw of Morrisville and, tho' I have read some GREAT things about Durham in this forum, in my random drivings, I only saw ugly, ugly and ugly...so I'd like to know about PRETTY Durham. I also didn't get to see Chapel Hill/Carresboro. I am a 45 y/o, single (and loving it) black lesbian, writer and crafter. I want to rent a house or a townhouse for a year (to see how it goes), in a settled, well-landscaped neighborhood. 
). I frequent most of the stores I've listed above & find that I have very little trouble getting to the stores in Chapel Hill. For instance, I can get to Trader Joe's within about 10 or 15 minutes. In southern Durham we also have the Streets at Southpoint, a mall with some upscale stores (Nordstrom, Williams Sonoma, etc.), so that might be able to handle your other shopping needs. This is a mall, though, so you won't find much funky/bohemia here. For that you'll have to look into pockets of Chapel Hill & Carrboro (Franklin Street), Durham (9th Street), or Raleigh.
