Vacationing with our kids + want to scope out some towns (Raleigh: renting, chapel)

[Brena16]

Hi all, we are itching to see NC! We're hoping to relocate if we find the right job + community. We'll need to be near the triangle area, but we prefer not to live there. A 60 minute commute is ok with us. Looking for a nice, smaller community (not too bustling), kid oriented, with all the civic goodies some small towns offer. We both really liked the sounds of Pittsboro. It sounds like a neat place, but we hope to see a few different communities while there.
We'll be coming in either April or May '08 with our boys (5 + 2) and we want to stay were there's lots of action for them (any suggestions?), but be within an hours ride to areas we can explore (ie Pittsboro and any other towns you can suggest).
So to recap / looking for things to do with the kids, and worth while towns to visit within an hour of the triangle. Thanks for any help you can offer!!!!

[greenbeane]

Hi Brena,

First of all, welcome! We moved here about 6 months ago from Florida and absolutely love it. Where do you live now? We are renting now in Cary but will most likely be buying our home in Holly Springs this summer because we feel it is a better fit for our family. We are a young family with 4 children ages 10, 8, 6 and 2 and really wanted a family-friendly area with affordable housing that wasn't too out of the way. My husband works in Raleigh and will have about a 40 minute commute.

Holly Springs is not nearly as developed as Cary but it is not as remote either. It feels like a small town but is not farther than 20 minutes to everything convenient. It is also significantly less expensive than Cary. You can also check out Apex too, it is very nice but you can get a bit more home for your money in Holly Springs especially if you do not mind commuting. As most people on this forum will tell you, the traffic is pretty bad on Hwy 55 in rush hour (which is the main artery to get in and out of Holly Springs), but I'm from South Florida so it's really nothing to me.

Just curious but why are you leaning towards Pittsboro? We almost bought a house there last year but changed our minds because we didn't feel it was as family oriented as we were looking for (just our opinion) and the schools are not that great either. Holly Springs is not as commercial (i.e. Starbucks, etc.) as Cary and Raleigh as it is still has the cows, horses, etc. but Pittsboro is very rural comparatively. There is alot of growth planned for Holly Springs but it is a long way out. (Not sure how long though, some of the families that already live there could probably better answer that).

As far as things to do with the kids while you are here, you should definitely check out the Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh and there is also a new one called Marbles that is interactive and looks pretty neat. If you are looking for the typical stuff there is also Frankie's Fun Park in Raleigh which you can google and get info on. It's got all the usual stuff like go carts, mini-golf, laser tag, arcade, etc. as well as a restaurant.

Well, I hope my diatribe was helpful Sorry if I went a bit overboard! I know that there are plenty of people who have lived here alot longer than I have that will have alot of info for you as well. Good Luck in your search!

[Brena16]

Hello greenbeane,
Thanks so so much for your response! Much appreciated. Well, here goes... We've only read about Pittsboro, my husband did mention the elementary and junior schools did poor on mcas, and I keep looking further into the town and I have to admit I've not read much about it being a "family" type community. I guess what did attract me is that it seemed somewhat peaceful with a little culture and sense of community. I have checked on Meetup.com to see if there were any existing moms/parent groups in the town, but there were none. I did like the "ruralness" of it as far as being within a comfortable drive to arts/entertainment in bigger cities, but coming home to peace and quiet. It does seam that there is more land with the homes there and we really like that type of setting. But as you and I know, there are many more important issues when trying to relocate. Obviously, schools are a big one. We live in Massachusetts, a little town called Townsend, population 10K. Very charming - slow paced (not at all progressive enough for my husband) but I'm a stay-at-home mom and there are many of us here in town, so I feel connected in that respect. However, winter really gets to us (Townsend is in a snow belt and we get slammed) and we have talked for many years now about relocating to NC with its warmer climate but still a bit of a New England feel - season wise. I have not checked out Holly Springs or Apex - so you know where I'm surfing to next!! I do so appreciate the kids ideas. So Raleigh seems like the best place to plunk down for a week. If you know of a nice hotel to stay at (one with an indoor pool preferably) please let me know! Good information, thorough networking, and people who take time to respond... are never overboard for me : )
Thanks!!

[mamaof2]

you should also check out chapel hill and hillsborough.

[LMEW]

Outside of the more urban areas, and those lucky cities with universities, you need to watch out for the public education in North Carolina. It's not ranked near the bottom fer nothin'.

[dianeh]

Hello, I'd thought I'd post my 2 cents. We just moved here this past year from Philadelphia. I have a 7yr & 4yr old. We ended up in Cary but loved the feeling of many communities in and near Pittsboro. Their are some new developments there that are beautiful. Our dream home was their but it was 25 miles from where my husband works in Cary. One main criteria for us being from big city was minimal commute time. So we ended up in Cary on the Wake /Chatham county border. There are many nice communities in Chatham Co. Chapel Ridge being one. I believe it has a Pittsboro address. The schools in Chatham Co are only ok but I believe with the growth they are starting to see they will improve. I believe North Chatham Elem. is the better or the Elementary Schools in the Chatham Co. area. As for things to do with the kids.... Well there is SO much & you don't necessarily have to go to Raleigh to find things to do. Jordan Lake is beautiful in Chatham Co. It has a playground and a few 'beaches' for swimming & Playing in the sand. We've enjoyed biking on the American Tobacco Trail & If you come down here around Easter time EVERY town has some sort of Easter Egg hunt for the kids. There are many farms that have hayrides with pumpkin patches and Strawberry season is coming for picking at the strawberry patch farms. Many communities have farms with horses for riding lessons. Because of the weather in the area there are hearty sports leagues year round for the kids and many dance schools and music schools. So lots to do. I think Chatham Co will have the rural feel you are looking for but still have access to areas close by for family things to do & see but the best way to figure it out is come on down & visit and check out the area you have been researching. Hope this helps! Good Luck! ;-)

[frogandtoad]

I'll second mamaof2. I don't Cary or Apex or even Holly Springs really fits what you're saying you want. Chapel Hill might be too big too if it's a really small town feel you're looking for. If it's a "medium town feel " then Chapel Hill is definitely worth looking into. Arguably the best schools in NC and definitely family oriented.

Hillsborough sounds like it might be right on the money though. Very small town, tight-knit community feel but welcoming to "outsiders", very artsy, has lots of kid-friendly things to do (once a month in summer they have an outdoor concert), the Sportsplex is there if your kids play ice hockey, swim, etc. I love Hillsborough and honestly if I'd known about it when we moved here, that's probably where we'd be living right now! The schools are good too...you have to decide what you want in schools and how "good" you want. Chapel Hill scores better on tests however I know several people who have left CH schools for Hillsborough b/c CH schools are VERY competitive (kids and their parents!) and not everyone wants that atmosphere.

[ausmerika]

I agree with frogandtoad. If you want small rural town with amenities, Hillsborough is a great kid/family-friendly town. If you want something a bit larger, but yet close to the cows check out Carrboro (west of Chapel Hill). Very kid friendly town with a bit more (and that means more traffic too!). While Raleigh (and it's museums are close enough for a day trip), both Chapel Hill and Carrboro offer wonderful things for the kids as well. Check out the Kidzu museum, and the Carrboro Arts Center (they have things like Rags to Riches Theatre for little ones, as well as other programs for young kids interested in the arts). If your older one likes soccer, check out Rainbow Soccer. If you are coming down end of April (or end of May), please do check out the Last Friday celebration in Hillsborough. You can easily hit all 3 towns in a weekend: Carrboro, Hillsborough, and Chapel Hill. One bit of advice: avoid Mothers' Day Weekend in the Triangle. You will be hard pressed to find a hotel reservation, and it will be absolutely nuts down here (3 universities in the area hold their graduation ceremonies that weekend!).
Good luck.

[MrsSteel]

I also agree with FrogAndToad.

My only concern with Holly Springs and Hillsborough is that they both appear to be going through a growth spurt. Holly Springs was recently listed by Forbes as one of the fastest growing towns in the nation. Between 2000 & 2006, the population grew by 74% (from 10,017 to 17,425). As for Hillsborough, some large neighborhood developments have started to sprout up around there. The new Super Wal-Mart and Home Depot also makes me wonder which direction the town is going.

I'm not saying that all growth is bad! There are some wonderful things coming with that growth. For instance, Hillsborough has a wonderful historic district & they're better able to preserve that because of the growth. Also, Hillsborough will have a great new food co-op opening later this year. Good things can come with growth, too. I just think it's wise to know about the changes that are taking place in this area.

If you really like a rural lifestyle, it might be better to live in the other smaller towns like, say, Elfland or Mebane. They are just west of Hillsborough & very convenient to that town as well as I-40, making commuting a little easier.

Another thing you should know is that, in addition to the museums in Raleigh & Chapel Hill, Durham has offerings for kids, too. A big favorite with local families is the Museum of Life & Science.
Explore, Connect, Learn, Share | North Carolina Museum of Life and Science
It has a butterfly house, the Duke Lemur Center, & a lot more.

[ausmerika]

Excellent points MrsSteel...totally forgot about the gem of a museum in Durham (it's been a while since I took my "not so young ones"). Also, good point about Efland and Mebane, although I'd vote for Mebane over Efland (Efland is just too rural imo). Mebane is a very well run town, although I have to say it has more of the "box" growth than either Hillsborough or Carrboro. And all of these towns are in such close proximity (I'm including Mebane here as well), that it can still be visited over a weekend. C'boro and H'boro both seem to have more eclectic offerings. By the way, you mention growth in H'boro. My husband went to the "State of the Town" address just last night. It should be posted soon on the website. 2007 was known as the year of construction. The mayor stated 2008 will be known as the year for openings. Both sound like major expansion, but he went on to elaborate on the confines H'boro has on growth and why. All very good points to know.