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Durham has long had a very active, core lesbian community. The neighborhoods around Ninth Street and near Northgate Mall (Club Blvd, Englewood, etc). Chapel Hill and Carrboro (the latter being the "Berkeley of the South" in many ways) are also extremely GLBT friendly. Raleigh is also full of GLBT organizations, but tends to be slightly more gay male-oriented.
You might contact the organization SWOOP (Strong Women Organizing Outrageous Projects) for an active women's group, based (I think) in Durham, who are very involved in the community.
If you're going to be here in August, don't miss the NC Gay & Lesbian Film Festival at the Carolina Theatre in downtown Durham, a 4-day event that is probably the biggest GLBT gathering all year round (and the 10th biggest GLBT Film festival in the USA!). It's the weekend of August 14-17.
The downtown area of Raleigh also has plenty of the urban-artsy-lofty scene, and has old neighborhoods that are being revitalized.
I am a daily bike rider, and think Inside-the-beltline Raleigh is a great place to ride a bicycle. No, we don't have easy access to quiet country roads, but it's an easy bike ride to work, the grocery store, the library, bars and restaurants, the hardware store, parks and museums, your friends' houses, movie theatres, concert venues, city and county and state government offices, colleges, etc. I start my car about two or three times a month!
I totally agree that I-T-B Raleigh is much more bike friendly than the burbs. Stores and services are closer, the roads tend to have less traffic on them (especially on weekends when the rest of the city is driving to big box stores and malls). Glenwood is a perfect example of this. If one didn't know that they are on the same road, driving Glenwood outside the Beltline is a completely different experience than it is inside the Beltline.
That said, if you are riding for riding's sake and want to stretch your legs, you are going to have get on the edges of the metro and go into the country. But, if you are riding for leisure, errands or commuting, the older and more urban neighborhoods are your best choice.
People down there are just friendly in general, so I'd say yes! I don't know if you're looking for like...gay-themed/oriented or just a regular area where people don't care what your sexual orientation is. I think you'd be good anywhere in the RTP area for the latter, though I couldn't really say about the former.
I'd check out Chapel Hill if I were you, but Durham is good if you want things to be a little sketchier (meaning grittier/poorer/allegedly less safe). Chapel Hill is more expensive but nicer overall.
I'd check out Chapel Hill if I were you, but Durham is good if you want things to be a little sketchier (meaning grittier/poorer/allegedly less safe). Chapel Hill is more expensive but nicer overall.
There are many parts of Durham that I consider much nicer than many parts of Chapel Hill.
I actually moved to Clayton from Raleigh, so I probably can't narrow it down about Durham neighborhoods. There are a couple of lesbian bars out in Durham, one is called Steel Blue, the other is called Visions. There is a gay/lesbian bookstore in downtown Raleigh called "White Rabbit". There are also 2-3 gay bars too, mostly men but some women do frequently visit. (Legends, CC's and Flex)
I posted earlier about doing a google search for Trianglegrrrls (yes, with 3 r's), its probably more what you're looking for as far as opinions. I'm also a lesbian living in the triangle and I can honestly speak from experience, no problems here.
Absolutely love it here, then again, I'm an NC native, lol.
Good luck! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
Don't believe the Durham bashing (which is a regular occurence on this forum) - it's a great city to live in, much more affordable, very liberal (most of Durham county is Democrats, which I think speaks for itself when it comes to openness to gays, contrary to Wake county (Raleigh) most of it being of the opposite affiliation). We do not have overcrowding in our schools & roads like Wake county, but, the more the merrier to those who keep moving there (why, I don't know!) Also, Lavender Heights is a great neighborhood in Durham near Dukes east campus.....
My girlfriend and I are planning a move, soon to and were debating on Raleigh/Durham. I wanted to ask for advice on neighborhoods.
In all of my research, I've found so much conflicting information regarding whether or not Raleigh/Durham area has lesbian friendly neighborhoods.
We are looking for in the city living, in perhaps a loft or industrial type building. We are very interested in art, music and trendy areas. We also have a small dog who we love to take for walks, and are avid cyclers and are very health concious. Anything you could provide as far as what areas to check out would be so helpful and appreciated!
Thank you!
My family and I would welcome you and your girlfriend as neighbors, and we wouldn't give a hoot about your sexuality. We feel you are free to live your lives as you wish. I don't think most sane adults care either....
One thing I have read is that although there are a lot of "gay community"-aspects to the Triangle, there is not a "scene" per se. But that actually is welcomed by a lot of gay people that live here for the very reason expressed directly above^. That is, that most people are welcomed just for being themselves - regardless of the sub-category they belong to. That is certainly true where I live (Five Points Raleigh).
I actually moved to Clayton from Raleigh, so I probably can't narrow it down about Durham neighborhoods. There are a couple of lesbian bars out in Durham, one is called Steel Blue, the other is called Visions. There is a gay/lesbian bookstore in downtown Raleigh called "White Rabbit". There are also 2-3 gay bars too, mostly men but some women do frequently visit. (Legends, CC's and Flex)
I posted earlier about doing a google search for Trianglegrrrls (yes, with 3 r's), its probably more what you're looking for as far as opinions. I'm also a lesbian living in the triangle and I can honestly speak from experience, no problems here.
Absolutely love it here, then again, I'm an NC native, lol.
Good luck! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
I'm looking for lesbians in Raleigh. I will be moving from SAn Francisco where I have lived for 40 years of my life. My partner and I lived here for 20 of those 40 years. She has relocated to Raleigh because our daughter lives in Fayetteville. I am really scared of this change and want to connect with other lesbians in Raleigh to get an idea about the environment. Living in San Francisco I have been out for 35 of these 40 years. I grew up in Indiana and moved to SF in 1972. I am 62, just retired from the University of California as a Research Services Analyst. I have to admit I am not too happy about having to move to Raleigh. But in reading about Raleigh it seems like a progressive city. We want to live downtown near all the cafe's. What streets would that be? I want to start looking at apartment or loft living. Many thanks
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Moving from SF to Raleigh
