Moving from Denver, CO to Raleigh, NC (Durham, Chapel Hill: neighborhoods, college)

[Francois]

For winter sports, Raleigh is not where you want to be. We do have the Appalachian mountains with some skiing, but for a Coloradan, our slopes would be laughable. Lots of people from here go up to West Virginia to ski (Showshoe), but I'm not a skier. Similarly, lakes doesn't freeze over here in the winter, so no ice skating; we do have some indoor rinks but it is not something people grow up doing here.

NC does have some great state parks, lakes, and summery outdoor areas. The NC mountains, about 3-4 hours from Raleigh, are great for hiking and camping. The NC coast (2-5 hours away depending on which beach) has amazing beaches and you can swim in the ocean from late May into October. Lots of amateur sports leagues, running clubs, etc. not to mention clubs and interest groups for books, knitting, theater, various causes, etc.

It might help if you asked about specific activities, if I haven't covered what you're interested in.

As far as "hipster areas"; there are 3 major universities in the Triangle (Raleigh metro) area, and near each is, as you can imagine, a certain "young people's vibe". Chapel Hill/Carrboro (two towns that border each other and are very similar in character is kind of the "Berkeley of the Southeast" politically and there's lots of "granola" there, but Raleigh and Durham have such areas, too. Durham's hipster areas is near Ninth St. which is near Duke University.

It's true that Raleigh in general, and Cary, the huge town right next to Raleigh, are "suburb central" with malls, etc, but Raleigh's downtown has gotten a lot more "urban" in the past decade, even though the downtown area is kind of small. I've spent a week in Denver and loved it, and you can find small "Denver-Lite" areas in Raleigh, but it's a step down as far as "urbanity". However, both Raleigh and Durham have restaurants that make national rankings. You won't find the permeating hipster vibe of Denver or Boulder, but we aren't ALL strip centers and cul-de-sacs. Plenty of people who live and work near downtown hardly ever even venture into suburban areas--similar to Denver or any other city, I guess.

[Vatnos]

I have family in Denver and know the city well, having visited every year. There is sort of a tradeoff with Denver. The actual area that Raleigh's in is hillier, more forested, and has some great parks and scenery compared to eastern CO's flat barren expanse. You're in for a real treat in autumn especially. You can also get beaches and mountains in this state, as opposed to just one in CO.

The downside is that the beach is a 2-3 hour drive. The mountains are a 4 hour drive. There are some state parks in the foothills just 1.5 hours away (hanging rock, pilot mountain) but the best stuff is a big drive. It's an overnight weekend trip at least to visit things like the Black Mountains, Linville Gorge, the Smokies, etc. Can't just go to the front range for afternoon hikes like you can in Denver, sadly.

As for funky hipstery neighborhoods in Raleigh, I think you're looking at things mainly inside the beltline. Basically the neighborhoods in and around downtown, and near NCSU as well.

In the metro area but not in Raleigh, there are parts of Durham and Chapel Hill that are also pretty hipstery. I live in Carrboro myself which definitely fits the bill for what you're looking for.

[girl2589]

Thanks Francois! Very helpful. So if I wanted to find some of these "Denver-Lite" areas to live/non-strip centers and cul-de-sacs, where do you suggest I start? Should I look for apartments downtown, or is there a specific neighborhood?

How about rivers and lakes nearby? Perhaps I could pick up kayaking?

[girl2589]

Thanks Vatnos! The neighborhoods in and around downtown that you are referencing- what are they called? Or do you have specific streets/intersections you would recommend?

The office I would be working in is in Raleigh so I think it makes most sense to live in Raleigh rather than in Durham or Chapel Hill.

[rfb]

The immediate Raleigh area has some nice parks for day hikes, like Umstead, but there is not much in terms of elevation for those hikes. But it is a great respite that is just minutes from much of the Triangle. There are other areas within 1-1.5 hours away that are nice as well (Hanging Rock, Stone Mountain, Ravens Rock, Uwharrie National Forest...) You can also enjoy windsurfing, kayaking, water skiing, etc. on the nearby reservoirs and smaller lakes.

The beach is 2.5 hours from where I live in North Raleigh; the mountains 3 hours. You can make either a long day trip, or perhaps go camping. For backpacking, I'd head toward Asheville (4 hours), where you can visit places like Shining Rock Wilderness Areas or the Smokies.

You can snow ski in NC, but you need to temper your expectations. The slopes are significantly smaller and, for the most part, less challenging that what you have out West. But an OK day of skiing beats no skiing :-). Sugar, Beech, Wintergreen are all within a day trip (3 hours, +/-).

[ctr88]

I think one under appreciated thing about more humidity and moisture in the air (east coast, NC, etc...) is how good that humidity makes your skin & hair feel. Someone mentioned the cracking of skin in CO. When I visited CO last summer it was just too damn dry and hot in summer with no moisture in the air. My skin actually hurt. It also ages you prematurely. A lot of people in the Southwest states and CO look 10 years older than their real age in their face with all the lines because of all that bone dry air and relentless sunshine. After spending 25 yrs in CA, I do not want to live in such hot dry climates anymore (which is most of CA, the southwest and Rocky states). This is a plus for NC.

[ucctgg]

Originally Posted by girl2589

Thanks Francois! Very helpful. So if I wanted to find some of these "Denver-Lite" areas to live/non-strip centers and cul-de-sacs, where do you suggest I start? Should I look for apartments downtown, or is there a specific neighborhood?

How about rivers and lakes nearby? Perhaps I could pick up kayaking?

Google "Carolina Canoe Club" and you will find lots of local kayaking information. The Eno, Haw and Neuse Rivers provide lots of nice non whitewater kayaking.

[Francois]

Originally Posted by girl2589

Thanks Francois! Very helpful. So if I wanted to find some of these "Denver-Lite" areas to live/non-strip centers and cul-de-sacs, where do you suggest I start? Should I look for apartments downtown, or is there a specific neighborhood?

How about rivers and lakes nearby? Perhaps I could pick up kayaking?

Yes, as I said, there are rivers and lakes (Falls Lake and Jordan Lake--I presume you've studied a map)nearby. I don't kayak but I would just bet there is a Triangle Kayaking club or something.

Raleigh's downtown is small, but it's hard for me to say "XYZ is the place exactly like what you're thinking". It's small enough that a weekend trip here would easily give you time to see all of the parts of town that aren't suburban (they are all near downtown or near NCSU--which is not far from downtown). On a map of Raleigh, notice Hwy 440 that encircles the inner part of the city--that is called "The Beltline" and there's a definite distinction between "Inside the Beltline" and "Outside the Beltline", which is almost all suburbia.

You would probably like the Cameron Village area, and there are various (though older) housing options there. Actually they just built some new apartments there. Cameron Village is an old shopping center that is like a cluster of strip centers all together, the 2nd oldest such arrangement in the US dating to 1949. It's a great area with some local shops, a mix of college students, old money bluebloods, and hipster types (I used to work there a long time ago). So look there, but really, you shouldn't let us tell you what area to focus on as it's easy to see the whole "are of interest" yourself on a trip. Basically you're looking between NC State U and downtown (also areas around downtown on the northern side).

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by girl2589

Hi everyone! I currently live in Denver and have just been offered a job in Raleigh. I'm a 26 year old single female. I love to be active in nature (ski, hike, camp) and am wondering what the options will be like around Raleigh. I've gotten very spoiled out here, honestly. I am open to picking up new activities. Although I love to ski I'd be up for picking up kyaaking or learning to surf, for example.

So, how does Raleigh fair in terms of "stuff to do" outdoors?

Also- in addition to the question about outdoorsy stuff- is there a cool "hipstery" kind of place to live?

The outdoor activities around Raleigh will be biking, hiking, canoeing, fishing etc. The ski areas are about 3 hours away. The surfing is more like 2-3 hours away. You also might look into 4-wheel drive clubs.

Raleigh is not really a spot for hipsters, as it very suburban. You might looking into Durham for hipster-ish grungy neighborhoods. On the whole, you might be happier remaining in Denver.

[dasearch]

Hi,
Wanted to provide a few thoughts for you from someone who moved to Raleigh from Denver.

Honestly, we've grown to like Raleigh the more we've been here. When we first got here we were ready to leave right away! And we still struggle with moving back to CO - which we are free to do at anytime. So I guess the fact that we've stayed for 6 years is a good sign.

There are lots of parks and greenways locally as someone already pointed out. You are also about 4 hours from Asheville and about 2 - 2 1/2 hours from Wrightsville Beach. Both are good destinations along with the many others available within a day. I do think you will find some of the local outdoor activities a bit underwhelming after being in CO and you will want to drive to some of these destinations. While this is fine it also adds cost and time. There is a difference between hiking (walking) around Umstead and hiking White Ranch or Waterton Canyon. There is just no comparison. But there is the water water center in Charlotte along with ocean and mountain kayaking, and paddle boarding!

The other is the weather. I do agree with others that it is nice to have the mild winters where you can hike and mountain bike pretty much year round. However, hiking and camping in the summer have their limitations. The mosquitos and the heat make it a little less than enjoyable. You will want to head to the mountains where it is a bit cooler than in Raleigh in the summer.

It is also hard to directly compare downtown Raleigh with downtown Denver. Raleigh is growing but it is smaller with less amenities. I think the closest thing to Capital Hill is the Chapel Hill area. But once again, Chapel Hill is all about the students and doesn't have the same feel as Capital Hill, or areas around Wash Park. Downtown Raleigh might appeal to you so I'd check that out too. Just a heads up there is no light rail in Raleigh.

I think one of the biggest things you will find is the outdoor and western cultural difference between the two places. Everything is about the outdoors in CO. That is not the case in Raleigh. But there are lots of active people here who take advantage of being outside all the time. Cycling is definitely popular, as well as running, swimming, boating.

I think both areas are doing well for job growth if you keep up with all the "best" lists and both are extremely popular places to live. Denver is more expensive than Raleigh so your money will get more here. People are also pretty friendly overall in Raleigh.

BUT - Denver is a hot market right now. Lots of positives: downtown and Boulder restaurants, bars, Union Station area being redone, Larimer Sq, and a huge light rail system, plus direct flights almost everywhere. I would just encourage you to be sure and evaluate the entire package before making a move.

hope that helps