Oh, where to go??

[jdljr]

Originally Posted by poppydog

Summer temps are very moderate up above 3000 ft. Most summer days are in the high 70ss and low 80s, but above 3000 ft it is very very rare to see a high in the 90s. I don't ever remember it (we have a family home in Boone). Down around 2000 feet where Asheville, Black Mountain, etc are you will see 90+ days fairly often.

I just looked at July 2020 for Boone and there were 3 days with highs above 85º, none in the 90s. In comparison Black Mountain had 23 days 85º or above and 8 at 90º or above. Being above 3000 feet is really key if you want to beat the heat.

Agreed. And according to the Weather Channel, Boone's average daily high in July is 79 degrees. I live near and work in Boone and we have not reached 90 degrees in the last 10 or 11 years. I've lived here for close to 14 years and it has definitely changed my acclimation to heat. Now anytime we go somewhere that's really hot (Sacramento, Phoenix), I really don't care as much for it. And I was raised in the Sacramento area and lived there for more than 30 years prior to leaving in 2006. When I first moved to Watauga County I did not care much for the cold. Now I don't mind it as much. And the cold we have here in Watauga County is much milder than what's found in Montana for sure!

[autumncolors]

We are still looking but our trip to the mountains in NC has been put on hold. Weather here is not very accommodating. We had planned to visit pulling our travel trailer--that way we could check out some of the towns you have suggested and then go and visit our son and park in his side yard. Quite frankly we don't relish the idea of pulling the trailer in snow, wind and ice--so we'll wait until we have better weather. This will also give us time to further examine the towns we are interested in. We have to consider being near a veteran's hospital and clinic. That is important. We don't want to be too far from either. In the meantime if you think of any more locations for us please post. Thank you so much for your input.

[SGMI]

FWIW, my dad lives in Greensboro, and usually makes appointments in Salisbury or Durham for VA care. (Neither are what I would call convenient distance.)