tcreath

So my husband was just extended a job offer in Nashville and I'm not sure what to make of it. We currently live in Charlotte, NC but are originally from southern Illinois (St. Louis area). We've been in Charlotte for about 4 years and the hardest part is being away from family. The single most attractive part of moving to Nashville, for me, is the opportunity to be a lot closer to my family in IL. I've been to Nashville once, and we drive through it every time we make the long trek from NC to IL, but I don't really know much about it.

For those of you who live or lived in Nashville, I would love your thoughts on the city. Are people friendly to outsiders? I really like Charlotte but will readily admit that it wasn't the easiest place to make close friends. I finally have a few close friends and it's going to be sad to say goodbye should we relocate. We have one year old twin daughters so living in a family-friendly area in a good school district is key. We also like being outdoors and frequent many of Charlotte's greenways with the girls and the dog. Does Nashville have a nice park system with trails?

I guess right now I'm just a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of moving again and since I don't really know anything about Nashville accept its affiliation with country music (of which I'm not a fan) I'm looking for mainly some opinions on the region.

Thanks!
Tracy

Ackislander

I went to graduate school in Nashville a long time ago, but my brother later lived there, and some things hold true.

1. It has the best climate of anywhere we have ever lived. Spring, summer, fall, and winter begin and end when they are supposed to. In general, we got a couple of pretty snows that melted in two days and had a few hot weeks in the summer, but much more pleasant than further south.

2. Churches are (or were) very important to people in Nashville, and you might be more likely to make friends quickly if you attend a church and particularly if you volunteer for its programs. This is not just a Southern phenomenon. We were the only Protestants in a Catholic neighborhood in Massachusetts and had to make all our friends through work. People were pleasant but socialized mostly with people in their parish. Being involved in local politics, community activities, taking a course, etc also help to make friends.

3. I was always astonished at how close Nashville is to Chicago (495 miles if I remember the sign correctly) and so much closer to southern Illinois. But if your husband has to travel a lot on business, it will be less convenient than flying from Charlotte.

4. Middle Tennessee is quite pretty, lots of hills, small towns, etc. Go for it! It will be a nice place to live for a while.

SuzChicago

We were just down there over Christmas with the eye to relocation. People were so friendly -- told us about good neighborhoods to live in, told us what a great city it is, etc. Lots of wonderful old homes and green space. I think the fact that it is the country music mecca makes it more open to outsiders. Good luck with your decision.

musicfan

I have only visited Nashville but multiple times, and have often thought that I could easily live there. The people have always been very friendly, it's pretty, there seem to be lots of lovely neighborhoods with reasonably well-priced homes, good restaurants, parks, and due to it being the state capitol as well as the home to several well-regarded universities and some large corporations, the economy appears pretty stable, as good as any these days. It's probably quite easy to avoid the country music stuff if you're not into that.

My sister lived in Charlotte for about a year and didn't care for it much...in fact it was the shortest stay of any of their moves.

Best of luck to you!

Songdoc

When I moved to Nashville the most pleasant surprise was the abundance of natural beauty. Radnor Lake, Percy Warner, and Edwin Warner Parks (all within the city) have fantastic hiking and walking trails.

I hate the climate. For me, the summers are miserably hot and humid; not for a few weeks, but for two months (or more). And summer means mosquitoes, ticks, and chiggers. The winters are relatively mild but when it snows (several times a year) it tends to turn to ice and immobilize the city. We've had five days of school closing so far this winter -- but that's exceptional for this early in the year. Spring and fall are gorgeous.

The people can be very friendly -- or not. Don't think you can generalize. It is the heart of the Bible Belt and as a previous poster mentioned, there's a great deal of emphasis on church. When I lived in L.A. I never recall anyone asking me where I worship. In Nashville, it happens all the time.

There are lots of good restaurants and plenty to do that has nothing to do with country music. I've made wonderful friends here and because of the low real estate costs, I live in a beautiful home in a great neighborhood. That said, I like Nashville. It's fine. But if it were not for my business, it wouldn't be the top of my list of places to live. But that's just my taste. The top of my list would be Kauai. The list would also include San Francisco. I don't put Nashville close to that.

tcreath

Thank you all for your replies. I really do appreciate it. We are still waiting to here back from the company with more information on the relocation package before we make our final decision.

I'm a bit nervous about the emphasis on religion, as we are not an overly religious family and do not regularly attend church. It hasn't really been a problem in Charlotte, to my surprise.

As much as I hate hot, humid summers I'm very used to it having grew up in St. Louis. Charlotte's weather is probably one of it's best attributes. While it does get hot in the summer, humidity is relatively low most of the time.

Thanks again! Nashville wouldn't be my first choice either, but if I had such achoice I would be living in Vienna or Rome!

Tracy
Tracy

Littleman

Nashville is a great city and offers a lot for a family. It's close to Memphis, Knoxville and The Smokie's. I guess Charlotte is not too far away but it's just a great big city to me. I would much rather live in Nashville. TN is a great state and I wish you good luck in your choice.

ggreen

I hesitate in replying since I don't know much about Nashville from firsthand experience(!). But I feel I have to contribute that a (now late 30-something) friend of mine moved from NYC to Nashville a few years ago. He's a full-time rock 'n' roll guy without much interest in religion or the pastoral, but he's found his niche there and really enjoys it! Which is to say that as much as the city is ruled by country music, it's not the only game in town, and there's a lot for a northeastern urban denizen to like too.

Good luck with your decision!

Skiergirl

Hi Tracy-
I'm a brown-haired (in a sea of blondes in the south), Jewish, Northeastern gal who went to Vanderbilt (in Nashville) many years ago and survived just fine. I also detest country music but it is not in your face at all nor did I find Nashville more religious than other southern cities. There is now a significant Jewish population (I don't think you are Jewish but it's not all-church all the time in Nashville and I was also not religious), gorgeous parks, great shopping, awesome restaurants, plenty of bars/concerts to attend, and now even sports teams! It's a fabulous city with lots of culture. I loved it-and am trying to gather some of my college friends to meet there for a reunion as I miss it so much. Like Ackislander said it isn't far from Chicago or a lot of other cities. I think St. Louis is a 4-hour drive. I have friends who still live there and they love the schools and neighborhoods like Brentwood, Belle Meade, and Franklin. The airport is nice and flights are plentiful. Good luck!!!

MomDDTravel

Tracy - having been through a major move recently - my heart goes out to you- I hope it works out however will be best long term for your family.

starrs

Two options near Nashville (depending on your hubby's commute) are Franklin and Murfreesboro. Nashville is not all country music and religion - although both are well represented there. Good luck with the move. I think you'll like being closer to home.

jent103

I do live in Nashville and think that overall, the city is really friendly. The vast majority of people I meet aren't from Nashville originally (my few "Nashville native" friends take great pride in that status!), so in my experience, being an "outsider" isn't an issue at all.

Church/Christianity are important to a lot of people here, but it isn't like every single person here goes to church every Sunday. If you live in a very family-focused suburb, you might find a little more emphasis on churches (I don't, so I can't comment on that subculture from personal experience), but in the city overall I can't imagine you having any problems. I haven't lived in Charlotte, but did live in the Triangle area for a few years. Nashville has more focus on religion than Raleigh/Durham, but that's just a comparison point. I don't think you'll have people trying to convert you on the street or blackballing you from social circles.

Outdoors - there is tons of opportunity. Nashville does have some greenways, though not a completely connected system. I know there's one in the Sylvan Park area and one near Shelby Bottoms in East Nashville; there may be more. But as Songdoc mentioned, we have several great, great parks right in the city limits. The main trail around Radnor is really kid-friendly, and if you're into hiking, Percy Warner has a couple of longer trails. There are also several metro parks with open space (Dragon Park near Vandy is really fun for kids), and Centennial Park has a pond where you can feed the ducks (as well as a marked mile loop). I know there are a few dog parks around but I don't know the names/locations off the top of my head.

As far as being close to St. Louis, I haven't made the drive myself in several years, but I believe it's about five hours and a relatively easy drive.

And PLEASE don't think of us as solely the home of country music. I'm not a big fan and I love it here! If you're into rock or Americana especially, there is tons of live music here all the time. You just learn to avoid downtown around awards shows and Fan Fair/CMA Fest week. Otherwise, no big deal.

The biggest down side in your case, I would think, is that Metro public schools are not universally great. There are some good schools for sure, but the system overall has had a lot of issues. It's tough because the a lot of the families who can afford it (and don't live in the districts with the best schools) send their kids to private school. And of course those are the families who, stereotypically speaking, would be the most involved in the schools, which means the cycle perpetuates. That is NOT universally true, of course, and there's a lot more to the issue (which I am not an expert on), but it's my general impression from my teacher friends. If you're interested in private schools, there are a lot to choose from (many religiously based, several not). If you'd rather do public schools, you'll pay more for housing in good school districts in matro Nashville, and when your kids get old enough, there are magnet schools that you can apply for that are excellent. Or you can check out the suburbs. Williamson County (Franklin/Brentwood) is generally considered the best overall system in the area, from what I understand, but it's not the only option.

In short - I've never heard anyone say they didn't like it here. I think it's a really friendly, laid-back city, and you can find pretty much any sort of community you're looking for. I know there are several Fodor's posters who live here or have recently. If y'all end up deciding to move and let us know what you're looking for, people can give you great advice on specific areas.

jent103

*Metro Nashville. Yikes.

tcreath

Thank you all again! You have been so helpful!!!

My husband's job offer is for a company based in Brentwood so we are hoping to find a place to live in/around that area should we accept the job offer. We would probably have to rent for the first year or two since I predict we will have a bit of trouble selling our house here in Charlotte given the current real estate market. I'm not into paying two mortgages!

You all have helped by giving me some great overall impressions on Nashville and it makes me feel better about the possibility of living there. I'll respond to this thread when I know for sure what our decision is.

Thanks much!
Tracy

Brian_in_Charlotte

Have visted Nashville numerous times with my wife (a Vandy alum) and think you won't find it too much different from Charlotte (climate, friendliness, religion, etc). We'd definitely consider moving there if the opportunity arose - about the only real negative we could identify is that it's too far from the ocean for us.

Economically, Nashville seems on the upswing while Charlotte is pretty flat. As an outsider, seems like Nashville has a lot of energy around it right now.

Barbara_Brown

Relocating to Nashville in October 2011 any suggestions on where to live. I am looking in the downtown area, but rent is pretty high. Any nearby areas that is affordable and on bus line, (just as a second car until I get to know Nashville better).

jent103

Hi Barbara - you might get more responses if you start a new thread specific to your situation. What kind of environment are you looking for, and do you have a specific budget in mind? Downtown, the Gulch and West End/Hillsboro Village are the most "urban" areas, in terms of being in walking distance to a lot of businesses, but rent in all of them will be higher than other areas.

Tracy, did y'all end up here? If so, I hope you're enjoying it!