heavenlyj

I am looking to move to North Carolina. Have done research on the web and in person. Narrowed it down to Charlotte and Raleigh areas. Now, need some help on the info you don't get from visits or technical data.

I am a 28 single female with a 1 year old. Lived in Texas, Virginia, D.C., Georgia and stayed in Cincinnati, Ohio. Then moved to the country about 1-1 1/2 hours outside Cincinnati.

Basically I love what the city has to offer (arts, museums, restaurants, ball games, nightclubs, lots of people, etc.)

However, I am tired of Ohio weather and I hate the fact that Cincinnati is so snobby.

I love aspects of the country too. Where generally everybody takes the time to say hello. Town fairs, fishing at the lake, beautiful sky at night-stars so bright without the city lights blinding your view. Drive-in movies, open fields, motor speedways, and a basically more relaxed attitude. Even the country is snobby here though. And very, very racist. (I know racism is everywhere.)
Just looking for some place more diverse. My son is bi-racial and it is dangerous for both of us here.

I would like to find a place in North Carolina where I have access within an hour to a city where I can see a play, go to a concert, shop at a decent mall, and have excellent health care. While living in a (not small) but smaller community where people generally are closer knit.

I have my own business and work out of my home so commuting and jobs are not issues for me.

After reading quite a few posts in this site I am now wondering about the "outsider", "northerner" thing. I've always thought of NC as welcoming and super friendly.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Diana

With your attitude and outlook, you will not be an outsider.

imho, the people who move here expecting to find "NYC Lite" are the people who end up alienating themselves from native Southerners and then wonder why they are not made to feel welcome.

I think the areas just to the east of Raleigh would work well for you. Look at Wilson, Rocky Mount, Clayton, and Goldsboro.

Also close to Raleigh are Holly Springs, Apex and Fuquay Varina.

Based on what you said you are looking for, any of those towns - which are all easily accessible to Raleigh - would be a possibility.

(I'm not as familiar with the Charlotte area, but if I were single, I would look there. I've heard a lot about the very vibrant and interesting nightlife and cultural aspects Charlotte has to offer.)

Good luck!

SAnParis

Let me preface this by saying that I am well aware of the racial issues that seem to abound in Cincinnati. That being said, I've never considered Cincinnati a 'snobby' place. As a current resident in Charlotte I would say that it is much more 'snobby' than Cincinnati. Charlotte, is a great place to live & I love it here, particularly due to its close proximity to the Beach & Mts. However, you will likely find some degrees of racism, snobbishness or whatever, here or anywhere else. As far as liberal locales in the Carolinas, Asheville would be the place I would look first. If you click on my name, there are many discussions on here about Charlotte as well as some comparisons between the Raleigh & Charlotte areas. I hope you find what you are looking for, but it is doubtful that the Utopia you are seeking exists in the real world, or many of us would choose to live there...

beach_dweller

Having lived in Raleigh, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, and Greensboro at various times, here's my take.

First, SAnParis is right about Asheville--really cool place. But as to the other places I've lived . . .

Raleigh had an influx of northern folks back in the 70s, so integration there has been going on for a LONG time. Charlotte has been experiencing similar immigration for at least 15 years.

Places within an hour of each, giving you a blend of country life and big city (for NC) lights: Chapel Hill or Durham near Raleigh, or even Hillsborough. And near Charlotte, Huntersville, Mooresville (proximity to Lake Norman), Concord, Rock Hill SC, Matthews & Pineville are really just suburbs of Charlotte; Monroe, I never really cared for.

And if you want the best NC has to offer (with the possible exceptions of Asheville and Wilmington--on the coast), IMHO look into the Piedmont Triad area of Winston-Salem, Greensboro, High-Point. We lived in Winston-Salem for nearly 15 years, and it is surpisingly tolerant and progressive for a small NC city (about 150,000), with a well-developed art scene, and quite a bit of diversity (a major employer is Baptist Hospital, along with Wake Forest University and its Medical School).

RaleighGirl

I think you received some great advice from the other posters. As an older, married lady, I can't speak to the singles/club scene, but the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill) area has alot to offer in the way of restaurants, arts, museums, hockey, ballgames, etc. I include Durham and Chapel Hill as they are easy to access for the many types of activities that they have to offer. Research Triangle Park attracts alot of young, highly educated singles from all areas of the country. You might run into a few snobby folks in Raleigh who feel that their Southern way of life is being threatened by the influx of folks from the North. However, for the most part Raleigh is truly one of the best places in the U.S. to live but it definitely lacks that small town feel that you described. Diana gave some great suggestions for small towns close to Raleigh. Huntersville is a good choice for a small town close to Charlotte, another good option for the desired qualities that you listed. Good luck, I hope that city/town that you described is out there for you.

heavenlyj

Thank you, everyone, for your input. I have taken notes and used the info to put together a two week trip to include some of the places mentioned. Some appear to be promising from what I could gather.
Thanks again!

TarheelsInNj

The Durham/Chapel Hill/Raleigh area is great and really convenient. People refer to it as one area ("The Triangle") in large part because it's very easy to get around all three.

Because of the strong university scene in that area, you will find them to be generally progressive, and also to be full of activities. The major campuses (UNC, Duke and State) all will have fantastic free or inexpensive offerings for entertainment.

Best of luck!

probono

Raleih is the best of NC in my ho..I moved here after living in NYC, Vienna and San Francisco and love it. Raleigh is on the move and close to many things..great schools, the beach and RTP..There are many companies here and new ones moving in all the time..Post back and I can offer specifics if you need.

retire2007

Check out Hickory, NC. Near the mtn without all the snow of the mtn. Lake Hickory located there without the crowds and traffic of Lake Norman. About 1 hr from Charlotte but you can use Rt 321 instead of I-77. Look at www.downtownhickory.com. There are several small towns surrounding the area like Conover, Taylorsville, Newton,and a little further is Lenoir and Morganton. It also seems that housing is much more reasonable in this area. Good Luck.

Gretchen

I would not go east of Raleigh with the bi-racial situation you are describing. I would recommend much in Charlotte, or the Triangle area. If considering Charlotte, you might consider the University area. Charlotte has come a long way from its southern/small town roots. I honestly would not go to a rural small town area of NC. There is just too much chance of bigotry in my opinion.

amycan

I was born and raised in Charlotte, have lived in Raleigh for 15 years and am limited in my expertise by only having lived in NC, however, I must wholeheartedly agree with Gretchen. Young and single? Charlotte. Raising a family? Raleigh. Liberal? Maine. No, seriously, the cities are more open than the small towns in NC. I hope you would feel safe anywhere in NC but perhaps more comfortable in the triangle, triad, or Clt. Good luck and welcome!

heavenlyj

I have taken 2 trips to NC now and feel myself leaning towards Charlotte. I like the Lake Norman area though I don't know if would live there because of all the vacationers. I've checked out what I believe is all the surrounding areas (Statesville, Salisbury, Concord, Kannapolis, Conover, Mooresville, Cornelius, Huntersville, Matthews, Monroe, Waxhaw) and don't see myself living any of these places. I'm thinking a little west or south of Charlotte. Any ideas anyone? Somebody had mentioned to me about 5 points area but I can't seem to find any information-maybe I'm not looking in the right places?

Gretchen

I'm not sure what you mean by "vacationers" at Lake Norman. It is one of the highest end housing areas in the Charlotte area. I know of no "vacationing" going on there.
I don't know "five points" except in Atlanta/center city.
If you want to go south of Charlotte look at Fort Mill, Lancaster, SC.

audreyh1

I went to college in Charlotte. It has grown so much in the past 10 years and is continuously getting larger. There is plenty to do. However, I suggest Greensboro. It is smaller than Charlotte and Raleigh but wonderful in its own right. The school system is good and I think you will find plenty to do as a single mother and woman. As for the racial factor, I believe that you will encounter that anywhere, but hopefully not as much here. Greeensboro is beautiful and there is plenty to do minus all that traffic that you will encounter in Raleigh and Charlotte. In my opinion Greensboro is the perfect city. Not too big but just right. Great dining, shopping and entertainment. Good Luck!
Audrey in NC

SAnParis

Waxhaw is another option...Lake Norman is massively over-crowded & over-built, so you would be making the right decision to avoid it (in my opinion). I won't even get into the commute from there...Based on your age, you may want to explore PLaza-Midwood, Southend or NoDa.

Gran

Five points is inside the Raleigh Loop...

I currently live in South Charlotte (Ballantyne). Everything is new and top notch in that area. Although there are a lot of transplants, it is like a small town. I went to Target yesterday and ran into two people I knew from working out at the local YMCA. This is a usual occurance.

Gretchen

I'll just add that Charlotte is a city that feels a bit like a small town. It is easy to get downtown from closer in neighborhoods. And the neighborhoods have a bit of identity of their own. The Charlotte city schools just scored extremely well on a national rating test. Huntersville is still in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system, as is Matthews. I think you will find that all areas have many "transplants".

Brady1113

Hey all...we are a young (mid 20s) couple relocating to Charlotte. We live about an hour north of NYC and are looking for something comparable. Does anyone live in Charlotte? Is it pricey? What are the up and coming towns near Lake NOrman?

Gretchen

Yes, do a search for Charlotte and you'll find a number of relocation threads.
Huntersville is listed as in the top 25 most liveable cities in Money Magazine. It is a nice area and now that they have widened the interstate, it is a quick drive to Charlotte proper. What has drawn you to "Lake Norman"?

soccr

What on earth does "snobby" mean here? A matter of rich folks vs. poor folks? Native-born vs. newcomers? Manners vs. anything goes? White vs. black? Blue state vs. red state? What?