NYC couple needs advice on potential move to Charlotte, NC
 

We are an easygoing couple in our early thirties who have lived in NYC for the last 7 years. We are tired of the high cost of living in NYC and long for a house and a less hectic lifetstyle. My husband works on Wall Street, and has many contacts with Charlotte banks, so we are considering a move. I would love to hear from those familiar with the city whether it would be what we are looking for. I am from CT, my husband is from Hilton Head, SC (but loves NYC). We look forward to having some space and access to golfing. I understand Charlotte is significantly smaller than NY, but I am more concerned with the culture and vibe of the city than the size. Is it a cosmpolitan, diverse place? Many types of restaurants? Are there venues for the symphony, etc? Nearby antiquing, or interesting boutiques to browse? Also, what is the political vibe of the city-- is it conservative, liberal or somewhere in between? As a point of reference, about ten years ago, I lived in Atlanta for the summer and did not like that much (have not been since, so I am not sure if it has changed). It seemed very Georgia-centric-- at least at the law firm I worked at-- all anyone could talk about was U of GA and I felt they looked down on northerners, particularly New Yorkers, who they had predetermined to be "rude" although they had never stepped foot there. Would Charlotte be the same way, or are people more open to outsiders? Sorry for the long post, but this is a big decision!!

Moving from apartment living to a house is a big step, even without a major change of cities. Although the pace and the COL in NYC are high, as homeowners you'll have a whole new set of demands on your time and yoru wallet, including maintenance, insurance, commuting, auto, etc. etc. So, really, you are looking at TWO types of lifestyle change, here.

kiki
I cannot really address the issues of moving from here to there, I did the opposite..grew up in Charlotte, then after a time spent in California, ended up here in NYC.
I think the biggest adjustment in any move from NYC, to anywhere else- is the pace of life and the lack of being able to go anywhere, at anytime and do something or eat something. Most towns/cities everywhere, close down after a certain hour, NYC is unique in that respect.
I am sure once you get over the initial thrill of living in a nice home and discovering your area, you will start to get longings for the way things were in NYC.
But being a young couple, there is a whole life to build, in a nice place, before you and while you may chomp at the bit when you are behind someone who travels at a much slower pace than you are used to, you will soon fall into the same rhythyms of life in the South and I bet you will love it.
Charlotte is filling up with Yankees :) and you will probably meet many just like yourselves.
They have some culture, there is definitely antiquing to do and exploring to do. You are close enough to the ocean and the mountains to enjoy days away.
As far as political views, it is the South..you will be in the midst of Southern conservatives!
I think and hope you will be very happy and wish you much luck!

If you didn't like Atlanta, I have serious doubts about you liking Charlotte. As Scarlet wrote, as soon as the thrill of the new house wears off, you will start to really miss NYC.

Charlotte has its good points but NYC does those good points better. Be prepared for urban sprawl and conjested traffic. You will develop and close and personal relationship with your car.

Don't get me wrong, I like Charlotte but can't imagine have to move from NYC to there.

Have you looked into other cities? Charleston, SC is beautiful with a little better climate.

Kikihack,
We are in a similar position, having just moved from NYC after 10 years to Raleigh/Durham and are now considering Charlotte (along with a few other places).
We took a long weekend in Charlotte several months ago and absolutely loved it.
If you can be more specific about what you're willing to give up in NYC, then maybe we can address those issues and how they relate to Charlotte. Our thoughts were:
Charlotte is an absolutely gorgeous city with beautiful landscape, older neighborhoods, eclectic areas and yes, even good food. I think you should ignore any past/future posts about "It's not NYC." That's a given. No place is NYC but that's why you're leaving.
The people are super friendly, the living is cheap, and if you're willing to explore, you can find culture and mountains and activities galore. The downtown is active (relatively) with a symphony, theater, ballet, restaurants, etc. You won't find the Village but you can find Dilworth. There are funky bungalow communities nearby and you'll tend to find more diversity in town rather than in the suburbs. As far as raising a family, it can't be beat. The traffic is getting worse, as we saw, but it's nothing compared to being stuck on the Willis Ave. Bridge staring at that stupid Detour Sign for two hours!!
I love that we are out of NYC. Okay, so I miss the bagels and sushi, but that's what my mother in law is for!
Feel free to ask more questions or, if you want to send me your email, I can reply personally.
Hope this helps!!

I also work on Wall Street and have had numerous colleagues move to Charlotte with either Bank of America or First Union (now Wachovia.)

The general consensus of those I talked to is that it is a great life, for those who are comfortable in a suburban environment and that is focused on family activities. Most have been able to significantly increase the size of their home versus what they had in Connecticut or Westchester.

Where I've heard complaints is about the lack of those things that make NYC fun, the multitude of restaurants and cultural events. One ex-colleague, who is Indian, did say that much of his communities activities are tied to the local church's, and he feels somewhat excluded in that way, as he isn't Christian. But, he did say he thinks it is a great environment to raise children.

The one downside I've also heard is the difficulty of coming back to NY in a professional capacity if the situation dicatates the need or desire to leave. A "out-of-sight-out-mind" mentality.

On the whole, though, very few people who I know, and I'd say that would be at least 20 over the last 10 years, regretted their decision.

Charlotte does have some very pretty areas (South Park, Dilworth, Myers Park)but I stand by my assessment that if you didn't like Atlanta, you will not like Charlotte.

I don't live in Charlotte, but I have family there in the suburbs, so take my opinions with a grain of salt.

I find Charlotte to be very conservative and church oriented. I'm not sure if much has change in the few years since I was paying attention to the local government climate. But it's safe to assume they're still doing dumb things with taxpayer dollars.

The city does get touring productions of Broadway shows. And some touring art/cultural events. Yes the city does have its own symphony (go to charlotte.com to read about their recent strike)

The city is sprawled out, so if you move to the area, get something close to your job(s). It might not be as big or as fashionable as a new home/neighborhood, but traffic stinks. Oh, and NASCAR is based in Charlotte. Learn a little bit about it (kind of like learning a few words of French before going to Paris).

At one time Charlotte was trying to be the next Atlanta. Why, I don't know.

There are some nice parks and good people in town. Plus you are not that far from the mountains or ocean. The state parks in NC are free admission.

I'm not sure you will find a less hectic lifestyle. Unless you work from home, there will be commuting issues, and a home comes with a different set of problems than an apartment.

where the emocicon is it should say jobs. But sometimes I feel like doing that at work!

Topping for kiki

Don't do it. You'll miss NYC. I've spent considerable time in Charlotte and its environs, and I fear all your worries will be realized if you move.

Another thing to consider, particularly for someone accustomed to Wall Street, is job satisfaction. I've been very disappointed with the level, intensity, quality etc of work at finance & legal shops outside NY. Your husband may lose his edge and miserably flounder in a sad cesspool of mediocrity. Oh, he may think he can raise the standards to his level, but it won't happen . . . a sea change would be in order, one that no one should count on.

Good Luck

This is so obvious, I hesitate to mention it, as I'm sure you've thought of it, but: go to Charlotte on vacation time and stay as long as you possibly can. Collect local newspapers and magazines, check out real estate, nightlife, shopping (including mundane stuff like grocery stores), libraries, golf courses, whatever the components of your daily life might be. All these opinions are great, but can't replace "boots on the ground"--best of luck!

Hoo boy, ncgrrl -- Charlotte has really changed since you were paying attention. Uptown Charlotte is booming, and it might even be the fasting growing neighborhood in town. There are literally thousands of condoes and apartments planned in the central city (downtown Charlotte is called Uptown for those of you in the cheap seats, by the way), and they're building a light rail network that's causing smart growth villages and residential towers to sprout all over town along the planned routes, not to mention the new university and arena under construction on the west side of downtown (Uptown).

Charlotte's no longer much interested in mutating into another Atlanta as far as I can tell. They've become much more intent on becoming a bona fide American capital of smart growth. Of major American cities you'd be hard-pressed to find one with a stronger commitment to good, quality growth. One of the things Charlotte is perpetually criticized about is the fact that it has bulldozed a great deal of its historic buildings, if not a majority of them. While the city retains far more history than it's given credit for, the history that has been lost is being steadily and relentlessly replaced with high-quality smart growth.

Overall, Charlotte is an exceedingly clean, green, beautiful, and booming city. It's full of art and culture and in fact last year Charlotte's donations to the arts were the second largest in the country after New York. That's not donations per capita, but donations by monetary amount, meaning an awful LOT of money was pumped into the arts in Charlotte. Meanwhile, Charlotte is, on a small scale, an international city, not unlike Greenville-Spartanburg, another Southern capital of industry where I never heard less than five different languages being spoken whenever I went out in public when I lived there. There are full-fledged and developing international districts on the east side of Charlotte, though nothing, naturally, on the scale of New York.

And now that I've sort of gone from speaking to ncgrrl to kikihack, let's also mention that Charlotte has excellent public schools and higher education, not to mention many thousands of acres of parks, gardens, and nature preserves, and the city is also close to numerous wonderful daytrip destinations like Asheville, Winston-Salem, Charleston, and others.

Overall, as I mentioned, Charlotte has all the things that make a place pleasant, and that's what Charlotte is even if it isn't the most memorable city in other ways. But if you are looking for a slightly slower pace of life in a clean, green, beautiful, pleasant city with enough to culture to keep a person busy, along with an international prescence and plenty of chances to mix and mingle with folks from far away places, not to mention a city with excellent educational opportunities at all levels, plus an ever-growing skyline, Charlotte might be for you. Ask yourself if you'd like to be a part of helping a city become one of the greatest big cities in America, because, while it's not there yet, that's where Charlotte's heading.

Thank you all for the excellent posts. To clarify, we are absolutely ready to commit to a house, we will either move to a NY suburb or move to an entirely new city, like Charlotte. The way NY real estate values are now, even the affordable (500k or less) starter homes in NY are a good 1.5 hour total commute from the city, so we really would be living in a mediocre, isolated suburb, not NYC. Realistically, I cannot imagine we would even come into NYC much after a long work day (especially if we start having kids!). Perhaps comparing that scenario to living closer to the heart of a smaller city makes sense. Is it possible to live within Charlotte proper, in a bonafide house with yard? The other thing we found appealing about Charlotte was its proximity to an airport-- we travel tons-- are there lots of direct flights out of this airport? Please keep your comments coming, they are really providing an excellent range of opinions!!

My brother and sister-in-law moved to Charlotte about 4 years ago. They were able to get a beautiful house in a lake community and only 20 min. from the airport since they both travel extensively. The area is perfect for raising children but as to the quality of the schools, be careful what section since the quality varies. They have been happy with the quality of the medical care. But for the negatives- both have big jobs with Wachovia and she found they definitely had "the big boy southern mentality", but with her NY attitude, she has managed to overcome it and been promoted twice. The area is Ok but I have seen much nicer suburbs since they are into typical tract housing not done too well. As with most southern cities, what church you belong to will be the first question they ask you. So if you are not into that, it could be hard for you. Sports is also like a religion especially NASCAR. Do they regret the move - no but want to move back to the NE within the next 5 yrs. Hope this helps!

Topping again because somebody topped the duplicate thread.

I moved from Charlotte a few years ago, and had grown up just outside of Charlotte, so I have seen Charlotte grow through the years. It really is a nice city, and I have many good friends there. The location is good for trips to the beach or mountains. I don't know that Charlotte wants to be like Atlanta, they just want to get the attention that Atlanta (or any other big city) does. And yes, the uptown/downtown arguement has been raging for years. The main reason they wanted uptown is because it sounds more positive! I wouldn't get my hopes up too much for the light rail. People in Charlotte really love their cars and would be hard pressed to give them up. Plus, I think it won't be that extensive of a system. Also, be prepared to pay some of the highest airfares flying out of Charlotte's airport. USAirways has a lock on the market right now. Many people drive to Greensboro to save money, and usually end up flying back through Charlotte if they are on USAirways. Charlotte has come along way as far as arts and nightlife and restaurants, but imho the restaurants and nightlife choices have become more trendy than good. I would say that Charlotte is definitely worth a look.

Actually, jw, the key to a successful rail network is to have a critical mass of people who would use it living within walking distance. And that's what's already developing in Charlotte.

The first rail line will stretch from Uptown soutward to Pineville along South Boulevard. There are four more planned, but already along the South Boulevard route condo towers are packing in cheek to jowl, offering street level retail and all the other things that make an urban neighborhood great. Even before the trains are rolling the development that will make them a success is flooding in along the route... meaning that light rail in Charlotte will likely be an immense success. Charlotteans do love their cars as do most Americans, but after many years of watching Atlanta choke on its own sprawl, Charlotte has chosen a better path and all that smart growth is helping Charlotte become a very dense, very urban, and very lively city.

I stopped posting about relocation issues a while back. I thought long and hard about whether to make my first post. And I did say take it with a grain of salt. But as you can see, people have a wide opinion about the area. Hauntedheadnc has wonderful insights and information about Asheville.

Hauntedheadnc loves the smart growth concept and downtown condos and light rail. I have reservations about the lightrail system under proposal in my area (Durham, NC). From my family (who will not benefit from it) they are not fans of it. When I visit, we don't go uptown or about anywhere near uptown.

By the way, in Chapel Hill, NC it's called 'downtown' even though you have to go up a hill to get there.

As someone who moved from an apartment to a house, I learned real fast there isn't a maintenance department to call when the toilet goes weird at 9 p.m. I love having a house and some of the work involved. I think you will like it too.

In the city, not far from Uptown with vibrant dining, nightlife, culture, and shopping would be either South Park, Myers Park, or Dilworth. Keep in mind for a decent sized house with a decent sized yard you are still looking at $500,000 in any of these areas. My girlfriend just sold her house on Queens Blvd (probably the prettiest street in Charlotte, divided with huge trees in the middle of the road) for over a million bucks.

The Charolotte airport is bad news. Dominated by USAir, it has been reported as having the highest fares of all the major airports. Just do a little research to confirm. From New York, I can fly just about anywhere in the US to visit friends cheaper than I can fly to Charlotte to visit family.

For example, recently I flew LGA to a midwest destination, direct USAir, for $220. Direct to Charlotte from LGA, plenty in advance, I can't beat $320.

Good luck with your decision.

OOOh, I had to post. We moved to Charlotte in 1999, then to Durham and are now on our way back to Providence. Maybe I would have hated any new city when I had to relocate in 1999 and Charlotte does have some good points but I can't agree with the really pro-Charlotte boosters. I did find it homogonized and sterile. I recall articles in the newspaper about people being afraid to go "uptown" and when we went for dinner most Sat nights it did seem less than lively. I know they've built more condos etc so it might be more active now. My hubby and I are both professionals with good salaries but we could not afford to live in Dilworth, South Park or Queens BLvd area.... that leaves the developments... some nicer than others but yes, suburbia. Found some decent resturants but I did feel very isolated and like a heathen because I was not "church-goin".. And I agree about airport... it is nice and not bad to get to but expensive to fly from because USAIr keeps away the low cost carriers. And unless things have changed dramatically in 4 years.. traffic was bad and they do bulldoze alot... I saw no evidence of smart growth.

Now with that said, you might love it.. you will get more house for the money and it is definitly less stressful down in NC than the north. Yet, I also find it overall boring... My theory is that they have less access to cultural things, good resturants, festivals, historic houses etc... so what they think is wonderful or fantastic, those of us from other areas may only find to be"nice" or ok... if that makes sense.

I guess this move will depend on if you are fed up with NY and want a real change... if so, give it a try. Let us know.

"My theory is that they have less access to cultural things, good resturants, festivals, historic houses etc... so what they think is wonderful or fantastic..."

Not to be rude, but I have never heard a less accurate depiction of North Carolina, especially when I live in a city of only 70,000 people that hosts festivals nearly every month of the year, including one that draws more than 350,000 people to downtown. Plus my city of only 70,000 is home to three ballets, an opera, a sympony, half a dozen theatre companies and numerous museums including an art museum, an African-American art and history museum, a health and science museum and a gem and mineral museum. Also my small city is home to a 255-room palace whose 8,000 acre grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, who also designed Central Park. And also, my small city is home to numerous four- and five-star hotels and restaurants...

So that covers access to culture, good restaurants, festivals, and historic homes, and we didn't even touch on the "etc." such as the botanical gardens, national and state parks and forests, and more. And that's only in one city of 70,000 people. I realize that my city, Asheville, is very unique -- it wouldn't attract more than 6.5 million tourists a year if it wasn't, but when you also consider the offerings of Winston-Salem, which is another definite American capital of art and history, along with the state museums in Raleigh and the offerings of the universities in Raleigh and the other cities of the Triangle, plus Charlotte, plus Greensboro, plus other area cities like Wilmington and Charleston -- to say that the South is deprived in any respect is completely wrong.

I doubt that you spent enough time here to discover all there is to offer in the South and in North Carolina especially. We're not a backwater by any stretch of the imagination and it's a shame you didn't have time enough to find that out for yourself. North Carolina is a special state full of special places that easily have as much to offer as any place else in the nation. Do we compare to New York City? As a state, I'd say yes, but any one city wouldn't, but then again no other single city does either.

But to say we're rubes here in NC who don't have access to "cultural things, good resturants, festivals, historic houses etc..." and thus are easily amused by what we do have is, frankly, insulting as well as just plain wrong.

It's all relative. What impresses someone who's never lived elsewhere may not impress someone who has lived different places.

Hauntedheadnc, please tell us where else you have lived so we can weigh your perspective of NC's myriad cultural and culinary opportunities. (And please don't regale us with your travels -- visiting ain't the same as living.)

Oh, and by the way, the Vanderbilts were New Yorkers!

Gekko, Perhaps you'd like to do the same to support your contention that all financial and legal shops outside of NYC of cesspools of mediocrity.

haunted, while I usually agree with you, this time you have to give it up. I'm married to a man who can trace his lineage back to the begining of Asheville, I do know the town. Nice and quirky it is, world class, not. Exceptionally pretty with a lot going on? You betcha. Asheville is one of my favorite places anywhere. Period. I had my wedding reception at the Grove Park Inn (late Ian Netherway) and spent my wedding night there. I got married at The Cove.

Charlotte cannot, even remotely, compare or live up to the expectations of NYC. I spend a lot of time in NYC (all boroughs)every month. I have family in the suburbs. Charlotte has to the miniscule degree what NYC has wide open.

Charlotte has good museums, art, theater, shopping, dining, parks, business. NYC has the best in the world.

While I can appreciate your sentiments with the OP, your view is a little crowded.

Not trying to tick you off as I love NC and I think you give the best advice I've ever read about Asheville.

GoTravel, I can't speak for haunted but I don't think he was attempting to say that Charlotte or Asheville is the cultural equal of NYC. I believe he was responding to ColletteRI who characterized the area as homoginized & sterile and theorized the locals to be church goin' rubes who wouldn't know culture if it fell on them.

GoTravel, I wasn't attempting to say that either Asheville nor Charlotte compare to NYC. Read my whole post instead of just skimming, and you'd see it. I know I write a lot whenever I post but that's because there's a lot to say.

If you'd rather I save you the trouble though, here's a direct quote.

"Do we compare to New York City? As a state, I'd say yes, but any one city wouldn't, but then again no other single city does either."

Chew on that for a bit. What am I saying? I'm saying that in the entire state of NC you'd find everything you could find in New York City alone. I'm not saying that any one city in North Carolina or any one city anywhere, for that matter, is an equal to New York. But I am saying that the South is not dark side of the moon, utterly lacking in culture and probably indoor plumbing as well, as was opined by our dear forummer from Rhode Island.

I may sound peeved but that's because I am. I'll accept a healthy argument any day, but not if the person who disagrees with me didn't read what I wrote first before firing off a response. Also, it REALLY drives a spike under my nails to see the old "Beverly Hillbillies" stereotype trotted out on this forum or anywhere else. You aren't guilty of that, GoTravel, but you disagreed with a post of mine that was responding to someone who is, so pardon my testiness.

Yes, the Vanderbilts were New Yorkers, Gekko. And the Wright Brothers were Ohioans, Abraham Lincoln was from Illinois, and California's new governor is Austrian. How about that?

Unrelated, you say? Why, yes! But so was your statement that the Vanderbilts were from New York.

That was interesting. Wanting to flee the conjestion, high gas prices and high cost of living of So. Cal. Now where does a young family go to raise kids where the kids can play outside and ride bikes without getting shot at, run over or kidnapped? Where did the Waltons come from?

The Walton's Mountain Museum ins in Schuyler, VA, near where the author "Earl Hammer" grew up. Better check it out, it might have changed in the past 70 years.

I've read part of the thread but just can't do it all. Charlotte is a truly nice town and the quality of life is excellent. Traffic is bad--consider that when you are choosing your housing. Our son is a bit older than you, works at BofA. He grew up in Charlotte but the town is booming with young folks who work downtown. Atlanta it ain't THANK GOD. I met my husband in NYC and we moved to Charlotte a long time ago. There is diverse housing, as someone pointed out. And a lot of it is downtown, for your first home, perhaps. We have a symphony (unfortunately now on strike), excellent museums (two downtown--Craft+Design and Museum of the New South), antique shops, South End for designer shopping, really good restaurants. There is a mix politically--the City Council has just gone republican, County Commission has been democratic for a while until they raised the property tax 15% in one year.
The neighborhoods of Charlotte are beautiful--I live 10 minutes from downtown on arguably the most beautiful street in the city. Come down and spend some time. The ocean is 3 hours away and the mountains 2 hours.

Haunted and OBX girl... I think you are projecting some of your own issues onto my reply. First of all , it was my impression of Charlotte, right or wrong. You will notice that I also advised the poster to give it a try.. But sorry, what you think is great does largely depend on your prespective of what you've experienced before. Yes, Charlotte has nice stuff and I never ever said it was a backwater but there is a big adjustment for Northerners in so many ways. And I am not lying when I say that even state and county government workers say "have a blessed day" on their phone messages. That is not BAD but it is very different from up north where your spirituality is much more private.

Hey, to each his own. NC is a nice state with nice people but I prefer the look and amenities of the North and will be looking forward to returning.

Best of luck to Kiki from NYC with whatever they chose to do.

Let's see . . . where to begin?

First, the Vanderbilt family is responsible for the Biltmore, hauntedheadnc's Asheville palace. Since we're "comparing" New York to NC, I thought it relevant to mention that the Vanderbilts were New Yorkers and it was their fortune made in NY that paid for the Biltmore.

(As an aside, the Vanderbilt's amazing summer home can be visited in Newport, Rhode Island.)

Regarding my previous comment about an experienced Wall Streeter floundering in a sad cesspool of mediocrity, I have more than ample experience and anecdotes to support the comment. I lived and worked in the South for many many years; I have family in Charlotte. I continue to work with both legal & financial shops in several states south of the Mason-Dixon line. My comment was more a reflection of priorities & personality types than a value judgment. Take it or leave it (but you've been warned).

Hauntedheadnc, I'm still waiting for your response. And Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky, not Illinois -- the National Historic Site is worth a visit.

ColletteRI,

"Homogenized" and "sterile" were your words, not mine.

Your theory that NCer's have had less access to culture and are prone to overrate what they do have is consdescending. Your denial of it is disingenuous at best.

For the record, I've also lived in Providence RI, Monterey CA, Naples Italy, and Washington DC so I have some basis for my opinion. I'm not church goin' either.

Well said Gekko and thanks for understanding what I was trying to express . Haunted and OBXgirl were putting words in my mouth- I never said the people were Beverly Hillbillies or it is a complete backwater but sorry, imo NC does not have as much to offer to me personally as does New England.

It is funny that we always get into these heated discussions when it really all comes down to personal choice and preference..

OBX ...you are right... I will stand by my opinion that Charlotte seemed sterile and homoginized to me, compared to what I was used to. That is all we are saying.. that people do experience things differently based on their previous enviornments and itneractions. I did not say NC folks are all hillbillies but it was at Efram's Furniture in Charlotte, NC that I was told the store was closed on Sundays because "Mr. Efram's a church goin man".

I am commenting on things that are just very different culturally. I did not imply that NC folks are hillbillies... those are your projections.

I'm sure when you lived in Providence some things about the place and the people were not to your liking and that you compared it to places you lived previously. Sometimes these comparisons are favorable and sometimes not. Let's not make a federal case of it.

Ok, I responded to kikihacks duplicate message but I'll respond to this one as well. Kikihack, your just gonna have to come down here for a few days and see what its like. Go to charlotte.com and find their Living Here guide. It will give you a good idea of what to expect.
The pace of living here is alot slower and sometimes I'm bored out of mind here. I do miss being close to Philly, NY, Baltimore and DC if I want that big city experience.
And traffic is horrible and the city really doesn't seem to be doing too much about it. There are some neat neighborhoods but in my honest opinion the majority is very typical cookie cutter suburbia.
I stay because I like my job and I like the weather. But if I could take my job and the weather with me - I'd go back up North in a heartbeat. I'm not from a big town but I do miss being able to get to those towns if I want to. And my family is from there. So those are the 2 big issues for me.
People are for the most part friendly and yes, religion does play a big role.
I personally find it to be very generic but you can say that about alot of places. NYC it isn't. That can be good or bad depending on your own point of view.

Hi Kikihack,

I can only speak from my experience. I have lived in Philadelphia and spent many summers in NYC growing up.

It is hard to compare the 2 because they are very different. I absolutely love Charlotte. In my opinion it is enough of a city in that it has many art galleries, the ballet, symphony, theatre, excellent restaurants, etc. But it does not take an hour to get everywhere to do all of these things.

My friends who live outside large major cities never venture downtown on the weekends because it is not worth the traffic hassle. So in my opinion they might as well be living elsewhere since most folks tend to stay around their suburban areas.

In Charlotte that is not so. It is very easy to take the 10-15 minute drive downtown to see a play or go to an exhibit. Things are also more spread out so not everything is downtown anyway.

But please do not think it is anything like NY. Charlotte does not have near as many options but it is a clean, beautiful city with friendly people.

Most people who live here are not from here so they are open to making new friends,etc. I am in my early thirties and think this is the best place to raise a family as well. Plus you are so close to the beach (I love Charleston) and the mountains. I love it!

Does this remind anyone else of the recent Joe Queenan article in the NYT? To summarize, no matter how much boosters of culture in the hinterlands claim they can compete with the center of the universe, New York City is the only place that has eight Vermeers.