Mr. Sparkle Posted July 28, 2005 Author Share Posted July 28, 2005 Thanks to everyone for all the advice - these links/suggestions are great and just what I was looking for. Keep em coming. I had one other question too - After Charlotte, we are going to visit some relatives in Chattanooga, TN. We will be driving and the mapquest directions send us all the way south to Atlanta before heading up to Chattannooga. It looks like mapquest is directing us south to avoid the mountains. This may be a dumb question, but is there a quicker way to get from Charlotte to Chattanooga without driving through Atlanta? Thanks again for any help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tux of Borg Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 Visit the smurf's old stomping grounds... exit 295 gorman street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col_forbin Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 Thanks to everyone for all the advice - these links/suggestions are great and just what I was looking for. Keep em coming. I had one other question too - After Charlotte, we are going to visit some relatives in Chattanooga, TN. We will be driving and the mapquest directions send us all the way south to Atlanta before heading up to Chattannooga. It looks like mapquest is directing us south to avoid the mountains. This may be a dumb question, but is there a quicker way to get from Charlotte to Chattanooga without driving through Atlanta? Thanks again for any help! 392291[/snapback] I'm not sure if it is quicker to go thru Atlanta....can't imagine that it is. Do yourself a favor and make a couple stops on the Blue Ridge Parkway, well worth the detour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Realist Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 I'm not sure if it is quicker to go thru Atlanta....can't imagine that it is. Do yourself a favor and make a couple stops on the Blue Ridge Parkway, well worth the detour. 392329[/snapback] If you're heading to Chattanooga from Charlotte, DO NOT miss the Blue Ridge Parkway! Very beautiful area of the country. If you're going through the mountains, check out Asheville and the Biltmore Estate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoachChuckDickerson Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 After living there for over six years, it's easier for me to tell you what you SHOULDN'T do. - Don't eat grits. They taste like boiled popcorn. - Don't talk. They'll hear you speaking regular English and automatically declare you a northern moron. - Don't reference the Civil War, and if you do, reference it by it's proper name: The War of Northern Agression. - Don't look for Southern Hospitality. You're not from the south, so you are a foreigner, and foreigners are not to be shown any form of southern hospitality. - Don't drive in the rain. Stay off the roads. People from North Carolina can't drive to begin with, but throw a little water on the roads and you'd think it was a blizzard. - Don't make fun of The Andy Griffith Show, or in any way, shape or form suggest that Mayberry is a fictional place. No one has told them yet and they seem at peace with it. - Don't stand still if you hear banjo music. - Don't leave for vacation without visiting your local dentist first to ensure everything is okay. There are no dentists in North Carolina and apparently all dental work is done by the local veterinarian. - Don't wear anything other than Wrangler jeans as Levis are considered "high-falutin' cosmopolitian attire." - Don't go. Just stay home. There's nothing to see there. 392200[/snapback] When exactly did you live in Carolina? 1950? I have lived in central Carolina for the past 5 years, and I have a wicked northern accent. I can safely say none of the above is true. The only thing that is really different if folks LOVE JESUS down here in a big way. Bible belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nowhereman Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 After leaving (1978) the Arm Pit of Western New York - Niagara Falls I moved to Ft Laud FL. 5 years later a job relocation took us to the Raleigh/Cary area for 8 years before the boom & loved it. I could have filled a bus with people wanting out of South FL!! Moved to Charlotte/Rock Hill SC for 15 years and this too was very nice. Also familiar with most of both the Carolinas with in-laws & daughter living in different cities too - All experiences have been pleasant with only excetions being with transplanted yankees. I've had P/T jobs in addition to fulltime work and have met many people along the way. 6 months ago an opportunity came about with my employer & we transfered to Huntsville ALABAMA. This is very similar to what the Carolinas were 20 years ago. The growth & development along with crime, cost of housing, & congestion is what made us decide on moving further into the South. It's been a lot of fun and enjoying it more than we thought. This may be Dixie's best kept secret. My 11 year old isn't thrilled about starting school next week but a trade off to the mild winters & early summers. My only complaint are the South's summers - I would trade July & August for their January & February any time!! The Tennessee River and many lakes are all around us and we'll hopefully get a boat sometime soon. Having had many vacations to beaches in FL, & N & S Carolina I can honestly say that the Redneck Riviera of AL & FL Panhandle on the Gulf of Mexico are very nice - although Sharks seem to think so too. Bama & Auburn (Tenn too) is primarily what you hear the most about down here. BILLS - PANTHERS Super Bowl this year but I'll hold off on picking the winner!!! Oh what the heck - 24-20 BILLS !!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 Thanks to everyone for all the advice - these links/suggestions are great and just what I was looking for. Keep em coming. I had one other question too - After Charlotte, we are going to visit some relatives in Chattanooga, TN. We will be driving and the mapquest directions send us all the way south to Atlanta before heading up to Chattannooga. It looks like mapquest is directing us south to avoid the mountains. This may be a dumb question, but is there a quicker way to get from Charlotte to Chattanooga without driving through Atlanta? Thanks again for any help! 392291[/snapback] If you have the time, visit Lookout Mountain and the other Chattanooga Civil War battlefields. My great-grandfather took one in the knee at Chickamauga in Nov. 1863. I was able to trace the route and activities of his outfit and kinda locate where he got shot. http://usparks.about.com/library/miniplann...ckamauganmp.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nowhereman Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 Sparkle - I have driven from Charlotte (Fort Mill SC) many times but the most pleasant drive is up to Shelby using I-85 to HWY 74 to I-26 into Asheville & then down to Franklin over to Murphy NC into Cleveland/Chatanooga, TENN. Quickest way is all Interstate from from Asheville via I-40 to Knoxville & then I-75 south to Chat. Stay away from Atlanta since you'll start hitting traffic 75 miles out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFaninNC Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 I know more people from Buffalo living in the Charlotte region than I did in Buffalo! Charlotte is a bankers town, lots of suits uptown. For fun, hit Discovery place uptown. You can catch a baseball game just south of Charlotte in Fort Mill. The Knights play in a nice stadium, very clean and reasonable ticket prices. If you like NASCAR, check out the Concord, NC area for all the race team shops. Two of my favorite day trips from Charlotte are Charleston, SC and Blowing Rock, NC. Charleston has alot of history, great food and things to do. Blowing Rock is a quaint resort town in the mountains off the Parkway. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 When exactly did you live in Carolina? 1950? I have lived in central Carolina for the past 5 years, and I have a wicked northern accent. I can safely say none of the above is true. The only thing that is really different if folks LOVE JESUS down here in a big way. Bible belt. 392338[/snapback] I lived in Marion, NC from 1984-1988. Comparing central NC with Western North Carolina is like comparing Beverly Hills to South Central. Two different animals. I lived in North Raleigh for another 3 years and it was much more palatable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VABills Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 If you get a chance go to Roanoke Rapids. They might ask you to chew their food for them as they only have one set of dentures for the whole town to share. Of course, they might think your real perdy and lock you up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomerjamhead Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 After living there for over six years, it's easier for me to tell you what you SHOULDN'T do. - Don't eat grits. They taste like boiled popcorn. - Don't talk. They'll hear you speaking regular English and automatically declare you a northern moron. - Don't reference the Civil War, and if you do, reference it by it's proper name: The War of Northern Agression. - Don't look for Southern Hospitality. You're not from the south, so you are a foreigner, and foreigners are not to be shown any form of southern hospitality. - Don't drive in the rain. Stay off the roads. People from North Carolina can't drive to begin with, but throw a little water on the roads and you'd think it was a blizzard. - Don't make fun of The Andy Griffith Show, or in any way, shape or form suggest that Mayberry is a fictional place. No one has told them yet and they seem at peace with it. - Don't stand still if you hear banjo music. - Don't leave for vacation without visiting your local dentist first to ensure everything is okay. There are no dentists in North Carolina and apparently all dental work is done by the local veterinarian. - Don't wear anything other than Wrangler jeans as Levis are considered "high-falutin' cosmopolitian attire." - Don't go. Just stay home. There's nothing to see there. 392200[/snapback] That is friggin hilarious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 If you get a chance go to Roanoke Rapids. They might ask you to chew their food for them as they only have one set of dentures for the whole town to share. Of course, they might think your real perdy and lock you up. 392455[/snapback] Awwwraaahht! Now we're getting somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greybeard Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 I golf rarely and very poorly. And in any event, bc my girlfriend will be there, this won't be a golfing vacation. Thanks anyways! 392209[/snapback] In that case all you need is a hotel room and some beer. Although throwing in a token dinner would be nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch19079 Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 Raleigh isn't like that at all. In Raleigh suburbs such as Cary, Apex and Holly Springs the majority of the population is probably from somehwere else other than the "deliverance" south. On my street everyone is from north of the Mason-Dixon line. This is a great place to live with plenty to do, you are about two hours from the beach and three hours from the mountains. 392224[/snapback] ive lived in the cary/apex area of NC for 20 years. teh only thing to do is: bowling, go to a movie, drive to the beach, fish, go to clubs in raleigh, drive to the zoo... thats about it. good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRT88 Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 If you have the time, I'd drive either over to the Outer Banks, Ocracoke island especially, or down to Wilmington. The downtown area long the Cape Fear River in Wilmington is excellent. Lots of shops and other things to do. Wrightsville Beach is only about 10 minutes away. Near Ashboro, which is between Raleigh and Charlotte, is the North Carolina Zoo. It's only $10.00 an adult and trust me, its worth it. You'll do a lot of waling but its a really nice place. Over closer to the Mountain, in Ashville, there's the Biltmore Estate. That really cool, if you are into the lifestyles of the outragously rich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ganesh Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 ive lived in the cary/apex area of NC for 20 years. teh only thing to do is: bowling, go to a movie, drive to the beach, fish, go to clubs in raleigh, drive to the zoo... thats about it. good luck. 392527[/snapback] what else do you want to do or is there any time to do anything else...isn't that truly reflect most of our daily lives, at least for people who have homes/kids etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 if you have time and want to see a beautiful campus, go to chapel hill. take a walk down franklin street and stop in at "top of the hill" for a brew and bite to eat. if the durham bulls are in town, go to a game. fantastic minor league stadium in downtown durham. fyi, in case you didn't know, durham, chapel hill, and raleigh form what is commonly referred to as "the triangle" -- in my opinion, it is a perfect mix of southern charm and northern influences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marck Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 Was just down their on a business trip. The weather is very hot and humid. Prices of homes are incredible, of course that is based on my perspective of being a property owner in San Diego. Nice people in the area, lot of academic institutions so it is a party area. Not much in the way of high-tech business. Make sure your car has air conditioing and take money with you as their is an amazing lack of ATM machines per square mile. My girlfriend and I are traveling to Raleigh and then Charlotte for a few days in the middle of August. I know there are a bunch of people on the board that are from North Carolina - any thoughts on things to do, places we should definitely see, etc.? (by the way, part of the reason we are going down there is bc we are thinking about moving - we want to see what our options are outside of Buffalo for obvious reasons.) Thanks in advance! 392177[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cåblelady Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 I'd just go to Hilton Head Island, SC and Savannah, GA if I were you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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