OK, NC-Du'ers: Pros and Cons of the Winston Salem area?

[Flaxbee]

What's the area like, and what's it like as you go north toward Pilot Mtn., Mt. Airy and into Fancy Gap, VA? I know the area is lovely, but how about people, jobs, things to do, variety of culture, etc.?

Thanks in advance...

[mzteris]

1. eh -

you'd probably like Asheville better. Charlotte, Raleigh maybe?

W-S - while admittedly I don't know a whole lot about that particular area from first hand experience - what I do know - it's pretty RED. Racist. Conservative. Fundamentlist Religious types and "Southern" in the not-so-good sense of the word.

[Flaxbee]

4. I'm about an hour and a half southwest of Asheville now

and I like Asheville, but my husband wants to be closer to Virginia -- he wants to be in Virginia, right over the state line -- so :shrug:

We are in deep, dark fundie country here, too.

[mzteris]

9. Boone, NC?

Why VA?

[taterguy]

2. Watch the movie Junebug

It was filmed in Winston and it's not a documentary but it does give you a decent feel for what the area is like

[NewWaveChick1981]

3. I worked in Winston-Salem for seven years....

Excellent arts scene and some great colleges, but the city is so-so. There are some wealthy areas and some poor areas and not a lot in between. Fourth Street is a big happening arts scene, so that's fun. The further toward Mt. Airy you go, the more rural it is, but it's beautiful up that way.

Beware, though---not a lot of liberal thought comes out of the area north of Winston-Salem. :yoiks:

[Flaxbee]

6. Rural is OK...

and we're dealing with heavy-duty conservatives here, too. I don't want to be in suburban sprawl. I just don't know where the heck to go. If I can find a few friends, a few good restaurants, I'll be OK.

Thanks for your input - I know there is Wake Forest and the NC School of the Arts in W-S... thought perhaps that would allow for some progressive thought.

Thanks for your comments, NewWaveChick - I recalled you were in or had been in the area and hoped you'd chime in! :hi:

[noshenanigans]

5. You may wanna try Greensboro

about 45 minutes away from Winston Salem, there's way more there. Lately I think it's gotten more wanna-be upscale, but there's at least some places to go at night. I went to the NC School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, which is in the town proper and kind of a run down area (at least it was when I was there) but there are some nice places. Lots of "rural" folks, though- nice people, but don't be too shocked when they start complaining about "Mexicans".

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

7. I am from Greensboro ...

and the only time I have ever been in WS was for a parade in HS and that was about 14 years ago. Greensboro has a so-called growing nightlife in an attempt to grow away from the Greensboring that us natives call it. Everyone I know is moving to big houses in High Point. Don't mind me , I would rather live in London or Paris ;)

[tonkatoy57]

10. Whoa

I went to NCSA too. This is the last place I expected to run into someone from there.
School of Music. 1975-1979.

[tonkatoy57]

8. Let's see...

I grew up in outside of Greensboro, went to college in Winston-Salem, lived there for several years, moved away, came back to work there again, and moved away again.

I liked Winston-Salem. A lot.

It's centrally located. It's just a couple of hours to the N.C. mountains and @4 hours to the beach. It's conviently located between Washington and Atlanta. Geographically it has a lot going for it.

It's beautiful. Like every city there are not so nice parts of Winston-Salem, but there are beautiful older neighborhoods in the West End around Baptist Hospital, close to downtown in the Old Salem/Salem College/School for the Arts area, and a little farther north by Reynolda House and Wake Forest University. It's been a while since I've lived there but housing isn't cheap. It's not Washington or CA expensive, but...

The Golden Triad (Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem) has a vibrant arts and educational community. If you like symphony, opera,dance and the associated benefits that living close to numerous colleges and universities bring the area has a lot to offer. (Just off the top of my head i can think of 12 colleges and university's in the G/HP/WS area) If your tastes run more to bluegrass or traditional music, there is a lot of that as well, plus you're withing driving distance of lots of bluegrass and old timey festivals.

I'm not qualified to comment on the employement situation as it's been so long since I've lived there.

When I go home to visit I am taken aback by the sprawl. W-S, G'boro and HP used to be very separate. Now it's all grown together. There are, just like everywhere in America, large sections of hideous house farms and big box stores, but hey, what can you do about that.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

11. Come on down to Wilmington!

thriving arts scene, movie studios, and did I mention BEACHES??????????

[supernova]

12. I would love to live in Wilmington

Great place to be! :D

[supernova]

13. Winston is more conservative

There are some things there though, I like: NCSA, The NC Shakespeare Festival to name a couple.

Flaxbee, you might want to consider looking closer to Boone or Greensboro, as other's have noted.

[Flaxbee]

14. thanks everyone! I have to shut down b/c of a huge storm

approaching, but I'll be back to review comments when it's blown over.

I appreciate it! :hi:

[BleedingHeartRN]

15. We moved to the Triad 5 years ago from KY

And overall we really like it. There has been very fair criticism and praise of Winston-Salem here thus far. By and large, I have found it to be quite conservative, however there is a much broader mix of people here. Many people relocate here from up north and other areas. The job market is decent, depending on what you do. It's a good place for us to raise our kids and we've also found much more opportunity as far as jobs and education than we had in Kentucky.

If you live southwest of Asheville now, you'll probably be fine in the more rural areas. Yadkin County is the next up-and-coming area. Especially because of the thriving wine industry.