Looking for great place to live in the Triad...

[amykate]

Hello,

I am from Michigan. My husband has a job interview at Wake Forest University. I am doing a little bit of research on the area and I am asking for some help. Can anyone give me some towns/areas to look at. We'd prefer something on the smaller side, like 10-40k residents but we'd be open to larger communities if it meant having more of the qualities we'd like. We're looking for a nice community where people are proud to be from. Here's my wish list (This also describes the town we currently live in. You may ask, "Why are you moving??" Ask my husband that one. ):

Good schools, low crime, vibrant, quaint historic downtown shopping district, art/theater/culture, good restaurants, nice parks, a nice library with children's programming, free concerts-in-the-park-type of events, a mix of well kept historic homes on traditional streets and newer homes, festivals (like community fairs, art fairs, etc.) christmas walks, home tours, youth sports, within a 1/2 hour commute to work.

I'm sure a few places like this exist around this area. Can you help me in my research?!? Thanks!!!

[triadcat]

Welcome!

It seems Kernersville would be the perfect Triad town for you! Kernersville is between Greensboro and Winston-Salem and is quite close to both cities given that Greensboro and Winston-Salem are only like 30 minutes apart. I believe Kernersville is under 20k, but not 100%sure.

[MZT]

I'd advise that you lodge in a weekly furnished rental for a month or two, and thoroughly explore the area before deciding.

There are quaint, historic sections in all the Triad cities. But whether you like the shopping and other amenities is something that's up to your own tastes.

Kernersville does have the advantage of being in the middle of all three. But it is kind of small and you may find yourself doing that half hour drive a lot.

[intcvlcphlga]

If you're husband is going to be working at Wake Forest, it probably makes sense to live in Winston-Salem thus saving him the commute. If you were to work in Greensboro, then living in Kernersville would be a good idea as it's halfway between the two cities.

Based on your criteria though, I would recommend the West End district in Winston-Salem. It's a Victorian neighborhood from the 1890s-1920s with commercial areas with bars, restaurants, B&Bs and antique stores (Burke Street, Brookstown Avenue, West 4th Street, West End Blvd) and parks both small - like Grace Court which hosts everything from weddings to small concerts and picnics - and large - like Hanes Park which has clay and hard tennis courts, a track, baseball and football fields, a YMCA, an elementary, middle and high school on its edges as well as WFU Baptist Medical Center overlooking it. West End is within walking distance to downtown which has a number of good, new restaurants and a great music/theatre/art scene. It hosts many arts and live music events (3 nights/week during the summer) on West 4th, Trade St and Corpening Plaza. There are also a few live music clubs and bars downtown. Additionally, the Stevens Center is the performing arts center for the North Carolina School of the Arts, the Winston-Salem Symphony, an independent film series, the Piedmont Opera, etc. On the other side of downtown is Old Salem, an authentic colonial village dating from the mid 1700s. In addition to being a living museum, it is a working neighborhood with private residences, restaurants, an inn, a few stores, a girls' prep school and a women's college, a large church and Winkler Bakery, the best bakery in the Triad for the past 230+ years.

Christmas is probably the most event-filled time of year in Winston. There are stage traditions like the School of the Arts and Winston-Salem Symphony's Nutcracker Ballet at the Stevens Center and Handel's Messiah at Reynolds Auditorium; Candle Tea and Christmas Lovefeasts in Salem; Moravian Sugar Cake and paper thin spice cookies at Winkler's and Dewey's Bakeries; the Festival of Lights at Tanglewood; seasonal events at SECCA and the Reynolda House Museum of American Art; etc.

It's a good place and it's a bit warmer than Michigan. Good luck with your decision and if you decide to move to NC, welcome!

[NcSc74]

I think the visitors bureau or the chamber commerce has a photo tour section with Old Salem at Christmas. I know last year when my family and I moved back to states I looked at several websites for holdiday tours. I think Winston would be a great place to live. It is one of the most underrated cities in the country. Tremendous history good schools and it is a medical research hub also. It is quite urban also from a NC city standpoint. It was the largest city in the state back in the early 1900's. The areas around downtown have an old ecclectic feel but with larger modern buildings mixed in.

[Damien]

What is that thing they do during Christmas where the store fronts downtown W-S all create a "story" with their display windows?

[Hotlanta]

Well this depends do you have children? I think the Glenridge/Mount Tabor area in Winston would fit you best! This area has THE BEST schools in the county...like Mount Tabor, Jefferson Middle, and Jefferson Elementary. Trust me I go to TJMiddle, it's the best! Oh and by the way metro I am 13 so I am at the age limit. Anyway the area does have shopping like your every day stores and a few extra ones like a Starbucks. This area is very convenient to Wake Forest and our main shopping area of Forsyth County, Hanes Mall. Winston has a very quaint downtown with great restaurants and some nifty shops but not very many of them. DT is going through a major revitalization overhaul so in a few years it will be a very cool place. I would seriously consider getting one of those Extended stay hotels and staying in it for a few days and getting to know the area.

[sax184]

Hi- I am a Wake Forest grad, and I also worked there for 3 years on staff after graduation. To me, here are the key parts of your post:

We'd prefer something on the smaller side, like 10-40k residents but we'd be open to larger communities if it meant having more of the qualities we'd like.

-AND-

Good schools, low crime, vibrant, quaint historic downtown shopping district, art/theater/culture, good restaurants, nice parks, a nice library with children's programming, free concerts-in-the-park-type of events, a mix of well kept historic homes on traditional streets and newer homes, festivals (like community fairs, art fairs, etc.) christmas walks, home tours, youth sports, within a 1/2 hour commute to work.

You're only going to find significant art/theater/culture in Winston-Salem and Greensboro. None of the satellite towns such as Kernersville or Clemmons have anything of particular consequence culturally. There's nothing historic about Clemmons- it's all new and clean, but lacks any salient character. You can't tell you're anywhere particular when you're there.

Lewisville, a small town west of Winston-Salem, is better than Clemmons and is within a 1/2 hour commute, and is on the side of the city with less traffic. Kernersville will bog you down with traffic in 2 directions.

Like the other recommender above, I would check out the West End (zipcode 27101 if you're on realtor.com) and also check out anything along Robinhood Rd between Reynolda Rd and Silas Creek Parkway. Use mapquest.com to see where these streets are.

Here is a website about the West End, which is in my opinion, the best neighborhood in the city.

http://www.echidnadesign.com/w-sfrontporch/home.html

From the West End, you can drive, bike, or take the city bus to WFU. If you're at WFU Med Center, you can walk from the West End to the hospital complex quite easily. Robinhood Rd neighborhoods provide easy access to WFU as well due to Silas Creek Parkway and Reynolda Rd. You're looking at a 10-15 minute commute tops.

Other places to check out may include Peace Haven/Country Club area and perhaps Oldtown/Bethabara/Bethania, all of which are in Winston-Salem. I think 27104?

Finally, you could live downtown- www.dwsp.org

Good luck- Go Deacs!

[AnEverydayJo]

If you're looking for towns 10k - 40k, take a look at Clemmons, NC. It's right outside of Winston to the West on I-40. It was one of the few NC towns to make the Top 100 places to live. Kernersville is another good option being located in the center of the Triad and has many more places to shop and eat. Both towns are growing at a rapid rate, so if you want small town, then take a look at Walkertown, King, and Welcome.

[ascensions]

If you don't mind the commute I'd suggest Liberty.... its sounds exactly what your looking for. The website is here: Liberty, NC

[intcvlcphlga]

If you don't mind the commute I'd suggest Liberty.... its sounds exactly what your looking for. The website is here: Liberty, NC

Be advised though that Liberty, which is south of Greensboro on US 421, is quite a commute from a job at Wake Forest, which is on the northwest side of Winston-Salem.

Here's another good website for W-S: http://www.visitwinston-salem.com/

[cityboi]

I agree Kernersville is a great place because of its central location between the Triad's two Primary cities. You can also easily take hwy 311 (future I-74) straight to High Point. The airport is in very close proximity. Its a great little town.

If you're looking for towns 10k - 40k, take a look at Clemmons, NC. It's right outside of Winston to the West on I-40. It was one of the few NC towns to make the Top 100 places to live. Kernersville is another good option being located in the center of the Triad and has many more places to shop and eat. Both towns are growing at a rapid rate, so if you want small town, then take a look at Walkertown, King, and Welcome.

I actually work in the town Welcome. I commute roughly 40 miles to work. Its very close to lexington and is only about 10 miles south of Winston-Salem. Seems like a nice little town and there is a racing museum there.

[bthomas]

Can you recomend some apartment complexes that are in a nice area of town (winston salem)? I am taking a new job in Winston at the first of the year, downtown.

I have 3 kids and I'm looking for a good/safe place to rent for a year or two that goes to good schools, low crime, places to shop, etc.

Where should we look and where should we AVOID?

Thanks!

[intcvlcphlga]

Can you recomend some apartment complexes that are in a nice area of town (winston salem)? I am taking a new job in Winston at the first of the year, downtown.

I have 3 kids and I'm looking for a good/safe place to rent for a year or two that goes to good schools, low crime, places to shop, etc.

Where should we look and where should we AVOID?

Thanks!

You could check out the Nissen Building downtown. I'm not sure if they have large enough apartments, but it would be convenient for work. There are also several nice apartment buildings in West End that would put you in a good school district.