Deeana Kourtney photography
In the past 3 years, I’ve lived in 5 different cities. I know, I know. I have NO idea how I did it either! LOL. I actually hate moving with a passion but I love experiencing new places! From undergrad to grad school to newlywed life, I’ve had the pleasure of calling the following home: Auburn, Alabama, New York City, New York, Greenville, South Carolina, San Francisco, California and finally Charlotte, North Carolina. Even before I met Will (a native of the Charlotte-metro area) the city was on the top of my list! I guess it was just meant to be.
While I wish it was closer than the 5 hours from my family, I can honestly see myself living here long-term. Don’t just take my word for it. In 2019, U.S. News and World ranked Charlotte in the top 20 places to live in the states. Furthermore, publishers like SmartAsset and Forbes consistently rank it as a millennial hot spot and one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. With housing prices continuing to climb in the bigger markets, talented young men and women are flocking to the south. Is this post just a way for me to convince my New York friends to join me in the Carolinas? Maybe. But after I share what Charlotte has to offer, you’ll be packing up your home for the Queen City in no time.
As you can probably tell from the places I listed above, I gravitate towards big cities. However, what I love about Charlotte is that you get the perks of both environments. Lower cost of living, southern hospitality, and sprawling green spaces are offered without losing out on a skyline filled with headquarters of some of the biggest companies in America.
Another reason why I can’t get enough of big cities is that I LOVE never being bored! Growing up in Columbus, Georgia, I was aware that we had about 3 options for fun on the weekend: drive to Atlanta to shop, drive to Auburn for a game or drive around the mall parking lot. Since moving to the city, I’ve been to an Ali Wong standup show, Lizzo concert, baseball and football games, tried a new restaurant every week, etc. Trust me, you’ll almost be overwhelmed with everything you can do on the weekends. Speaking of sports…
While Greenville was a town that grew on me, I knew that it could never be the true, micro-metro I needed. Where were the pro sports teams?! The Charlotte Hornets, Panthers, Knights, and rumored soccer team gives you plenty of options for the average sports fan. Just this year we hosted NBA-All Star Weekend and a majority of Nascar royalty all reside off of Lake Norman.
The amount of new restaurants opening every week is INSANE. I can hardly keep up! Will and I had to add a restaurant budget to our monthly spending just to make sure we’re fiscally responsible while tasting all of the new treats. From Asian fusion to the famous North Carolina barbecue, you’ll never get tired of eating the same thing. And for my beer fans, get ready to tour the hottest new brewery every other weekend. Bonus points for the additional gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian restaurants popping up, too!
After living in a <700 sq ft apartment with 3 people and 1 bathroom, I learned to truly appreciate the beauty of southern real estate. While my rent is about the same, I now have amenities like a pool, balcony, valet trash, free parking, free cable and the most luxurious of them all- a full-sized washer and dryer. The rent is steadily climbing, but with the median home price right around $300K, it’s still considered under the national average.
It’s no secret that diversity is important to me. I constantly share how important it is for society (and honestly, my mental health) to be surrounded by different types of people. Charlotte is surprisingly diverse for a southern city. It boasts transplants from all over the country with every kind of racial background, sexual orientation, and religion you can think of. It warms my heart to know that residents have a chance to learn something new from their neighbors every single day.
This could basically be the post in itself. The shopping here is perfection. Outlet malls, boutique fashion, and the array of designer stores are enough to make any fashion blogger giddy. I’ll admit it’s a bit different than your typical city that hosts a one-stop-shop for all items. Thankfully, the stores are never more than 15 minutes away from each other.
Traffic is one of the usual reasons many shy away from a bigger city. And I don’t blame people one bit! I won’t lie and say it’s a selling point for things I love about Charlotte. Driving has never been something I enjoyed and was one of the biggest reasons I was sad to be moving from NYC. Their public transit is really unbeatable. However, Charlotte is trying to have the foresight and plan for its population changes by revamping their transit systems. The light rail is an above-ground train system that moves from one end of the central hub to another. With plans to expand it even further to the surrounding neighborhoods, this cost-effective transportation could give other metros a run for their money.
Want to take a weekend trip to the beach or the mountains? The mountain views from Blue Ridge Parkway and the Biltmore Estate are just a short drive away. You can escape to Charleston (one of my personal favorites) and other beaches in under 3.5 hours! Charlotte Douglas International Airport is also an American Airline’s hub- giving you plenty of options for nonstop flights.
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I have been wanting to move to Charlotte for a while now!! I went and visited last spring and fell in loveeeee. I actually have family that lives in Greenville, SC and am going back to visit them over Thanksgiving! I’m definitely going to make another hour drive to Charlotte again :) I’m also pretty positive I will be moving there after I graduate college, so a little less than a year hopefully!! 🤞🏼 I loved this post and it makes me feel a lot better knowing there’s so many people that love it there!