I just accepted a job offer in western Greensboro, so I'll be moving there with my wife and baby next month. I'm unfamiliar with the area, so I was looking to pick the brains of fellow Hokies who know more than I. I'll take whatever you got on
-Where to live
-Where to avoid
-Where and when the worst traffic is
-Shopping, restaurants, things to do
-And, of course, where I can watch VT football games with other Hokies
Thanks in advance for your help!
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Whenever you get out towards Winston-Salem, hit up Foothills Brewery, as well as a Dash baseball game. Both are great in the summer. In Greensboro, take a tour of HQ Greensboro, a startup co-working office. It's a cool place with pretty well-connected people.
+1 to this. I worked out of there until we moved this past weekend. Great place to stay connected to smart folks.
Nice! I've actually never been but I used to work in HQ Raleigh, and saw the development of the new location online as it was progressing. So yes I plugged a place I've never been to haha but I know it's great.
Jamestown is a great area to live, just outside of Greensboro. You will be pleased with traffic as there are few bad areas except at peak times. Shopping you have Four Seasons Mall and Friendly Shopping Center, usually have most of the major brand companies. I live in Greensboro, if you wish to leave an email I will try to answer any questions I can. Also, cost of living is well below average and overall a safe place to live.
Just moved out of Greensboro, but wanted to chime in that it really is an up-and-coming city. Great place to live.
Look into Adams Farm as far as communities. It has an HOA, but it's a nice area with great amenities.
Do not live in High Point, by any means.
Wendover Avenue is the worst as far as traffic goes in that part of town., but it's got lots of places to eat/shop/etc.
Friendly Center is the place to go if you want upscale outdoor. shopping.
Whats wrong with High Point?
The city retracted when the furniture manufacturing went over seas, and the schools had to force bus for racial diversity, with kids in nice neighborhoods on the bus for 30 minutes to go to a school in a bad part of town. People with school aged kids stop moving there, or moved away to areas where they were not bussing, and made the problem worse. Less families with income and young kids means less leisure activities are available there. (though NW High Point is more like Greensboro)
It's pretty much a dead city as far as development and things to do. All of the downtown is owned by the furniture companies because Furniture Market is so profitable, but there's nothing going on there outside of those few weeks twice a year.
Stay away from the Eastern side of town where 70 & 29 intersect. The Northwest part of Greensboro is a great place to raise a family and the schools are good there, too. If you're looking for something to do on a Saturday make a short drive down to Saxapahaw (in Alamance Co.). The general store is great and the brewery is awesome too!
If you're looking for something closer to home I would strongly suggest going to Greene St. and walking around there. It's great for families during the day, and if you want to take your wife on a date there are several great options in the immediate area as well: Natty Greene's & Gibbs Hundred are great spots for a date.
Also, I 2nd the recommendation for Foothills in Winston-Salem.
Do you prefer living in the city or suburbs?
Great neighborhoods for kids in city limits:
Hamilton Lakes
Starmount Forest
Jefferson Woods
^These three wouldn't be a bad drive to Western Greensboro, hop on Friendly or Bryan and it's pretty quick.
My family lives in Latham Park. We love it, but it might be a bit of a drive to Western Greensboro as Wendover sucks in the morning.
Communities outside of Greensboro:
Oak Ridge
Summerfield (might be a bit of a drive depending on which side of Summerfield)
Colfax (great schools, still fairly rural, good values to be had)
Adams Farm (might be a bit of a drive)
High Point can be sketchy, Jamestown is fairly nice. Happy to recommend things to do, activities for the kids, churches, etc...
I live in Kernersville - just west of county line. Love to discuss with you/answer questions if you'd like. Email Ericm(at)Burrtemkin-dot-com and I'll send you my mobile. Not sure how far west you are working, how important public schools are, what you like to do for recreation, whether you want to rent or own, country/suburbs/city life, etc. so hard to recommend. Triad alumni association met at Looney's in Kernersville to watch the games last year.
I like the Hwy 68 corridor in NW Guilford county. Downtown offers alot to do and 68 turns to Hwy 220 which will get to to the BURG in about 2 hours 15 minutes. Welcome to MOOKsboro!
Wow! Thanks for all the great responses! We want a fenced in backyard for our dog, so that puts us in the more suburban area. We're looking to rent for at least the first year while we scope out the area and save up for a down payment.
My job will be a little out past the airport. Looks like it's only about 15-20 minutes from the outskirts of Winston-Salem, so pretty centrally located to the three cities.
I'm excited about the move. It seems like a great area with lots to do. Just have to find a place to live and a job for the wife.
East Forsyth County (Kernersville area) is a little cheaper than Northwest Guilford, largely because the schools are preferred in Guilford (less diverse because of school choice in Forsyth, more AP offerings, and if you go k-12 you get college money). Oak Ridge and Colfax are in NW Guildford, and near the airport area and traffic. Much of that area is on septic, so there are larger lots with more space, but it is close enough to both Greensboro and Winston you can do either. NC over builds their roads, so not much traffic issues anyway. Jamestown and Adams Farm are both massive housing communities, with lots of young families, but are on the opposite side of Greensboro from the airport (about 10-15 minutes more commute). The elementary schools in that area are great, but the High School's in the NW are still considered better academically. Colfax is 20 minutes from shopping or downtown High Point, Greensboro, or Winston-Salem. and there is a great park (Triad Park) right there, but does not have the huge neighborhoods. Most good dining is near Downtown Greensboro or Winston, so 20 minutes, but with an infant you are probably not doing much fine dining, and there are a lot of good casual options everywhere. A community pool is a great way to meet other families, and could be a good way to narrow choices. The triad Alumni association is a good way to meet other Hokies, but wearing the gear works too. I had 4 people I don't know say Go Hokies to me at the W/S (Winston-Salem) wine festival Saturday for wearing a VT shirt. The Meetup community is fairly active here for meeting people with similar interests as well.
Similar Story: I was at the bank setting up a new safety deposit box and was chatting with the banker. He asked me where I went to college, I told him VT and a woman on her way out the door overheard us, turned around and said "Go Hokies" and left. Thought that was pretty cool.
If you were in the market to buy I'd be pimping our house to you. About to go on the market next Monday.
Interestingly enough, you are 20 days older than me, and I just moved to Winston-Salem a little over 20 days ago. I can't help you with Greensboro houses, but I know exactly what you are going through. Taking a year to figure it out will be nice. We haven't found the right house yet and it's been brutal, but we are hanging in there.
I'm sure we have crossed paths already through engineering school. Greensboro and Winston-Salem are great cities to be in. Congratulations on the new Job!