Atlanta GA/Charlotte NC/Knoxville TN/???

[damewolf13]

I need some help from my fellow Androidians.
I was born and raised in Tucson and have lived here most of my life, but at 54 years old, and with retirement on the horizon, I am looking to make a cooler/wetter change down the road here. It is just way too hot and dry for this old lady to stay here any longer than necessary.
My husband wants to live in the south, and I am fine with that, as long as it is not too far to drive to the mountains for a day trip. I was raised with mountains, and just can't give them up. I know that the Blue Ridge and Smokey mountains are gorgeous, so that settles that problem.
Any farther north would be way too cold for us Tucsonians.
If anyone here can shed some light on the beauty/lifestyle/economy of these three location choices in my title, it would be so appreciated.
Thanks,
Damewolf13

 

[drdoom]

I was born and raised in NC so Charlotte gets my vote. It is the second largest banking center in the US after NYC.
Maybe a little wikipedia on each of the cities will help you decide.
Charlotte, North Carolina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Atlanta - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Knoxville, Tennessee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[gvillager]

If you like the mountains and want to be in the south then you should consider Asheville, NC. I can't comment on the economy or lifestyle as I was only there for a day, but the area surrounding the city is really beautiful.

 

[damewolf13]

Asheville would be my first choice, but the hubby wants to live in a city of some size, and in fact, I have decided to rule out Knoxville for that very reason also.
Does anyone know if there are any types of pine trees in Atlanta or Charlotte?
I absolutely love the conifers, and would love to live where there are conifers, as well as other types of trees.
Years ago, I visited a friend in Jackson Mississippi, and I remember seeing tons of pine trees, even within the city there. When my family visited Orlando this summer, it was the same. I hope all of the south is like that.

 

[drdoom]

Asheville would be my first choice, but the hubby wants to live in a city of some size, and in fact, I have decided to rule out Knoxville for that very reason also.
Does anyone know if there are any types of pine trees in Atlanta or Charlotte?
I absolutely love the conifers, and would love to live where there are conifers, as well as other types of trees.
Years ago, I visited a friend in Jackson Mississippi, and I remember seeing tons of pine trees, even within the city there. When my family visited Orlando this summer, it was the same. I hope all of the south is like that.

I can't speak for in Charlotte (looks like there are a few small city parks), but NC has a ton of state parks. Just looking at Google maps, I counted 4 large state parks within 50 miles of Charlotte. I believe that conifers make up the majority of trees in both North Carolina and Georgia as well as most of the southeast.

 

[Nuknfutz]

I live in Atlanta and we enjoy escaping to the mountains for long weekend trips. There are some very scenic places with lots to do just a few hours up the road depending on what your looking for. And depending on how big of a city your husband wants to live in, if Atlanta is too big and/or crime-ridden, there are lots of other cities of varying sizes out this way I'm sure you would enjoy. As someone else mentioned,Ashville Nc is an amazing area. Good luck!

 

[YankeeDudeL]

I live in SC and get to travel to NC with a decent regularity. I absolutely love Charlotte, it's a beautiful and clean city. Not to mention you're at a decent distance from just about anywhere you need to be. You're only about a 3 hour ride from the beach, the mountains, or some of the other cities in the area.

 

[damewolf13]

Judging from the responses here, I don't think I can go wrong with either Charlotte or Atlanta, so I guess the only question now is which location comes through with my husbands transfer first, after my retirement. Thank you all for the input. I feel really good about this move now, whichever way it goes, and hope the time flies until we make that move.