If you’re reading this you’ve probably already gotten your share of reasons why North and South Carolina are great places to live. You might have neighbors, family, or friends who have raved about the finer points of the Carolinas until they’re blue in the face. Well, it’s our turn to tell you some of the reasons we love the Carolinas. Make sure to read carefully because we’ve packed this article full of great resources for you to check out. Some of our best places are here.

The richness of history and natural beauty is one of our top reasons for loving North and South Carolina. Not many states can match the Carolinas in sheer variety of geographical diversity. In the span of four hours you can go from the Smoky Mountains in Asheville, to the blue waters of the Atlantic outside of Charleston. In between the two, you’ll pass through lush farmlands and forests dotted with clear lakes, and laced with flowing rivers. To find information on National Forests in North Carolina visit: www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc. Visit www.ils.unc.edu/parkproject/ncparks.html for information on North Carolina parks, and www.southcarolinaparks.com for information on South Carolina parks.

From the streets of Charleston, to the historic sand dunes of the Outer Banks, history surrounds you in the Carolinas. One of the best ways to experience the heritage of either state is to spend some time on the Heritage Trails. In South Carolina, a number of different travel options takes you through 14 different counties, and many towns. The South Carolina trail is divided into a Discover Route and a Nature Route, so you can combine your love for nature with your love of history. The trail also has a couple of smaller themed routes along it, one of which is the “Rivers, Rails, and Crossroads Region.” Information on the route can be found at, www.sc-heritagecorridor.org. North Carolina has several great resources to help you learn about its past. Our favorite site is www.HomegrownHandmade.org with a listing of many trails that will take you all over the state. With trail names like, “Front Porch to Back Forty”, “Burning Rubber and Riding the Rails”, and “Crossroads, PatriArts, and Native Ways”, there is sure to be something for everyone. One of the nicest parts of this site is there are no set routes, and with the amount of information there, you’re bound to find something you’re interested in. If you’d like a planned route, visit www.ncdot.org/public/publications for information on North Carolina’s scenic byways. Using the byways when you’re traveling through the state is a great way to get off the interstate and see more of the towns and countryside.

A great thing about the Carolinas temperate climate is the ability to have festivals nearly all year round. Both states really take advantage of this fact and pack their calendars full of events. Some of the more famous include the Bele Chere music festival held in Asheville, the 17-day long, performing arts festival, Spoleto, held yearly in Charleston, and the award winning Beaufort Water Festival, held in Beaufort, SC. In addition to these, there are festivals focusing on everything from peanuts and okra, to historical festivals, and plenty of music festivals to keep you rocking into the evening. Check out www.southfest.com for information on festivals all over the South. For North Carolina in particular, visit www.ncfestivals.com, and for South Carolina, visit www.scfea.com, and www.sciway.net/calendar.html.

After all the time you spend in the woods, on the road, and at these festivals, you’re bound to work up a mighty appetite. While its great to visit the food centered festivals for mass doses of your favorite grub, the Carolinas can fill you up everyday of the week with great food. North Carolina is known first for its barbecue, and it is taken very seriously. There are two types of barbecue in North Carolina; Eastern, with its red pepper and vinegar based sauce, and Western, which uses a tomatoes and brown sugar in addition to the red pepper and vinegar. Now, we’re not going to weigh in on which is better, but we’ll highly recommend you try them both in large portions. Our favorite spot is Lexington Barbecue #1 off of Highway 29-70 South, in Lexington. If you’ve got a serious craving for some “cue,” and can’t get down to the Carolinas, we’ve got a site for you. Visit, www.kingsbbq.com, where you can get some great barbecue mailed directly to your home. Reheat it and impress the neighbors!

The Carolinas are known for their great seafood as well, and especially in South Carolina. The marshes and protected coastal waterways create countless habitats for shrimp, and crab. Visit any of the coastal towns and you’ll be sure to leave happy and full. South Carolina’s distinctive style for cooking seafood is called, “Calabash.” Originating in the town of the same name, Calabash style cooking dips the seafood in evaporated milk, then a breading mixture (whose recipes are guarded closely), and then it’s deep-fried. The mountains of Western North Carolina specialize in river trout, which some people say rival their coastal cousins for seafood supremecy. Other regional favorites include pimiento cheese (a spreadable mixture of sharp cheddar cheese, mayo, and pimientos), in the north central part of North Carolina, Moravian style deserts outside of Winston-Salem, she-crab soup in Charleston, country ham, fried chicken, hushpuppies, biscuits and gravy, and many more. Carolina cooking is all about comfort, family, and food that will keep you coming back for seconds.

If you’ve got time to work, after you’re done playing outside and chowing down, the Carolinas are a great place to get to it. North Carolina is famous for the Research Triangle Park outside of Raleigh and Durham (the largest research park in the world), the Piedmont Triad Research Park, near Winston-Salem, and University City outside of Charlotte (the second largest banking center in the U.S.). In addition to these, many other cities, including Columbia, SC, and Charleston, SC have great reputations as blooming business centers. The infrastructure of the Carolinas is great, and improving daily. The Carolinas are crisscrossed by 6 major interstates and over 100,000 miles of state highways. According to www.considerthecarolinas.com, by 2006, 96% of North Carolina will have access to four-lane highways within ten minutes. These great road systems make getting to and from work a breeze. A word of caution though, some areas, including parts of the Raleigh, Wilmington, and Hilton Head Island areas can experience heavy traffic during peak times. When considering a move, choose your home’s location carefully, as positioning yourself on the wrong side of the road could cost you time everyday. If you need to go far, travel by plane is easy as pie. The Carolinas are home to 6 major airports in convenient locations.

Hot jobs in the Carolinas include, medical, technology, banking, education, and manufacturing. The Carolinas had historically been known as a textiles center. In the past couple of decades many textile manufacturers moved their plants overseas, and left a number of skilled workers behind. Many corporations have taken note of the amount of skilled workers, and tax benefits in the Carolinas and have moved in. Some of the greatest amount of growth is occurring along the I-85 corridor. I-85 stretches from its southern point in Montgomery, Alabama to its northern terminus in Petersburg, Virginia. The states I-85 runs through have been aggressive in attracting business opportunities, offering incentives to plant operators, and helping to train workers. Connecting Charlotte, NC, and Atlanta, GA, towns along I-85 are growing rapidly, and the route is approaching megalopolis status similar to the connection of urban development linking Boston, MA and Washington, D.C. along I-95. If all this development is making you a bit wary about sinking your teeth into a Carolina move, especially if you’re interested in a quieter pace of life, don’t worry; there are plenty of quiet little towns, less than an hour drive from the interstates that have no intention of changing any time soon.

No matter whether you decide to move to North Carolina or South Carolina, you will be well cared for. Both states have excellent health care facilities. North Carolina is home to four medical universities: UNC Hospitals are located at Chapel Hill, Duke University in Durham, Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, and East Carolina University in Greenville. South Carolina has a medical college in Charleston, and major hospitals in Columbia and Greenville/Spartanburg.

Whether it be business, food, or fun in the sun that draws you to the Carolinas, there are plenty of reasons to come. Everyone has their own favorite part of these states, and the only way to find yours, is to come experience North and South Carolina for yourself. You’re in for a treat!
Visit www.PlacesOfValue.com for more articles on best places in North Carolina and South Carolina, relocation made easy, top retirement communities, cost of living, and designing and building your Dream Home.

© 2007 Places of Value Inc.
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction without permission prohibited.