Best Beach Community for Single and 30 (Charleston, Greenville: how much, vacation home, college)

[Oceans03211]

Hi,

I am currently living in CT and looking to relocate. I am considering several areas (Wilmington NC, Charleston SC, Myrtle Beach, and Asheville). I am a 30 year old woman who would like to find someplace that has a good blend of beach activities, hiking, etc. within close (30 minutes) proximity to good restaurants, bars and shopping, but I don't necessarily want to "feel" like I'm in a big city. I I live in a town like this in CT and would love to find something similar in a warmer climate. Looking to get an idea of what Myrtle Beach area's if any fit this? I do plan on visiting all of these areas in about a month. Any recommendations for towns I should be considering?

[blueherons]

Originally Posted by Oceans03211

Hi,

I am currently living in CT and looking to relocate. I am considering several areas (Wilmington NC, Charleston SC, Myrtle Beach, and Asheville). I am a 30 year old woman who would like to find someplace that has a good blend of beach activities, hiking, etc. within close (30 minutes) proximity to good restaurants, bars and shopping, but I don't necessarily want to "feel" like I'm in a big city. I I live in a town like this in CT and would love to find something similar in a warmer climate. Looking to get an idea of what Myrtle Beach area's if any fit this? I do plan on visiting all of these areas in about a month. Any recommendations for towns I should be considering?

I would zero in on Charleston and Asheville although I'm not sure how much warmer Asheville will be.

I think Myrtle Beach is a little older.

[PawleysDude]

Wow, blueherons and I actually agree on something! Must be the dawn of a new era.

I, too would recommend either Asheville or Chasn. Although there are some youngun's here, MB is most definitely a retirement community. There is a good diversity of entertainment and restaurants but they are geared very much toward tourism, which gets stale after awhile.

Asheville and Chasn will both have more of a cosmopolitan feel but neither are truly "big cities". Chasn tends to be "old South", while Asheville has much more of a hip vibe to it. Keep in mind that Asheville is a good 5.5 hours from the beach, but it is surrounded by beautiful mountains with excellent hiking trails and skiing nearby in the winter, if you're into that.

I would also throw Greenville SC into the mix. They've done a fantastic job rebuilding their downtown into a vibrant , pedestrian-friendly place with numerous cafes, restaurants and entertainment venues.

[gvlgal]

I would recommend Mount Pleasant outside of Charleston or Greenville in the upstate of SC. I am a Greenville native, so I'm partial to Greenville, but I went to College of Charleston and still have friends there. The heat and humidity in Charleston is oppressive in the summer and will be an adjustment. My parents have a vacation home in Myrtle Beach so I spend a lot of time there but it's not a place I would want to live full-time.