Suggestions for Towns within an Hour of an Airport (Memphis: houses, schools)

[buddyjo143]

DH and I are considering a move to TN. We have vacationed there twice and love a lot about the Nashville and Memphis areas.

Since DH's job takes him to various parts of the country throughout the year, our only strong requirement is living within an hours drive of an airport so that he can fly somewhere else. Other weeks he works from home. I currently work as a paraprofessional (teacher's aide) so I could work anywhere that has schools.

We would love a rural town with woods and perhaps mountains in close proximity.

Any thoughts for places that would fit the bill? Anything else I can tell you to help you with giving me suggestions?

Thanks.

[BlueCuzco]

Chattanooga's the only major city in Tennessee that is immediately next to mountains, and it boasts great options for every outdoor sport you can name as well as plenty of activities for the average person: lots of large natural areas within a short drive of downtown with good hiking and impressive topography. (Search for Cloudland Canyon, Little River Canyon, and the Tennessee River Gorge for examples.) There are several rural suburbs.

The Chattanooga airport is decent. Security takes about two and half minutes, and there are connections to Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale, Memphis, Orlando, Washington D.C., and St. Petersburg. My dad (I'm sixteen) flies regularly to Latin America and typically makes the two hour trip down to Atlanta (busiest airport in the US). I don't know how appropriate these options would be for your situation.

[jabogitlu]

That bill might be a bit hard to fit. Knoxville's airport is okay, but more expensive. Same with Chatty. The jaunt to Atlanta's not bad from Chattanooga, but if you need to fly often, I'm going to have to say go with Nashville. No mountains anywhere near there, but the cumberland counties aren't that far off, and they're as beautiful.

[Grizzlybear34]

Originally Posted by BlueCuzco

Chattanooga's the only major city in Tennessee that is immediately next to mountains, and it boasts great options for every outdoor sport you can name as well as plenty of activities for the average person: lots of large natural areas within a short drive of downtown with good hiking and impressive topography. (Search for Cloudland Canyon, Little River Canyon, and the Tennessee River Gorge for examples.) There are several rural suburbs.

The Chattanooga airport is decent. Security takes about two and half minutes, and there are connections to Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale, Memphis, Orlando, Washington D.C., and St. Petersburg. My dad (I'm sixteen) flies regularly to Latin America and typically makes the two hour trip down to Atlanta (busiest airport in the US). I don't know how appropriate these options would be for your situation.

I'd second the Chattanooga nomination, smack dab on the Cumberland Plateau, lots of small towns and rural areas within a 30 minute drive to the airport.

[buddyjo143]

Thanks for the replies. My husband was looking at the MLS listings and found a town called Dayton, near Chattanooga.

Then he searched the airport and found that NWA flies to Minneapolis where he spends many weeks per year.

The area sounds doable. It seems like it is about 2 hours to Nashville, where we love the Opry, dining, colleges and sports or 2 hours to Atlanta where I have family.

Thanks.

[BlueCuzco]

FYI, in case you don't realize the distance, Dayton isn't really near Chattanooga (it's about an hour's drive away); it's not a part of the Chattanooga metropolitan area. Not to say it's not a good choice; it just is it's own little place "up there".

[RSMTN]

You might want to broaden your search a little. An hour's drive across Nashville to the airport would be a whole lot more stressful to me than an hour and a half drive from, say, Cookeville to the Nashville airport. That being because the airport is on the east side of Nashville.

Not sure where the Memphis airport is but you could run into the same thing there.

[firepower]

Originally Posted by RSMTN

You might want to broaden your search a little. An hour's drive across Nashville to the airport would be a whole lot more stressful to me than an hour and a half drive from, say, Cookeville to the Nashville airport. That being because the airport is on the east side of Nashville.

Not sure where the Memphis airport is but you could run into the same thing there.

I'd second the Cookeville vote. The Nashville airport is 70-73 miles down I-40 from there(depending on which Cookeville exit you get on). Unless you hit morning rush hour in Nashville you can be there in 55 mins. to 1hr. Maybe quicker if you drive like my wife.

On the "Highland Rim" of the Cumberland Plateau. Not in the mountains per say but kindof halfway up, so to speak. Very hilly & scenic. You'd really have to see what the Plateau is for yourself. It's unique.
Something like 8 state parks & 3 large lakes within 45 mins. to 1hr of Cookeville.
Can be as rural as you want it to be, but it's a growing town with a university that would probably have anything you could want or need.

Add to that, you can be in either Knoxville or Chattanooga in an hour & a half as well.

Good luck!

[JoeCartpath]

Cookeville would be my choice as well - especially since Southwest flies into Nashville! It's large enough to have most of the amenities you want, but still small enough to have that small town feel.

[B-2]

I have looked at many houses and towns in TN this past year. Cookeville TN is the Cat’s Meow in quality for the price and piece of mine. The Airport is on the East side of Nashville, Southwest Airlines good ticket prices. Lived in Memphis for 16 years stay away from Memphis and anything even close to Memphis, very dangerouscity. My mom & dad worked for the Police and Fire dept in Memphis, retired & moved ASAP to another state. Memphis Airport is a pain in the neck.
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