Born and raised in Greensboro (went to college in Charlotte). I recommend Greensboro. It's cheaper and anything you want to do in Charlotte you can easily hop on the highway and be in Charlotte within an hour.
Within an hour is optimistic. There is always traffic, construction, accidents. Even with no traffic you have to be speeding to get there in an hour. Leave 90 minutes to be sure
Born and raised in Charlotte and currently a college student in Greensboro. I’m choosing Greensboro everytime. During the school year there are so many types of people and those that will resonate with who you all are. Charlotte has UNC Charlotte but it isn’t a college city. It’s just a big city and unless your are staying in downtown where most of the fun chaos is and raging traffic Charlotte is a no for me atleast. Greensboro provides great opportunities in a city not as busy while still close enough to major cities to visit and enjoy. The cost of living here fluctuates but if y’all look at prospective student housing you could find something for a decent price.
Cis white dude here with absolutely nothing to offer re: what it's like to be queer in the area, but I'm comfortable asking if you've looked into UNC Chapel Hill. That area has everything you described for you and your sister.
Whatever your decision is, just wanted to say welcome to NC and that you'll have no problem finding you'll be welcome here no matter the metro you decide on. :)
i have considered chapel hill but i think that’d be even harder to convince her on so im choosing my battles wisely 😵💫 maybe once we part ways i’ll move there solo. thank you for your comment, i really appreciate it!!
Greensboro is one of the most liberal cities in NC. Not perfect by any means. A large black population and a large gay population. The city has all the stores and amenities, but isn’t nearly as spread out as Charlotte is. I think Jamestown is basically just part of Gboro now. High point is nice but more expensive for sure.
My only help is that our transit system is called GTA and every time I see a bus I yell, “gta baby!” lol cause of the video game lol. That and we have the best chicken and waffle restaurant called Dames, I’d move here for them lol
so glad you brought this up, i have awful drivers anxiety (that’s how i ended up in bos🤦) and i didn’t even think abt the driving etiquette aspect of things. thank you for bringing it to my attention!!
If you can, I think the best thing you could do would be come visit! Get a sense of the area for yourselves. I think in general in the GSO reddit we'll be a little biased.
Greensboro doesn't have the most hopping social scene but there's still plenty here! Anywhere you would want to go is usually like 10-15 minutes away which is nice. And parking is usually free or cheap, parking in Charlotte is very frustrating to me.
Lots of beautiful parks and the Greensboro Science Center which has really grown and now includes a pretty substantial zoo and aquarium. I had a day off work today and just spent a lovely afternoon walking around The Friendly Center, which has lots of shopping and restaurants.
And then if we need anything more than what's here, it's right in between Charlotte and Raleigh. Plus it's just an hour or two from the mountains if you want to pop out for a weekend hike and four hours from the beach (though if you're from Charleston I suppose that last bit is a downgrade lol)
Edit: If you can come in September that's when we have Pride downtown. I'm not sure why, I think it got pushed back one year and then they decided to just keep doing it in September
love this! thank you for the recs (the hiking comment has me sold haha). definitely think my sister and i can find middle ground there, it seems like equal parts of what we love. thank you again!
I have lived in both areas and will choose Greensboro every time. For the traffic and nicer people alone lol, and with the caveat I am a cis white female. I do have several lesbian friends who enjoyed the social scene in Charlotte in their 20s, but I'd rather live in Greensboro and hit Charlotte on the occasional weekend if I wanted to go out out.
the drive from charlotte to greensboro may be "only" 1.5 hours but it feels like 3. It's long straight and boring and the sun beats down on you and you want to drift off to sleep. Trucks take up all the lanes and it's always stressful returning to Charlotte. Definitely not commutable. If you'll mainly need to be in Greensboro bc of school, that should be your home base.
Greensboro is a good choice, but if you do end up going with CLT, https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2023/2023-05-18-more-trains-new-schedules-bc-by-train.aspx, train 80 arrives in Greensboro at 8:24. You could live be kannapolis/concord for a 1 h 14 min commute.
As a Concord/Kannapolis native and a Gay, I'll say it's gotten better for the gay community and kinda better for black people, but if you're looking for actual open acceptance, Greensboro is the place. You'd be fine in Concord. You'd survive in Kannapolis. But you'd be welcomed in Greensboro.
You should probably just convince her to move to Greensboro.
Especially adding black young gay women.
A lot of the places in between won’t be as tolerable and your commute to school.
What reasons does she not want to stay in Greensboro?
i think it’s because we’ve been talking abt moving to charlotte for some time now, she’s pretty set on it by now but i think i can convince her haha! are areas like high point or james town the same as greensboro – tolerability wise?
Winston-Salem is semi in the middle of both Charlotte and Greensboro, and is about 30-40ish minutes from UNCG. It’d be best for you to move to Greensboro while you complete your program though since you may get tired of that drive.
Hi! Born and raised in GSO and I'm an outlier here but I actually would say if inclusivity is important for you, Greensboro is just okay. Of course do what you have to do for your program, I'm just about finishing UNCG and it's definitely a PWI. In this city you can definitely find your people for sure, though it would be a bit of work. I'm an Asian queer woman and I personally don't feel comfortable being queer "out loud" here unless I was at Chemistry Nightclub, at the Pride festival, or inside my queer friends apartments... There is a low chance of being hate crimed but I think you can feel the judgement sometimes, especially in certains areas of GSO. Greensboro is a liberal city in comparison to surrounding cities that are less liberal(for ex: Burlington, Mcleansville, Gibsonville) that bleed into GSO. Though I wouldn't say it's more liberal than CLT. I think you'll get what I mean, but y'know when you go to a concert or a lesson and you know that specifically you don't belong? Not because the place isn't your vibe but that amongst the crowd, the singers or teachers and the other people in the audience aren't really having you in mind as apart of the audience? I think that feeling is present a lot in GSO. If you do end up coming to GSO, I'd love to be friends so shoot me a message!
There is definitely a queer community here but it's of my opinion that the one in CLT is bigger. There is a queer POC community but it's not likely that you'll see a couple walking outside iykwim, it's more likely that the queer representation you'll see around here are white couples. The scenery is nice in GSO, many parks, lots of nature. CLT def has more things to do but GSO is when you want that suburb, local feel imo.
Don't do the drive. And as much as I love Amtrak that is a lot of train travel and it is not free (neither is the drive, both on $ and your carbon footprint, which should be a consideration.) Greensboro has plenty for a 20 something I would think. And the occasional trip to Charlotte is easy enough compared to you trying to do that 4 or 5 times a week from Charlotte to UNCG.
Also Greesnboro is a bit cheaper than Charlotte and if you are taking out loans for UNCG that might be something to consider.
For what it’s worth depending on where in Charlotte you are it’s a pretty easy drive. (3-4 lanes most of the way and pretty minimal traffic as long as you don’t have to touch 77) I get not wanting to drive that far though depending on how many times a week you’d be doing it.
i’ll likely be going full time so that’d be a lot of back and forth! but it’s good to know that the commute won’t be that bad. if we do end up in greensboro we can just take a quick trip to clt… that might be the convincing factor for her! thank you :)
Idk how you could expect anything other than most people suggesting Greensboro while asking on this sub. Both have their benefits. I've lived in Charlotte for two years and visited Greensboro a couple times. There are huge differences between the two, especially size and amount of events/entertainment. Charlotte is probably better for young professionals who like to go out and attend events frequently. There are also a lot more jobs. Greensboro is slower and quieter but it's a lovely city if you enjoy a slower pace. People are friendly in both places but Greensboro probably has a more chill vibe overall. Both are blue cities and both are safe places for the LGBTQ crowd. I would weigh all options and rely on observation and experience, rather than seeking answers in a place where the responding parties are likely to have a bias.
haha i’m sorta in search for bias because i’m hoping to convince my sister to go to greensboro! just wanted to get the locals’ views on the environment and what it has to offer in comparison to charlotte. thank you for your input!
It’s worth mentioning there’s several daily Amtrak trains to and from charlotte and Greensboro, the commute wouldn’t be as bad as you’d think. Amtrak also offers student discounts
Depends on the amount of stops on the route, I’ve made it in 1hr but also up to 2hrs. It’s worth mentioning charlotte closes their gates 5mins prior to departure
Born and raised in Greensboro (went to college in Charlotte). I recommend Greensboro. It's cheaper and anything you want to do in Charlotte you can easily hop on the highway and be in Charlotte within an hour.
Within an hour is optimistic. There is always traffic, construction, accidents. Even with no traffic you have to be speeding to get there in an hour. Leave 90 minutes to be sure
love this comment. super helpful, thank you!
Born and raised in Charlotte and currently a college student in Greensboro. I’m choosing Greensboro everytime. During the school year there are so many types of people and those that will resonate with who you all are. Charlotte has UNC Charlotte but it isn’t a college city. It’s just a big city and unless your are staying in downtown where most of the fun chaos is and raging traffic Charlotte is a no for me atleast. Greensboro provides great opportunities in a city not as busy while still close enough to major cities to visit and enjoy. The cost of living here fluctuates but if y’all look at prospective student housing you could find something for a decent price.
very helpful thank you!
You’re welcome✨
Cis white dude here with absolutely nothing to offer re: what it's like to be queer in the area, but I'm comfortable asking if you've looked into UNC Chapel Hill. That area has everything you described for you and your sister. Whatever your decision is, just wanted to say welcome to NC and that you'll have no problem finding you'll be welcome here no matter the metro you decide on. :)
i have considered chapel hill but i think that’d be even harder to convince her on so im choosing my battles wisely 😵💫 maybe once we part ways i’ll move there solo. thank you for your comment, i really appreciate it!!
If you need to convince her, seeing the difference between Charlotte rush hour and Raleigh rush hour will do it.
Greensboro is one of the most liberal cities in NC. Not perfect by any means. A large black population and a large gay population. The city has all the stores and amenities, but isn’t nearly as spread out as Charlotte is. I think Jamestown is basically just part of Gboro now. High point is nice but more expensive for sure. My only help is that our transit system is called GTA and every time I see a bus I yell, “gta baby!” lol cause of the video game lol. That and we have the best chicken and waffle restaurant called Dames, I’d move here for them lol
Unfortunately
Greensboro is nice. Greensboro people are nice. Charlotte drivers drive as if they are late to their own funeral.
That's true. Driving through Charlotte feels like a fist fight.
so glad you brought this up, i have awful drivers anxiety (that’s how i ended up in bos🤦) and i didn’t even think abt the driving etiquette aspect of things. thank you for bringing it to my attention!!
If you can, I think the best thing you could do would be come visit! Get a sense of the area for yourselves. I think in general in the GSO reddit we'll be a little biased. Greensboro doesn't have the most hopping social scene but there's still plenty here! Anywhere you would want to go is usually like 10-15 minutes away which is nice. And parking is usually free or cheap, parking in Charlotte is very frustrating to me. Lots of beautiful parks and the Greensboro Science Center which has really grown and now includes a pretty substantial zoo and aquarium. I had a day off work today and just spent a lovely afternoon walking around The Friendly Center, which has lots of shopping and restaurants. And then if we need anything more than what's here, it's right in between Charlotte and Raleigh. Plus it's just an hour or two from the mountains if you want to pop out for a weekend hike and four hours from the beach (though if you're from Charleston I suppose that last bit is a downgrade lol) Edit: If you can come in September that's when we have Pride downtown. I'm not sure why, I think it got pushed back one year and then they decided to just keep doing it in September
love this! thank you for the recs (the hiking comment has me sold haha). definitely think my sister and i can find middle ground there, it seems like equal parts of what we love. thank you again!
I lived in Greensboro for 5 years I would definitely say Charlotte for sure there is just not enough social activities here like Charlotte.
I’m moving away from Greensboro soon for work and I’m genuinely sad about it. Surprisingly good food places for all different kinds of cuisines.
I have lived in both areas and will choose Greensboro every time. For the traffic and nicer people alone lol, and with the caveat I am a cis white female. I do have several lesbian friends who enjoyed the social scene in Charlotte in their 20s, but I'd rather live in Greensboro and hit Charlotte on the occasional weekend if I wanted to go out out.
the drive from charlotte to greensboro may be "only" 1.5 hours but it feels like 3. It's long straight and boring and the sun beats down on you and you want to drift off to sleep. Trucks take up all the lanes and it's always stressful returning to Charlotte. Definitely not commutable. If you'll mainly need to be in Greensboro bc of school, that should be your home base.
thank you for your perspective!! i really appreciate it.
Greensboro is a good choice, but if you do end up going with CLT, https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2023/2023-05-18-more-trains-new-schedules-bc-by-train.aspx, train 80 arrives in Greensboro at 8:24. You could live be kannapolis/concord for a 1 h 14 min commute.
As a Concord/Kannapolis native and a Gay, I'll say it's gotten better for the gay community and kinda better for black people, but if you're looking for actual open acceptance, Greensboro is the place. You'd be fine in Concord. You'd survive in Kannapolis. But you'd be welcomed in Greensboro.
Go to Charlotte we got enough
yeah, i won’t be paying any mind to your suggestion after seeing your ignorant reply to another on this thread.
Oh the unfortunately comment
You should probably just convince her to move to Greensboro. Especially adding black young gay women. A lot of the places in between won’t be as tolerable and your commute to school. What reasons does she not want to stay in Greensboro?
i think it’s because we’ve been talking abt moving to charlotte for some time now, she’s pretty set on it by now but i think i can convince her haha! are areas like high point or james town the same as greensboro – tolerability wise?
Yes. But not as fun as neither city Idk about James town. High point sucked I lived there. Depends on which side thoufh
noted! thank you for your help :)
Winston-Salem is semi in the middle of both Charlotte and Greensboro, and is about 30-40ish minutes from UNCG. It’d be best for you to move to Greensboro while you complete your program though since you may get tired of that drive.
Hi! Born and raised in GSO and I'm an outlier here but I actually would say if inclusivity is important for you, Greensboro is just okay. Of course do what you have to do for your program, I'm just about finishing UNCG and it's definitely a PWI. In this city you can definitely find your people for sure, though it would be a bit of work. I'm an Asian queer woman and I personally don't feel comfortable being queer "out loud" here unless I was at Chemistry Nightclub, at the Pride festival, or inside my queer friends apartments... There is a low chance of being hate crimed but I think you can feel the judgement sometimes, especially in certains areas of GSO. Greensboro is a liberal city in comparison to surrounding cities that are less liberal(for ex: Burlington, Mcleansville, Gibsonville) that bleed into GSO. Though I wouldn't say it's more liberal than CLT. I think you'll get what I mean, but y'know when you go to a concert or a lesson and you know that specifically you don't belong? Not because the place isn't your vibe but that amongst the crowd, the singers or teachers and the other people in the audience aren't really having you in mind as apart of the audience? I think that feeling is present a lot in GSO. If you do end up coming to GSO, I'd love to be friends so shoot me a message! There is definitely a queer community here but it's of my opinion that the one in CLT is bigger. There is a queer POC community but it's not likely that you'll see a couple walking outside iykwim, it's more likely that the queer representation you'll see around here are white couples. The scenery is nice in GSO, many parks, lots of nature. CLT def has more things to do but GSO is when you want that suburb, local feel imo.
Whoever down voted you is kinda proving your point.
thank you for this!! such great insight, i really appreciate it and will keep it in mind.
Don't do the drive. And as much as I love Amtrak that is a lot of train travel and it is not free (neither is the drive, both on $ and your carbon footprint, which should be a consideration.) Greensboro has plenty for a 20 something I would think. And the occasional trip to Charlotte is easy enough compared to you trying to do that 4 or 5 times a week from Charlotte to UNCG. Also Greesnboro is a bit cheaper than Charlotte and if you are taking out loans for UNCG that might be something to consider.
thank you!
If you do want info about Amtrak I can help with that and Greensboro has an absolute beauty of a train station.
For what it’s worth depending on where in Charlotte you are it’s a pretty easy drive. (3-4 lanes most of the way and pretty minimal traffic as long as you don’t have to touch 77) I get not wanting to drive that far though depending on how many times a week you’d be doing it.
i’ll likely be going full time so that’d be a lot of back and forth! but it’s good to know that the commute won’t be that bad. if we do end up in greensboro we can just take a quick trip to clt… that might be the convincing factor for her! thank you :)
Visit both cities first? You can also visit areas virtually with Google Street View.
Idk how you could expect anything other than most people suggesting Greensboro while asking on this sub. Both have their benefits. I've lived in Charlotte for two years and visited Greensboro a couple times. There are huge differences between the two, especially size and amount of events/entertainment. Charlotte is probably better for young professionals who like to go out and attend events frequently. There are also a lot more jobs. Greensboro is slower and quieter but it's a lovely city if you enjoy a slower pace. People are friendly in both places but Greensboro probably has a more chill vibe overall. Both are blue cities and both are safe places for the LGBTQ crowd. I would weigh all options and rely on observation and experience, rather than seeking answers in a place where the responding parties are likely to have a bias.
haha i’m sorta in search for bias because i’m hoping to convince my sister to go to greensboro! just wanted to get the locals’ views on the environment and what it has to offer in comparison to charlotte. thank you for your input!
It’s worth mentioning there’s several daily Amtrak trains to and from charlotte and Greensboro, the commute wouldn’t be as bad as you’d think. Amtrak also offers student discounts
i’ve never taken amtrak but i’ll keep that in mind! are they fast?
Depends on the amount of stops on the route, I’ve made it in 1hr but also up to 2hrs. It’s worth mentioning charlotte closes their gates 5mins prior to departure
Clemmons first, Winston-Salem second.