If you get a free day and want to take an incredbile drive, try the Tail of the Dragon along 129/Calderwood Hwy. If you start on the west side in Maryville, TN its a 2 hour or so drive through the mountains and forests along a beautiful two lane winding road. Fall is an awesome time to drive the Dragon. Weekends are crowded and there’ll be some people driving way too fast. Just be prepared to pull over every so often and let the speed junkies go on past.

https://youtu.be/nVl1sTsHI00?si=NFHltYn5UM7mYHVV

As you go through AZ and New Mexico try and track down Navajo Tacos. Some of the best eating out there.

welcome to NC, hope you enjoy the area. I'm from the northern part of the state but have some friends at Lake Norman so visit there. lots of great food and drink around the area, the best bbq comes off my smoker but lots of choices throughout the state and SC. good luck with everything!

Have a safe journey and welcome to your new home.

I live in Mint Hill. East side suburb of Charlotte.

Lots of great things here. Happy to help you get settled and comfortable. Email in profile.

This is an amazing place to live and you will not be dissappointed.

I go to Greensboro every month, about 1.5 hours from Charlotte. Get ready for a significantly lower cost of living. It’s cold here now and it’s snowed this winter. Was told it doesn’t snow every winter, though.

.

Pit Stop BBQ in Sonora & Franklin's BBQ in Austin were both exceptional.

Collector's Firearms in Austin was also impressive to wonder thru.

Heading to New Orleans then Pensacola to visit the Museum of Naval Aviation before turning North towards Charlotte.

Thanks EVERYONE for your suggestions & welcomes!!!

.

Interstate 10. Did it the other way around a couple of years ago. From Tallahassee to New Orleans.

If you're heading across 10 out of NO, then stop off in Mobile and visit the USS Alabama for a break, it's a great place especially if you are into WW2 history.

https://www.ussalabama.com/


IF you don't stop just look south off of the 10 as you begin to approach the bridge over the bay..

I'm in Morganton, about an hour west of Charlotte. Welcome to our fine state!

I’m in Charlotte, reach out if you have any questions once you get settled!

Welcome to the state. I’m about and hour northeast of Charlotte. Charlotte is probably cheaper than most of California but it’s probably the most expensive part of this state. There’s plenty to do there.

Have a good trip.

quote:

Relocating from California to North Carolina

Family and I did the same thing in 2007. Best thing we ever did - hope it proves out the same for you and yours!

Moved from Bay Area to Charlotte (South Charlotte) 6 years ago (previously move from LA basin to Chapel Hill) and love it here. Cost of living, people, traffic, lack of crazies (mostly). Never going back.

Congrats! Oddly, I am headed to San Diego this Friday to visit my son and his family. We are in the process of relocating from Colorado to the Carolinas.

Enjoy freedom!

We left yesterday morning from Missouri City, TX in a 2-car-following-a-Penske-moving-truck caravan, arriving at my daughter’s and Son’s-in-law new digs here in Charlotte. Spent the night in Auburn, and we thought that was a pretty little city

After getting them all settled, we will venture out. However, we did make dinner before closing at Bad Daddy’s Burgers at Birkdale Village, which was really nice.

We have a m-i-l to deal with, and if we can get her to move with us here, we would probably settle here also. We’ll see.

.

Thanks everyone for the support, kind words, and suggestions!!!

Almost settled in, the area is beautiful and the people I've met outside of work are all great. The people at work are also wonderful, but I've known all of them for going on 25 years.

Visiting a few gun shops has been fun, reminds me of what CA used to have 40 years ago when I first started shooting.

.

quote:

Originally posted by ftttu:
We left yesterday morning from Missouri City, TX in a 2-car-following-a-Penske-moving-truck caravan, arriving at my daughter’s and Son’s-in-law new digs here in Charlotte. Spent the night in Auburn, and we thought that was a pretty little city

After getting them all settled, we will venture out. However, we did make dinner before closing at Bad Daddy’s Burgers at Birkdale Village, which was really nice.

We have a m-i-l to deal with, and if we can get her to move with us here, we would probably settle here also. We’ll see.

Great it is going well for you. We’ve been here since Friday, and people are friendly and spring flowering trees are beautiful.

However, burglars hit several empty units next to hers early yesterday morning, stealing thousands of dollars in appliances. Also, I was passing time at a Walmart while daughter and wife were in line at DMV next door. I was watching a suspicious guy with a backpack, and soon after losing sight of him, I heard him struggling trying to pull a bicycle down from a rack. I instantly knew he was going to leave the store on the bike with other stolen items in his backpack. He took off knocking over products, slashing side to side with a filet knife as he ran down the aisle and out of the store.

I was about 5 seconds too late to have engaged him in any meaningful way since he was over a hundred yards away already when I made it out. I was surprised some of the Walmart employees gave chase. One GREAT thing was while I was trying to catch up to him in the store was an employee yelling out “he dropped his wallet!” After it died down, it turned out he did, and he was positively identified by his ID and shelter ID.

After I spoke with the police and the security, I began walking out when I found a wallet on the ground at those entry gates into the store. I quickly turned it in to one of the officers I had just briefed. No idea if it was connected or not.

I then returned to my wife and daughter, telling them of the incident. My daughter said she wanted to move back to Texas.

quote:

Originally posted by ftttu:
However, we did make dinner before closing at Bad Daddy’s Burgers at Birkdale Village, which was really nice.

Be sure to try Midwood Smokehouse. There are several locations besides the Birkdale one.

quote:

Originally posted by mikeyspizza:

quote:

Originally posted by ftttu:
However, we did make dinner before closing at Bad Daddy’s Burgers at Birkdale Village, which was really nice.

Be sure to try Midwood Smokehouse. There are several locations besides the Birkdale one.

Thanks for the suggestion. SIL will be home late tomorrow, and we will try to hit in tomorrow or Thursday.

Also, drama free day today. My daughter got her NC Dl at the Mt Holly location plus more shopping. Beautiful weather!!!