Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill NC

[Kathiza]

I'd like to live very close to campus, since I don't plan on buying a car. But since I don't have any expectations concerning my future room/apartment (I've been living in a rat hole for almost seven years now *g*), I hope it won't be too difficult. And I'll start looking as soon as I know something from my schools.

But still, I heard it can be quite difficult to find appartments for international students. (no credit history, no possibility to visit the appartment before renting etc.)

[UNCAnthro]

I wouldn't worry about getting wait-listed too early, I only did so because I received early acceptance and knew for sure I'd be going.

It looks like there are a lot of nice places available and I'm sure you can wait several months before signing anything.

Good luck with applications!

On 2/20/2011 at 3:31 AM, Kathiza said:

I'd like to live very close to campus, since I don't plan on buying a car. But since I don't have any expectations concerning my future room/apartment (I've been living in a rat hole for almost seven years now *g*), I hope it won't be too difficult. And I'll start looking as soon as I know something from my schools.

But still, I heard it can be quite difficult to find appartments for international students. (no credit history, no possibility to visit the appartment before renting etc.)

 

Copied information from a current student at UNC, based on reviews by other Anthropology students... This is not my opinion, just information passed on to me.

Sites to look for rentals:

Through the UNC Graduate School: https://www.unc.edu/student/orgs/gpsf/forums/index.php

You will need to enter your new ONYEN and password to enter the site- once on you can post your own needs for housing, as well as look at what other people are offering and respond to them.

craigslist.org : http://raleigh.craigslist.org/apa/

 

Recommendations in Carrboro:

Ashbrook Apartments- http://www.ashbrookjmg.com/

Pros: on multiple bus routes, pool, tennis courts, work-out room

Cons: a little expensive.

Autumn Woods- Autumn Woods- Carrboro

Berkshire Manor

Recommendations in Chapel Hill:

Glen Lennox-

Pros: on bus route(including late night), hardwood floors, pets allowed, walking/biking distance to grocery/shopping.

Cost: is around 850/mo for a 2br/1ba. Prices vary depending on the degree of renovation and size of the apartment.

Franklin Woods- Franklin Woods- Chapel Hill

Pros: Reliable service, walkable to several grocery stores/shopping, and on several bus lines.

Davie Circle neighborhood-

Pros: quiet, close to campus, on multiple bus routes, mostly small houses rather than apartments

Cons: can be pricey.

Avoid:

Estes Park Apartments (Carrboro)

Northside neighborhood (Chapel Hill)- lots of undergrads, not many buses.

On-campus grad student housing- unless married/with family

[PubHist2008]

I'm considering going to NCSU, and my partner has been offered a job in Winston-Salem. Can anyone comment on how feasible it would be to live in the middle and each commute? Anyone know of good areas to live that might work for both of us?

Thanks!

It's a pretty far commute from Raleigh to W-S. I went to undergrad in Winston and would travel to Raleigh on occasion to visit friends. That being said, it's not TERRIBLE. Greensboro is about 40min from Winston (it's a quick shot to get down i-40 to Business 40 to downtown W-S) and Greensboro to Raleigh is about 75min. If you don't have to be on campus every day, it might be worth you driving a bit more. Burlington (where Elon University is) isn't too bad either. It's the next town west of Greensboro.

If you want to live closer to Raleigh, try Hillsboro or Carrboro. Carrboro is a cheaper option than Chapel Hill but still nice. Whatever you choose, I would recommend that you live close to I-40 access because that will let both you commute easily.

[ehpurefoy]

I'd like to live very close to campus, since I don't plan on buying a car. But since I don't have any expectations concerning my future room/apartment (I've been living in a rat hole for almost seven years now *g*), I hope it won't be too difficult. And I'll start looking as soon as I know something from my schools.

But still, I heard it can be quite difficult to find appartments for international students. (no credit history, no possibility to visit the appartment before renting etc.)

Being close to campus is great, but remember: Chapel Hill has awesome public transportation. Nothing like the big cities, but the busses go everywhere and they are freeeee!!

[nonymouse]

Could anyone suggest some good property management companies or particularly good apartment complexes/buildings in Durham? I'm hoping to visit in a few weeks and would like to be able to visit some apartments while I'm there.

Thanks in advance!

[jendoly]

Duke Chronicle's housing guide last summer might be helpful to familiarizing people with housing in Durham and around Duke.

http://issuu.com/duk...00701_housing/1

(many other issues of the Chronicle there as well)

additionally, the Robertson bus (any UNC/Duke affiliate can ride free) goes to and from UNC's Morehead Planetarium to the front of Duke Chapel every half hr. throughout the day August-April ( http://www.robertsonscholars.org/index.php?type=static&source=68 )

and the Bull city express (http://parking.duke.edu/buses_vans/bus_sched/c5.php) nicely runs from Duke Med center to areas down town and back.

These are in addition to regular campus buses.

Edited March 5, 2011 by jendoly

[nonymouse]

Duke Chronicle's housing guide last summer might be helpful to familiarizing people with housing in Durham and around Duke.

http://issuu.com/duk...00701_housing/1

(many other issues of the Chronicle there as well)

additionally, the Robertson bus (any UNC/Duke affiliate can ride free) goes to and from UNC's Morehead Planetarium to the front of Duke Chapel every half hr. throughout the day August-April ( http://www.robertson...tatic&source=68 )

and the Bull city express (http://parking.duke....us_sched/c5.php) nicely runs from Duke Med center to areas down town and back.

These are in addition to regular campus buses.

Great information, thanks jendoly!

[LeftField]

It would be painful, in my opinion. You'd be looking at Burlington, which on a good day with the wind at your back is 50 min from each. But the traffic in Greensboro (on the WS side) and in RTP (on the Raleigh side) is hateful. During high traffic times you'd both be looking at a 1 1/2 hr commute each way.

I'm considering going to NCSU, and my partner has been offered a job in Winston-Salem. Can anyone comment on how feasible it would be to live in the middle and each commute? Anyone know of good areas to live that might work for both of us?

Thanks!

[jendoly]

Duke Chronicle's housing guide last summer might be helpful to familiarizing people with housing in Durham and around Duke.

http://issuu.com/duk...00701_housing/1

(many other issues of the Chronicle there as well)

additionally, the Robertson bus (any UNC/Duke affiliate can ride free) goes to and from UNC's Morehead Planetarium to the front of Duke Chapel every half hr. throughout the day August-April ( http://www.robertson...tatic&source=68 )

and the Bull city express (http://parking.duke....us_sched/c5.php) nicely runs from Duke Med center to areas down town and back.

These are in addition to regular campus buses.

thought I'd add a new link, for Duke housing, at least... http://chroniclehousing.com/

Edited April 22, 2011 by jendoly

[RefurbedScientist]

OK! Trying to restart the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill thread for this year!

There is a possibility I will be in Chapel Hill for a while, and I would like to find a place where I can lay some roots. I'm from New England, and have always taken great pleasure in apartments that feel warm, welcoming, and lived in and have a bit of character (if a little run-down). It's a bias of mine, but when I live in large apartment complexes, I feel more like a bee in a hive. So, I dug through this thread and found a little useful guidance.

Here's some relevant advice I dug up from this thread in 2010:

Quote

"Any other suggestions for apartment hunting web sites besides craigslist? It is totally dominated by realtors and condo complexes. I'm looking for just a regular old apartment, say in a two family house in Carrboro. Does that type of housing exist down in NC? I live in Mass now and that 's the type of housing I'm used to."

The Triangle doesn't have the apartment houses or tenaments that are common in New England. It's also super annoying that craigslist in Raleigh doesn't have subtopics for each of the three cities. And don't get me started on the fact that the leasing agents have overrun the site. They've got to be 90% of the posters.

I would search for Carrboro duplex.

So this is a very useful to me, but I want to know more. I too am looking for an apartment, preferably a converted house, duplex, loft, whatever. Hopefully not a condo or apartment complex. I would also like a little population density, be close to the action and other humans. And I know this is the height of snobbery, but I put value in architectural aesthetic. So anything with even remotely historical character (i.e. not vinyl siding, wall-to-wall carpets, and linoleum) is a huge huge plus. Also, I don't currently have a car, and I would be overjoyed if I found myself in neighborhood where walking/biking/buses were sufficient and normal for reaching UNC. So, am I dreaming or would such a magical accommodation exist in the Chapel Hill area? Any advice?

Edited January 24, 2012 by SocialGroovements

[gellert]

^ Check out the area just past the hospital off S. Columbia Street. I'm talking Valentine Lane, Old Pittsboro Street, Westwood Drive sort of area. Also, anything off McCauley Street is close both to the med and "normal" campus and is historic.

If you have money, Gimghoul Drive. But I mean ... money.

You can easily walk to campus in 5-20 minutes from all of these, or take one of CH's many buses if you're lazy like me.

Edited January 24, 2012 by gellert

[RefurbedScientist]

Thanks for the tips Gellert. You're clearly very familiar with the area.

I google mapped and street viewed the places you mentioned, and my impression is that these look all look very suburban (even rural in the case of Westwood Dr. area). Is this the norm for the area? I realize, though, that these neighborhoods are right near the university. I've only ever lived smack the middle or just outside of cities my whole life, so perhaps this is just what southern towns look like. I have no idea, I've never really been to the south.

I also google street viewed abit around (what I assume to be) central Carrboro and saw similar results. What are the most densly populated residential/commercial neighborhoods where students might live?

Again, I appreciate your input. It's so hard doing this blind, and craigslist is unusually poor for Chapel Hill.

[gellert]

Yeah, everything in Chapel Hill looks like that. You'd have to go to downtown Durham to find anything that looks both urban and architecturally/aesthetically pleasing, and it'd be way outside a student's price range. (Think, brain surgeons live here -- not grad students live here.)

The Westwood Dr. area is definitely not rural, though if you keep going down S. Columbia toward where it crosses over 15-501 (you can view this on Google Maps) it definitely starts to look that way. In actuality, Westwood Drive/Old Pittsboro/that area is right across from Old Mason Farm Rd, which is on hospital campus. There are also two bus stops in that area for convenient transportation to/from main campus.

As for Carrboro, that's the artsy/hipster sort of area. Expect a lot of cyclists and ironic lenseless glasses. However, it's definitely got the coolest coffeeshop/diner scene of the RDU area which is awesome for studying if you like to get out of your duplex/house every now and then. It's a mix between upperclassman undergrads, grad students, and liberal arts-oriented professors here (obviously I'm grossly overgeneralizing, but I'd say the standard holds in most cases). There's an organic food co-op in downtown Carrboro, and another version of the same co-op further down S. Columbia Street toward that "rural area" over in Southern Village (which is more typical Southern suburbia: houses, duplexes, apartments, little shopping center, etc., and is mostly adults/families but a few grad-age students).

The greatest concentration of undergrads is going to be in the apartment complexes (obviously) as well as any neighborhoods really close to Franklin Street. (For example, Greek life is housed on or just off Franklin, as is an "off-campus" campus housing option for undergrads and several student-oriented apartment complexes.) There're also a lot of undergrads down Martin Luther King Jr Pkwy way. Avoid that if you don't enjoy loud parties.

If you want large concentrations of grad and med students, your best bet is Carrboro -- the side furthest from Chapel Hill (15-20 minute bus commute, ish) or the Westwood Drive/Old Pittsboro area (walking distance, 5 minute bus). McCauley is hit or miss for undergrad/grad ratio, depending on where exactly in that neighborhood you live. There are also a lot of grad students in the apartment complexes off 15-501 but that area is pretty far from aesthetically-pleasing or historic.

If you need any specific help, PM me and I can tell you about the specific area I live in. Plus there's a good chance I'm moving to Cambridge/Boston next year, so perhaps you could help me out in return.

 

Also, if you don't mind commuting/driving from Durham and have a price range, I can find some historic areas in dtown Durham near Duke that you might be interested in. (Converted loft sorts of deals, etc.) Like I said, generally more expensive, but now that I think about it, I consider $500/month rent to be moderately expensive if not including utilities. These places would be like 900-2000/month which may/may not be more like what you'd find in Boston/Cambridge.

Edited January 25, 2012 by gellert

[RefurbedScientist]

Wow, great advice Gellert. From what I've heard and read, Carrboro seems like the place for me. Although the downtown Durham sounds like just what I'm look for, I would hate to be inconvenienced by a commute. For a one bedroom apartment, $900 or $1000 is pretty amazing by Cambridge/Boston standards. Although, I will be on the grad student stipend situation, so definitely the $500/month option is attractive. Feel free to PM me as well if you want to know about this area. I have a pretty good sense for neighborhoods and transportation to most of the area schools.

[Networc]

Gellert, if I get accepted to Chapel Hill (fingers crossed), I'd be all about a suburban neighborhood. Are there any neighborhoods near campus where I could rent a home for $1300-1700 a month?

If there isn't anything nearby in that range, where should I be looking?

Thanks!

[lslavic12]

I have to say what Gellert is saying is spot on. I've lived in Chapel Hill for about 7 years now, both in high school and through my undergrad. I have friends in grad school who live in Durham, but sometimes I see them a bit screwed by the commute. The bus (usually DATA/ Durham Area Transit Authority) is the one they use, and it costs $2 per ride unless you get a pass. But I have seen many a students miss a bus and have to hike back to the library (I work in the Music Library) to wait for another hour. They also have to time coming to campus pretty carefully. But it is definitely more affordable, and especially married couples tend to live out in Durham. Chapel Hill transit is really frequent. Gellert said something about MLK Blvd being an undergrad central, but I live up that way, and can say many many medical students also live up there. I lived here http://www.pointeatchapelhill.com/ for a while with my parents in high school, and there were many many grad students and families. I would say yeah it's pricier, but with roommates it might be better. It's also right on the T bus line which is pretty frequent. If you live near the NS line, it runs nearly every 15 minutes during class times! However, stay away from Chapel Ridge for sure if you don't want to be engulfed in the mob of undergrads there. Also stay away from Townhouse apartments on Hillsborough Street closer to campus. It is a dumb and loaded with hard-partying undergrads.

I also have friends who lived in the Glen Lennox (although, I think the university is taking it over) which is down Raleigh Road. One of these friends lives in a house with a few other girls, and pays something like $300 per month! Carrboro is also super affordable (and as Gellert said, FULL of hipsters). One friend pays around $250 a month to share a house with two housemates. I'm not sure what utilities are, but having lived in New Hampshire for 15 years, I can say the winter is WAY more affordable than up North!

Also, from an earlier post, food wise, Cosmic Cantina has the BEST and most affordable burritos! Also tasty is Kurama Sushi Bar, and I've gotten out of there full and happy for under $5! Lunch on campus is not the cheapest, but there are alternatives, like Alpine Bagel in the student union, and the Hunger Lunch ($4 for rice, beans, and cornbread) every Wednesday. The only other food thing I want to mention is Mediterranean Deli, as mentioned above for vegan food. I LOVE this place, but my vegan boss freaked a leak when she found out they cook the meat on the same stove top as the vegan food. So if you are THAT particular- just a heads up. Otherwise, this is one of the best places around... once you join the club in learning how to order you meal (not so easy your first time). And right across from MedDel is CD Alley, an awesome little independent record store. The people working there are wonderful and you can find used cd's and records sometimes for $1!

Ok- I'm rambling here, but there are so many things to talk about in Chapel Hill!

[gellert]

Gellert, if I get accepted to Chapel Hill (fingers crossed), I'd be all about a suburban neighborhood. Are there any neighborhoods near campus where I could rent a home for $1300-1700 a month?

If there isn't anything nearby in that range, where should I be looking?

Thanks!

Check out craigslist to rent lots of suburban-y places. Well. I mean, are you wanting Southern suburbia or what Northerners would consider suburbia?

For Northern suburbia, check out the areas I mentioned earlier -- Carrboro, Westwood/Valentine/Old Pittsboro, McCauley, etc.

For more typical Southern-style suburbia, you'll probably have to sublease because in the South, when you live in suburbia, you're buying the house not renting it. (It's all very classically Stepford.)

Check out Southern Village (subleases via craigslist etc.) and Meadowmont for the most typically Southern suburban neighborhoods near campus.

--

I also have more restaurants to add to my list from my last RDU restaurant post:

Pomegranate Kitchen (off 15-501, amazing)

Open Eye Cafe (coffeeshop in Carrboro)

Neal's Deli (sandwich in Carrboro)

Jessee's Cafe (coffee and sandwiches in Carrboro, quite cheap for lunch)

FOOD TRUCKS OH MY GOD (Parlez-Vous Crepe, Chirba Chirba, "The Taco Truck," to name a few. They're all on Twitter.)

Edited January 26, 2012 by gellert

[Networc]

My wife and I were able to take a 1 day detour while on vacation this summer and check out the Chapel Hill campus and then we drove around Cary for quite some time (it was recommended by my boss who is from NC, but not Raleigh-Durham).

I think my wife is set on an area like Cary, if not Cary itself. If I get accepted to Duke or NCSU, then I think our choice of a place to live will be much simpler. It seems like I'll only have trouble deciding if I get accepted to Chapel Hill.

Would the commute from Cary/Morrisville to Chapel Hill be a killer? I'm okay with a drive, but I don't want to spend my whole day in traffic. They all seem like great schools, so if my quality of life would be better with the shorter commute, then I'm willing to make that call.

[RefurbedScientist]

Thanks Gellert and lslavic for the awesome insider information! This thread is making me feel more comfortable with the idea of moving to Chapel Hill.

I'm visiting the university for an accepted student weekend in a few weeks. Aside from the food places you have mentioned (which are definitely the most important part of any city), are there any must- or should-see spots in Chapel Hill? I mean, historic neighborhoods, main drags, places where students congregate, music venues, bars, museums, etc. I will only be there for a couple of days and I expect most of that time will be filled with departmental events, but it would be cool to get some taste of the town.

Thanks!

[gellert]

Check out the Old Well monument on UNC campus; it's iconic.

Also go to Gimghoul Castle to see a really cool giant house (...this is the South, we don't do much interesting here) and catch a movie at the historic Varsity Theater if you can.

As for main bars/music venues, there's Cats Cradle and also the Station in Carrboro (the Station is literally in an old train car, and is connected to a restaurant called Southern Rail so you can get dinner and then drinks all in the same place!). Also check out Chapel Hill's many food trucks.

The Botanical Gardens are also lovely, a little ways down 15-501. For museums, there's the Ackland Art Museum on the edge of UNC Campus near Franklin Street. Top of the Hill is a bar/restaurant on Franklin that has a balcony view over Franklin Street and is an old favorite, complete with its own in-house brewery and delicious ales.

 

On 1/27/2012 at 11:30 AM, Networc said:

My wife and I were able to take a 1 day detour while on vacation this summer and check out the Chapel Hill campus and then we drove around Cary for quite some time (it was recommended by my boss who is from NC, but not Raleigh-Durham).

I think my wife is set on an area like Cary, if not Cary itself. If I get accepted to Duke or NCSU, then I think our choice of a place to live will be much simpler. It seems like I'll only have trouble deciding if I get accepted to Chapel Hill.

Would the commute from Cary/Morrisville to Chapel Hill be a killer? I'm okay with a drive, but I don't want to spend my whole day in traffic. They all seem like great schools, so if my quality of life would be better with the shorter commute, then I'm willing to make that call.

I mean, you could do it, but during rush hour anticipate well over an hour in stop-and-go traffic. Cary is also a bit...cookie-cutter, you could say? A lot (if not most) of people in the Durham and Chapel Hill area not from Cary look down on it as being a demi-Stepford of sorts (not in a good way). But different strokes!

[lslavic12]

I second Top of the Hill. It is THE restaurant in Chapel Hill. Also- a good venue I really love is the Local 506 http://local506.com/. A small venue that attracts some great acts- although, scratch that for only a weekend because there is a one time $3 membership fee (unless you plan to return, so it's really not that expensive... or maybe $5... but if you live here, that is nothing since tickets are usually only around $10). And if you like the really small venues with typically obscure or local stuff, the Nightlight http://nightlightclub.com/ is interesting (also a cheap one time membership, but only one person out of two needs one, and you can sign in a "guest") But Cat's Cradle http://catscradle.com/ is also awesome- I have seen the likes of Yann Tiersen, Yeasayer, Junip, Beirut, Grizzly Bear and I know others that have come include The XX, Feist, Neon Indian, and the list goes on... There is even a movie about it... but I can't remember the name! The Station is a good place, as Gellert said. And across the way from that is Tyler's Taproom, http://www.tylerstaproom.com/ that has a Speakeasy in the back with pool, couches, and good beer. AND next to that is a good coffee shop- Open Eye Cafe. It's absolutely filled with students and professors a good amount of the time. And don't forget about Carolina Brewery- great beer, tasty burgers. http://www.carolinabrewery.com/

A good place to go for just a beer is He's Not Here- this is where the classic plastic Blue Cup comes from that you will get to know very well if you go here. http://www.yelp.com/biz/hes-not-here-chapel-hill

Oops- I guess this turned in to all about food again. I guess that proves Gellert right- we don't really have that much to do in the South.

BUT-The Morehead Planetarium is kind of neat, too. Varsity Theater http://www.varsityonfranklin.com/ is a good experience, especially when they show old movies- I once saw Citizen Kane there when the theater reopened after being remodeled inside.

[RefurbedScientist]

You two are awesome resources! I totally understand the natural inclination to mention eateries and bars. I live in Boston and, despite there being a pretty good number of "things to do", I typically don't have time or money to take advantage of any of it anyway except for some local bars. My one big passtime is film, and I have heard good things about the Varsity. I also expect that UNC itself has plently of events-- lectures, screenings, music, etc.-- that are free or cheap.

I need to turn this thread into an excel spreadsheet or something so that I can remember all the great suggestions.

*Edit: I would also add that I am a very laid back kind of socializer, and my ideal world would consist almost exclusively of coffee shops, food trucks, and casual bars. So it looks like Chapel Hill might be heaven! I'm just nervouse because I've never lived in a "town", so to speak.

Edited February 6, 2012 by SocialGroovements

[kmforre4]

The Triangle is a great place to live! Downtown Raleigh has great nightlife in my opinion. The Raleigh Times, The Flying Saucer, and Neptune's, are all great places for beer, conversation, and meeting folks. If you like art, each Friday of the month there is an event called "First Friday", where different art studios all around downtown showcase local art and often offer free food/beer. It's a lot of fun. There are also several museums downtown, good coffee shops, etc. Downtown Raleigh is only a short bike/car ride from NC State University, which is convenient. Durham and Chapel Hill also have a lot to offer, though I'm less familiar with them. Durham is home to DPAC, a performing arts center, and there are some great shows throughout the year, including musicals and concerts. Franklin Street in Chapel Hill is very nice, with lots of places to eat and so forth. Nearby Carrboro is home to Cat's Cradle, a great concert venue. If you like wandering around outdoors, Umstead Park in Raleigh and the Duke Forest are good places for that. Those are just a few points, but I've lived in the Triangle for most of my life, and I love it. Businessweek seems to think it's pretty fantastic as well, as they declared Raleigh their pick for the number one best city to live in in their list of "America's 50 Best Cities" (Durham was also mentioned in 37th place!)

http://images.busine...ities/slides/51

Edited February 6, 2012 by kmforre4

[DorindaAfterThyrsis]

This is a hugely informative thread. Awesome!

I've been accepted to Duke, and am considering the offer and will be travelling to Durham at the end of the month (my first time to the South! Prepare for the Canadian invasion!), and I'm wondering if you helpful bunnies have anything you'd like to contribute about the following:

-more suggestions for vegans! I admit that in my stereotyped vision of the South, getting by as a vegan might be a little difficult....but Gellert has challenged my assumption on this. I'd love to hear more about how easy it is to eat out in the Durham-area without getting quizzical "What's a vegan?" looks. (I get them here in Toronto a lot, too....so this question isn't only a product of cultural stereotyping )

- how bike-able is Durham? I'm a pretty hard-core cyclist (and commute by bike year-round in Toronto...yes, even in winter), and would love to be able to continue to get around on my bike. Are there lots of bike lanes in Durham? Wide streets? A thriving bike culture?? What's the terrain like?

- I grew up on the West Coast, and am a very avid hiker/backpacker/outdoor adventure woman. How accessible it Durham to areas where these activities are possible? The more remote the better (i.e. I'm not a big fan of gentle strolls on gravel footpaths, and won't camp anywhere where you are able to actually drive into your site )

- This could be a long shot but: I'm entering academia from a career as a professional modern dancer. The dance scene in Durham seems a little thin (based on my cursory google searches). Anyone have any insight on if there is any sort of professional dance community in Durham and the surrounding areas? I need to be able to take good, advanced or (preferably) professional-level classes in modern or ballet technique pretty much daily.....and it's looking like that might not be possible in Durham. Am I missing some hidden gem of contemporary dance in North Carolina?! Help!

[lslavic12]

-more suggestions for vegans! I admit that in my stereotyped vision of the South, getting by as a vegan might be a little difficult....but Gellert has challenged my assumption on this. I'd love to hear more about how easy it is to eat out in the Durham-area without getting quizzical "What's a vegan?" looks. (I get them here in Toronto a lot, too....so this question isn't only a product of cultural stereotyping )

I'm not sure about Durham but since Chapel Hill is only 10 minutes away- (and my boss is vegan) I know there are a few restaurants in Chapel Hill Carrboro that cater to the vegan community, if you will. One is The Spotted Dog in Carrboro (really good vegan burgers) and then Sage Cafe in Chapel Hill (which is vegetarian, but I'm pretty sure you can find some choices there). Across the street from The Spotted Dog is the Weaver Street Market (kind of like Whole Foods, but smaller) and there are tons of choices for alternative foods etc. We also have Mediterranean Deli on Franklin Street (but my boss got really mad when she found out they fry the meat on the same stove top as the veggies... so that is up to you.) I don't know Durham restaurants off the top of my head, but the area is pretty open for vegans, as far as I know.

- how bike-able is Durham? I'm a pretty hard-core cyclist (and commute by bike year-round in Toronto...yes, even in winter), and would love to be able to continue to get around on my bike. Are there lots of bike lanes in Durham? Wide streets? A thriving bike culture?? What's the terrain like?

I know there is a big biking community around the area, but as far as really biking IN Durham- I'd be careful. I had a friend get hit on his way to school in high school, and even in Chapel Hill there are several accidents. Definitely NOTHING like the Toronto bike initiative. But, there are some bike lanes around, and buses have bike racks. I don't think it's what you're used to, but bike teams etc. from the universities seem to get the job done!

- This could be a long shot but: I'm entering academia from a career as a professional modern dancer. The dance scene in Durham seems a little thin (based on my cursory google searches). Anyone have any insight on if there is any sort of professional dance community in Durham and the surrounding areas? I need to be able to take good, advanced or (preferably) professional-level classes in modern or ballet technique pretty much daily.....and it's looking like that might not be possible in Durham. Am I missing some hidden gem of contemporary dance in North Carolina?! Help!

As far as I know, Carolina Ballet is the biggest company. DPAC hosts the best groups for that kind of thing. But that's all I can say about that.

- I grew up on the West Coast, and am a very avid hiker/backpacker/outdoor adventure woman. How accessible it Durham to areas where these activities are possible? The more remote the better (i.e. I'm not a big fan of gentle strolls on gravel footpaths, and won't camp anywhere where you are able to actually drive into your site )

State parks are great here. Eno River is a good place for Kayaking I think. If you drive out to Asheville area (about 3 or 4 hour drive) there is a TON of stuff to do. Also, there is some kind of outdoor reserve or something for all kinds of crazy outdoor stuff like rafting and rock climbing somewhere just outside of Charlotte that I see advertised every time I am around there. It's about a 3 hour drive, sometimes more, sometimes less. And the beaches can be any where from 2.5 to 5 hours away. Wilmington is probably your closest ocean area for activities. In Durham is a super long trail that goes over and through Chapel Hill; Duke Forest it's called. Our cross country team in high school ran it all the time. But if you don't just want long gravel trails, maybe it's not for you.

As a Carolina student, I have to put in my two cents against Duke, just because I have to. But congrats, anyways!