If you're preparing to book Durham Movers, you might want to find out how suitable the area is for raising a family. There are three qualities that make this North Carolina city family-friendly.

Neighborhoods

Chancellor’s Ridge, which is located just south of Interstate 40, lies in the heart of the intellectual community, as major educational institutions such as Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill are only minutes away. This area fosters a peaceful country vibe with nearby woodlands and walking trails that lead to Jordan Lake. Residents can enjoy additional luxuries such as a clubhouse and swimming pool.

Hope Valley Downs is a diverse community that parallels Martin Luther King Boulevard, offering a down-to-earth atmosphere with seasonal neighborhood events and regularly scheduled Friday festivities. This centrally-located area is within walking distance to grocery stores, boutiques and restaurants like Rick's Diner.

Parks and Recreational Areas

The entire city of Durham is dotted with city parks, but if your new house is near Chandler Road or Cathy Drive, you can rest assured that Twin Lakes Park will have everything you need. This recreational area features a massive athletic field, opportunities for fishing and boating, as well as a large picnic shelter for family events.

Northgate Park, which is located along I-85, is a pet-friendly area where dogs are welcome. It also offers two tennis courts and field lights for activities at night.

City Attractions

If you're hoping to catch a glimpse of the entire city and learn about the area's heritage, take advantage of a tour with the Bull City Carriage Company. On the other hand, you can stay indoors and shop to your heart's content at the Northgate Mall and enjoy the famous Island Carousel.

While some people prefer living somewhere flashy, others simply want to make due with a simple neighborhood that can make the entire family feel at ease without any additional stresses. If this is the case for you, Durham, North Carolina, is a place that will allow your family to flourish and have a little fun in the process. Durham Movers will likely be able to accommodate all of your family’s needs with precision.

This sprawled-out college town is full of tranquil yet vibrant suburban neighborhoods that can provide sufficient living space for practically any family. Most of the schools are top notch, especially considering the fact that one of the most prominent colleges in the country, Duke University, is located in the heart of the city. Other nearby major schools include the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University. According to Forbes, Durham is also one of the best places to live when it comes to business and career advancement.

There is also a strong cultural presence in the city, which fosters enough blues music, barbecue and community events to keep the entire family happy for years. With this in mind, why not call your nearest Durham Movers?

If there are only a handful of places in the country where you can get pretty much everything you need within only a few miles, Durham, North Carolina, is definitely one of them. Before getting Durham Movers involved, you might want to visit the city and become familiar with all of the popular shopping districts so you'll know exactly where to get food or clothes when you need them.

Because of the city's high concentration of college campuses, it's practically a given that there are plenty of nifty shops and specialty stores that can cater to a wide variety of consumers. However, two areas that are most notable when it comes to unique merchandise are the Brightleaf and Ninth Street shopping districts. Durham is also home to Streets at Southpoint, which is an impressive mall that was listed by USA Today as one of the country's "10 great places to spend it all in one place" in 2010.

By choosing Durham Movers, you can ensure that your household items will be safely transported, giving you the necessary time to buy additional living essentials upon arrival.

If Durham, NC is a possible destination for you, it will be important to learn all you can about the city. Your Durham movers can get you there, but then, it will be up to you to make your way around the city. There are six main ways to stay “green” in Durham, and navigate around the city.

1. The Durham Area Transit Authority (DATA) runs 18 fixed bus routes serving all of Durham. Buses run 5:30 am to 12:30 am Monday-Saturday, with reduced schedules on Sundays and holidays. You can pay by coin or bill, or buy a pass. Each bus is wheelchair accessible, and has a bicycle rack.

2. The Bull City Connector is a fare-free bus service that runs to key destinations within Durham’s central corridor. This includes Duke University, Durham’s historic Downtown, Ninth Street, and Golden Belt. 

3. The Durham Train Station is located in a historic tobacco warehouse in Downtown’s historic West Village. It’s served by the Carolinian and Piedmont Amtrack service to and from Charlotte, New York City, and points in between.

4. Triangle Transit runs regional bus and shuttle services, paratransit services, ride-matching, vanpools, and an emergency ride home program for the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area.

5. Taxis are available throughout the Durham area. Taxi stands are prevalent, and services are available at all hours of the day.

6. If you are in need of a rental car, you can find a variety of providers such as Avis, Budget, and Enterprise.

Once your Durham movers have gone, you’ll be ready to head out on the town. Take some of these suggestions for ways to travel around Durham and adjoining cities.


(Photo attributed to Flickr member @Oran Viriyincy via the creative common license)

Winter can be a difficult time to move if you are battling ice and snow. Your Durham movers will be mindful of the hazards and will pay attention to the road conditions. On the other hand, moving to Durham in the winter provides you with great things to experience.

1. Holiday shopping on Ninth Street. This is called “Durham’s alternative shopping district.” It’s located in historic Old West Durham, two blocks from Duke University’s East Campus. Get in the holiday spirit and enjoy the decorated windows. There are clothing and jewelry stores, the Regulator Bookshop and Java Cafe, and an old fashioned drug store where you can get a fountain drink. There are many eating establishments from the upper end of dining, to the places where the locals eat.

2. KwanzaaFest at the Durham Armory, starting January 1, 2012. There will be a nightly candle lighting celebration which will include musical entertainment and performances by artists from throughout the Triangle, each representing the evening’s Kwanzaa theme. This is an event for the whole family, with interactive programming, audience participation, and lots of vendors. The event is free and open to all. Come and celebrate the heritage and unity of the Durham Community through song and dance. Donations accepted.

3. Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade, January 14, 2012 at 12 pm. The parade will start at W.D. Pearson Elementary at 3501 Fayetteville Street. This parade has been named “one of the top 20 events in the Southeast,” and can’t be missed! Featuring floats, marching bands, steppers, horses, motorcycles, school groups, and more, it’s a family-friendly, multi-cultural event. The parade is free and open to all.

Once your Durham movers are gone, and you have settled in, try these winter excursions and get to know your new community.


(Photo attributed to Flickr member @D.H. Parks via the creative common license)

If you are ready to move to Durham, and need to make plans with a Durham mover, it is time to decide on the neighborhood you will call home. There are many choices in Durham, one of which is Hope Valley.

Hope Valley extends from Chapel Hill Road south between Hope Valley and Garrett roads to Swarthmore Road. It is made up of about 930 households. It was originally laid out as a country club suburb, developed around an 18-hole golf course in the 1920s. It was created by developer Mebane & Sharpe, Inc. to attract young professionals from Durham’s tobacco, textile, and health care industries.

The homes from this early period are eclectic, and consist of Tudor, English Cottage, Colonial, Norman Provincial, and even Spanish revival style homes. There are winding, narrow roads that weave through the hilly terrain of the neighborhood.

The Hope Valley Neighborhood Association serves the community, and cares for the common areas, produces a newsletter, website, and keeps up a neighborhood watch. They also keep an eye on zoning matters, and provide a voice for Hope Valley residents at an inter-neighborhood council.

One highlight of the year in Hope Valley is the annual “Night of Lights,” a luminary event which many neighbors participate in. It is a uniting symbol when all the streets are lined with luminaries, not to mention a beautiful night to take a walk or drive.

Your Durham mover will be happy to take you to Happy Valley if you decide that is the place for you.

(Photo attributed to Flickr member @asurroca via the creative common license)

Maybe you are about to move to Durham this winter, and want some advice for your upcoming relocation. After your Durham movers have your belongings unpacked, get out and enjoy the town with these tips.

1. You will need a coat and gloves, but save the sub-zero parka for Colorado ski trips. The average temperature in Durham in the winter months is 40 degrees, making it chilly, but not frigid. The area gets about 4 inches of snow each winter, but it tends to melt off within days. You may want to sell your snow blower if you come from a location with heavier snows.

2. You can get out and ice skate at local skating rinks. There aren’t many outdoor opportunities, but the indoor facilities are nice. Try out Hillsbourough’s Triangle Sportsplex or the Cary Ice House. They are both open year-round and offer public skating sessions, hockey lessons, and figure skating lessons. There are competitions and leagues to participate in.

3. If you are chilled and need a warm up, there are many restaurants that offer a cozy fireplace to pull up to. The Firebirds Wood Fire Grill has an indoor stone fireplace where customers can settle in with a drink. The restaurant has a relaxed feel with exposed woods, bold colors, and stacked stone columns. Sit at the bar and enjoy a cocktail while listening to upbeat music, giving a hip atmosphere to the place.

Once you decide to make Durham home, your Durham mover will be willing and ready to get you there despite the weather!


(Photo attributed to Flickr member @thebuffafamily via the creative common license)

Christmas in Durham is a time for traditions and fun, and once your Durham movers have you settled in, you’ll be able to participate. Look into these ways to celebrate the holiday season.

1. City of Durham Holiday Fun Fest. This free event is full of holiday fun. Go sledding with provided sleds, visit the petting zoo, enjoy a mini-parade, sit on Santa’s lap, and fill up with holiday treats. The festival takes place December 3, 2011, in Durham Central Park.

2. Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters. This celebration at Historic Stagville takes you through an 18th century plantation home decorated for the holidays, and an original slave quarters from the 1850s. You’ll find vendors, artisans, decorations, crafts, games, food and music. Entrance is free but donations are accepted.

3. See The Christmas Carol at the Durham Performing Arts Center on Sat. Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. Remember the meaning of Christmas as you watch Ebenezer Scrooge deal with his ghosts and become more than just a mean old miser. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster.

4. Head over to Raleigh for the Winterfest Celebration and Tree Lighting on December 4. This is two months of fun starting with the Mayor’s tree lighting and a visit from Santa, performances, carolers, and carriage rides. Ice skate on a 45x90 foot outdoor ice rink constructed just for the celebration.

5. Watch The State Christmas Tree Lighting on Union Square in Raleigh. The Governor and the First Gentleman will light the tree. Watch the luminaries being lit, then musical performances on the Capitol grounds. If you go to watch it live, you will be invited into the Capitol for an open house to see the beautiful decorations.

Tell your Durham movers “Merry Christmas” as they depart, and get ready to meet new people and experience new holiday traditions in your new hometown.

(Photo attributed to Flickr member @fihu via the creative common license)

Fall is a great time to have your Durham movers pack you up and move you to Durham. This is a beautiful season, with lots to see and do. Check out these five things not to miss in Durham in the fall.

1. Experience the Durham Art Walk Holiday Market. Taking place November 19-20, this is the place to find locally handmade gifts for your holiday shopping list. You’ll find everything from jewelry to scarves to hand thrown pottery. Also, enjoy musical performances and food vendors. There is a free shuttle if you tire of walking. Admission is free.

2. Visit Ganyard Hill Farm for a day of fall fun. Admission gets each person a pumpkin, which you can pick from the patch. Take a hayride, try out the corn maze, let kids play in the corncrib, and see the goats, chickens and other animals. You can buy Indian corn, apples, hay bales, corn stocks, even scarecrows and other handmade crafts.

3. Tour the countryside and view the fall foliage. There is no better time to see the Piedmont than in the fall. Take Highway 751 between Durham and Apex for a scenic drive. Take a walk and have children pick up colored leaves for a leaf collection. Dry leaves in the pages of a book, then frame for a memory of the fall.

4. Shop at the Durham Craft Market. This is an open-air market with artisans from Durham selling their handmade jewelry, woodworking, glass, pottery, metal, photography, fiber arts, and more. You will find that these are fine and affordable arts and crafts items. Open October 22.

5. Explore the Museum of Life and Science for their “Fall into the Harvest Season” festival. There will be a variety of hands-on activities and local experts who will teach about agritourism, folkways, sustainable farming, and green living. Investigate the rest of the museum where you can sit inside an Apollo Space Capsule, see a Lunar Lander, and touch a 13-foot tornado. Outside you can see bears, wolves, lemurs, and a barnyard full of animals. Fall festival is November 12 from 10 a.m. - 4p.m.

Send your Durham movers on their way, and get ready for autumn fun in your new city.

(Photo attributed to Flickr user @ DrBacchusvia the creative common license)

Before you schedule a moving date with your Durham mover, you may want to look into the safety of your chosen neighborhood. You’ll want information about sex offenders, gun crimes, and other violent and non-violent crimes that have happened in the area in recent months. This information may lead you to choose one neighborhood over another. Try these resources for up-to-date safety information.

1. Look up crime in your new neighborhood with the Durham Police Department Crime Mapper. Create a search by typing in an address or street intersection. Choose the type of incident, or if it’s a gun related crime. This will generate a map with crime locations, and will give you data about the number of related crimes in the time frame you choose.

2. Family Watchdog is another site to check out. It gives you the addresses of registered sex offenders in a given area. Also search the National Sex Offender Public Website. This site can generate a map of sex offenders, or can give you a list with photos. Read more on both sites for tips on keeping yourself and your family safe.

3. If you still need more information about crime in your new neighborhood, try the website Spot Crime. This site will create a map with information about arrests, arsons, assaults, burglaries, robberies, shootings, thefts, and vandalism. Check into this map when comparing one neighborhood against another for the number of past crimes.

Once you feel secure about the safety of your new neighborhood, you can feel comfortable scheduling your Durham mover, and committing to a new address. Once you arrive, check in with the neighbors to see if you can join the neighborhood crime watch group. You may be able to support their efforts, making the area all the more safe for everyone.


Photo provided by Flickr user @ell-r-brown under the creative common license.