The Triangle is widely understood to mean Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill. Years ago that was some kind of a governmental metro area. However, it would be more accurate to think in terms of Raleigh-Cary-Durham, as well as the smaller communities of Apex, Holly Springs, Garner, and Wake Forest.
It's easy to be a cheerleader for the Triangle. I like to say that Some people are born here, but I live here on purpose! I'm not the only one, either. This area is routinely at the top of lists of "Best Places." What makes us so special?
1) The Economy.
The Triangle is a good place to find a great job!
Raleigh, Cary, and Durham are all contiguous to Research Triangle Park (RTP), to which we owe much of our prosperity. RTP is an industrial park sitting on 7,000 acres. Its 200 companies employ about 60,000 people on various campuses. We have tech firms (Cisco, IBM), pharmaceutical firms (Pfizer, Glaxo), and others you've never heard of (Optricity). Red Hat is in downtown Raleigh, SAS is in Cary, and CREE is in Durham. Duke Medicine and the UNC Hospital System are highly regarded. Our Ph.D. per capita ratio is very high.
2) The Location.
North Carolina is roughly in the middle of the East Coast. I can fly from RDU (Raleigh-Durham) International to NYC in an hour and a quarter, or be in Tampa, Florida, in less than 2 hours. The Triangle is about equidistant between the beaches to the east and the mountains to the west.
We are blessed with a Baby Bear Climate -- not too hot and not too cold. People move here from Up North because it's warmer, and people move here from Florida because it's cooler. Summers can be hot and humid, but only during July and August. Spring and fall are glorious. Winters are sunny and chill, with an occasional inch or two of decorative snow, just so we can all enjoy a day off!
3) The Diversity.
A range of nationalities call the Triangle home. We have a Hindu Temple, two Buddhist Temples, a Mormon Temple, and a Mosque. The Catholic Church has a new Cathedral under construction,opening in 2017. Of course, Baptist churches outnumber them all!
The Triangle also offers diversity in other ways besides population. We have good public schools, but we also have prep schools, charter schools, and Christian schools, including Catholic and Episcopalean. Our universities are world class: NC State, Duke, and UNC are fierce rivals.
We offer a diverse choice of entertainment as well. Raleigh is home to the NC Symphony Orchestra, the Carolina Ballet, and several theaters. Touring Broadway shows come to Durham's Performing Art Center, while rock bands attract thousands to the Walnut Creek Ampitheater. The International Bluegrass Festival will be in Raleigh the last weekend in September; two weeks later the State Fair opens. We have plenty of college sports as well as a professional hockey team.
The Triangle is a great place to work, live, and play. Come and visit -- you'll want to stay!
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