Woodstock/Atlanta Georgia

[Rebecca]

I was wondering if anyone could share what it is like to live in this area?

How is the medical care?

Is it expensive?

What is the weather like?

 

We live almost three hours north of this area. We still have four seasons here(in NC). I am from the NE so I know nothing about the south.

 

Thank you!

Rebecca

[momofkhm]

It's where my brother lives. I'm in NC. Much of our weather comes through him. If he gets days of rain, I'll get rain too. Maybe not as much. Maybe not as long, but I'll get rain. He often gets snow before I do.

 

I don't visit him much cause he is a horrible housekeeper! (Not married either) I know my folks have gone to visit and more than once my mom has had to either borrow or buy a heavier jacket than she brought with her. These were in shoulder times but mom does check the weather before she packs.

 

We visited him once when I was pg in the summer. I remember it being hot, like you'd expect over July 4. The water park we went to was wonderful! We went to a Braves game as well. My biggest memory of the game was dd climbing up and down my pregnant body. (I don't remember it being too hot after the sun went down.)

 

I hope someone else answers you too!

[patchfire]

We live in Cobb County - Woodstock is Cherokee and about ten miles north. Our co-op meets in Woodstock.

 

Weather-wise, we have three seasons, and occasionally a fourth. We don't generally get snow. It does get cold, and we can get snow, it's just not frequent. When it does snow, the whole area shuts down. Don't even try to find milk or bread at the grocery store after the weather forecast has been broadcast! Yes, it's hot during the summer, but I have noticed that often other parts of the country have higher temperatures; we just sustain temperatures over 90°F for longer.

 

Medical care? There's a lot of chiropractors! Um, I don't know specifically what you'd want to know about. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta has three specific children's hospital as well as some kid-only immediate care places. There are definitely plenty of doctors around. You can find more holistic practitioners, though sometimes you have to look harder.

 

I don't have anywhere to compare the cost of living with. It's definitely more than where I grew up (outside Chattanooga, TN), but I would think it's fairly reasonable, overall. There are a ton of houses for sale right now.

[Rebecca]

Thank you!

I was specifically interested in Cherokee County.

 

Are the three seasons fall, spring and summer??

 

As far as medical care: We are not a holistic family so that is not what I meant...

I am wondering things like: if the hospitals are good? If the pediatricians are good?, etc.

 

We have severe food allergies and asthma in our family- so the quality of doctors is really important to me.

 

Where we came from(in PA) our pediatricians were avaliable 6 days a week with emergency hours on Sunday morning and evening hours one or two nights a week- plus nurse triage at night. That is not the way it is here in our very small NC town- so I am wondering about that...(just an example).

 

I guess I would say: Are you happy with your doctors?

Do you like where you live? :)

 

Thank you very much!

Rebecca

[smrtmama]

I'm in North Cobb, bordering on Cherokee.

 

I have an excellent pediatrician. We have access to quality pediatric urgent care centers in the area that operate during and after normal pediatrician hours and a great pediatric hospital, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. My oldest is asthmatic, so we've done asthma-related trips to the Children's urgent care center and to Kennestone Hospital's Pediatric ER (I wouldn't choose Kennestone as my top choice, but the pediatric ER is fine for emergencies -- transfer to Children's for anything serious or long-term, though). You can get emergency care any hour of the day, within a 15-20 minute drive from most parts of Cherokee.

 

The three season pretty much break down to hot and dry, warm and wet, and coldish and wet/dry. ;)

[EarleneW]

We live in Cobb County (Marietta) but 1/2 of our neighboorhod is Cherokee(Woodstock). We love our ped and dentist and love the area. We definatly get 4 seasons. I love where we are specifically bc we are close to everything!

[Rebecca]

Thank you!

 

Are you a little farther north Earlene? Is that why you get four seasons?

Again- I am very unfamiliar with Georgia- just starting to get my bearings here in NC. We have visited Atlanta and Woodstock.

 

The medical info helps!

 

Is it friendly?

Is it hard to fit in if you are from the northeast or another part of the country?

 

Thanks again,

Rebecca

[EarleneW]

We are right on the line of Woodstock/Marietta/Roswell. IMO the whole area gets 4 seasons.

[patchfire]

TBH, I feel like there are more people in the general metro Atlanta area that aren't originally from Georgia or even the south as a region. :P There are lots of people from the NE and all over the country.

 

I absolutely love it here. Granted, I've lived in Georgia pretty much my entire life, but I love the Atlanta area specifically. I'm partial to the northwest part of the area because we still have mountains. :)

[Brenda in FL]

Thank you!

 

Are you a little farther north Earlene? Is that why you get four seasons?

Again- I am very unfamiliar with Georgia- just starting to get my bearings here in NC. We have visited Atlanta and Woodstock.

 

The medical info helps!

 

Is it friendly?

Is it hard to fit in if you are from the northeast or another part of the country?

 

Thanks again,

Rebecca

 

I think the answer to how many seasons will vary by person! We lived in Cobb county last year, and this Florida girl distinctively experienced 4 seasons for the first time in her life!! Cobb County/Marietta is just south of Woodstock/Cherokee.

 

The area is very friendly - people from all over the country seem to find there way to Atlanta! So its very easy to fit in. I only met a handful of people who actually had southern accents. I suspect you may find it more like the NE than you find your small NC town! Except friendlier and more temperate.

 

And for what its worth - there are all kinds of homeschool extras in this area. Master's Academy of Fine Arts, Timothy Ministries, and Joyful Noise homeschool band to name a few.

 

You are close to all the culture/museums found in Atlanta.

 

Is a job bringing you to the area? Specifically to Woodstock?

[melhouse]

I've lived in the Atlanta area my whole life. I feel like we experience four seasons. We do get cold in the winter - not as cold as places further north, but we do have sub-freezing temps and snow on occassion. We do completely shut down if it does snow. One reason is we get ice as much as snow, or the snow melts and refreezes overnight which results in ice. It's almost impossible to drive on ice. Of course, we do get some winters where there is no icy precipitation at all.

 

HTH,

Melissa

[FeFe]

I grew up in Cobb County but have many friends who live in Woodstock. The area has built up a lot in the past 10 years. Lots of doctors and good hospitals to choose from within 45 minutes of there. Not that you wouldn't find any right in Woodstock though.

 

As an adult, I lived in West Georgia (Carroll County) and there was a large homeschool community there. I can only assume the same would be true of Woodstock since it is more heavily populated. None of my friends that live there homeschool or else I'd ask them!

 

As far as seasons....I bet this depends on who you ask! Georgia is hot and humid during the summer. There would be many days that we couldn't go outside and do very much. Spring is short. Fall is nice. Perhaps unpredicatible but usually on the warm side. Winter is chilly. Very little snow if at all. If there is any snow or ice the whole place shuts down. This is true of any place in Georgia, not just Woodstock. I grew up in Georgia but moved to NE Indiana last year and I feel like for the first time in my life I have experienced 4 real seasons. A Georgia winter is very mild temperature wise when compared to here.

 

Lots of good shopping. Not far from the mountains.

 

Here's a site that helped me when we were making our move. I'll include the link to Woodstock.

 

http://www.city-data.com/city/Woodstock-Georgia.html

[ally]

We moved to Nashville from that area of Atlanta 5 yrs ago. While we had a great homeschool community, the traffic is unbearable! I was reminded it of it this past week when I took my younger kids back to the Atlanta zoo, Aquarium, etc. It's a fun place to visit, but for us, not such a great quality of life. We love Williamson county Nashville Tn. Incredible medical care, 4 seasons, much less traffic, tons of green space, homeschool enrichment programs,spectacular views! Cost of living is a bit more than Woodstock but so worth it!

[Rebecca]

Thank you for all these responses.

Ally- yours was the first negative one!

No, we do not like traffic. :)

We live in rural WNC- there is no traffic.

However we come from a very urban/surburban part of PA and so are used to that flow of life- somewhat. We do enjoy the beauty of our location but we have to drive everywhere- I mean drive far-. I have to drive an hour to an hour and a half for some of our doctor appts. We routinely drive an hour and a half to Sam's Club- that can get draining, too.

 

It is not a job- but rather a church that is drawing us.

 

I had a very difficult time with our relocation to where we are now. I have realized that I am "scared" and somewhat burned as I have assessed my response to possibly relocating again- where we know no one, etc.

 

That is why I am gleaning all I can.

 

Thank you so much,

Rebecca

[EarleneW]

Traffic depends on where you live and where your going. For the most part, I don't experience much in my travels. Now downtown isn't good.

[mom2koh]

I live in Cherokee county.

 

We do get four seasons here. Right now we are having a beautiful fall. Yea!! Cherokee County is where the mountains become visible. :001_smile:

 

As for Docs. We had a ped. we loved (recently changed insurances and can't see her anymore). But PAMPA in Woodstock is fantastic for peditricians. Also, in emergencies Children's Hospital is not too far and we have made the drive to their ER on occasion in about 20 minutes.

 

As for Allergies; the Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Clinic has offices in Cherokee county in Woodstock and Canton. The docs there are also fantastic (it's where my kiddos go). They really seem to care and listen to the moms.

 

There is a large homeschooling community here. We attend classes for homeschool kids through a ministry at a church in Woodstock. My dd is also part of a American Heritage Girl troop that is 75% homeschoolers. There are sports, bands, cheerleading and other things.

 

It can get trafficky but not too bad. Towne Lake has some traffic. We just avoid it when possible.

 

There is plenty of shopping and things to do in Cherokee County.

 

DH has a 2nd phone interview with a company in TX next week and I can say if we have to leave I would be so sad. I have made so many wonderful friends here!

[Rebecca]

Thank you so much!

 

The allergy info is very encouraging.

 

Rebecca

[Mad Jenny Flint]

I pm'ed you.

[Jodi-FL]

and we loved it. we visited last year (moved way 6 years ago) and it had built up quite considerably, and they re-did much of downtown (it's so cute now). we really enjoyed it and i would say it has 3.5 seasons. i grew up in the northeast with 4 true seasons, and lived in the panhandle of florida for 5 years that i would say only has 2 seasons, so it's better than there.

 

the doctor situation is great. the traffic in downtown atlanta (where dh worked) gets extremely tiresome. it's why we moved. but it was a great place to live for 3 years--ball games, museums, historical places. i miss a big city! though phila is now a day trip away (which is one of my most favorite cities).

 

i didn't think the cherokee county library was the best, but for $20/year we got a membership to cobb county's which was great. i liked cherokee county's homeschool regulations which, at the time, were less than cobb's.

 

if you have any specific questions i can answer, email me, i don't get on here often.

 

ps1274ever AT gmail DOT com

jodi-who used to live in charlotte, nc, woodstock, ga, fairport, ny....now in pa

[ally]

I think you should visit during the week to get an idea of the traffic. I know that I'm the only one on the board who posted anything negative. When it's all you know, it doesn't seem that bad but after living in Nashville, I really would not want to move back. I miss so many of my friends there but it's not worth my shoulders being in knots and the time spent on the road. So definitely visit and not just on the weekend. My daughter still lives there and missed a bridal luncheon because of traffic.

[patchfire]

i liked cherokee county's homeschool regulations which, at the time, were less than cobb's.

 

Just to clarify, especially in case someone reads this at a later date, homeschool regulations are statewide, not countywide. A particular county may ask for other things, but you are not obligated by law to comply (and I would suggest that you don't). The actual law is the same throughout GA.

 

 

And Ally's right, the traffic can be a bear. I think after so long (moved here for college), I'm sort of inured to it.

[Rebecca]

So the traffic is bad in Woodstock and not just in Atlanta?

 

What kind of delay are you talking?

We visited on a Sunday.

 

Thank you all so much for all these thoughts.

I am processing everything.

 

I am from Pennsylvania(an hour or little more from Philadelphia) and have now lived in NC for three years.

 

Ally- I appreciate the good and the bad. Thank you for sharing!!

 

Rebecca

[patchfire]

Any of the suburban shopping areas are going to get congested on the weekends. That's pretty much a given. Driving from Woodstock to a job anywhere south of it would involve a lot of traffic, unless the job is at off-times (in which case, being in at 6:30 and leaving at 3:30 could make a big difference). We're contemplating a move within Cobb County that would put us roughly 10 miles more north of the city, and Dh estimates his commute will increase at least 25-30 minutes, depending on what time he leaves work.

 

That said, if you wait to leave your house at 9:30 or 10 in the morning to go downtown, and you leave downtown by 3 or so, you're not going to notice too much of a traffic issue, yk? And the surface streets can be bad on the weekends, but unless they're working on the roads, going downtown is easy-peasy. I think it's more a matter of learning to work with the traffic flow whenever you can.