Another beautifully pastoral small town that's a surprise because it's so close to N.C.'s largest city is Davidson, home to Davidson College, a nationally recognized liberal arts college associated with the Presbyterian Church. The town and college were founded by a group of Scotch-Irish Presbyterians in 1837. It's been compared to the quaint college village of Chapel Hill, only smaller. The college provides a wide range of cultural events, including an annual artists series, and then there are the Davidson Community Players' Summer Theatre productions. And right down the road are prestigious golf and resort communities and home sites on Lake Norman, which provides 520 miles of shoreline, boating, fishing, and gorgeous scenery.
Life still has that elegant resort feel.
But there's more to life here than just golf. Sandhills Community College is one of the state's top community colleges and offers a wide range of continuing education courses and art-related events. There's the Pinehurst Harness Track and Weymouth Woods nature preserve, community festivals, and unique shopping. Whatever your hobby, you can find it here - even if it has nothing to do with a tee. Surrounded by rural farmland and anchored by a historic courthouse in the center of town, Pittsboro nonetheless has all the cultural, business and educational advantages proximity to the Triangle has to offer.