So You've Decided to Relocate... To Benson, NC?!?

Tired of the hustle and bustle of city life? Sick of traffic jams that make you question your very existence? Do you crave a place where the biggest scandal is a debate over who has the best sweet tea recipe? Then, my friend, you've come to the right blog post. If you're considering a move to Benson, North Carolina, your friends might be scratching their heads, but I'm here to tell you why you're a genius.

Let's face it, your friends in Raleigh are paying more for a shoebox apartment than you'll pay for a three-bedroom house with a yard big enough for a backyard garden and a small army of gnomes. The financial advantages alone are enough to make a grown adult weep with joy. 

But the real magic of Benson isn't just in your suddenly-robust bank account. It's in the lifestyle. The pace of life here is what I like to call "leisurely." We don't have traffic. We have "oops, a tractor is turning, guess I'll just enjoy the view." This is a place where you'll find yourself waving to strangers, not because you know them, but because it feels rude not to.  The people here are salt-of-the-earth, dedicated, patriotic, true neighbors.

Your social life? Oh, it's about to get real. Forget crowded bars with loud music and sticky floors. Benson still offers great places to grab a drink like The Fainting Goat and Cornerstone Cafe & Coffee (like the best coffee shop with incredible drinks like The Moon Pie Latte, The Mule Kick and the Caramel Slam). Here, your social calendar will be filled with things like the Mule Days festival, where you'll witness the majestic beauty of mules being, well, mules. And the best part? It's a genuine conversation starter. "Hey, what'd you do this weekend?" "Oh, you know, just watched some mules." "You What?" Instant connection.

And let's not forget the food. You'll soon discover that "farm-to-table" isn't a trendy restaurant concept; it's just what we call supper. If you go to Pat's Gas & Grill, you'll get to know alot of the local farmers by name.  Your produce will be so fresh, it might still have a little dirt on it... just think of it as extra fiber.

So yes, your friends might make fun of you at first. They'll ask if you have indoor plumbing and Wi-Fi (the answer is yes, most of the time). They'll joke about the lack of a Starbucks on every corner (again, we have Cornerstone Cafe & Coffee and they're way better, I promise). But while they're stuck in gridlock, you'll be on your front porch overlooking your expansive yard, sipping iced tea and listening to the cicadas, completely stress-free.

Welcome to Benson, NC. It's not a place you move to escape something; it's a place you move to embrace something. And that something is a simpler, more leasurely, definitely more affordable, and just better life. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go help my neighbor with his rogue rooster. It's just another Thursday.