For the past nine years I've lived in a sleepy little North Carolina town called Holly Springs. This is the longest I've lived anywhere my whole life so I've become quite attached to it. Within the past three years, Holly Springs has grown immensely. We now have our own baseball team, an athletic complex, a shopping center and boast a population of over 24,000 at last count. However, it still retains its small-town feel. I want to tell the world how great Holly Springs is so, after asking some Holly Springs residents, I've compiled a list of what makes Holly Springs so wonderful.
1. Laid-back feel
Even though Holly Springs has grown leaps and bounds since my family first moved there in 2007, it still has the same laid-back attitude. No one is much of a rush to get anywhere. You can see people walking in our (small) downtown area, shopping or on their way to eat at one of our great restaurants.
2. The food
Ask any Holly Springs resident what their favorite place to eat in Holly Springs and they might hesitate. Not because there's no good food but because we have so much! Mason Jar Tavern is a much-talked about favorite in the area. My Way Tavern and Bass Lake Draft House are great places to get a beer and some delicious food.
3. Convenience
I go to school in Raleigh which just so happens to be a mere 17 miles from my parent's house. Holly Springs residents have all the "big city" fun without having to live in a city. It's a simple hop, skip and a jump down i-40 to get where we're going.
4. Diversity
You would think that a small town in North Carolina would be very homogeneous; however, that's not true. People from all around the country-- and world-- call Holly Springs home. I've met people from England, Poland, Russia and so many more places just by walking out my front door. I've met people from North, the Midwest and the West Coast in my community. People of all races, religions and backgrounds call Holly Springs home and the community makes an active effort to welcome them.
5. The emphasis on outdoor activities
The Town of Holly Springs really pushes its inhabitants to enjoy the outdoors. They've created awesome areas like the North Main Athletic Park, Womble Park, Suggs Family Farm and (my personal favorite) Bass Lake. Residents can play soccer on the fields at Womble, enjoy fireworks at Suggs or go for a run on the many trails located in the community.
6. Involved clubs
Holly Springs is so lucky to have such an involved community; Holly Springs has many clubs available for residents to join and get even more involved. The Holly Springs Kiwanis club-- to which I'm a member of-- puts on their annual Kid's Appreciation Day to welcome summer vacation. The Rotary Club is the biggest club in Holly Springs and actively works with Meals on Wheels to deliver food to Holly Springs residents in need. We also have the Holly Springs Run Club. Drive down the roads around 6 pm and you'll see them out running together, encouraging each other.
