Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Greetings from Fort Worth Texas. I am contemplating a move to the east coast as my family has migrated to northern VA/DC area over the years and I want to be closer to them. However, my dream has always been to be close to the beach. I have been considering Virginia Beach, but I'm not sure it would be the best fit for me and I don't want to default to it just because it's in Virginia. Maybe I'm overlooking someplace better for me that I just haven't thought of, so I'm coming here for help. I do have some specific requirements.
I come from a pretty big city (about 750,000 here, plus Dallas nearby and its millions). There's a huge amount of culture. Museums, symphonies, national and international touring acts (I prefer alternative music), just about anything you want to do. Plus the restaurants have endless choices. I am about 90% vegan. I am very green-friendly, so that would factor into my consideration. I like to find kindred spirits, vegan groups and restaurants. Also I work in healthcare, so any area with lots of hospitals or rehab facilities would be a bonus. Single working professional and plan to stay child-free so schools are not an issue. Finally, going to concerts is a huge part of my life, so being convenient to a major city where big acts tour would be a major plus.
In the VA forums, many people have mentioned that with my cultural and culinary interests, I would seem most at home in or near DC. But it's so far from the beach!
Virginia Beach. Pro: It's relatively close to the DC area where my family lives. It has a pretty good beach, though I've read on the forums that it gets very touristy in the summer (maybe most beaches do). Con: heavy military presence, I've read that it is transient and drives rent up. Major con, the bands I tend to like do not stop there on their tours. I would have to drive up to DC for shows, taking off work the afternoon of the show and the morning after as well. I also wonder if it is cosmopolitan enough for me. I love arts and culture and from what I have read in these forums, that is an area where Hampton Roads in general may be lacking.
I'm also considering Richmond, not too far from the beach I suppose, and lots of healthcare opportunities. People in the Richmond forum argue it is much more culturally diverse than VA Beach, and has a lot more varied restaurants and things to do, performing arts, etc. But I'm not sure yet... If I go to the trouble of moving across the country, I might as well be in a beach city, I think. I'm afraid Richmond might feel too small to me. I think it sounds more cosmopolitan than VA Beach, but I'm not sure about living away from the ocean. And it also doesn't look like my favorite bands go there either, just DC at the closest, so there is still that problem of taking time off work. I am so spoiled in DFW, with any band you want to hear just across town!
So my question here is, what places am I overlooking? Keeping in mind that I would not want to be more than, let's say, a 5-6 hour drive from the DC area in order to visit my family on weekends. And that I want to live in a beach city ideally. With an eco-friendly/veggie presence, lots of culture, variety of restaurants, preferably cosmopolitan feel (though a smaller town might be ok if it were reasonable distance to a big city), and bonus if lots of healthcare jobs and venues for major touring acts (i.e. close to major city). Does such a place exist?
Thank you so much... I'm so nervous about moving! I've lived in Texas for almost 4 decades, but my life is not really here any more!
Charleston is an 8-hour drive, and I think it would give you most of what you're looking for...Otherwise, I'm having a hard time suggesting anything other than Virginia Beach/
This is a no-brainer: move to Richmond. You'll be a couple of hours outside of DC, so you'll have options for entertainment ... yet, you will still have the somewhat artsy vibe that you are looking for.
Virginia Beach is pretty much the exact opposite of what you are looking for, and I'm amazed that it was even being considered.
I don't think you're overlooking anything. Richmond is the most logical choice for everything except being close to the ocean. And as you realize, VA Beach would be the closest and most convenient beach town, but lacks a lot of what you desire. And DC itself would be an excellent choice but then even farther from a real beach. You've probably just got to make a decision based on that!
I come from a pretty big city (about 750,000 here, plus Dallas nearby and its millions). There's a huge amount of culture. Museums, symphonies, national and international touring acts (I prefer alternative music), just about anything you want to do. Plus the restaurants have endless choices. I am about 90% vegan. I am very green-friendly, so that would factor into my consideration. I like to find kindred spirits, vegan groups and restaurants. Also I work in healthcare, so any area with lots of hospitals or rehab facilities would be a bonus. Single working professional and plan to stay child-free so schools are not an issue. Finally, going to concerts is a huge part of my life, so being convenient to a major city where big acts tour would be a major plus.
So my question here is, what places am I overlooking? Keeping in mind that I would not want to be more than, let's say, a 5-6 hour drive from the DC area in order to visit my family on weekends. And that I want to live in a beach city ideally. With an eco-friendly/veggie presence, lots of culture, variety of restaurants, preferably cosmopolitan feel (though a smaller town might be ok if it were reasonable distance to a big city), and bonus if lots of healthcare jobs and venues for major touring acts (i.e. close to major city). Does such a place exist?
Thank you so much... I'm so nervous about moving! I've lived in Texas for almost 4 decades, but my life is not really here any more!
Check out NJ coastal towns like Red Bank or Long Branch which are a 30-40 minute commute to all kinds of job options in cities like New Brunswick or Newark plus many nearby smaller towns. There's hourly NJ Transit commuter train service to NYC (20 hours a day) from both Red Bank and Long Branch, and both towns offer the beach vibe you're looking for (as well as the other desired lifestyle elements). It's a 3.5 hour drive to DC or you can drive 30 minutes to the Metropark complex in Iselin (lots of garage parking) to catch an Amtrak train to the DC area (New Carrolton MD, DC-Union Station or Alexandria VA) which takes 3 hours and is a nice break from driving.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
