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Hampton Roads area Chesapeake - Hampton - Newport News - Norfolk - Portsmouth - Suffolk - Virginia Beach
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Old 09-12-2012, 02:20 PM
 
5 posts, read 6,519 times
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Hi! I am possibly moving to Virginia Beach and I'm wondering which neighborhoods I should look at. I anticipate a salary of 38K - 40K (is that enough?) and I would like to be near a park or other green space. I have fun with 'downtown' type areas and in the outdoors. I am probably a bit of a hipster , enjoying music and art. I am 29 years old and single with no children. Where is my new home?? Thanks in advance .
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Old 09-12-2012, 04:49 PM
 
Location: Norfolk, VA
154 posts, read 388,488 times
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I'd recommend Ghent or downtown Norfolk over Virginia Beach. The Towncenter area of Virginia Beach is pretty vibrant but is mostly chain restaurants and stores. The (albeit smallish) hipster scene in the area is definitely in Ghent, which is a very walkable area.

You can do OK on that salary. Look to spend at least $800 on a decent apartment.
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Old 09-13-2012, 12:55 PM
 
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What would a commute from Ghent/Norfolk be like into Virginia Beach?
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Old 09-13-2012, 04:58 PM
 
Location: Norfolk, VA
154 posts, read 388,488 times
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It depends how far into VB your job is. Ghent to the oceanfront is about half an hour. Traffic shouldn't be too bad since most people are commuting the other way.
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Old 09-13-2012, 10:33 PM
 
3,848 posts, read 9,323,192 times
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Originally Posted by stva View Post
It depends how far into VB your job is. Ghent to the oceanfront is about half an hour. Traffic shouldn't be too bad since most people are commuting the other way.
If he's doing a 9-5 he's going right into traffic. Traffic in the morning is bad from Portsmouth to Norfolk and VA Beach, and in the evening from VA Beach and Norfolk to Portsmouth. 264 is constantly backed up.
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Old 09-14-2012, 06:31 AM
 
1,209 posts, read 2,620,824 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drummy View Post
What would a commute from Ghent/Norfolk be like into Virginia Beach?
Virginia Beach is a very large city geographically, it is hard to make any recommendations on where to live without knowing where you work. If you will be working at Oceana or the strip then living in Norfolk would be tough, if you are working at Amerigroup or Regent then it probably wouldn't be so bad. I know the great thing about the internet is anonymity, but it would be a lot easier to give a recommendation if you could be a little more specific about where you are working. Traffic is pretty bad at rush hour and (aside from tunnels) almost nonexistent otherwise, so where you are commuting to/from and what time of day is very important.

Norfolk is more urban than anyplace around here and has more going on in terms of music and art. There are also endless kayaking opportunities, a university, and a pretty decent bike trail that runs along the river and through the city (elizabeth river trail).

I think the Ghent area or Freemason in Norfolk (as others have said) would be ideal if you consider yourself a "hipster". VB just isn't really that scene. There are lots of outdoor things to do but not a lot of people seem concerned with stereotypically "hipster" activities. (sorry to stereotype but that is all I have to go with from your post haha)

Check out AltDaily : Creating and celebrating local culture in Norfolk and all of Hampton Roads. or Festevents for things going down there. Good luck!
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Old 09-15-2012, 01:55 PM
 
5 posts, read 43,114 times
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Norfolk is more your scene, but stay in certain parts like Ghent and. . . yea. VB is much more conservative, suburban. I hate VB, but I live here b/c of family closer. Norfolk is defiantly much better, just watch your neighborhoods, like in any urban area.
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Old 09-18-2012, 07:24 AM
 
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Thanks to all for your helpful responses so far! I'm not sure exactly where I'll be placed in VB, and I probably won't know for a little while still, but I'll be sure to come back for more advice when it becomes apparent.
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Old 09-18-2012, 07:25 AM
 
5 posts, read 6,519 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coconut1 View Post
If he's doing a 9-5 he's going right into traffic. Traffic in the morning is bad from Portsmouth to Norfolk and VA Beach, and in the evening from VA Beach and Norfolk to Portsmouth. 264 is constantly backed up.
PS - I'm a lady
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Old 09-18-2012, 07:50 AM
 
275 posts, read 870,368 times
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I drive from Ghent to Lynnhaven every day. It's not that bad, except for the knuckleheads who don't know the meaning of the left lane.

But naw, the drive to VB is okay...I leave around 8:15, 8:20 (actually left at 8:30 one morning when I was running late), and I'm usually at my job in 25 minutes. The only time you have traffic is if there's an accident on 264, and I haven't experienced that yet (knock on wood). 264 back towards downtown Norfolk can be a nightmare; a backup at the Downtown tunnel gridlocks that entire vicinity, and causes an equal backup at the Midtown. Getting home some evenings has been like pulling teeth, because I've had to navigate around the Midtown traffic to get to my apartment. But even that's pretty rare.

As far as nightlife, Ghent is definitely the more hipsterish community. VB has its pockets, but to me it seems like the kind of place you settle down and raise your family...the perfect movie or sitcom suburb (I mean that in an endearing way). You have young professionals who live in VB, but I think they're closer to Town Center or the Oceanfront, where most of the VB nightlife is.
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