Small town near beach and shopping? (Chesapeake, Newport News: for sale, oceanfront, renting)

[KatieEllen]

Hi Everyone!

My family (spouse, 2 children age 8) are relocating from the PNW to the east coast in 2017. We have a creative based internet business, so we can live anywhere and do our jobs. I'm originally from WV, but haven't been to the east coast since I was a small child, so I really have no memories of the area.

We love the mountains but want to be closer to the beach (within an hour drive), in a place that has the seasons. We also like a smaller town feel (under 50K population) with wholesome values and a sense of community. We want our kids to be able to play ball with their friends in the street outside without having to worry about crime or violence (which is the current situation in the city we're in now) Having to drive 20 minutes to the grocery store or shopping isn't a huge deal to us.


We were thinking maybe Williamsburg might be a good fit- but after reading some other threads, I'm thinking it might not be a good fit. Threads seem to get negative real quick on here! Does such a place exist in VA or am I wanting something that isn't real? Thanks so much for any input!

[Spazkat9696]

I wonder if Smithfield may be an option?

[TN Lily]

Are you checking out North Carolina and perhaps other states too? Getting to the beach in an hour in Hampton Roads from a smaller town may be an issue. I've had times when it's taken me over an hour simply to get out of Newport News. Traffic issues here can make even a short drive take a long time.
Good luck in your search.

[norby22]

Check out Poquoson, VA

[KatieEllen]

I stumbled on Smithfield in my research, I'll have to look into that more, thanks!

[KatieEllen]

Originally Posted by TN Lily

Are you checking out North Carolina and perhaps other states too? Getting to the beach in an hour in Hampton Roads from a smaller town may be an issue. I've had times when it's taken me over an hour simply to get out of Newport News. Traffic issues here can make even a short drive take a long time.
Good luck in your search.

I was looking into North Carolina, but a friend who lives in NY told me they don't really have much of a fall or winter and I do enjoy the 4 seasons very much.

[KatieEllen]

Originally Posted by norby22

Check out Poquoson, VA

I haven't heard of Poquoson. I looked it up and it looks AWESOME! Just what we are looking for. Do you know if there are youth sports in the area? My son is 9 and really into football and baseball.

[ersatz]

Originally Posted by KatieEllen

I haven't heard of Poquoson. I looked it up and it looks AWESOME! Just what we are looking for.

I've been interested in checking out Poquoson myself so I've been researching it. One topic that comes up over and over again is frequent flooding. A lot of the town (though not all of it) is less than seven feet above sea level.

Flood Information | Poquoson, VA

If you drive there to check it out, I recommend you download and bring some flood maps with you so you can ask appropriate questions. There's a city data thread on that with some good information

Buying/Renting in Poquoson

[TN Lily]

Poquoson is an independent city with its own public school system.
Info re flooding: Flood Information | Poquoson, VA
If you look at houses for sale online, you will see that many have been raised up on tall foundations to be above the flood level.

Poquoson is not "diverse" if that matters to you and for the Hampton Roads region seems to be unique in that aspect.

[VA Spaceman]

Originally Posted by KatieEllen

Hi Everyone!

My family (spouse, 2 children age 8) are relocating from the PNW to the east coast in 2017. We have a creative based internet business, so we can live anywhere and do our jobs. I'm originally from WV, but haven't been to the east coast since I was a small child, so I really have no memories of the area.

We love the mountains but want to be closer to the beach (within an hour drive), in a place that has the seasons. We also like a smaller town feel (under 50K population) with wholesome values and a sense of community. We want our kids to be able to play ball with their friends in the street outside without having to worry about crime or violence (which is the current situation in the city we're in now) Having to drive 20 minutes to the grocery store or shopping isn't a huge deal to us.


We were thinking maybe Williamsburg might be a good fit- but after reading some other threads, I'm thinking it might not be a good fit. Threads seem to get negative real quick on here! Does such a place exist in VA or am I wanting something that isn't real? Thanks so much for any input!

I wouldn't discount Williamsburg so quickly. Of all the cities/towns in the area, I feel it has the most character/small town feel. It's a bit pricier than many of the alternatives in Hampton Roads, but for good reason. It's anchored by a great university (the College of William and Mary), has a nice historic downtown, is hilly with winding roads through the forests, and is quite bike friendly. It's just over an hour from the VA Beach oceanfront (without traffic), but is close to other beaches on the Chesapeake Bay (Grandview in Hampton) and on the James and York Rivers along the Colonial Parkway. There's also Yorktown Beach at the end of the Parkway.

Living in Poquoson seems like walking back in time 30 years, which a lot of people really like! I think it is also very quaint and safe with a small town feel. Flooding and mosquitoes are an issue, but you can plan around that. I'd say it has less character than Williamsburg (and is much smaller), but is also a place worth checking out.