What's "in" Virginia Beach? (Norfolk, Chesapeake: how much, houses, theater)

[marilynmonroe]

I am from Florida and am trying to find another beach area to move to. In the town I'm from the beach is part of a thin, barrier island and is pretty much nothing but the beach. If you live in a city you actually have to go over 2 bridges and through a separate county just to get to the beach.

But from the posts I've read I'm gathering VB has much more than the beach. I'm just wondering how much more. Like what is the population (and the rough demographics - I have a multi-racial child so that is important) and what kinds of things are in VB, like how many Targets, different kinds of restaraunts, how many schools and any colleges, and are there any types of "special" locations such as theaters, parks, mainly anything that's not a retail or dining establishment? Oh, and are there any dog parks or public swimming areas?

[Erma]

We have it all! Virginia Beach is very large and divided into different areas. In fact it's so large, we are still building subdivisions here. Plenty of land. Sandbridge is part of Virginia Beach with ocean front, lots of wildlife and lots of waterway. Chicks Beach is part of Virginia Beach and runs along the Chesapeake Bay into the Atlantic Ocean. There is ALOT to do and alot to see. Like to shop? Lots of stores. Like to eat? Lots of restaurants. Like to party? Yep, plenty of bars, clubs and lounges. We also have a very nice performing arts center that opened last year in Town Center. Connect VB with Norfolk and Chesapeake and you just have alot more minutes away. Most of us like it here, just a few that don't.

[gallowsCalibrator]

Originally Posted by marilynmonroe

But from the posts I've read I'm gathering VB has much more than the beach.

Yes it does. We've got... houses and strip malls.

Originally Posted by marilynmonroe

Like what is the population (and the rough demographics - I have a multi-racial child so that is important)

Nobody here really cares about demographics.

Originally Posted by marilynmonroe

and what kinds of things are in VB, like how many Targets, different kinds of restaraunts, how many schools and any colleges, and are there any types of "special" locations such as theaters, parks, mainly anything that's not a retail or dining establishment?

I believe there are either three targets. I wouldn't doubt that we have over 1,000 restaurants. Minus the colleges, here's a listing of schools. As for colleges, we have everything from TCC to Virginia Wesleyan, to ECPI to Bryant and Stratton, to Beauty Schools, and even a Realtor college. Not so far away, there's even ODU. I could not even name all of them off the top of my head.

Parks? I could name half a dozen off the top of my head.
City View Park, Red Wing Park, Great Neck Park, Woodstock Community Park, Little Island Park, Mount Trashmore Park, Munden Point Park, Lynnhaven Park ..

Originally Posted by marilynmonroe

Oh, and are there any dog parks or public swimming areas?

Red Wing and Woodstock Community Parks both have a fenced off area for dogs. They do charge a $10 annual fee - and all dogs must have proof of license and vaccinations.

As for Public Swimming Areas... I can't think of any except for the Atlantic Ocean. But I hear it's really cold this time of year.

In short, this city has everything and nothing at the same time.

[Erma]

Originally Posted by Kuharai

As for Public Swimming Areas... I can't think of any except for the Atlantic Ocean. But I hear it's really cold this time of year.

In short, this city has everything and nothing at the same time.

Well, if you want to come to Japan with me, you can compare! roflmao
Anyhow, we do have the YMCA's and Recreational Centers that have pools if you do not have the polar bear instincts.

[gallowsCalibrator]

Originally Posted by Erma

Well, if you want to come to Japan with me, you can compare! roflmao
Anyhow, we do have the YMCA's and Recreational Centers that have pools if you do not have the polar bear instincts.

I completely forgot about the rec centers. I personally don't like them... but it's all preference.

And I will have to take you up on your offer~!

[stacylee926]

Va Beach is just a small part of all of Hampton Roads - it is a full functioning city on the beach. Meaning we actually have lots of things to do here that are not tourist/beach related so living and working here is not all about tourism. However, we are still a touristy area and I love having all the history close by - Williamburg, Jamestown etc. Norfolk has great riverfront festivals from spring thru fall and there are always things going on everywhere.

[Erma]

Originally Posted by stacylee926

Va Beach is just a small part of all of Hampton Roads - it is a full functioning city on the beach. Meaning we actually have lots of things to do here that are not tourist/beach related so living and working here is not all about tourism. However, we are still a touristy area and I love having all the history close by - Williamburg, Jamestown etc. Norfolk has great riverfront festivals from spring thru fall and there are always things going on everywhere.

And the State Fair is a blast! The pig races are to die for! The exhibitions, crafts, goodies, food and all that fun stuff is a great entertainment each year.

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by marilynmonroe

I am from Florida and am trying to find another beach area to move to. In the town I'm from the beach is part of a thin, barrier island and is pretty much nothing but the beach. If you live in a city you actually have to go over 2 bridges and through a separate county just to get to the beach.

But from the posts I've read I'm gathering VB has much more than the beach. I'm just wondering how much more. Like what is the population (and the rough demographics - I have a multi-racial child so that is important) and what kinds of things are in VB, like how many Targets, different kinds of restaraunts, how many schools and any colleges, and are there any types of "special" locations such as theaters, parks, mainly anything that's not a retail or dining establishment? Oh, and are there any dog parks or public swimming areas?

Over 430,000. Metropolitan area of 1.6 million. Rough demographics; metro area of 7 cities broken up into the Southside (Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Norfolk) and the Peninsula (Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg). Most Blacks live in the older cities (Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth). Chesapeake and Virginia Beach are overgrown suburbs. Suffolk is mostly rural/exurban; whether or not you can consider it to be a suburb of Portsmouth is arguable.

A lot of Asians, mainly Filipinos.

Now for the fun, politically incorrect stuff!

59% Caucasian, 31% Black, 5.4% Latino, 3.5% Asian. 3.4% Two or more races. Even a few American Indians at 0.4%.

As for Virginia Beach itself. 67.7% Caucasian, 19.6% Black.

There are plenty of Blacks in Virginia Beach. Personally I don't think racism is really a problem here. If anything, the problems are more xenophobic/class warfare, than anything else.

These are your highways/interstates/expressways. I-64,I-264,I-464,I-564,I-664

Five tunnels; 2 connecting Norfolk with Portsmouth, one connecting Norfolk to Hampton, one connecting Norfolk with Newport News and one connecting Norfolk with the Eastern Shore, in case you want to go to New York. A bridge, if you do not want to use the tunnel, connecting Norfolk with Newport News. It is a lift bridge.

What you will find around here is that there are a lot of drawbridges and lift bridges. In some areas there is not a far enough span to put a traditional bridge or enough money to create a tunnel. Elevation is low, though not as low as Florida, so we do not have the luxury of creating a Golden Gate Bridge or a Brooklyn Bridge here.

We also have Busch Gardens, and Colonial Williamsburg, which is more a historical thing, but does have cool reenactments. Jamestown still has the look and feel of what it must have been like back in the 1600s to come here.

If Target is your thing there should be more than enough to keep you occupied. One thing to realize about Target, is that they do not flood a city, and being that they are the newest of their category of store, you will not find a lot of Target anywhere. There are only 5 listed on their website, but that is consistent with what I have seen in other Metropolitan areas.

When you get here you will forget all about Target. There are entirely too many different stores to count; a lot of chain stores, but a lot of local stores as well. A lot of thrift stores. We also have HH Gregg.

Only stores you won't find around here are those on the extreme high end. No Ikea. No Williams-Sonoma, or Sak's Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman or any of those other upper tier department stores. We do have a Nordstroms though. I did hear rumors of a possible Anthropologie.

If you are in need of that, there is always Richmond, or some of the boutiques/factory stores at the outlet stores in Williamsburg, or the Internet.

[gregir]

Williams-Sonoma is MacAuthur mall unless they closed since xmas. Harry and David there too.

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by gregir

Williams-Sonoma is MacAuthur mall unless they closed since xmas. Harry and David there too.

I forgot about that one. I like Harry and David, go in there every time I go into mall. Perhaps Williams-Sonoma was not the best example to use.