What do Kentuckians think of Virginians?

[bmacdo]

I moved to Western KY from Western VA about 6 months ago. No one has had the slightest reaction to the fact that I came from VA. I think it's a non-issue, at least around here it is. I've heard other areas can be pretty clannish but in that case, it wouldn't matter if you were from VA or Timbuktu, they will be suspicious of you. I've said it before, for the most part, the people in Western KY are about the friendliest I've encountered anywhere.

[teebird1012]

Virginia to me is a more populated version of Kentucky with beaches. That's really it.

[rnc76]

The rural areas of western and central VA are similar to KY. Coming from an area like Roanoke isn't going to be much different. But KY doesn't have any areas that are even remotely similar to NoVA or Hampton Roads. NoVA is far wealthier, more diverse and more metropolitan than anywhere in KY. Hampton Roads differs greatly in demographics from anywhere in KY (high percentage of African Americans), as well as tons of military personnel everywhere you look and as others had mentioned, beaches and water activities are everywhere.

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by rnc76

The rural areas of western and central VA are similar to KY. Coming from an area like Roanoke isn't going to be much different. But KY doesn't have any areas that are even remotely similar to NoVA or Hampton Roads. NoVA is far wealthier, more diverse and more metropolitan than anywhere in KY. Hampton Roads differs greatly in demographics from anywhere in KY (high percentage of African Americans), as well as tons of military personnel everywhere you look and as others had mentioned, beaches and water activities are everywhere.

I strongly disagree. Louisville is very similar in size and make up as the Norfolk/Virginia Beach/ Hampton Roads MSA. Louisville also has a massive miltary base with Fort Knox in its southern outskirts and of course a part of the CSA. Louisville has a high AA population, but not quite as high. Overall, the two cities are similar in makeup but much different..Louisville is much more urban and vibrant with a larger center city. Also Louisville lacks the beach of course. Louisville is much more comprable to Richmond, although even there it is still a bit larger.

[rnc76]

I will give it to you that Louisville has a more vibrant urban center but I don't think it is more vibrant overall. The summer months in Hampton Roads are alive with festivals, water sports, outdoor concerts, regattas...

Overall though, land locked Louisville is nothing like Hampton Roads and I'm very familiar with both. I lived in Hampton Roads for several months and have family in Louisville. Hampton Roads is a very spread out group of cities without much of central core but the whole area is very urbanized. Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Hampton, Newport News, Portsmouth, Chesapeake... all kind of run together. They are all surrounded by water whether it be the Atlantic, the James River or the Chesapeake Bay. The military presence in that area of the country is probably the highest of anywhere in the US: Norfolk Naval Base, Langley Air Force Base, Oceana Naval Air Station, Fort Story Army Reservation, Fort Eustis... It is literally amazing how many people in uniform you see, how many naval ships you see off the coast and how many fighter jets are screaming overhead. Fort Knox does not have that kind of influence on Louisville. Also, the percentage of AA in Hampton Roads versus Louisville MSA is probably 2 or more times. Virginia Beach may be similiar in racial makeup, but Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News and Hampton are probably 50% AA each. Seafood (local crab cakes are amazing) is also the local cuisine of the region for obvious reasons. Louisville's traditional cuisine is more southern/midwestern homestyle food for equally obvious reasons. Hampton Roads is also a popular tourist destination with Virginia Beach, Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens, Jamestown, Yorktown... Louisville really isn't a regional tourist destination except for the Derby.

Other than the population numbers of the two areas, I am having a very hard time seeing similarities.

[Alanboy395]

Originally Posted by rnc76

I will give it to you that Louisville has a more vibrant urban center but I don't think it is more vibrant overall. The summer months in Hampton Roads are alive with festivals, water sports, outdoor concerts, regattas...

Overall though, land locked Louisville is nothing like Hampton Roads and I'm very familiar with both. I lived in Hampton Roads for several months and have family in Louisville. Hampton Roads is a very spread out group of cities without much of central core but the whole area is very urbanized. Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Hampton, Newport News, Portsmouth, Chesapeake... all kind of run together. They are all surrounded by water whether it be the Atlantic, the James River or the Chesapeake Bay. The military presence in that area of the country is probably the highest of anywhere in the US: Norfolk Naval Base, Langley Air Force Base, Oceana Naval Air Station, Fort Story Army Reservation, Fort Eustis... It is literally amazing how many people in uniform you see, how many naval ships you see off the coast and how many fighter jets are screaming overhead. Fort Knox does not have that kind of influence on Louisville. Also, the percentage of AA in Hampton Roads versus Louisville MSA is probably 2 or more times. Virginia Beach may be similiar in racial makeup, but Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News and Hampton are probably 50% AA each. Seafood (local crab cakes are amazing) is also the local cuisine of the region for obvious reasons. Louisville's traditional cuisine is more southern/midwestern homestyle food for equally obvious reasons. Hampton Roads is also a popular tourist destination with Virginia Beach, Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens, Jamestown, Yorktown... Louisville really isn't a regional tourist destination except for the Derby.

Other than the population numbers of the two areas, I am having a very hard time seeing similarities.

Could not have put it better myself. From a Hampton Roads native exiled to Northern Virginia and relocating to Kentucky.

[InLondon]

I love Virginia, if I had to live anywhere else other than Kentucky I'd live there.

[AaronK]

Off topic but when I lived in Northern Kentucky, it was as if people from Cincinnati, Ohio and Northern Kentucky were one in the same.

[sandman1]

Who really cares about this? Sometimes people on here just write topics that are so irrelevant it boggles my mind....who cares what virginia thinks of kentucky or if louisville is like hampton roads? Obviously those from each area will say theirs is better. Louisville is nice, virginia is nice, kentucky is nice, blah blah blah. Sometimes these threads are so pointless? I would never have even thought that people in virginia don't like people from kentucky or vice versa....Would you like some sweet tea?

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by sandman1

Who really cares about this? Sometimes people on here just write topics that are so irrelevant it boggles my mind....who cares what virginia thinks of kentucky or if louisville is like hampton roads? Obviously those from each area will say theirs is better. Louisville is nice, virginia is nice, kentucky is nice, blah blah blah. Sometimes these threads are so pointless? I would never have even thought that people in virginia don't like people from kentucky or vice versa....Would you like some sweet tea?

This is an OLD thread from someone who doesn't post here anymore (I don't think) it just got revived by a newcomer