Fredericksburg (Virginia Beach, Arlington, Forest: renting, condo, hotels)

[nsgjdennis]

I will be moving from Boston MA to Fredricksburg VA soon for work. I am a single male in my mid twenties. I am hoping someone can answer me some questions about Fredricksburg. Is there much nightlife in the town? Is it freindly? How far away is the nearest beach? Are there any large forest areas nearby? Are there many young people in the town? My work is right of 95 so do you think that I would be better off in a DC suburb?

Anything you can tell me about the area I would appreciate.

[AmznGrace]

Well, we have lived in the Fredericksburg area for the last 12 yrs, but are relocating to SC in two weeks. Downtown Fredericksburg is GREAT - very charming, lots of cafes, good food and young people. (My husband and I are 40). Mary Washington College is located there so you will find people about your age. Fredericksburg is also a very "liberal" town and has a large gay/******* community. Virginia Beach is probably the closest beach about 2-3 hrs from Fredericksburg. The North Carolina beaches (much nicer) are just a bit further down 95.

If your work is in Fredericksburg, I would highly encourage you to live around there and not move further north -- although you would be going against traffic. I say that because the I-95 corridor between Wash, DC and Fredericksburg, VA is a freakin' nightmare!! That is probably the MAIN reason we are leaving this area and moving to Charleston. We cannot take the commute to Wash, DC anymore.

Oh, the local paper is the Freelance Star. You can check them out on the web - i think it is link removed That should help give you a sense of the area too. Good luck!

[nsgjdennis]

Thanks that helped out a lot

[Mollikins]

Originally Posted by AmznGrace

............ Fredericksburg is also a very "liberal" town and has a large gay/******* community.

I don't WHERE you've been hiding out, but there ain't NO way FredVegas is #1 LIBERAL or #2 "gay-friendly." This city has literally a Church on EVERY corner (so much so that this area could be considered a shining jewel of the "Bible Belt") and the last time I looked NO Church ('cept maybe Universalist/Unitarian) acknowledges much less accepting of the gay community. Remember the little "protest" led by Falwell followers over on the campus year or so back ???? And they're not very accepting of "com'eres" either.

Originally Posted by AmznGrace

Virginia Beach is probably the closest beach about 2-3 hrs from Fredericksburg.

Don't let Colonial Beach hear ya say that !

[htlong]

if your going to call colonial beach a beach i would say my wife is the closest beach to fredricksburg....oh you said beach never mind......

[Caffiend]

Dude, at your age (and I mean that nicely, I am 33) I would not move to Fredericksburg, though I love it here. You need to be with young vibrant people. Here there are mostly couples and families. If you want a social life at all, try Clarendon, Ballston or Arlington (VA) or if you like to stumble home drunk at times, Adams Morgan (DC). I lived in DC when I was exactly your age and that experience is what got me ready to settle down and get married, I sowed some wild oats that year! Anyway, LMK if you have any questions. Good luck!

[EricD]

Don't be put off by some of the other posters. You'll probably be happy renting a place in downtown. (The historic area), if you have the money to buy, there are really nice 1-3 bedroom condo's near the train station. I'm sure there are a lot of younger professionals there (Though I've only driven by, so definately check it out for yourself) I think it's geared twards people who take the VRE to work in DC. There are a handfull of night clubs and such... but I'd recommend sticking to the downtown area, the stuff they try to build in Central Park (shopping area) always seems to fail.

But yeah, in short, even though you'll be working near I-95, I'd suggest checking out downtown Fredericksburg if you want to have fun.

[onevthoki]

I will echo Amzn in that if you are lucky enough to have a job in Fredericksburg, you will want to live here. So many people who do that northern commute would dream to be in your shoes!

One of the things you mentioned, and that no one else has addressed, was forested areas.

Due to it's rich history, the greater Fredericksburg area is filled with national parks. There is also the Rappahannock River available for other outdoor recreation. Unfortunately I am normally shuttling kids from one activity to the next, and showing a house or two on the side, so I am not able to go too in-depth on that. Perhaps some others may be able to give you a little more info on that.

You also mentioned beaches... Fredericksburg is close to Virginia Beach (2-3 hours depending on traffic), but I tend to head to Nagshead in NC (about 5 hours - not as commercial).

I hope you enjoy the Fredericksburg area; it has been a great fit for me and my family!

[vasinger]

Originally Posted by AmznGrace

Well, we have lived in the Fredericksburg area for the last 12 yrs, but are relocating to SC in two weeks. Downtown Fredericksburg is GREAT - very charming, lots of cafes, good food and young people. (My husband and I are 40). Mary Washington College is located there so you will find people about your age. Fredericksburg is also a very "liberal" town and has a large gay/******* community. Virginia Beach is probably the closest beach about 2-3 hrs from Fredericksburg. The North Carolina beaches (much nicer) are just a bit further down 95.

If your work is in Fredericksburg, I would highly encourage you to live around there and not move further north -- although you would be going against traffic. I say that because the I-95 corridor between Wash, DC and Fredericksburg, VA is a freakin' nightmare!! That is probably the MAIN reason we are leaving this area and moving to Charleston. We cannot take the commute to Wash, DC anymore.

Oh, the local paper is the Freelance Star. You can check them out on the web - i think it is link removed That should help give you a sense of the area too. Good luck!

Fredericksburg is liberal? Are we on the same planet?

Fredericksburg is a relatively small conservative southern town and it has gone through a lot of changes in the past 20 years, but its hardly the San Fran Cisco of the East.

[EricD]

It may not be totally liberal now, but if you take into account the surrounding area, I'd say that a good 70% of people who currently live there, did not live in the Fredericksburg area before the '80s. Also most of the influx of new residents is from the north, or at the least northern VA. I'd consider Fredericksburg fairly liberal, especially with the university in town. Sure there's still some local fRednecks in the area, but they're slowly moving away to areas like Orange or King George.


Also about beaches, there is colonial beach, and fairfield beach (I think I said the last one right), they are on the river east of Fredericksburg. There are a couple beaches on Lake Anna to the south. But if you want a big commercial beach with hotels and such, you'll have to go to VA Beach or Naggs Head, NC, or even Myrtle Beach SC.

There is the Prince William Forest Park to the north, which is a huge... forest. The park that I have liked the most since childhood is Alum Springs Park, right in Fredericksburg. It's at the light of where old williams street and the Blue and Grey Parkway intersect. It has forest, cliffs, river, trails, and all that. There is of course countless hiking and camping opportunities 1-2 hours tot he west in the mountains.