Richmond Vs Norfolk (Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton: neighborhoods, luxury, school)

[Monkeyboy540]

I'm either going to VCU or ODU, and the surrounding city is very mportant to me. I love cities, so i guess my question is which city is more fun and has more things to do?

[richmondpics]

Why don't you visit both and come to your own conclusion? Fun and things to do are both very subjective.

[whoknew?]

Probably Norfolk.. You have 6 other cities around you including a beach. Plus your right by the eastern shore which is kinda cool. You would just have to check them both out Richmond might be your cup of tea who knows?

[iCostas91]

Dude, as a fellow College guy, go for Norfolk.. Norfolk has some good bars/nightlife, decent events in scope arena or maybe you wanna catch a ball game at harbor Park.

Not to mention Virginia Beach is like right there, I mean you've got the boardwalk plus sometimes they have beach parties and festivals in the fall, err and Oktoberfest or the Beer Festival lol. Not only that but there's so many other things you can do for fun nearby, such as Busch gardens in Williamsburg. If you like the outdoors theres heaps you can do around the Chesapeake Bay like fishing, biking or that thing they do when they stand on a surf board with a long paddle and drift along the beach.

Richmond wouldn't have half as many things to do
Guaranteed you'll meet some really interesting characters around norfolk too.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by Monkeyboy540

I'm either going to VCU or ODU, and the surrounding city is very mportant to me. I love cities, so i guess my question is which city is more fun and has more things to do?

Norfolk is a larger city that does have the luxury of having beaches closeby, and to me that pushes Norfolk into being a better city for a college student.

[bonnielisabeth]

I would say, if you like the arts and culture go to Richmond.
If you think you want the beach and bars, go to Norfolk.

If you love Richmond you will dislike Hampton Roads, if you love Hampton Roads you will dislike Richmond. Best to visit both if you can.

It also depends on which subjects you think you may major in...some are better at one school or the other.

Another thing--remember that there are thousands of sailors and military guys competing for dates in the Norfolk area. I think of Richmond as more of a "college" area and Norfolk as more of a "military" area.

[stva]

As someone who has lived both places, I agree with the above. Richmond has a ton of arts and culture and a high percentage of young professionals. Norfolk has a ton of sailors with some non-military and ODU students thrown in. Norfolk does have beaches, and Virginia Beach and the Outer Banks close by, but Richmond has the riverfront, which is pretty cool. If you like live music and bars and such, Richmond is better. Rents are also cheaper in Richmond as military housing allowances drive them up in Norfolk. I'd say there is about an equal number of things "to do" in both places but for a young person Richmond has more. Job prospects for college grads are better in Richmond if you plan on staying there.

I would pick VCU if I were in your shoes but that's just my opinion. Just compare the size of the Fan (and you can include other nearby neighborhoods in the city) to Ghent and you will see that there is more to offer.