somewhere like Abingdon- but a little north (Charlottesville, Jefferson: real estate, theatre)

[tarainpenna]

My family and I currently live on a large farm in pa. The area is drastically changing and we are now looking to move on.
We like Va and love love Abingdon. It is just too far south. Like 10 -12 hours from here.
We like the quaint victorian town and access to good shopping. I liked the closeness to colleges and things to do. Real estate prices were very reasonable too.
Can anyone suggest a town simular to Abingdon but just a little more North.
Thanks
Tara

[roanoker 4]

Try Staunton, Waynesboro or Lexington.
I agree Abingdon is a unique place. I visit the Barter Theatre often and the dinner playhouse. The Martha Washington Inn is always memorable. Its a classy place.
Staunton has a quaint, busy and interesting downtown with many shops to explore. Lexington is a college town with lots of civil war history(Robert E Lee's home)with a famous law school(w&l). Waynesboro is next to the classy town of Charlottesville(Thomas Jefferson home) but less pricey but still close to everything.

[seanpecor]

From my horse farm in Boones Mill, VA to Lancaster County I'm about 5 1/2 hours. We're about 1 1/4 hours to the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington. So, Lexington and Rockbridge County are probably about 4 1/4 hours to Lancaster County.

The issue is that things are changing here also. Even Abingdon is changing. Yes, you have the quaint historic downtown but 5 minutes out of every quaint historic downtown in Virginia there is substantial development and growth. Business ain't what it used to be; quaint historic downtowns rely on that growth to survive. Otherwise they wither into dead husks.

I think you might enjoy the best piece of mind if you find a town with outlying areas that are developing sensibly and in a sustainable way. In this way the growth and development of the region won't get on your nerves. There is very little undiscovered country in Virginia. The remote and largely uninhabited counties remain remote and uninhabited for obvious reasons

Sean