VA for a family (Washington: low crime, taxes, standard of living)

[VALover]

Sure, there are lots of colleges in Virginia.

What kind of setting are you interested in? City, rural, mountains, or beach. Do you need lots of amenities?

[FrankieDNY]

Originally Posted by VALover

Sure, there are lots of colleges in Virginia.

What kind of setting are you interested in? City, rural, mountains, or beach. Do you need lots of amenities?

Well where I am at right now in Florida is fast paced. We are about 25 minutes away from Downtown Ft. Lauderdale. I like typical suburban living with access to a city. As far as amenities go, me and my wife like to go to restaurants, movies, bars, music venues, art museums. Any areas you would recommend?

[VALover]

Well, I wouldn't recommend my home area of Southwest Virginia! It has a slow pace.

Right now I live in Roanoke which I wouldn't consider fast paced, kind of medium. I generally don't have a hard time finding things to do but I am not that hard to please. We have malls, movie theaters, lots of dining, the new Taubman Museum, Center in the Square, the civic center, and some nice parks and walking trails.

You will want to check out the Richmond area as well as Northern Virginia. They are probably a bit more fast paced but I can't vouch for that since I have only been a visitor to those areas of the state.

[FrankieDNY]

Originally Posted by VALover

Well, I wouldn't recommend my home area of Southwest Virginia! It has a slow pace.

Right now I live in Roanoke which I wouldn't consider fast paced, kind of medium. I generally don't have a hard time finding things to do but I am not that hard to please. We have malls, movie theaters, lots of dining, the new Taubman Museum, Center in the Square, the civic center, and some nice parks and walking trails.

You will want to check out the Richmond area as well as Northern Virginia. They are probably a bit more fast paced but I can't vouch for that since I have only been a visitor to those areas of the state.

Is Nothern VA usually more expensive due to the closeness to DC? Random question, but what about averge snowfall up there?

[jmking]

If you like plenty of culture, museums, forts, historic homes and battle sights etc. Northern Virginia would be the place just outside of DC. Yes it is expensive the closer in you are especially for single family homes. As far as snow, in the DC area, the average maybe a few inches a year but sometimes many more but not often. It can get chilly (freeze at night, just above during the day) but nothing like the northeast. Very much the middle of the road. Summers are hot and muggy.

[FrankieDNY]

Originally Posted by jmking

If you like plenty of culture, museums, forts, historic homes and battle sights etc. Northern Virginia would be the place just outside of DC. Yes it is expensive the closer in you are especially for single family homes. As far as snow, in the DC area, the average maybe a few inches a year but sometimes many more but not often. It can get chilly (freeze at night, just above during the day) but nothing like the northeast. Very much the middle of the road. Summers are hot and muggy.

How are the VA beaches? Are there good Italian/Greek restaraunts there? What about theme parks?

[jmking]

There's BushGardens and King's Dominion around 1.5 and 2.5 hours south of me. 3 hours south of me is Virginia beach, nice beach, some folks like it some don't, however I've never been there. The beaches I go to are east of me on the Eastern Shore, on the other side of the Chesapeake Bay which is about 30 - 40 minutes from me called the DelMarVa, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. I can get to the Delaware beaches in 2.5 hours and the beaches are very nice all the way down the eastern shore with the islands of Assateague and Chincatink where the ponies roam. These are seasonal beaches. Here in Fairfax, with a population of over a million, there are plenty of Greek and Italian restaurants.

[FrankieDNY]

Originally Posted by jmking

There's BushGardens and King's Dominion around 1.5 and 2.5 hours south of me. 3 hours south of me is Virginia beach, nice beach, some folks like it some don't, however I've never been there. The beaches I go to are east of me on the Eastern Shore, on the other side of the Chesapeake Bay which is about 30 - 40 minutes from me called the DelMarVa, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. I can get to the Delaware beaches in 2.5 hours and the beaches are very nice all the way down the eastern shore with the islands of Assateague and Chincatink where the ponies roam. These are seasonal beaches. Here in Fairfax, with a population of over a million, there are plenty of Greek and Italian restaurants.

Would you say there are spots in VA with a large Italian or Greek population?

[jmking]

Not that I can think of. However I'm half Italian and my southern Italian ancesters from way way back where Greek who settled in southern Italy.
The area I live isn't like cities like Baltimore, Philly and NY with oldtime ethnic enclaves. Everything here is pretty much a mixed bag.

[FrankieDNY]

Originally Posted by jmking

Not that I can think of. However I'm half Italian and my southern Italian ancesters from way way back where Greek who settled in southern Italy.
The area I live isn't like cities like Baltimore, Philly and NY with oldtime ethnic enclaves. Everything here is pretty much a mixed bag.

That is funny. As you can tell I'm half Italain/Greek myself..lol. So overall your happy with living in VA?