Cape Charles (Chesapeake, Belle Haven: employment, buy, live)

[LindaR0923]

I'm thinking of relocating to the Delmarva Peninsula. I've heard Cape Charles is nice. Can anyone give me any info on that area up to and including Belle Haven. Thanks.

[hongkong47]

I, too, have been considering relocating, and explored the southernmost part of the DelMarVa penninsula this spring. The bad stuff is obvious: wealth is very unevenly spread (very wealthy and very poor), grocery shopping options are limited (forget about a Trader Joe's or Whole foods here), retail in the immediate area is non-existent, employment options are commensurately limited, and the area in general is very, very rural. There are lots of caved-in old barns covered in Kudzu, if you need a visual. The good stuff is equally obvious: small town community feel, close neighbors, excellent fresh fish (especially shellfish) from the Chesapeake, beautiful ocean and bay views, terrific places for fishing on the coasts, clean air and no obvious industrial pollution or crowding, a slower pace of live and thus more civilized, charming small towns. I have traveled the world and never until visiting this area found a museum listed as "Open by arrangement or by chance."
If you need lots of medical options close, or big city conveniences (you can be 100 miles from a Macy's or a Best Buy out there), or gobs of cultural options, don't even look at the bottom 2/3rds of the penninsula. On the other hand, if you're an artist, work from home, or via the internet, and are looking for beautiful, quiet, rural small towns, do look. The scenery is stunning, and the area, peaceful. These are just one person's impressions, but I did spend days there and meandered on a motorcycle, not just zipped through in a car.