Whats the friendliest Area of Virginia? (Richmond, Roanoke: live, beaches, relocating)

[highway29south]

Originally Posted by Kbank007

You left off southside VA in your poll or Southcentral VA which includes places such as Farmville, Emporia, Danville, Martinsville, Blackstone etc. From my experiences I would say the friendliest people in VA are generally found in SW VA and Southside VA, although no region of the state is completly rude/unfriendly, especially compared to some people in the North.

I was just getting ready to say that- Piedmont area. I grew up in Danville and it's one of the only southern towns that is mostly still intact- not many people moving there. And it's one of the most friendly. I went back not long ago to visit (I've lived north of the Mason Dixon for a while now) and I ended up having a 10 minute conversation with the clerk checking us out at a store. Boy, I sure miss that! Not that people where I live now aren't friendly, it's just a different kind of friendly in the south.

Other than Danville, I find most of the areas of VA friendly. Comparing north and south, of course.

[Teebyrd86]

Originally Posted by 540_804

I think Teebyrd86 is originally from Richmond so he's an "outsider" living in Roanoke so maybe he can speak on his experience.

Yes I am an ex richmonder living in Roanoke.. Roanoke to me was a very welcoming place with lots of transplants from up north who are very much welcomed here and I dont think anyone around here frowns on me because I am from Richmond actually quite a few people were surprised I decided to come here and in a way were kind of excited about it. The locals love the fact that I left Richmond to come to Roanoke.. because they say most "young" people move out of Roanoke to go to Richmond.. I wouldnt say Roanokers feel Richmonders are snobby but they do comment on the fast pace lifestyle in Richmond (and yes compared to here it is face paced!) I would say that Roanokers are generally very nice people that like the laid back lifestyle and I would recommend that Richmonder come and visit sometime you might not want to leave!! As far as the Southwest Va. thing I would definatly say that I live in Southwest Va. Even the sign at Roanoke memorial hospital says Southwest Va. Medical or something to that nature.

[Richmonder27]

Originally Posted by Kbank007

You left off southside VA in your poll or Southcentral VA which includes places such as Farmville, Emporia, Danville, Martinsville, Blackstone etc. From my experiences I would say the friendliest people in VA are generally found in SW VA and Southside VA, although no region of the state is completly rude/unfriendly, especially compared to some people in the North.

Thats why I put "other". There are many sub regions of Virginia. Some people were even upset because I included Roanoke as part of the Shenandoah Valley (which it is!)

[Richmonder27]

I'm surprised people find Eastern NOVA more friendly than Western Northern Virginia !!!

[Teebyrd86]

Originally Posted by Richmonder27

Some people were even upset because I included Roanoke as part of the Shenandoah Valley (which it is!)

I wouldnt say "upset" but I do feel that if you lived here you would understand why we feel we are a part of Southwest Va.

[Richmonder27]

Originally Posted by Teebyrd86

I wouldnt say "upset" but I do feel that if you lived here you would understand why we feel we are a part of Southwest Va.

To me SW is like Tazewell, Abington,- the "TOE" of Virginia if you will

Roanoke is very very close on that border, and yes it could be considered "SW" But to me, and how I was taught in school- Roanoke was always part of what is known as the Shenandoah Valley.

[seanpecor]

Roanoke is not part of the Shenandoah Valley. I once thought that as well, but I was corrected quite eloquently here on this forum and with references to geologic texts.

Sean

[Trevor92]

Originally Posted by Richmonder27

I'm surprised people find Eastern NOVA more friendly than Western Northern Virginia !!!

You've also got to look at the demographics of the areas and city data members. There's a small sample size and probably a few people just voting for their own area which skews it in favor of more populated areas of the state. There are probably very few people who have lived or spent time in multiple areas of the state other than for an interstate exit stop. I do know that the larger the city gets, the less friendly people seem to be. So I would have to go with the the more rural parts of the state.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Funny how places are defined. I have a friend from school who was from extreme southwest Virginia, around Bristol, and she considers Lynchburg to be northern Virginia!

I'll be spending the summer in Lynchburg and hope all the Southern hospitality is true! I've found Fredericksburg to be pretty nice though its shocking how it has become a major city and all sprawled out...its very important that the battlefields there are protected. Also almost scary how far south the traffic jams reach all the way past Quantico to Fredericksburg.

Richmond was pretty nice too from what I saw of it in 2 days. Great experience with the midnight crowd at a Waffle House there. Though the Richmond area didn't feel that "different" from the Baltimore area. It is very different from NOVA though. I don't know what makes NOVA so unfriendly and all, maybe its all the rich people who moved from New York, and the traffic definitely plays a role. I passed through there and the stop and go traffic from the WIlson bridge all the way to Dale City had me frustrated and cranky. If I have to deal with that on a daily basis I probably won't be as friendly either.

[Tom Lennox 70]

Always been curious about the Virginia Eastern Shore actually, one of the most isolated places in the country and a tour book says it feels like the 1950s there, so much that the modern cars look out of place. In Maryland the Eastern Shore is definitely the friendliest part of the state, followed by the more traditional parts of the Baltimore region. The most unfriendly part is the part next to DC, as it is with Virginia too.....