Where's the charm? Chesapeake or VA Beach? (Norfolk, Hampton: buy, theater)

[savvymom]

Which town has an old fashioned downtown "Main Street" look to it, and which "feels" and IS more safe Chesapeake or VA Beach? I've never been to either place.. and while I'm asking do either of these towns have multiple beaches you can go to, or only one "main" public beach. Which (if either) looks like a more quaint picture postcard? Either of them have a New England look? I miss the small beaches and the charming seaside villages, but want a medium sized town/city, where it is busy and doesn't fold up too early..
Is there a town or towns you could name in VA or MD with good size Main Street for shopping, also w/ a mall w/in 15-20 minutes, interesting restaurants (not just burger joints, but those are good too), a REAL bakery, coffee, card shop.. infrastructure, etc. up to but not more than 20 minutes from the beach.
I want to move somewhere that has a SAFE community with artists and museums, and theater, savvy, "colorful", creatively inspired. I like cooking ~ maybe even a "Fresh Market, or Whole Foods grocery Store" for a great ingredients. Still though,
want to walk on the beach, smell the salt air, hear the seagulls...
Sounds like heaven.. do you know of this town?

[540_804]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Chesapeake.
VA Beach has never struck me as charming in any way, shape, form or fashion.
Don't get me wrong, I like VA Beach. But I would never describe it as charming.


You may have better luck posting this in the Hampton Roads subforum:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/hampton-roads-area/

[cityboi757]

You may have a sort of fantasy image in your mind that you can't find in Va Beach or Chesapeake. Virgina BEach is the most populated city in the state, and it is also one of the newest cities in the state. It's working on building it's downtown now, but it wont' be old fashioned. Chesapeake has no such thing as a downtown or a beach. Maybe Norfolk or Portsmouth.

[savvymom]

Thanks for the reply.. Are there ANY towns in VA or MD that remotely gets close to my imagination short of me moving to So. Maine (that BTW actually has towns like this.. except or all that snow).
Is Norfolk or Portsmouth closer to my wish list.. is there anything in Delmarva, (Eastern Shore)?
Oh thanks thanks thanks...

[Nebat]

The only other sizeable town/city on the Delmarva would be Salisbury,MD. I know nothing of this place except it is close to the ocean and my boss' ex wife and kids live there. For really small and isolated towns, you have Chincoteague. Again I don't know much except for the pony thing they do every year. It's more inland, but in VA Williamsburg or Yorktown might work for you. Not on the ocean, but major rivers instead and the beaches are less than an hour depending on traffic. And you have your shopping right there or close by. Good luck with your search.

[newhandle]

I use to go there often for family and I am from Hampton Roads. Except for very few isolated pockets, Hampton Roads is a nightmare of traffic, suburbs, pathetic planning and backed up highways during the summer; except for the heat, humidity and dismal winters, you have no sense of where you are. Visit during the summer to get a feel for traffic. (Example: in the summer from Va. Beach to Williamsburg is not far, but depending on the traffiic it can take 3 hours.) There have been two major tunnel leaks in the past three years. Visit, rent, but don't buy before moving. It is a standing joke that during a disaster, the evacuation plan is a joke on paper. There is no way to get over 1 million people out of the area, no provisions inland for gas, food and housing to take care of those who do get out. Norfolk has a downtown which is nice, but it is an isolated pocket. If you like suburbs and using a car to get everywhere Williamsburg to Va. Beach is the right place, otherwise search elsewhere.