Moving to Virginia Beach, Apartment/Nightlife (Norfolk, Chesapeake: oceanfront, apartments, house)

[phimag512]

Hi, I'm a young single 30 something professional from Philly that will be relocating for work in Virginia Beach next month. I've never been to this area before so I'm really not familiar with it. I started looking online for apartments and will eventually make it down within a week or so to take a look at some of them and get a feel for the area. Are there any areas to stay away from or apartments that I should avoid? What is the nightlife like around VA Beach for a single person?

[UHgrad]

Originally Posted by phimag512

Hi, I'm a young single 30 something professional from Philly that will be relocating for work in Virginia Beach next month. I've never been to this area before so I'm really not familiar with it. I started looking online for apartments and will eventually make it down within a week or so to take a look at some of them and get a feel for the area. Are there any areas to stay away from or apartments that I should avoid? What is the nightlife like around VA Beach for a single person?

I would avoid certain parts of green run, a few places near the beach, and the lake taylor area... otherwise VB is very safe.

I would recommend living close to the highway and close to work if you can, traffic is not too bad off peak around here but rush hour can get pretty congested both on the highway and surface streets.

Night life is centered around VB town center, the Oceanfront, Chicks Beach, Downtown Norfolk, and Ghent (in Norfolk near ODU) depending on what you like. If you are into clubs I can't help you, that is not my scene. If you just want restaurants and bars then there are some good choices at all of those places.

Good luck!

[vausana]

Since you're a professional stay away from Green Run (South Central), Bayside area (not literally near the bay, it's the NW section of town), Birdneck (places at least a mile inland from the beach off of Birdneck Rd, also known as Sea Tack, lots of Sec 8 Apts and Trailer Parks). But seriously if you're not the snobby type these areas aren't unbearably unsafe, and there are some nice places and communities in each, so if you wanna save money don't think its comparable to Camden NJ, it's fine.

[vausana]

Nightlife is not what you'd think it is for a city of almost 500,000 and a metro of about 1.3 million. But downtown Norfolk has some clubs and oceanfront is okay, just be careful in the summertime at both of those places (Oceanfront nightlife can be crazy with all the young people, and sometimes dangerous), and Downtown Norfolk is surrounded by "real" ghettos and tons of public housing, it has it's problems.

Earlier this year two white people were driving down a main road near downtown and they stopped at a light, they locked their doors, some kids from the projects down the road heard it, they got offended and attacked. Two young professionals.

Basically be careful because the ghettos may not be the worst, but they are scattered. You can move into the nicest neighborhood for 500,000 dollars a house and be across from public housing.

[vausana]

PS: Norfolk. Va Beach. Hampton .Portsmouth .Chesapeake. Newport News are all in the same metropolitan area and interconnected by the same sucky public transit. Some cities even share water. Its called hampton roads, or the 7 cities, or tidewater

[Coconut1]

Originally Posted by vausana

Nightlife is not what you'd think it is for a city of almost 500,000 and a metro of about 1.3 million.

Agreed.

Originally Posted by vausana

Earlier this year two white people were driving down a main road near downtown and they stopped at a light, they locked their doors, some kids from the projects down the road heard it, they got offended and attacked. Two young professionals.

Sort of. Apparently they heard it, threw a rock, were confronted by the driver (a VA Pilot reporter) and then started attacking him. The passenger, another reporter, tried to help the driver and was attacked as well. The city then tried covering it up by labeling it as just a simple assault.

The news report about it:


100 Black Teens beat White Couple in Norfolk - Media Bury Attack - YouTube


The Norfolk police are a very corrupt force.

Originally Posted by vausana

Basically be careful because the ghettos may not be the worst, but they are scattered. You can move into the nicest neighborhood for 500,000 dollars a house and be across from public housing.

True, but that's also true for a lot of areas.

[Falcor117]

It depends on what kind of nightlife you're looking for.

Trendy/hipster/25-35 year old range? Norfolk.

Dog tag/Military/Affliction shirt/18-25 range? Oceanfront.

That's about it as far as nightlife is concerned.

Virginia Beach Town Center is nothing more than restaurants for families/first date types.

Are you a male looking for women? Good luck with the nightlife around here. Search some past posts, not too much going on in that realm due to the influx of young military peoples. You'll have much better luck with online dating; it's very popular in this area.

[TheJagMan]

Originally Posted by Falcor117

Virginia Beach Town Center is nothing more than restaurants for families/first date types.

Are you a male looking for women? Good luck with the nightlife around here. Search some past posts, not too much going on in that realm due to the influx of young military peoples. You'll have much better luck with online dating; it's very popular in this area.

I was over at Keagans at town center this past Saturday. Not including the folks sitting at tables, so just those who were hanging out at or around the bar was 60/40 of guys to girls...I'd even say 2/3rds were attractive. I was there with two girls and one guy, we all hung out behind a group of three girls that I'd rank a 8, 6 and 5...We witnessed about 3 dozen approaches to the 8 and she gave out her number 5 times, she never kissed anyone...The 6 made out with two guys within a half hour span...lol Point is they are out there...While there could be stiff competition from the military, find a way to be better than them...

[Katherineramos]

Originally Posted by Falcor117

It depends on what kind of nightlife you're looking for.

Trendy/hipster/25-35 year old range? Norfolk.

Dog tag/Military/Affliction shirt/18-25 range? Oceanfront.

That's about it as far as nightlife is concerned.

Virginia Beach Town Center is nothing more than restaurants for families/first date types.

Are you a male looking for women? Good luck with the nightlife around here. Search some past posts, not too much going on in that realm due to the influx of young military peoples. You'll have much better luck with online dating; it's very popular in this area.

Online dating is more popular?

[tvpirate05]

Originally Posted by Katherineramos

Online dating is more popular?

Dunno if I would say it's more popular or if it even makes a difference. Either way, the female has more of an advantage. And either way it's hit or miss, and I say this as a guy in his 20s. I don't disagree that being a single male here is tough, but it's all in what you make of it.