Possibly Moving to Virginia Beach for Job- Questions? (Norfolk, Chesapeake: salons, oceanfront)

[SeaSpur]

Hey everyone, there is a good possibility that I will be moving to VA Beach in the next couple weeks if all goes well. I have read quite a few threads in this particular forum to get an idea of what living will be like there. Some of what I have read saddens me and some seems like an upgrade from my current situation.

Right now I live in a very clean and nice South Carolina town of 25,000. Small in regards to VA Beach area I suppose but I also lived in Columbia, SC for about 7 years as well.

Anyhow, here are some questions I have and a little about me. If any of you could give your personal opinion on whether Va Beach will be a good fit for me, I'd appreciate it.

25 year old male, no children. Girlfriend will most likely move with me. Neither of us have been to VA Beach before.

- Are house rentals common in the area and what should I expect to spend?
- If apartments are the usual singles option, average cost on those? Recommendations?
- Would you call Virginia Beach clean, dirty, or average overall in terms of appearance?
- How is the fishing and coastal area? Inshore/offshore fishing is a big hobby of mine and my girlfriend loves to ride (insert joke here).
- My girlfriend is a cosmetologist/hair stylist and afraid to move and lose clientele- she is great at what she does. Are there nice salons in the area?
- How is the nightlife? We enjoy pubs and small bar atmospheres. Really enjoy live music and acoustic entertainment. We despise "clubs" were dance music pumps.
- Is there an "area" for the nightlife where you can skip around without driving? Are cabs/PT plentiful and reasonable?
- Average cost of a beer at a bar? House cocktail? (I've found this is a good way to measure cost of living from one place to another haha)
- How "touristy" is Va Beach? I'm dreading it is like Myrtle Beach where tons of "trash" comes in and pollutes the area.
- How packed does the beach get during warm months? If too crowded, are there other more low key beaches?
- Is the military presence really such a bad thing? I have nothing against military at all, but I do know they kind of "take over" most of the nightlife and such in Beaufort SC where Parris Island (Marines) is located.

That pretty much covers most things for now. I have read some negative things on this forum that I hope are over reactions and maybe just personal nuisances rather than common area ones. Some have said the area is boring...but is that compared to DC and bigger cities? Going from a town of 25,000 to 400,000+ could give a different perspective I was assuming.

Thanks for any and all replies!

[stacylee926]

You have a lot of questions! I will answer in general because I do not live in Va Beach proper.

I love Myrtle Beach, and in all honesty - Va Beach is a touristy beach town just like all the others. Families during the day, and the younger crowd the later the night gets. However, Va Beach is large - the tourists go to the oceanfront and the rest of Va Beach is just where people live and work. You can live in Va Beach and never go to the oceanfront - and we rarely go down there during the summer anyway.

There are several other local beaches - Sandbridge is one (just south of Va Beach) which is a much nicer place to go sunning during the summer.

This area is far from boring, but it does not have the 24/7 nightlife of NYC or DC. We are a mid sized area that is very spread out. Concert venues are all over and there is plenty to do. You will find farms and highrises 20 minutes apart. A very diverse area.

There is plenty of rentals here - we have apts, townhomes and SFH - it is all in how much yard work you want to do . Prices are completely varied, with the much nicer areas running up to $1500 a month.

Hope that is a start! I am from the DC suburbs and I do like the area. It is much quieter and the winters are milder. Coming from SC you will find 4 seasons and the summers are just as hot.

[SeaSpur]

Yeah, I know that was a lot to ask with my first post! I just had them all on my mind so I jotted them down. haha

The fact that you compare it to Myrtle Beach scares me a little. Most South Carolinians despise the area...especially when comparing it to our other beaches. It is more of a theme park tourist area rather than a beach town first. Chain restaurants everywhere, cheap trinket stores for tourists, lots of "trashy" people I would say (although I'm not a prude) flock to the area...and then lots of people from up North for some reason. Golf is also a huge draw to Myrtle Beach.

Most South Carolinians just stay away from it...if we want to visit a beach, we go to Edisto Beach, Pawleys Island, Hilton Head, Beaufort, Mount Pleasant, Isle of Palms, etc.

Anyhow, that doesn't relate to Virginia Beach or help the topic any...just my curiosity when comparing to Myrtle Beach.

[Randomdude]

Ill try to answer you one by one

- Are house rentals common in the area and what should I expect to spend? Ownership is far more common, and rentals will probably be from around $800 for a small place in a bad area to upwards of over $2000 for a 4 bedroom house in an ok area.
- If apartments are the usual singles option, average cost on those? Recommendations? See above
- Would you call Virginia Beach clean, dirty, or average overall in terms of appearance? Below average, but not "dirty". Some of Virginia Beach is very beautiful, but overall, most of it is has a dinge about it.
- How is the fishing and coastal area? Inshore/offshore fishing is a big hobby of mine and my girlfriend loves to ride (insert joke here). Fishing is very good in the area, especially off shore
- My girlfriend is a cosmetologist/hair stylist and afraid to move and lose clientele- she is great at what she does. Are there nice salons in the area? Not sure, probably. This area has a surplus of people who like to appear wealthy but arent, so I figure they get their hair done more then neccessary.
- How is the nightlife? We enjoy pubs and small bar atmospheres. Really enjoy live music and acoustic entertainment. We despise "clubs" were dance music pumps. Most of the popular spots are club like, VB probably wouldnt satifsfy you much there.
- Is there an "area" for the nightlife where you can skip around without driving? Are cabs/PT plentiful and reasonable? Granby Street in Norfolk is pretty popular. The VB oceanfront has a grouping of places. Towncenter in VB is becoming more popular.

- Average cost of a beer at a bar? House cocktail? (I've found this is a good way to measure cost of living from one place to another haha)
Depends on the bar. I dont drink, but Ive seen a wide range of prices attached to the Martinis and Long Island Ice Teas my fiance will drink.

- How "touristy" is Va Beach? I'm dreading it is like Myrtle Beach where tons of "trash" comes in and pollutes the area.
VB not only has a ton of tourists, but it completely caters to them.

- How packed does the beach get during warm months? If too crowded, are there other more low key beaches?

The VB oceanfront is completely packed. Most locals have abandoned the VB oceanfront for more secluded spots, especially during tourist season.


- Is the military presence really such a bad thing? I have nothing against military at all, but I do know they kind of "take over" most of the nightlife and such in Beaufort SC where Parris Island (Marines) is located.

The military does consist of alot of the "night life". They also have the side effect of keeping housing prices inflated. Military or military connections probably consists of a huge chunk of the population, and higher percent of the younger population. You will not be able to avoid large congragations of them at any night spot.

That pretty much covers most things for now. I have read some negative things on this forum that I hope are over reactions and maybe just personal nuisances rather than common area ones. Some have said the area is boring...but is that compared to DC and bigger cities? Going from a town of 25,000 to 400,000+ could give a different perspective I was assuming.

Of course its probably more exciting then a town of 25k, but even for a town of 400k+ VB is boring. It really isnt on the level of most of the major east coast medium to large cities. The best description of it is a really large tourist trap.

[rlajb]

Thank You SeaSpur for posting these questions! My husband and I are both in our midtwenties and also are moving out there in May/June of this year and have several of the same questions as you...seems like we might be looking for the same type of atmosphere as far as "night life" goes. I will be interested in keeping up with this post to see the answers you get. If you are interested, I have done quite a bit of research (online only) for apartments and listed them in a previous thread...hopefully it will at least give you some names of apartments that you can research yourself. I have done a lot of research online, but am still hoping that some locals can give me some input as well. Happy hunting!!

[SeaSpur]

thanks rlajb, I will check those out.

Again, I am not certain of this job panning out- but I am feeling confident about it and I DO want it. we will see what happens. I just want to be prepared if something happens- because it will happen fast when it gets rolling.

So far, I have been looking at the Chicks Beach area...or along the bay, just not all the way back into Norfolk. I don't want to be near the tourist area at all...near that traffic, that type of crowd, and those type of businesses (clubs, trinket shops, etc).

We will probably rent an apartment to begin with so we can scope the area out.

Hopefully I get some more feedback in this thread. After looking through pages of threads in this forum, it seems some members really dislike living in the area...and some really enjoy it. So I am trying to sort out if I am more like people giving good reviews or unfavorable reviews. Moving is a tough thing...and the actual MOVING part hasn't even started!

[emeraldgirl]

SeaSpur, while there is tons of helpful info on here, I would not judge the area solely from what you read on this forum. You just have to come to VB and see for yourself. I would suggest Chick's and just posted some info about the area on rlajb's thread! Good luck!

[xGrendelx]

My version of Randomdude's post. Sorry if I'm repeating anything.

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

25 year old male, no children. Girlfriend will most likely move with me. Neither of us have been to VA Beach before.

- Would you call Virginia Beach clean, dirty, or average overall in terms of appearance?

Others may have a different opinion, and I'm not trying to bash VB by saying this, but I always thought the city was a little on the trashy side. Most of the buildings are pretty ugly since there's no neat modern architecture and no real historic architecture either. Most structures seem to fall in that "boring looking" middle ground and makes for a somewhat depressed feeling for me personally. Also, the Oceanfront can be straight up grimy in parts.

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

- How is the fishing and coastal area? Inshore/offshore fishing is a big hobby of mine and my girlfriend loves to ride (insert joke here).

It's wonderful! You have the Chesapeake Bay and all that entails, and the entire Atlantic at your fingertips. When I lived in VB, I used to really enjoy Bay fishing with my father. We'd make nighttime trips to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in January and catch Striper. Also, the Outerbanks isn't too far away, and they usually have better offshore fishing opportunities down there.

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

- My girlfriend is a cosmetologist/hair stylist and afraid to move and lose clientele- she is great at what she does. Are there nice salons in the area?

I don't really go to salons, but I'm sure she'll be able to find something. If not in VB, try Norfolk.

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

- How is the nightlife? We enjoy pubs and small bar atmospheres. Really enjoy live music and acoustic entertainment. We despise "clubs" were dance music pumps.

The Oceanfront is where the majority of the clubs are for VB. Same goes for Granby St in Downtown Norfolk. There are tons of low-key bars in the area though. Look into The Green Parrot in the Chicks Beach area of VB, Nat's at the Oceanfront, and Murphy's at the Oceanfront. There's also a few places for drinks and food in the Ghent District of Norfolk that aren't clubs. Check out Cogan's for example, or Taphouse. Also, the Beir Garden in Olde Town Portsmouth is pretty cool, but it can get packed in there. Lots of these places feature musicians a few nights a week too. Not sure if they have set schedules though.

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

- Is there an "area" for the nightlife where you can skip around without driving? Are cabs/PT plentiful and reasonable?

The Oceanfront in VB, Town Center in VB, Downtown Norfolk (Granby St) and Waterside, and Ghent would be my recommendations. I wouldn't rely on public transit to get you anywhere in Hampton Roads, but cabs can always be called.

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

- Average cost of a beer at a bar? House cocktail? (I've found this is a good way to measure cost of living from one place to another haha)

Depends on where you are, obviously. I've found that drinks at the Oceanfront are usually more expensive than in Chicks Beach. It varies.

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

- How "touristy" is Va Beach? I'm dreading it is like Myrtle Beach where tons of "trash" comes in and pollutes the area.

During the Winter, VB is not touristy at all. The Summer is a different story, especially at the Oceanfront so I imagine it's probably a lot like Myrtle Beach.

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

- How packed does the beach get during warm months? If too crowded, are there other more low key beaches?

Most locals avoid the Oceanfront during the Summer because of crowds. Sometimes it's pretty intense down there. For beaches that are usually "tourist-free", check out Chicks Beach, Sandbridge, and the North End of the Oceanfront (49th - 82nd).

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

- Is the military presence really such a bad thing? I have nothing against military at all, but I do know they kind of "take over" most of the nightlife and such in Beaufort SC where Parris Island (Marines) is located.

I never found the military culture to be too overwhelming when I lived there. I will say that many of the younger military guys (who you'll learn to spot pretty easily) can come off a bit aggressive or cocky. I try to ignore it, but you can feel when someone is "sizing you up", and that can get old. I also found that most of them tend to hang out in the dance clubs, so if you're not into those, than you should be able to avoid it some - not entirely though. Just comes with the territory.

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

Some have said the area is boring...but is that compared to DC and bigger cities? Going from a town of 25,000 to 400,000+ could give a different perspective I was assuming.

Hampton Roads isn't the most exciting area on Earth, but it's not the dullest either. If you are able to stay positive and don't mind making an effort to find fun and exciting things to do, you shouldn't have a problem. Also, don't be afraid to branch out beyond Hampton Roads for activites. Richmond isn't too far away and neither are the Outerbanks. I used to check HamptonRoads.com's "Event Calendar" to find out about concerts, plays, performances, etc. Try that if you feel stuck. Good luck to you!

[jhrichmond]

I definately recommend the Chick's Beach area (really the whole stretch of Shore Drive between the CBBT and First Landing State Park). We wanted to be somewhere where we could walk to restaurants and bars, but not the touristy area. Another thing you have to be aware of in VB is the unbearable jet noise in some areas. We wound up buying next to the Lesner Bridge and are very happy with that area. We can walk to at least 4 restaurants from our place and we never hear jets.
We also do a lot of fishing. The hubby flounder fishes under the Lesner Bridge every morning that we're there and it's in season. We also fish from our boat, mainly in the bay, and catch lots of Rockfish, Croaker, and Flounder.

[stacylee926]

Well, if the job pans out and you WANT the job, then I would definitely take it. Hampton Roads is not a bad area by any means! There is plenty to do here, housing is average and we were not killed by the recession like some areas in the country.

The great thing about HR is that if you want secluded country life - you can get it here. If you want city life you can get it here. A drive of 1 hr can take you from historic Williamsburg to the sunny beaches.

You mentioned you were worried that I compared Va Beach to Myrtle Beach. I did not mean to imply they were alike at all. They are alike only in the way that they are both very touristy. However, Myrtle Beach has a Disney World theme to it and Va Beach is nothing like that - it is actually more like a classic family beach town. There is putt putt and the similarities end there.