Best cities to retire in Virginia

[SmartMoney]

Originally Posted by YorktownGal

I never heard about Colonial Beach before. It's an hour away from Quantico, VA, two hours away from Williamsburg and two and a half hours away from DC. Between Colonial Beach's distance from DC and Quantico (FBI headquarters) a huge influx of government retirees is not surprising.

I spent an hour looking at homes online in Colonial Beach after this post. It may take some looking, but I'm pretty certain I could find something that would suit me and would need a very small mortgage. I do not need a big place, just something without a ton of mowing. It's a sleepy little town, Mayberry, RFDish. It's definitely on my radar now.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by SmartMoney

I spent an hour looking at homes online in Colonial Beach after this post. It may take some looking, but I'm pretty certain I could find something that would suit me and would need a very small mortgage. I do not need a big place, just something without a ton of mowing. It's a sleepy little town, Mayberry, RFDish. It's definitely on my radar now.

Have you looked at or considered Cape Charles on the Eastern Shore?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jSCvk3hcUQ

[webster]

As with all the localities in Tidewater, future home values, access to emergency services will be impacted by rising sea levels; https://capecharlesva.municipalone.c...07122618AM.pdf

Retirees consider access to health care and services are limited on the Eastern Shore. The specialists are located in Norfolk, Newport News &c. https://www.riversideonline.com/loca...orial-hospital

[Bungalove]

Originally Posted by SmartMoney

I spent an hour looking at homes online in Colonial Beach after this post. It may take some looking, but I'm pretty certain I could find something that would suit me and would need a very small mortgage. I do not need a big place, just something without a ton of mowing. It's a sleepy little town, Mayberry, RFDish. It's definitely on my radar now.

Try to find a house on "the Point". It's the best area and many houses are only blocks from the river and the bay (Monroe Bay) at the same time. It's a great place to walk around and see homes from Victorian times to totally modern architecture. I lived there for a number of years.

[YorktownGal]

Originally Posted by webster

As with all the localities in Tidewater, future home values, access to emergency services will be impacted by rising sea levels; https://capecharlesva.municipalone.c...07122618AM.pdf

Retirees consider access to health care and services are limited on the Eastern Shore. The specialists are located in Norfolk, Newport News &c. https://www.riversideonline.com/loca...orial-hospital

And, VA gets hit by hurricanes.

For routine medical, there are two big providers: Riverside and Sentara. They have local offices across Virigina, but many specialties are in Newport News. For anything more serious, people go to VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University) in Richmond.

Southbound from Port Charles to Norfolk, there is 12 miles long of a combination of bridges and two one-mile-long tunnels. https://www.cbbt.com. Once off the bridge/tunnels, you'll hit the Norfolk traffic. The traffic around Norfolk is seriously dreadful like New York during the opening of the UN --- except all the time.

Port Charles to all points north, you would have cross over at Annapolis - which is north of DC.

From the north or the south, Port Charles is cut off from Richmond and VCU.

[slowlane]

Colonial Beach is rather small, but over in the town of Dahlgren is a shopping center including Super WalMart and an Indian restaurant. And an extension of Mary Washington University. There is the 16-mile "Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail" hiking path.


The Highway 301 interstate toll-bridge at Dahlgren, 82 years old, was also demolished, and replaced by a wider bridge, over a year ago and is now relaxing instead of nerve-wracking.


Colonial Beach, I think, has a monthly Art galleries tour, one weekend a month, and a residential Condo building. They also have a new community "little theater" with local actors.

[midlifeman]

I'm 55 and looking around at communities that have a good vibe. Activities, good folks, and a sense of place. Tell me about your community and why you like it!

[kyle19125]

I don't live there but have visited and researched heavily the town of Radford in SW Virginia. It's a vibrant college town (Radford University) with many outdoor activities and a real sense of community in a healthful environment.

[Bungalove]

Originally Posted by slowlane

Colonial Beach is rather small, but over in the town of Dahlgren is a shopping center including Super WalMart and an Indian restaurant. And an extension of Mary Washington University. There is the 16-mile "Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail" hiking path.


The Highway 301 interstate toll-bridge at Dahlgren, 82 years old, was also demolished, and replaced by a wider bridge, over a year ago and is now relaxing instead of nerve-wracking.


Colonial Beach, I think, has a monthly Art galleries tour, one weekend a month, and a residential Condo building. They also have a new community "little theater" with local actors.

I wouldn't call Dahlgren a "town", exactly. It's more a small community that developed around the Naval base starting back in the 1920's and is restricted geographically by Rte. 301 and the Potomac River. I lived there for 16 years in my last house (my beloved 1927 bungalow). There are a lot of base retirees in Dahlgren (most of my neighbors retired from there). There isn't much going on there compared to Colonial beach, which has become a real boho chic sort of town (at least in the summer months). Personally, I always found it to be more enjoyable when the summer people went home and I could enjoy the beaches in peace. My former next door neighbor ran an ice cream shop on Washington Ave. (Nancy's) for many years, which has now become the Pink Poodle Ice Cream Shop. There is a real community spirit in Colonial Beach though. It definitely becomes apparent after a really bad storm or hurricane.

[midlifeman]

I've hear good things about Lake Monticello in Charlottesville VA as well. Gated community but right on the lake!