Take two...Virginia Bound

gigglesb · January 2013

Hi ladies. We have orders to Newport News this Summer. We've been doing research but not sure if we'll be able to make a trip across country before we move there this Summer.

We're looking at the Chesapeake/Suffolk areas and (possibly) Williamsburg....although we've heard it's expensive and a bit more of a drive. We have a 14 month old baby boy.

Any insight on the areas would be greatly appreciated.....

Thanks!

BLT20051 · January 2013

Welcome! I've been to Virginia a couple of times(Fort Belvoir and VA Beach) and it was awesome both times. I'm sure Beachy and some of the other ladies will come around and answer your questions. The board is slow but if you leave your post a few days they'll come answer it !

Beachy730 · January 2013

Glad to see the post change! I'm not sure what you read from my first response, so I'll write some again.

We live in south Chesapeake, and H will be at Newport News soon. He is currently at Norfolk though. Newport News is just a shipyard and is not an actual base, and is not in a good area. I definitely don't recommend trying to live right around there.

Chesapeake and Suffolk to me are a good location from the shipyard. I just drove home that way yesterday right around "rush hour" and it didn't take me any longer to get home than usual. Granted though things can change in an instant here, and the tunnels can get shut down at any time of day because of accidents or car trouble.

The cities here are huge and have smaller areas to them. For example we are in Chesapeake, but in the Hickory area. I'm not familiar with the areas of Suffolk, but as with all the cities here there are good and bad areas.

LilyLove29 · January 2013

Hello! Welcome! My DH is Currently teaching ROTC in a joint program with William and Mary in Williamsburg and CNU in Newport News. We currently live in Williamsburg and love it. It is a bit pricier than NN/Chesapeake areas, but we wanted a huge backyard in a family friendly neighborhood, and that's exactly what we got. We're about an hour from VA beach, and an hour from Richmond, where I was working before I started working from home, so we like that we're pretty central to both places.
I have an 8 year old SD and am expecting my first baby in July. I'm glad you're headed somewhere nearby, it's beautiful so Im sure you'll like it!

ehnasto · January 2013

I don't live there but my sister does. She chose Sufflok. She likes the area better, there are a TON of houses for sale and rent there because of the BRAC of one of the bases down there. She also tells me that Suffolk has a very good school system and she enjoys it more than she did Norfolk. That was just her opinion though, I know many other people do like Norfolk.

Good luck on the move. I hope it isn't too tough with your little ones!

ufsandra85 · January 2013

i live in the churchland area of portsmouth which is right in the middle of western branch/chespeake and upper suffolk (literally my back yard is suffolk and the road in front of my neighborhood is Chesapeake. My hubby works at the NN shipyard and it is a very easy commute. it takes him 15-20 mins and there is very rarely traffic. we thought about living in williamsburg but decided against it because i found out i am working at the portsmouth naval hospital and 2) his boat is moving to norfolk when it is done being built and that is a crazy long drive. if he is going to actually be stationed at the shipyard and not to a boat or ship that is just getting work done williamsburg is great. if eventually whatever he is on is moving to norfolk that is a long drive. I LOVE where we live. we live in an awesome neighborhood that is on the water. we are close enough to stuff but far enough away to not have traffic. my only complaint is that i have to drive 30 mins to get to trader joes.

Carnation77 · January 2013

Newport News? Eustis or Langley? If you're going to Eustis, Williamsburg is a popular place to live. The commute's a bit much, but that's where I'd live if I went back there just because it seems safer and nicer. If it's Langley that's a little far of a commute from Williamsburg. Whatever you do, don't live anywhere that will require going through a tunnel or over a bridge for a commute. The traffic is horrible on the peninsula.

Beachy730 · January 2013

Carnation77:
Newport News? Eustis or Langley? If you're going to Eustis, Williamsburg is a popular place to live. The commute's a bit much, but that's where I'd live if I went back there just because it seems safer and nicer. If it's Langley that's a little far of a commute from Williamsburg. Whatever you do, don't live anywhere that will require going through a tunnel or over a bridge for a commute. The traffic is horrible on the peninsula.

Her other post said Newport News. Her H is Navy.

The MMMBT (664) tunnel isn't too bad, but I definitely wouldn't want to have to deal with the HRBT (64) everyday. You'll be very confused by the roads when you get here but learn it's pretty easy to get around. Everyone I know who has to commute using the HRBT is miserable about it. But MMMBT is definitely a better option. If you did choose to live in Chesapeake or Suffolk then your H would deal with the MMMBT, which is what my H takes. If you choose VA Beach or Norfolk it would depend on the area but you may have to deal with HRBT. As PP said though anywhere on the peninsula (Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Yorktown) and you won't have to deal with tunnels.

gigglesb · January 2013

ufsandra85:
i live in the churchland area of portsmouth which is right in the middle of western branch/chespeake and upper suffolk (literally my back yard is suffolk and the road in front of my neighborhood is Chesapeake. My hubby works at the NN shipyard and it is a very easy commute. it takes him 15-20 mins and there is very rarely traffic. we thought about living in williamsburg but decided against it because i found out i am working at the portsmouth naval hospital and 2) his boat is moving to norfolk when it is done being built and that is a crazy long drive. if he is going to actually be stationed at the shipyard and not to a boat or ship that is just getting work done williamsburg is great. if eventually whatever he is on is moving to norfolk that is a long drive. I LOVE where we live. we live in an awesome neighborhood that is on the water. we are close enough to stuff but far enough away to not have traffic. my only complaint is that i have to drive 30 mins to get to trader joes.

Thanks so much ufsandra. This really helps. You are speaking my language too, Trader Joes is a must. I'm used to traveling that far from where we live now to Trader Joes. It is a pain, but if it's a nice area and it's a close commute for my husband, it's worth it. He will be moving with the boat to Norfolk. It's probably the same boat we're headed there for. Do you know how to PM on here? I'd love to get more info on the area....pricing, etc. Thanks

kati737 · January 2013

We just moved from Chesapeake, between Great Bridge and Deep Creek. My husband had to drive to Naval Station Norfolk daily. We loved the location of our house, but the commute was brutal because of traffic.

Carnation77 · January 2013

Sorry for the confusion. Newport News is a geographic location on the peninsula across the water from Norfolk. It never occurred to me someone would live there and commute to Norfolk - as I said before, tunnel and bridge traffic can be horrible. I lived down there for awhile so I'm pretty familiar with the area.

ufsandra85 · January 2013

Carnation77:
Sorry for the confusion. Newport News is a geographic location on the peninsula across the water from Norfolk. It never occurred to me someone would live there and commute to Norfolk - as I said before, tunnel and bridge traffic can be horrible. I lived down there for awhile so I'm pretty familiar with the area.

Newport news is also a base. newport news shipyard which is where her husband will be while his boat is being built

ufsandra85 · January 2013

i pmed you

ermo515 · February 2013

My husband was stationed in Newport News for 2 years. We lived in Newport News near City Center (I wouldnt recommend this) and about 10 miles outside Williamsburg. I would definitely recommend living in or around Williamsburg- the extra cost is worth it...And avoid living east of fort eustis if you can...the traffic is TERRIBLE.

Temp76535187505890 · February 2013

We live in North Suffolk (someone else called it Upper Suffolk but I've never heard it called that). Although my husband works only an exit away down 664, I drive into Norfolk every day through a tunnel. You said that at first your husband will work out of NN but then shift to Norfolk. I don't know what the tunnel is like early early in the morning but it can be a real pain going through around 8 am. I routinely sit in traffic 35-45 minutes to get into Norfolk but traffic is always flowing nicely going the opposite direction. Depending on how long he expects to be in NN vs. Norfolk, I'd consider living in Norfolk.

gigglesb · February 2013

Thanks for chiming in ladies! One more question, have any of you lived in Base Housing anywhere in the area? That's what we're looking at now but would like to know if anyone has experienced it. Thanks!

Take two...Virginia Bound

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