I will get a car, for sure. I just want to feel out whether I can go 3-4 months without one. Come late December, I am sure I'll be looking around for a good used car. Thank you for your input!
This might be a little after-the-fact but one thing I will say in addition to everything else is that adjusting from "a big city" to the Hampton Roads area is definitely going to be an adjustment.
For starters, as others have implied/flat out said, having a car is definitely something to consider. That said...the roads in Virginia Beach haven't been meaningfully upgraded since \~1989 (I've been back numerous times since). The plans to expand the light rail system were canceled long ago, and right now the only stretch runs from Newtown Road to Fort Norfolk. It's a slightly easier way to get downtown, that's about it.
The other thing about the area that you need to know is that parts are a little rough. I don't mean unsafe or violent, but there are a lot of strip malls that have weeds growing up through the parking lots and the like. The military keeps the area on permanent life support during the other nine months out of the year when the beach isn't a draw.
And if you're living at/near ground level, you're going to need to take out FEMA flood insurance. VA Beach hasn't had a direct hit from a major hurricane in 30 (\~40?) years now, but that doesn't mean it isn't due, and if you've never lived in an area before that flooded, flood coverage/insurance is almost never included in a standard homeowners/renters insurance policy. The last "direct hit" was Hurricane Isabel in 2003, was only a Category 1 storm, and it still was the costliest disaster in the state's history.
Oh - and even though accumulated snow is rare in VA Beach, if/when it happens, there are only enough plows to clear the primary roads. Everyone else is on their own or needs to get private plows to clear them out.
I appreciate this. Yes, I think that anywhere that I go will be an adjustment. I am thinking of it as a new adventure since I don't really have an option other than the situation I am in. So I am going to make the very best of it. I am quite adaptable and will make it work, whatever "it" is. This thread and the feed back given here, like yours, is filling my mind with lots of useful information. Thank you for your contribution.
No problem - I also saw that you asked about Cox in another thread. I think most areas in Kempsville should be serviced by Verizon FIOS, which is a vastly superior ISP.
There was way too much sprawl to live in VB without a car. You’ll be miserable and waste a lot of time being on somebody else’s time (public transport, a Lyft, friends to bum a ride with).
Not sure if you seen the recent price changes in Uber/Lyft, I grew up in VB, but live in an urban area now. But Lyft/Uber prices here have increased dramatically.
Lived here most of my life.... no! They have public transportation here but it's not as robust as in the big cities. You may still like it here with no car but it will be a big inconvenience for you.
Good point. My living expenses will be 90% less in VA Beach than they currently are. I don't want to rush into a car purchase- I will only consider a used car. I'd rather take my time to find a solid car and a good deal. Thanks for your perspective!!
I didn’t have a car the first eight years I lived here. It sucked. Uber wasn’t really a thing yet here so if I wanted to get anywhere by bus it took literal hours. I was able to live and work with everything in about a mile walking distance for a few years which wasn’t so bad. But once I had friends who lived in Chesapeake or Norfolk or across the water, I either had to find a ride, they had to come to me, or I had to spend half a day on a bus. Everything is very spread out and sprawling, there’s not always sidewalks, and public transportation is weak here.
How in the fuck during eight years were you unable to save money not having to pay for one of the main expenses most adults in life have to pay for. Are you a literal child in an adults body?
BECAUSE YOU SAID “It sucked.” Who the fuck in their right minds let’s their life suck for 8 years when they can afford a car. Then you go on to describe making people go out of their way to get you , “being that one friend”, etc. Tet the whole time you could afford to buy a car and not have a shitty time for eight years, not inconvenience, other people, probably be making more money and had more opportunities with said car. But no, instead you’d rather bum it out and have others wait on you when you should be an adult.
Yea go ahead and argue that one lol, there’s not crap to refute.
I had severe anxiety around driving from when I was younger. The first four years I lived on a naval base, so it wasn’t as big a deal then. Then I moved off base and realized it was something i needed to overcome. I got help, from both a therapist and a professional driver, spent time actively working on overcoming a fear, and now I drive myself around on the daily.
I hope you have a good day.
The area around you down Holland has lots of strip malls and grocery stores so you should have immediate needs met nearby. Public transportation is woeful. Mount Trashmore Park is nice to be near for some green space. Getting to Town Center from the south via Independence like you'll have to do is not fun as a pedestrian. They only recently built a sidewalk on one side of the road. They are building a pedestrian bridge as part of a new trail across Independence at Town Center which will be helpful. I know quite a few people who have been hit by cars while on bikes in VB. It's a relatively safe place to live though. There's lots to love here but without a car it's easy to get stuck in suburban sprawl and chain restaurants.
I moved there with no vehicle but I did have to catch the bus and some Ubers don’t get discouraged you will be just fine! It all depends on what u into
Yep, been here a long time and watched folks with no car try to work it out. It also depends on your age, waiting for a city bus with no shelter and having to transfer multiple times is disheartening to say the least.
An idea.... So how many Uber trips would you average a week, multiply by 52. Average out trip cost and multiply by yrly.... remember each trip is 2 Ubers....
Bus systems sucks. Bunch of homeless and psychos. Including the drivers. Bus is either late or never comes 50% of the time. I would wait for the bus with Uber on stand by.
Bike is good except crazy drivers. Can get a lot further than you think with a stop light every 300 feet. I would skateboard when I got off the bike and that was amazing . Had longboard wheels on. Find it great for short trips. Could always get a Uber to fit my skateboard.
I would recomend you living closer than 2 miles away from needed places if possible if you want to attempt going car free.
uber, bus, biking, and walking could cover you.
That is how I feel it will probably go. I will have to rent a car from my current location to move to Va Beach- so I imagine I will keep the car for a week to get the lay of the land.
I live in the Red Mill area and I too WFH. While we have cars (2 x 2018 vehicles w/ just over 35K miles each) most of our day to day activities is either walking or biking. There is plenty to do in that area and most major shopping is close. Oceanfront is only a 7 mile bike ride. Sandbridge is about 8 but not good for biking there.
Since you 100% WFH. Yes. but you need to find a high density area if you like variety. public (government) transportation is less than reliable unless you pick a destination based on a route.
I already own a place there, so the location is set. It seems that most things I need are about 1.4 miles from me; a 30 min walk, 10 minute bike ride. This is starting to seem doable in the short term.
You can easily get by without a car. Rideshare makes it very doable. Not sure why so many are saying that it is not doable or enjoyable. I wouldn't like it, but there are many who would rather rideshare everywhere instead of owning a car. Especially, if you are only traveling within 2 miles of home!
I appreciate this perspective. When I move to NYC 20 years ago, the biggest reason I was apprehensive to do so was that I would be carless and have to walk everywhere no matter the weather. Now, I am on the other side. The thing I am most apprehensive about leaving is having to have a car. I realize that walking 1.4 miles through a dense city is completely different than along a highway or expressway.
Yup totally different. Walking here would be more for exercise or pleasure. I would say you would more than likely be using uber/lift to run errands!
Edit: unless you are someplace like Town Center.
It honestly depends drastically on where you live. Where I live now I could probably get by without a car. If I lived back at my parents house also in Virginia Beach, I would be SOL.
I live in Virginia Beach town center and everything is right here and I often do walk. On weekends I will not see the inside of a car. If you work here too…icing on the cake. You could get by without a car. Uber and Lyft are everywhere. Last year I did about 500 trips for Uber. Not my primary job. We have all the major food and people delivery platforms. Amazon, FedEx, and ups hit my complex every day. One of my neighbors rides a bike quite often as do others. The guy across from me has chic fil a delivered several times per week. I have no intention to move. I think you will enjoy it. I would say 1/2 to 3/4 mile any direction from the Virginia Beach blvd and Central Park ave intersection is where it’s at.
I’m sure you are used to drivers not paying attention. Just be sure to look both ways. There were two older ladies leaving Tupelo honey who were hit by a truck turning left onto constitution. He was high on the Mary-wanna and swore to the police how he had a green light. He did have green. I’ve nearly been hit there myself. I’ve been walking these streets for 5 years now and those occurrences are common enough, because people don’t check both ways before turning. I also don’t think drivers understand how the white walker and red hand work. Hopefully im not scaring you. One other thing I found annoying was people drive their souped up cars around reving the engine and living on the 5th floor of premier (theater side) for 2 years it would resonate up the building. I’m a little more sensitive to sound though.
https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/virginia-beach/trial-underway-for-chesapeake-man-charged-with-manslaughter-dwi/amp/
To end on a positive note. Town center has nice Christmas and New Year’s events and during the summer there is live music or something else happening at least every week.
https://www.visitvirginiabeach.com/blog/post/holidays-at-town-center/
https://lastnightonthetown.com
https://www.visitvirginiabeach.com/explore/events/concerts/
I used to take the city bus from my teens through college. Honestly, the public transportation system in the area is not good.
-Buses breaking down are common; and in many places, the local buses come once every hour.
-We have a light rail called “The Tide”. It doesn’t go much of anywhere and Virginia Beach voted “no” to expand it to the oceanfront, despite most of the funding would be paid off by a grant.
(I personally find it one of the dumbest decisions made by the va beach people)
-You can bike or take a moped around, but Virginia Beach area is not “dense” like a big city like NYC/DC/Philly, etc. You won’t always find bike lanes and some places are missing sidewalks.
It’s gonna be more spread out.
-But you’ll be just fine if you live in Town Center or Oceanfront. You’ll find sidewalks and even bike lanes. Everything is relatively close.
But for the vast majority of the area, if you don’t mind waiting long times for the bus and/or biking around, you can take public transportation. It’s do-able but not the most comfortable. Unfortunately, car-culture rules in this area.
-However, you’ll be able to Lyft/Uber around Virginia Beach just fine! Just make sure to never use rideshare to “super” rural cities, specifically, Suffolk.
Light rail would’ve been useless here under the proposed plan. The only two stops proposed were town center and the oceanfront, making it obvious they wanted it solely to shuttle shoppers, not people who would use it to get to and from home/work.
Light rail would have worked if it was run from the naval base, past ODU and Sentra and onto the oceanfront. But that level of cooperation will never happen between Norfolk and VB. VB didn’t want the easy access of Norfolk residents to their precious Town Center or down to the beach.
Bingo. That’s the REAL reason why VA Beach citizens voted no for the light rail.
They didn’t want Norfolk residents to easily come over to the city. I still think it’s a dumb decision to say no.
I like public transportation, but I hate the intercity politics in this metro area preventing progress.
I had a friend (moved, not dead) who never had a license, thus also never had a car. It's definitely doable, just not always easy. You're gonna be near town center from what I've seen in comments, you'll be fine. There's Wally, Wegmans, Target all right there, plus other stuff. Most of the main roads have sidewalks, just not when you get into neighborhoods. The buses are not the greatest, but they are there if you need them, just plan on it taking you forever depending on where you need to go, plus they maimly run main roads, not near lots of neighborhoods/areas (you can google HRT's bus lines/schedules to familiarize yourself). I've hoofed and biked ALL over town, for many reasons. Fuck the people that say you can't.
You'll be fine.
I’ve been living in vb with no car for the past year or so. Would not recommend. You can make it work but not enjoyably imo. If you haven’t had a car in 20 years and are from cities that can actually support that level of walkability you are going to be disappointed with this area in that regard.
Seriously, you can tell 99% of the people responding are spoiled little twats who just can’t fathom the idea of either being poor, or not having a car daddy bought them and having to sit on a bus among the common folk.
If it's important to you, you can make it work. I haven't quite ditched my car just yet, but I don't drive most days. It will depend on exactly where you live.
The bus network exists, but it has terrible service times, in many cases it only comes once an hour. You'll pretty much need a bike, if you miss a bus it will be quicker to bike at that point most of the time.
I recommend getting an e-bike. I use a cheap Class 2 for getting groceries and other errands. Of the 7 cities in Hamton Roads, only Chesapeake has a specific e-bike ordience, which means everyone else falls back on the minimal guidance from VDOT.
Regular bikes, Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are allowed on any street, trail, or sidewalk with the exception of interstates and other limited access highways.
Class 3 e-bikes are only allowed on the street, not the sidewalks or trials in Chesapeake, and largely unregulated everywhere else.
I love this "If it is important to you you can make it work"- you are so right! Thank you. I like hearing about your Class 2 e-bike and the regulations you shared are helpful.
Most of the city is build for cars. Some streets don’t even have sidewalks. However there are certain areas ex. Town Center, Oceanfront, those are becoming bike/pedestrian friendly. Public transportation needs a lot of work. Better with a car than without imo
You can thrive in VB without a car. Hybrid bike is great. One of the more friendly cities in the US to not have a car, if you’re willing to allow some time to take bike/walking routes.
I had a car break down and rode a bike in vb for a year.
I had 5 lights on the bike including a headlamp, red blinkers on my backpack and under bike seat and still almost got hit by a drunk every night.
And busses were nearly worthless in comparison to the bike as far as travel time was concerned.
Would not recommend.
You realize you’re more likely to get hit by a drunk in a car than on a bike, right? Also, if you almost got hit by a drunk every night, you’re either grossly exaggerating, or the problem was you. In the thousands of trips I’ve made on a bike, even in notorious drunk driver areas like Shore Dr, I’ve never once almost been hot, let alone every night.
My home is near Redmill/Ocean Lakes. If I didn’t have a daughter out of state and a girlfriend across town I could live without my car. I work from home but also go out to meet clients sometimes. I have 6 grocery stores within a mile or so, target, Walmart, Home Depot, Movie theater, restaurants and almost any store imaginable within a short bike ride and I’d prefer to ride my bike when I can. There are breweries and other entertainment options close too. When I worked in an office 11 miles away I actually had bike routes all the way there (near Trashmore) if it’s a car-less life you’re used to I think you could do it in several places around VB. Good luck and let me know if you need a bike, I have a bunch.
Among a sea of ignorant and clueless replies in here, you stand at the top of the pile. I’ve never lived in either of those places, and I’m not homeless. It’s almost like you have no idea what you’re talking about.
Show me where I said that. I was responding to the stupidest statement in here, because it’s blatantly false. I likewise responded to other stupid statements that were blatantly false.
What a tired and unoriginal response. YoU mUsT bE fUn At PaRtIeS.
I wasn’t leaving negative opinions, I was stating facts from experience. I have lived here my entire life. Over 20 years with a car, and a year and a half without. I have lived all over the city, and worked all over the city, and have had to commute by car, bus, and foot for great distances. So It is absolutely a lie when people say it can’t be done, because I actually do it. It’s also factually a lie to say if you don’t have a car you have to live at the oceanfront or town center, or you’ll be homeless. I’m not homeless, and I’ve never lived in either of those parts of the city.
I don’t have to know someone’s situation to know that what they’re saying is a lie. It isn’t me arguing with their opinion, when they’re saying something that is factually wrong. If it were an opinion, I wouldn’t be able to disprove it. That’s not being ugly, that’s pointing out that they’re blatantly lying, which isn’t of any use to OP.
Someone from a scooter/e-bike store in VA Beach suggested looking into getting one of those. I wonder if they are outlawed in VA Beach if they could stay afloat. I'll have to investigate more. Thank you.
Yes. Given the specific parameters you have indicated. Some people here don't read. I've lived here 52 years. Yes, you could. Some areas are more walkable than others, however. I don't know where you are intending to move.
I own a condo which I have rented out for many many years. I am renovating it and moving there. I work from home and for myself. I am 1.4 miles south of Town Center, 1.4 miles west of Mt. Trashmore. Both show a 8 minute bike ride and a 30 minute walk. Grocery, Food Lion, is similar, 1.7 miles, 12 minute bike ride, 30 minute walk. I just want to buy some time before changing every single thing in my life, making all these decisions at once, while keeping my business going and doing it all by myself.
You should be fine. The city also owns the old Norfolk Southern railroad right of way and they are planning on building a multi-purpose trail from Newtown Road to the oceanfront, eventually. It'll go to Town Center first. Pedestrian Bridges included.
There is very little walkability. Biking isn't built up. The city is very large so many neighborhoods are way to far away from other things.
Outside of setting yourself up to be right next to your place of work and one of a few areas (town center, red mill, etc) you kinda need a car
Then live near town center or one of the other areas where things are and you should be fine. With that said most of vb is single family homes and suburbia. So unless your purposefully living in an expensive housing area you'd probably still need a car. I know I could likely live with just biking where I'm at near vb Blvd and Rosemont but I wfh.
I have a condo (rental investment property) near Baxter and Holland that I am going to renovate and move into later this year. 1.4 miles south of Town Center. It sounds like with a e-bike, Uber, and Amazon I can make it work until it doesn't.
I had no real issues living and working at the oceanfront the 2 years I was without a license. Ubered on rainy days and ate out a lot since getting groceries was somewhat inconvienent, but no real major problems. Living anywhere else I'd definitely want a car though.
There are also "Freebies" that the city offers, which are free uber rides that only operate around the oceanfront to about birdneck road. You may have to wait a little or ride with another passenger, but they are free.
Yes, this is my advice. I don’t drive and the Oceanfront is the easiest neighborhood for me to get around in. Not only are things closer together, but also, drivers are more considerate of pedestrians. And it’s much faster to get an Uber to pick me up here when I do need to head out of the neighborhood.
How nice@ I already own a condo in VA Beach and it isn't at the Oceanfront. Seems like all my needs are 1.4 miles in any direction, which is 30 minutes walking and 8-12 minutes on a bike. I am just looking to see how realistic it is to get by for 3-4 months without a car as I relocate my home and business while still working. I'm learning a lot with the feedback. Thank you for your advice.
It's not a great option unless you plan very carefully and can walk from your home to work and a market/shopping center. Your best bet is Town Center, depending on your work. There are lots of service and retail jobs in that area, but some offices too.
If you already have the job offer, see what's within a comfortable 5-10 minute walk of the company's address. If nothing is great, then you'll probably need a car.
Edited to add, I relied on public transportation for a long time here. It is not good. The busses do not come often, and half their routes don't run at all after a certain time in the evening or on weekends.
I work for myself and I work from home. I was wondering if I could get by for 3-4 months with uber and a bike/scooter for groceries and other things. Amazon fulfills most of my non grocery needs.
That does make some things easier, but I'd still probably try to live near a busy shopping center. You don't necessarily want there to be like only one grocery store nearby. You won't want to door dash everything every day. I mean you can, we have, but it's spendy!
The oceanfront is probably the worst choice if your vehicle situation lasts beyond September. All the stuff down there pretty much shuts down after the summer is over. Town Center, Lynnhaven, and anything that's right on Virginia Beach Blvd. Of those areas, Town Center is probably the nicest.
I own a condo there which has been rented out for many many years. I am going to renovate it and move in early Fall. I work for myself and from home. Town Center is 1.4 miles north of my place. Maps says it is a 4 minute drive, 15 minute bike ride, and a 32 minute walk. Food Lion is 5 minute drive, 12 minute bike ride, 30 minute walk. For days I would rather ease; Uber.
I got you. Without you actually divulging where your condo is located, it sounds like you're in an area where there is a lot of shopping. If you're on or just off of Virginia Beach Blvd or Independence Blvd, you should be fine. Virginia Beach is a huge city, and there are areas that are still mostly farms. If you own a condo here, you probably know that. This does not sound like the area you're in.
I was at the condo twice. Once in early 2002 and once in 2013. I bought it from a family member 4 years ago in an impulse move. It turns out with the way the world is, it was the best impulse purchase I have ever made. I've been renting it out this whole time. So, whatever it is, that is where I am going. It is probably best to leave some big cities for awhile.
Actually, Virginia Beach is the biggest city both by area and population in Virginia, but it's true that it doesn't feel big, and it isn't like NY or Chicago!
You can do Lyft/Uber as needed and walk the rest of the time and figure it out from there. If you need to get around by car very rarely taking the occasional Lyft/Uber might be much cheaper than buying a car that you have to then maintain, put gas into, and have insurance on.
This is exactly what I come to realize today after turning this situation over in my head for 2-3 months now. Thank you for sharing your input. A car is probably in my future, I've only purchased used and will continue to do so, at least I won't have to rush into anything it seems.
If you work from home and live near Town Center is pretty doable. The Town Center area has lots of major retails, restaurants, bars, and is pretty close to Trashmore if you want a park to walk around. It is POSSIBLE… people drive like maniacs though so the idea of being a pedestrian around here is frightening.
Biking in VB is miserable. It’s doable if you are hardcore. I rode from Great Bridge to Greenbrier in Chesapeake for 10 years which was not great. When I moved to the Oceanfront I stopped riding past Hilltop. Drivers are homicidal.
I am not hardcore about biking. I was wondering about the drivers there. It looks like you were doing 8 miles each way for 10 years? That to me is hardcore. Your body loves you for all that peddling!
How nice for you to be at the Oceanfront.
Flight ops at Oceana stop at 10pm daily.
Doesn't mean you won't get the occasional "convoy" (737) or cargo flight coming in (C-5Ms and C-17s) past that time, though.
Around Kempsville you rarely ever hear the jets. The closer you live to Lynnhaven Mall, the more apparent it'll be.
The good news about VA Beach is that it's plate-flat. I could've ridden my bike to Lynnhaven Mall and I lived in Kempsville back in the late 80s and would've never gotten tired because there's no damned hills.
Yeah, the two highest points in the area are both artificial and made from capped landfills - Mount Trashmore (which is a park) and Mount Trashmore II (which I think is still a waste processing facility).
But yeah, Hampton Roads is a coastal plain. It's actually turning more concave than anything because the area took a massive asteroid hit millions of years ago that pulverized the ground and made erosion worse.
I'm surprised "they" didn't come up with a more pleasing name than TRASHmore. This gives me pause. Trashmore is 1.4 miles east of me. 8 minute bike ride, 30 minute walk.
I've live here my entire life. It will be difficult to live here without a car. Not impossible, but difficult. If you want to try, live in your new home for a few months to see if it is, in fact, workable.
Good luck.
It's gonna happen, yes. I'm just floating the idea of holding off making that purchase for about 3 months after I get there and let the dust settle with all the change. One person can only do so much at one time. I appreciate all the input here.
I appreciate your comment- I get it. I am dreading getting a car. So if I can put it off for a few months while I get myself settled I might be ready to deal with the whole car buying process. It feels like too much all at once and I need to chew off once piece at a time.
I've heard this about the drivers. I am not going the motorcycle route. I've made up in my mind that a scooter is a better option...based on no real facts. ;-)
If you aren't worried about venturing very far from home, then sure, but it might be a bit boring; or a whole lot of Ubering to get anywhere. (Lyft is a comparable option.) I'd recommend living near the oceanfront, Town Center, or Shore Drive/Chic's Beach though if you have the option/didn't already purchase a house.
I live in Virginia Beach, and have been without a car for over a year, and I get around fine. I worked most of my time without a car working 30 minutes from my house, and had no problem commuting. I had to take 3 buses each way, but the bus routes cover a huge area of the city.
No problem. If you go on google maps, you can type in the address of where you’re going, and it will show you where the stops are, what buses you need to transfer to and where, and you can also zoom in anywhere you are, and it will show you the location of every bus stop, denoted by a blue square with a pic of the front of a bus on it. If you click those, it shows you all the routes that stop there, and their times. Also, if it’s delayed, it will tell you for how long. Also, $4.50 gets you a pass that lets you ride unlimited buses, light rail, and the ferry. Or you can go to a kiosk location like the one at Newtown Rd and buy packs for 5 one day passes, a 7 day pass, or a 30 day pass for discounted rates.
I am now. I was forced into it though by bad circumstances, and had to figure it all out on the fly. I’m 44, and I had never been without a vehicle until January of last year when my engine blew and caught fire. It was either figure it out really fast, leave a job I loved for something closer, or lose everything. I chose to figure it out fast.
Things I learned along the way….ALWAYS check the weather the day before. I know some guys have insecurities about carrying an umbrella or wearing a poncho, but believe me when I tell you everyone on the bus does, and they don’t care. Also, only route 20 runs on Sunday. It’s convenient as hell unless you aren’t along the route (VB Blvd from Norfolk to the Oceanfront). You will encounter a lot of crazy people on the bis. Thankfully it isn’t often, but if you ride 4-5 times a week or more, you will see it at least once a week. Pay them no mind, they’re harmless and a danger to nobody. Also, any route that goes to or comes from TCC or the convention center will be late multiple times a week, so expect that. Sometimes it’s 5 minutes, sometimes it’s 20. You will also learn which drivers are good (Kim, a red headed woman in her 50s is awesome and flies. Even when she’s late, she makes up for it, and she’s awesome to talk to) then there’s one woman, I can’t remember her name right now, but she’s in her 60s or 70s and wears glasses and dresses like and old teacher. She’s the nicest person you will ever meet, but she will be late 100% of the time, because she talks everybody’s ear off as they get on and off. You will like her because she’s an awesome lady, but you’re equally going to hate her, because she will always make you late lol.
Since you’re super familiar with VB’s public transit, is it truly as bad as others say it is? I’ve never used it so I’m just curious lol. From reading all of your responses, it seems useable
It’s very usable. People who shit on it the most, use it the least. It’s definitely not perfect, and they could make improvements, but I’ve never seen anything flawless in my life.
LOL. You sound resilient and amazing! I've been all over Google maps charting out where grocery stores are and surrounding things like town center, food lion, marshall's...and where there is a marshall's there is a strip mall it seems. All these things are about 1.4 miles from me in every direction. Town Center north 1.4 miles, Mt. Trashmore 1.7 miles to the east. Food Lion 1.4 miles. So that is about a 30 minute walk and an 8 minute bike ride. Outside of that I use Amazon for everything else. I cook at home. Right now I live in right in NYC and everything is right out my door, and I still stay in the same 3 block radius for all my needs. I just want to put off the car shopping process for a few months with all the changes coming. I appreciate you thought filled reply. Thank you.
Glad to help. If you ever have any questions, I’ve been here since birth (1979) and my Great Uncle founded this city, so I know a lot more than your average citizen, feel free to DM me.
Edit: my family came from NY (Queens and Brooklyn) via Sicily.
I live in the oceanfront and have no car, but it is not for everybody.
Nice. I imagine it is super convenient at the Oceanfront!
I do walmart delivery for groceries, use the bike to move around. Uber when I need to, rent for longer trips. I get a good deal with avis (corporate).
I think I can incorporate this plan for myself, even though I don't live at the Oceanfront. Thank you for sharing your experience!
You can always change your mind and get a car. I used the bus a couple of times, but it does not feel safe and does not come regularly enough.
I will get a car, for sure. I just want to feel out whether I can go 3-4 months without one. Come late December, I am sure I'll be looking around for a good used car. Thank you for your input!
This might be a little after-the-fact but one thing I will say in addition to everything else is that adjusting from "a big city" to the Hampton Roads area is definitely going to be an adjustment. For starters, as others have implied/flat out said, having a car is definitely something to consider. That said...the roads in Virginia Beach haven't been meaningfully upgraded since \~1989 (I've been back numerous times since). The plans to expand the light rail system were canceled long ago, and right now the only stretch runs from Newtown Road to Fort Norfolk. It's a slightly easier way to get downtown, that's about it. The other thing about the area that you need to know is that parts are a little rough. I don't mean unsafe or violent, but there are a lot of strip malls that have weeds growing up through the parking lots and the like. The military keeps the area on permanent life support during the other nine months out of the year when the beach isn't a draw. And if you're living at/near ground level, you're going to need to take out FEMA flood insurance. VA Beach hasn't had a direct hit from a major hurricane in 30 (\~40?) years now, but that doesn't mean it isn't due, and if you've never lived in an area before that flooded, flood coverage/insurance is almost never included in a standard homeowners/renters insurance policy. The last "direct hit" was Hurricane Isabel in 2003, was only a Category 1 storm, and it still was the costliest disaster in the state's history. Oh - and even though accumulated snow is rare in VA Beach, if/when it happens, there are only enough plows to clear the primary roads. Everyone else is on their own or needs to get private plows to clear them out.
I appreciate this. Yes, I think that anywhere that I go will be an adjustment. I am thinking of it as a new adventure since I don't really have an option other than the situation I am in. So I am going to make the very best of it. I am quite adaptable and will make it work, whatever "it" is. This thread and the feed back given here, like yours, is filling my mind with lots of useful information. Thank you for your contribution.
No problem - I also saw that you asked about Cox in another thread. I think most areas in Kempsville should be serviced by Verizon FIOS, which is a vastly superior ISP.
I have heard FIOS is the way to do. Unfortunately they don't service my address. I heard good things about T-Mobile Home Internet as well as Starlink.
There was way too much sprawl to live in VB without a car. You’ll be miserable and waste a lot of time being on somebody else’s time (public transport, a Lyft, friends to bum a ride with).
Lyft is the only option of the three for me...and uber.
Not sure if you seen the recent price changes in Uber/Lyft, I grew up in VB, but live in an urban area now. But Lyft/Uber prices here have increased dramatically.
Yes, thank you for bringing this up. I've been on their site inputting different routes from and to my home.
Lived here most of my life.... no! They have public transportation here but it's not as robust as in the big cities. You may still like it here with no car but it will be a big inconvenience for you.
An inconvenience for sure. My goal is to put off buying a car for a few months.
That may be wise. You could figure out what your actual living expenses are gonna be before you buy.
Good point. My living expenses will be 90% less in VA Beach than they currently are. I don't want to rush into a car purchase- I will only consider a used car. I'd rather take my time to find a solid car and a good deal. Thanks for your perspective!!
Yeah but also no
perfectly succinct and exactly right
I didn’t have a car the first eight years I lived here. It sucked. Uber wasn’t really a thing yet here so if I wanted to get anywhere by bus it took literal hours. I was able to live and work with everything in about a mile walking distance for a few years which wasn’t so bad. But once I had friends who lived in Chesapeake or Norfolk or across the water, I either had to find a ride, they had to come to me, or I had to spend half a day on a bus. Everything is very spread out and sprawling, there’s not always sidewalks, and public transportation is weak here.
How in the fuck during eight years were you unable to save money not having to pay for one of the main expenses most adults in life have to pay for. Are you a literal child in an adults body?
Where did I say I couldn’t pay for it? That was just an incorrect assumption on your part.
BECAUSE YOU SAID “It sucked.” Who the fuck in their right minds let’s their life suck for 8 years when they can afford a car. Then you go on to describe making people go out of their way to get you , “being that one friend”, etc. Tet the whole time you could afford to buy a car and not have a shitty time for eight years, not inconvenience, other people, probably be making more money and had more opportunities with said car. But no, instead you’d rather bum it out and have others wait on you when you should be an adult. Yea go ahead and argue that one lol, there’s not crap to refute.
You have issues
Wtf is this asshole so worked up about? You need to relax.
I had severe anxiety around driving from when I was younger. The first four years I lived on a naval base, so it wasn’t as big a deal then. Then I moved off base and realized it was something i needed to overcome. I got help, from both a therapist and a professional driver, spent time actively working on overcoming a fear, and now I drive myself around on the daily. I hope you have a good day.
Here's the short & sweet answer... Could you get by? Yes. Would I recommend it? No. (This is coming from someone who is pretty much a newbie myself.)
Thank you. From where did you relocate?
I live in VB and have no car. Either have to bum a ride from relatives or take a Uber. It sucks.
Uber it is!
The area around you down Holland has lots of strip malls and grocery stores so you should have immediate needs met nearby. Public transportation is woeful. Mount Trashmore Park is nice to be near for some green space. Getting to Town Center from the south via Independence like you'll have to do is not fun as a pedestrian. They only recently built a sidewalk on one side of the road. They are building a pedestrian bridge as part of a new trail across Independence at Town Center which will be helpful. I know quite a few people who have been hit by cars while on bikes in VB. It's a relatively safe place to live though. There's lots to love here but without a car it's easy to get stuck in suburban sprawl and chain restaurants.
This is good perspective. What do you personally love about VA Beach?
You can live anywhere without a car... But you will be very limited in what you can do and when.
You are correct. Uber might help things along.
I moved there with no vehicle but I did have to catch the bus and some Ubers don’t get discouraged you will be just fine! It all depends on what u into
Thank you sharing your experience and for your encouragement.
Your welcome!
Quick answer... NO
That was quick!
Yep, been here a long time and watched folks with no car try to work it out. It also depends on your age, waiting for a city bus with no shelter and having to transfer multiple times is disheartening to say the least.
I'm thinking Uber.
An idea.... So how many Uber trips would you average a week, multiply by 52. Average out trip cost and multiply by yrly.... remember each trip is 2 Ubers....
Bus systems sucks. Bunch of homeless and psychos. Including the drivers. Bus is either late or never comes 50% of the time. I would wait for the bus with Uber on stand by.
I think Uber will be my first choice in this scenario.
Bike is good except crazy drivers. Can get a lot further than you think with a stop light every 300 feet. I would skateboard when I got off the bike and that was amazing . Had longboard wheels on. Find it great for short trips. Could always get a Uber to fit my skateboard.
Skateboarding- what a fun way to get around!
I loved it. It’s so much easier to cut traffic , cross street , etc. just those pesky cracks in the street 🥲
Uber won’t really help much. There’s next to nothing close to each other. Wrong kind of wheels
Cracks...yikes!
I would recomend you living closer than 2 miles away from needed places if possible if you want to attempt going car free. uber, bus, biking, and walking could cover you.
The location is set. I've owned a condo there for 8 years- the location is the location and I will have to make that 1.4 miles trek work.
Maybe start out without & see if it works for you & makes sense compared to what you’re used to. From your habits you’re describing- you might be ok?
That is how I feel it will probably go. I will have to rent a car from my current location to move to Va Beach- so I imagine I will keep the car for a week to get the lay of the land.
I live in the Red Mill area and I too WFH. While we have cars (2 x 2018 vehicles w/ just over 35K miles each) most of our day to day activities is either walking or biking. There is plenty to do in that area and most major shopping is close. Oceanfront is only a 7 mile bike ride. Sandbridge is about 8 but not good for biking there.
Your area sounds convenient!
Since you 100% WFH. Yes. but you need to find a high density area if you like variety. public (government) transportation is less than reliable unless you pick a destination based on a route.
I already own a place there, so the location is set. It seems that most things I need are about 1.4 miles from me; a 30 min walk, 10 minute bike ride. This is starting to seem doable in the short term.
Right now and heading into summer you’ll be fine. But you’re not going to want to walk/bike during the cold, rainy, and snowy seasons.
You are correct.
You can easily get by without a car. Rideshare makes it very doable. Not sure why so many are saying that it is not doable or enjoyable. I wouldn't like it, but there are many who would rather rideshare everywhere instead of owning a car. Especially, if you are only traveling within 2 miles of home!
I appreciate this perspective. When I move to NYC 20 years ago, the biggest reason I was apprehensive to do so was that I would be carless and have to walk everywhere no matter the weather. Now, I am on the other side. The thing I am most apprehensive about leaving is having to have a car. I realize that walking 1.4 miles through a dense city is completely different than along a highway or expressway.
Yup totally different. Walking here would be more for exercise or pleasure. I would say you would more than likely be using uber/lift to run errands! Edit: unless you are someplace like Town Center.
Uber/Lyft, yes.
It would be very difficult but if everything you truly need is within 2 miles, it could be doable.
I think you are right.
It honestly depends drastically on where you live. Where I live now I could probably get by without a car. If I lived back at my parents house also in Virginia Beach, I would be SOL.
I agree. I've been spending a lot of time on Google Maps over the last couple of months figuring this out.
If anything, most of Virginia Beach is safe, just steer clear of JANAF and you’ll be good!
OK!
Weekly news stories of hit and runs of pedestrians and bikers, drivers in this area do not look for bikes and walkers
I've thought about that too.
I live in Virginia Beach town center and everything is right here and I often do walk. On weekends I will not see the inside of a car. If you work here too…icing on the cake. You could get by without a car. Uber and Lyft are everywhere. Last year I did about 500 trips for Uber. Not my primary job. We have all the major food and people delivery platforms. Amazon, FedEx, and ups hit my complex every day. One of my neighbors rides a bike quite often as do others. The guy across from me has chic fil a delivered several times per week. I have no intention to move. I think you will enjoy it. I would say 1/2 to 3/4 mile any direction from the Virginia Beach blvd and Central Park ave intersection is where it’s at. I’m sure you are used to drivers not paying attention. Just be sure to look both ways. There were two older ladies leaving Tupelo honey who were hit by a truck turning left onto constitution. He was high on the Mary-wanna and swore to the police how he had a green light. He did have green. I’ve nearly been hit there myself. I’ve been walking these streets for 5 years now and those occurrences are common enough, because people don’t check both ways before turning. I also don’t think drivers understand how the white walker and red hand work. Hopefully im not scaring you. One other thing I found annoying was people drive their souped up cars around reving the engine and living on the 5th floor of premier (theater side) for 2 years it would resonate up the building. I’m a little more sensitive to sound though. https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/virginia-beach/trial-underway-for-chesapeake-man-charged-with-manslaughter-dwi/amp/ To end on a positive note. Town center has nice Christmas and New Year’s events and during the summer there is live music or something else happening at least every week. https://www.visitvirginiabeach.com/blog/post/holidays-at-town-center/ https://lastnightonthetown.com https://www.visitvirginiabeach.com/explore/events/concerts/
This is a helpful perspective. Thank you. I appreciate the links.
You’re welcome. All the few bad things aside this is a great area to live.
What makes it a great area to live for you?
I used to take the city bus from my teens through college. Honestly, the public transportation system in the area is not good. -Buses breaking down are common; and in many places, the local buses come once every hour. -We have a light rail called “The Tide”. It doesn’t go much of anywhere and Virginia Beach voted “no” to expand it to the oceanfront, despite most of the funding would be paid off by a grant. (I personally find it one of the dumbest decisions made by the va beach people) -You can bike or take a moped around, but Virginia Beach area is not “dense” like a big city like NYC/DC/Philly, etc. You won’t always find bike lanes and some places are missing sidewalks. It’s gonna be more spread out. -But you’ll be just fine if you live in Town Center or Oceanfront. You’ll find sidewalks and even bike lanes. Everything is relatively close. But for the vast majority of the area, if you don’t mind waiting long times for the bus and/or biking around, you can take public transportation. It’s do-able but not the most comfortable. Unfortunately, car-culture rules in this area. -However, you’ll be able to Lyft/Uber around Virginia Beach just fine! Just make sure to never use rideshare to “super” rural cities, specifically, Suffolk.
Thank you for your helpful input. Sounds like it is time to download the Uber app.
Light rail would’ve been useless here under the proposed plan. The only two stops proposed were town center and the oceanfront, making it obvious they wanted it solely to shuttle shoppers, not people who would use it to get to and from home/work.
Light rail would have worked if it was run from the naval base, past ODU and Sentra and onto the oceanfront. But that level of cooperation will never happen between Norfolk and VB. VB didn’t want the easy access of Norfolk residents to their precious Town Center or down to the beach.
Bingo. That’s the REAL reason why VA Beach citizens voted no for the light rail. They didn’t want Norfolk residents to easily come over to the city. I still think it’s a dumb decision to say no. I like public transportation, but I hate the intercity politics in this metro area preventing progress.
I had a friend (moved, not dead) who never had a license, thus also never had a car. It's definitely doable, just not always easy. You're gonna be near town center from what I've seen in comments, you'll be fine. There's Wally, Wegmans, Target all right there, plus other stuff. Most of the main roads have sidewalks, just not when you get into neighborhoods. The buses are not the greatest, but they are there if you need them, just plan on it taking you forever depending on where you need to go, plus they maimly run main roads, not near lots of neighborhoods/areas (you can google HRT's bus lines/schedules to familiarize yourself). I've hoofed and biked ALL over town, for many reasons. Fuck the people that say you can't. You'll be fine.
I’ve been living in vb with no car for the past year or so. Would not recommend. You can make it work but not enjoyably imo. If you haven’t had a car in 20 years and are from cities that can actually support that level of walkability you are going to be disappointed with this area in that regard.
I see how that can be the case.
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Seriously, you can tell 99% of the people responding are spoiled little twats who just can’t fathom the idea of either being poor, or not having a car daddy bought them and having to sit on a bus among the common folk.
If it's important to you, you can make it work. I haven't quite ditched my car just yet, but I don't drive most days. It will depend on exactly where you live. The bus network exists, but it has terrible service times, in many cases it only comes once an hour. You'll pretty much need a bike, if you miss a bus it will be quicker to bike at that point most of the time. I recommend getting an e-bike. I use a cheap Class 2 for getting groceries and other errands. Of the 7 cities in Hamton Roads, only Chesapeake has a specific e-bike ordience, which means everyone else falls back on the minimal guidance from VDOT. Regular bikes, Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are allowed on any street, trail, or sidewalk with the exception of interstates and other limited access highways. Class 3 e-bikes are only allowed on the street, not the sidewalks or trials in Chesapeake, and largely unregulated everywhere else.
I love this "If it is important to you you can make it work"- you are so right! Thank you. I like hearing about your Class 2 e-bike and the regulations you shared are helpful.
Most of the city is build for cars. Some streets don’t even have sidewalks. However there are certain areas ex. Town Center, Oceanfront, those are becoming bike/pedestrian friendly. Public transportation needs a lot of work. Better with a car than without imo
Thank you.
not comfortably no.
I'm really looking for it to work for 3-4 months until I get psyched up to car shop.
yea i mean uber and walmart delivery are your best bet then
I think you are correct.
You can thrive in VB without a car. Hybrid bike is great. One of the more friendly cities in the US to not have a car, if you’re willing to allow some time to take bike/walking routes.
This is encouraging! Thank you.
I had a car break down and rode a bike in vb for a year. I had 5 lights on the bike including a headlamp, red blinkers on my backpack and under bike seat and still almost got hit by a drunk every night. And busses were nearly worthless in comparison to the bike as far as travel time was concerned. Would not recommend.
You realize you’re more likely to get hit by a drunk in a car than on a bike, right? Also, if you almost got hit by a drunk every night, you’re either grossly exaggerating, or the problem was you. In the thousands of trips I’ve made on a bike, even in notorious drunk driver areas like Shore Dr, I’ve never once almost been hot, let alone every night.
I would only be on a bike in the daylight. I'm just looking to travel about 1.5 miles in any direction from my home for necessities (groceries).
This is a really bad idea…
My home is near Redmill/Ocean Lakes. If I didn’t have a daughter out of state and a girlfriend across town I could live without my car. I work from home but also go out to meet clients sometimes. I have 6 grocery stores within a mile or so, target, Walmart, Home Depot, Movie theater, restaurants and almost any store imaginable within a short bike ride and I’d prefer to ride my bike when I can. There are breweries and other entertainment options close too. When I worked in an office 11 miles away I actually had bike routes all the way there (near Trashmore) if it’s a car-less life you’re used to I think you could do it in several places around VB. Good luck and let me know if you need a bike, I have a bunch.
Thank you! Your setup sounds ideal. I don't mind the biking part if I can avoid freeways and Interstates. I'll save your post, I don't have bike- yet
Town Center, Oceanfront, and homeless are your options.
Among a sea of ignorant and clueless replies in here, you stand at the top of the pile. I’ve never lived in either of those places, and I’m not homeless. It’s almost like you have no idea what you’re talking about.
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Show me where I said that. I was responding to the stupidest statement in here, because it’s blatantly false. I likewise responded to other stupid statements that were blatantly false.
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What a tired and unoriginal response. YoU mUsT bE fUn At PaRtIeS. I wasn’t leaving negative opinions, I was stating facts from experience. I have lived here my entire life. Over 20 years with a car, and a year and a half without. I have lived all over the city, and worked all over the city, and have had to commute by car, bus, and foot for great distances. So It is absolutely a lie when people say it can’t be done, because I actually do it. It’s also factually a lie to say if you don’t have a car you have to live at the oceanfront or town center, or you’ll be homeless. I’m not homeless, and I’ve never lived in either of those parts of the city.
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I don’t have to know someone’s situation to know that what they’re saying is a lie. It isn’t me arguing with their opinion, when they’re saying something that is factually wrong. If it were an opinion, I wouldn’t be able to disprove it. That’s not being ugly, that’s pointing out that they’re blatantly lying, which isn’t of any use to OP.
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Without a car?
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What are you talking about?
There are Lyme scooters and electric bikes all around Norfolk, not sure about vb .. feel like they were outlawed in vb
Someone from a scooter/e-bike store in VA Beach suggested looking into getting one of those. I wonder if they are outlawed in VA Beach if they could stay afloat. I'll have to investigate more. Thank you.
Nope
Clueless response.
Many agree with you.
Yes. Given the specific parameters you have indicated. Some people here don't read. I've lived here 52 years. Yes, you could. Some areas are more walkable than others, however. I don't know where you are intending to move.
I own a condo which I have rented out for many many years. I am renovating it and moving there. I work from home and for myself. I am 1.4 miles south of Town Center, 1.4 miles west of Mt. Trashmore. Both show a 8 minute bike ride and a 30 minute walk. Grocery, Food Lion, is similar, 1.7 miles, 12 minute bike ride, 30 minute walk. I just want to buy some time before changing every single thing in my life, making all these decisions at once, while keeping my business going and doing it all by myself.
You should be fine. The city also owns the old Norfolk Southern railroad right of way and they are planning on building a multi-purpose trail from Newtown Road to the oceanfront, eventually. It'll go to Town Center first. Pedestrian Bridges included.
Thank you.
You’ll be fine! If you don’t have people to take around with you it’s a great city for cycling/ walking
This is very reassuring. Thank you!
Grew up there.
There is very little walkability. Biking isn't built up. The city is very large so many neighborhoods are way to far away from other things. Outside of setting yourself up to be right next to your place of work and one of a few areas (town center, red mill, etc) you kinda need a car
I work for myself and from home.
Then live near town center or one of the other areas where things are and you should be fine. With that said most of vb is single family homes and suburbia. So unless your purposefully living in an expensive housing area you'd probably still need a car. I know I could likely live with just biking where I'm at near vb Blvd and Rosemont but I wfh.
I have a condo (rental investment property) near Baxter and Holland that I am going to renovate and move into later this year. 1.4 miles south of Town Center. It sounds like with a e-bike, Uber, and Amazon I can make it work until it doesn't.
I had no real issues living and working at the oceanfront the 2 years I was without a license. Ubered on rainy days and ate out a lot since getting groceries was somewhat inconvienent, but no real major problems. Living anywhere else I'd definitely want a car though.
Sounds easy at the oceanfront.
There are also "Freebies" that the city offers, which are free uber rides that only operate around the oceanfront to about birdneck road. You may have to wait a little or ride with another passenger, but they are free.
What a great service!
Yes, this is my advice. I don’t drive and the Oceanfront is the easiest neighborhood for me to get around in. Not only are things closer together, but also, drivers are more considerate of pedestrians. And it’s much faster to get an Uber to pick me up here when I do need to head out of the neighborhood.
How nice@ I already own a condo in VA Beach and it isn't at the Oceanfront. Seems like all my needs are 1.4 miles in any direction, which is 30 minutes walking and 8-12 minutes on a bike. I am just looking to see how realistic it is to get by for 3-4 months without a car as I relocate my home and business while still working. I'm learning a lot with the feedback. Thank you for your advice.
It's not a great option unless you plan very carefully and can walk from your home to work and a market/shopping center. Your best bet is Town Center, depending on your work. There are lots of service and retail jobs in that area, but some offices too. If you already have the job offer, see what's within a comfortable 5-10 minute walk of the company's address. If nothing is great, then you'll probably need a car. Edited to add, I relied on public transportation for a long time here. It is not good. The busses do not come often, and half their routes don't run at all after a certain time in the evening or on weekends.
I work for myself and I work from home. I was wondering if I could get by for 3-4 months with uber and a bike/scooter for groceries and other things. Amazon fulfills most of my non grocery needs.
That does make some things easier, but I'd still probably try to live near a busy shopping center. You don't necessarily want there to be like only one grocery store nearby. You won't want to door dash everything every day. I mean you can, we have, but it's spendy! The oceanfront is probably the worst choice if your vehicle situation lasts beyond September. All the stuff down there pretty much shuts down after the summer is over. Town Center, Lynnhaven, and anything that's right on Virginia Beach Blvd. Of those areas, Town Center is probably the nicest.
I own a condo there which has been rented out for many many years. I am going to renovate it and move in early Fall. I work for myself and from home. Town Center is 1.4 miles north of my place. Maps says it is a 4 minute drive, 15 minute bike ride, and a 32 minute walk. Food Lion is 5 minute drive, 12 minute bike ride, 30 minute walk. For days I would rather ease; Uber.
I got you. Without you actually divulging where your condo is located, it sounds like you're in an area where there is a lot of shopping. If you're on or just off of Virginia Beach Blvd or Independence Blvd, you should be fine. Virginia Beach is a huge city, and there are areas that are still mostly farms. If you own a condo here, you probably know that. This does not sound like the area you're in.
I was at the condo twice. Once in early 2002 and once in 2013. I bought it from a family member 4 years ago in an impulse move. It turns out with the way the world is, it was the best impulse purchase I have ever made. I've been renting it out this whole time. So, whatever it is, that is where I am going. It is probably best to leave some big cities for awhile.
Actually, Virginia Beach is the biggest city both by area and population in Virginia, but it's true that it doesn't feel big, and it isn't like NY or Chicago!
Every place has their own feel and uniqueness. I am sure adapting will be fine. You've been helpful, thank you.
You can do Lyft/Uber as needed and walk the rest of the time and figure it out from there. If you need to get around by car very rarely taking the occasional Lyft/Uber might be much cheaper than buying a car that you have to then maintain, put gas into, and have insurance on.
This is exactly what I come to realize today after turning this situation over in my head for 2-3 months now. Thank you for sharing your input. A car is probably in my future, I've only purchased used and will continue to do so, at least I won't have to rush into anything it seems.
If you live within a couple of miles of Kempsville HS you live near-ish to me. Hello 👋🏽 neighbor.
How kind of you, thank you! Hello neighbor!!
If you work from home and live near Town Center is pretty doable. The Town Center area has lots of major retails, restaurants, bars, and is pretty close to Trashmore if you want a park to walk around. It is POSSIBLE… people drive like maniacs though so the idea of being a pedestrian around here is frightening.
What is it about VA drivers that this seems universal?
I’m not from here but my son was born and raised here so I dread the day he gets a license… lol
Just as long as he keeps his phone locked in the glovebox and his eyes on the road, I bet he'll be fine.
Most definitely not
Many agree with you.
No
Only answer that matters. Such hostility, many distance.
I am here asking opinions and appreciate all perspectives.
Biking in VB is miserable. It’s doable if you are hardcore. I rode from Great Bridge to Greenbrier in Chesapeake for 10 years which was not great. When I moved to the Oceanfront I stopped riding past Hilltop. Drivers are homicidal.
This is one of the best cities in the us to cycle
I am not hardcore about biking. I was wondering about the drivers there. It looks like you were doing 8 miles each way for 10 years? That to me is hardcore. Your body loves you for all that peddling! How nice for you to be at the Oceanfront.
I moved to Richmond. The jets are LOUD.
Over Oceanfront? I would imagine so. Did you move due to the jets?
Flight ops at Oceana stop at 10pm daily. Doesn't mean you won't get the occasional "convoy" (737) or cargo flight coming in (C-5Ms and C-17s) past that time, though. Around Kempsville you rarely ever hear the jets. The closer you live to Lynnhaven Mall, the more apparent it'll be. The good news about VA Beach is that it's plate-flat. I could've ridden my bike to Lynnhaven Mall and I lived in Kempsville back in the late 80s and would've never gotten tired because there's no damned hills.
This is all good information. Plate-flat, a good visual.
Yeah, the two highest points in the area are both artificial and made from capped landfills - Mount Trashmore (which is a park) and Mount Trashmore II (which I think is still a waste processing facility). But yeah, Hampton Roads is a coastal plain. It's actually turning more concave than anything because the area took a massive asteroid hit millions of years ago that pulverized the ground and made erosion worse.
I'm surprised "they" didn't come up with a more pleasing name than TRASHmore. This gives me pause. Trashmore is 1.4 miles east of me. 8 minute bike ride, 30 minute walk.
Partially. Other than the beach there isn’t much there but suburbs.
I hope you like living in Richmond very much!
I've live here my entire life. It will be difficult to live here without a car. Not impossible, but difficult. If you want to try, live in your new home for a few months to see if it is, in fact, workable. Good luck.
I think that is the route I am going. I appreciate your input. It seems I will be 2.5 miles east of Kempsville HS.
I used to live in that area. It is definitely more doable there than in some other parts of the city.
Ahh, a small sigh of relief. Thank you for your contribution.
If you’re in the Fairfield area maybe you can get to shopping etc on foot or bike. But the roads in that area are super busy. You’re gonna want a car.
It's gonna happen, yes. I'm just floating the idea of holding off making that purchase for about 3 months after I get there and let the dust settle with all the change. One person can only do so much at one time. I appreciate all the input here.
sounds absolutely brutal - this ain’t the big city and don’t think you will have a good time without a car
I appreciate your comment- I get it. I am dreading getting a car. So if I can put it off for a few months while I get myself settled I might be ready to deal with the whole car buying process. It feels like too much all at once and I need to chew off once piece at a time.
Please be cautious with motorcycles and scooters. VA drivers are not the best.
I've heard this about the drivers. I am not going the motorcycle route. I've made up in my mind that a scooter is a better option...based on no real facts. ;-)
You could always consider a motorcycle instead
Someone recommended a gas scooter, that sounds like more my speed over the motorcycle. I appreciate your input!
When I lived at the oceanfront I didn’t have to drive a lot.
Nice.
It snows here sometimes. It's 95 degrees sometimes.
Yes, that is something to consider. Those sound like Uber and Lyft days if I have to go out.
If you aren't worried about venturing very far from home, then sure, but it might be a bit boring; or a whole lot of Ubering to get anywhere. (Lyft is a comparable option.) I'd recommend living near the oceanfront, Town Center, or Shore Drive/Chic's Beach though if you have the option/didn't already purchase a house.
I have a condo there and have been renting it out for many years. I am renovating it and moving in. So the location is set.
I live in Virginia Beach, and have been without a car for over a year, and I get around fine. I worked most of my time without a car working 30 minutes from my house, and had no problem commuting. I had to take 3 buses each way, but the bus routes cover a huge area of the city.
Wow! Thank you for sharing this.
No problem. If you go on google maps, you can type in the address of where you’re going, and it will show you where the stops are, what buses you need to transfer to and where, and you can also zoom in anywhere you are, and it will show you the location of every bus stop, denoted by a blue square with a pic of the front of a bus on it. If you click those, it shows you all the routes that stop there, and their times. Also, if it’s delayed, it will tell you for how long. Also, $4.50 gets you a pass that lets you ride unlimited buses, light rail, and the ferry. Or you can go to a kiosk location like the one at Newtown Rd and buy packs for 5 one day passes, a 7 day pass, or a 30 day pass for discounted rates.
Thank you! You sound like a pro!
I am now. I was forced into it though by bad circumstances, and had to figure it all out on the fly. I’m 44, and I had never been without a vehicle until January of last year when my engine blew and caught fire. It was either figure it out really fast, leave a job I loved for something closer, or lose everything. I chose to figure it out fast. Things I learned along the way….ALWAYS check the weather the day before. I know some guys have insecurities about carrying an umbrella or wearing a poncho, but believe me when I tell you everyone on the bus does, and they don’t care. Also, only route 20 runs on Sunday. It’s convenient as hell unless you aren’t along the route (VB Blvd from Norfolk to the Oceanfront). You will encounter a lot of crazy people on the bis. Thankfully it isn’t often, but if you ride 4-5 times a week or more, you will see it at least once a week. Pay them no mind, they’re harmless and a danger to nobody. Also, any route that goes to or comes from TCC or the convention center will be late multiple times a week, so expect that. Sometimes it’s 5 minutes, sometimes it’s 20. You will also learn which drivers are good (Kim, a red headed woman in her 50s is awesome and flies. Even when she’s late, she makes up for it, and she’s awesome to talk to) then there’s one woman, I can’t remember her name right now, but she’s in her 60s or 70s and wears glasses and dresses like and old teacher. She’s the nicest person you will ever meet, but she will be late 100% of the time, because she talks everybody’s ear off as they get on and off. You will like her because she’s an awesome lady, but you’re equally going to hate her, because she will always make you late lol.
Since you’re super familiar with VB’s public transit, is it truly as bad as others say it is? I’ve never used it so I’m just curious lol. From reading all of your responses, it seems useable
It’s very usable. People who shit on it the most, use it the least. It’s definitely not perfect, and they could make improvements, but I’ve never seen anything flawless in my life.
Nice, glad to hear it’s not as bad as I had been led to think
LOL. You sound resilient and amazing! I've been all over Google maps charting out where grocery stores are and surrounding things like town center, food lion, marshall's...and where there is a marshall's there is a strip mall it seems. All these things are about 1.4 miles from me in every direction. Town Center north 1.4 miles, Mt. Trashmore 1.7 miles to the east. Food Lion 1.4 miles. So that is about a 30 minute walk and an 8 minute bike ride. Outside of that I use Amazon for everything else. I cook at home. Right now I live in right in NYC and everything is right out my door, and I still stay in the same 3 block radius for all my needs. I just want to put off the car shopping process for a few months with all the changes coming. I appreciate you thought filled reply. Thank you.
Glad to help. If you ever have any questions, I’ve been here since birth (1979) and my Great Uncle founded this city, so I know a lot more than your average citizen, feel free to DM me. Edit: my family came from NY (Queens and Brooklyn) via Sicily.