Location: Norfolk (and surrounding areas), VA

[Brandi]

please note, all of these questions are generic and will be asked for all locations so some may sound silly. The questions underneath each area are only there to help you think. Please feel free to skip things that don't apply or to elaborate on things that I did not mention.

Housing:
(How is military housing there? Which area did you live in and did you like it? Is it affordable to buy or rent in town and if so what areas would you recommend? Any additional thoughts?)


Schools:
(Which schools did your kids attend? Did you like them? Did your kids like them? How do you think the school system was overall? Any schools you would recommend over others? Did you go to college while you were there? If so, which college and how did you like it? Any additional thoughts?)


Shopping:
(How are the commissary and NEX? Do you shop there or out in town? What stores are available out in town? What is the local shopping like? Malls? Any places you recommend? Any additional thoughts?)


Cost of living:
(What is the cost of living like? High? Average? Low? How did it effect your family? Was there anything special you had to do to make ends meet? Any additional thoughts?)


Military Community:
(How is the military community? Are there resources for family and spouses? Any likes or gripes? Additional thoughts?)


Recreation:
(What is there to do in the area for adults? For kids/families? Is there anything within a few hours driving distance?)


Weather:
(What's the weather like? Mild? Seasonal? Hot? Humid? Rainy? Cold? Are there seasons?)


Overall:
(Would you go back again? Why or why not? What are your main likes and gripes?)

Shopping:
The commissary and NEX are good here. We're not married yet, so when df is home, we do shop there a lot. I also do a lot of my shopping at the Super WalMart on Military Hwy mostly because it's closer to my house and more convenient. There are lots and lots of places to shop in Hampton Roads. There are three malls very close to where I live so that's great. That's one of the things I love about living here... how close everything is.


Cost of living:
Cost of living is high here compared to upstate NY where I moved here from. For us (just a family of 2), with our BAH, it's affordable. We purchased a house and felt it was a better investment than living in an apartment. The waiting list for military housing here is also very long.

Military Community:
This is the first base I've been too, but it seems to me, IMO, that a lot of things here revolve around the base. It really seems to hold everything together. Everywhere I go, I see Sailors walking around, and I meet military families. It's nice to be surrounded by it because it makes me feel more comfortable and secure I guess.

Recreation:
There are tons of things around here to do as recreation. We're minutes from the beach, so that always opens opportunities. We're also a short drive from NC, and a little bit longer drive to Washington DC. Williamsburg is a great place to visit and Busch Gardens is also there. One thing I've discovered is that there's never a lack of things to do around here. Now that it's getting toward the summer, there are tons of events coming up in downtown Norfolk and lots of concerts coming throughout the area.

Weather:
There are definitely seasons here. We get very little snow. I think it snowed twice this winter here. I love the weather because it's mild. It was nice to come here from NY and have it get so warm so early. All the flowers are in bloom and the sun is out. It rains quite a bit in the Spring, but I don't mind it.

Overall:
I wouldn't mind living here for awhile. I'd be interested in moving to other places just for a change of scenery and to have new experiences. But overall, since I've been here, I've loved it.

[AG2Wife]

Housing:
There's a ton of housing. If you're Navy, they'll put you on ALL of the housing lists if you desire to get in sooner. Some is nice, some is not.
It's slightly more expensive to live on the southside. There are communities you'll want to completely avoid. You'll be able to pick those out just by driving by!!

Shopping:
There's a bunch of military bases in the area. You can pick and chose what commissary, NEX/BX you want to go to. The larger exchanges are Little Creek and Norfolk on the southside. We're on the peninsula and prefer Langley.
There are malls in pretty much every town. There's shopping everywhere too!


Cost of living:
I don't think cost of living is high. We grew up in the DC area, so we're used to paying extra for everything. It would be nice if the military could match the cost of living.


Military Community:
There are alot of bases in the area (more than 10), so you can imagine the LARGE community. People take advantage of the large community... "Military, free financing"...but they'll rip you off in a heart beat


Recreation:
There are parks, camping, Busch Gardens, beachs, etc. DC is only a few hours away.


Weather:
Weather is CRAZY! Hot one day, cold the next. It's nice to have variety, but it makes you sick! Humidity is not as bad as the south, but worse than the north/ out west.


Overall:
This is our second tour here, we want OUT!!! It just seems so hectic. People are rude, the roads are constantly under construction, theres traffic, shootings, rapes, the news is in everyone's business - wanting a "breaking" story... I'd go on, but I don't like offending people!

[Tiffany]

Housing:
(How is military housing there? Which area did you live in and did you like it? Is it affordable to buy or rent in town and if so what areas would you recommend? Any additional thoughts?) Housing is very expensive here, rent, from what I have seen, usually runs from $600. - and up. We currently live in Chesapeake and we pay almost a thousand dollars a month. I would recommend the Chesapeake area, it is expensive but most of the surrounding area is horrible. Be very careful when looking for a home or a place to rent because so of the areas around here are run down and have a high crime rate.

Shopping:
(How are the commissary and NEX? Do you shop there or out in town? What stores are available out in town? What is the local shopping like? Malls? Any places you recommend? Any additional thoughts?) The commissary and NEX at Naval Station Norfolk is a good place to shop. Besides staying packed the NEX has a really good selection of almost everything. The commissary has a limited selection, it is best to go there if you need lots of basics. There are all major department stores here and several malls. No matter what area you live in there is more than likely a mall there. My personal favorite is MacArthur Mall. It is three stories of shopping heaven.

Cost of living:
(What is the cost of living like? High? Average? Low? How did it effect your family? Was there anything special you had to do to make ends meet? Any additional thoughts?) The cost of living here is very high. It hasn't effected us seriously yet but at times it is very trying. Once we moved here I had to get a full time job because DH's pay couldn't cover all of our expenses.

Military Community:
(How is the military community? Are there resources for family and spouses? Any likes or gripes? Additional thoughts?) There are resources for families but being a new Navy wife I haven't been exposed to them. No one offered a helping hand here, only the wonderful ladies on this site.

Recreation:
(What is there to do in the area for adults? For kids/families? Is there anything within a few hours driving distance?) There is so many things to do here. Busch Gardens, the beach (of course), cinemas, and a zoo. I am still new to the area and I am sure the list goes on and on.

Weather:
(What's the weather like? Mild? Seasonal? Hot? Humid? Rainy? Cold? Are there seasons?) Fall and winter is cold and rainy. Summer and spring is hot, rainy, and humid. Virginia has a really high pollen count in the spring.

Overall:
(Would you go back again? Why or why not? What are your main likes and gripes?) If we ever leave Virginia and have a choice to come back here I would not come. This is the worst place to live. The Hampton Roads area has a very high crime rate, traffic is horrible all the time, and the cost of living is outrageous.

[dotb182]

Housing:
(How is military housing there? Which area did you live in and did you like it? Is it affordable to buy or rent in town and if so what areas would you recommend? Any additional thoughts?) Db and I live in Va Beach, which I love because its the center of everything, IMO. DB and I bought a house, and still have extra money left over, even though its just his BAH and my parttime job. Renting in my opinion can be pricy, if someone is gonna live here for a while, its cheaper to by in the long run, b/c atleast its "yours". The only negative about housing in this area, is you have to be careful where you live, most cities are very patchy with bad neighborhoods, however every city offers something fun and different.


Schools:
(Which schools did your kids attend? Did you like them? Did your kids like them? How do you think the school system was overall? Any schools you would recommend over others? Did you go to college while you were there? If so, which college and how did you like it? Any additional thoughts?) I'm not sure about city schools b/c we don't have kids, but as for post highschool education there is a variety of options. There are over 10 colleges in the area, some being accredited state universities. I go to ODU and LOVE it, its a small campus, with really warm, friendly people.


Shopping:
Shopping is one of the best things of this area, there are tons of malls in this area ( I can drive to 4 of them within 10 minutes of my house!) There is something and somewhere for everyone.

Cost of living:
(What is the cost of living like? High? Average? Low? How did it effect your family? Was there anything special you had to do to make ends meet? Any additional thoughts?) The cost of living is high in this area. Especially gas prices. However we've never had problems making ends meet, as long as people are willing to put some aside there should be no problems

Recreation:
(What is there to do in the area for adults? For kids/families? Is there anything within a few hours driving distance?) There is alot to do in the area, we have a zoo, museums, amusment parks, the beach, places to go dancing, skating bowling, many concert venues, places to go shoot pool, etc


Weather:
(What's the weather like? Mild? Seasonal? Hot? Humid? Rainy? Cold? Are there seasons?)
When its hot, its hot, and when its cold its cold. There is no in between IMO. There are season, but they are very odd ( it can be 75 in jan, and 40 in june) very unpredictable

Overall:
(Would you go back again? Why or why not? What are your main likes and gripes?)I Love this area, I'm partial to it because i grew up here. The only reall negative is the traffic, its horrible!!!!

[NewBeginnings]

Housing:
(How is military housing there? Which area did you live in and did you like it? Is it affordable to buy or rent in town and if so what areas would you recommend? Any additional thoughts?)

We lived in Navy housing for a year. We lived right across from Gate 5 of Little Creek Base. I liked it at first but as the year went on I began to hate it. The maintenance takes forever and they never fixed anything completely. They would just "rig" it to get it to work. It got a little better after it changed over to civilians but we moved out because it was a 2 bedroom apartment and only 700 square feet and we needed more living space with having a baby. I've also realized that it is really expensive to rent here. But we chose to rent because we don't know how long we are going to be in the area and we didn't want to go get a house and then the Navy relocate us six months later.


Schools:
(Which schools did your kids attend? Did you like them? Did your kids like them? How do you think the school system was overall? Any schools you would recommend over others? Did you go to college while you were there? If so, which college and how did you like it? Any additional thoughts?)


Shopping:
(How are the commissary and NEX? Do you shop there or out in town? What stores are available out in town? What is the local shopping like? Malls? Any places you recommend? Any additional thoughts?)

Little Creek Base has a fairly good size NEX and Commisarry. I don't shop there reguarly only if I need a few things and I'm already on base. When we lived in Navy housing there was the comissary on base across the street and then down Shore drive there was a Kroger and a Food Lion. I normally shopped at the Kroger. Since moving over by Laskin Road I haven't figured out where everything is yet. There are several malls in the area also.


Cost of living:
(What is the cost of living like? High? Average? Low? How did it effect your family? Was there anything special you had to do to make ends meet? Any additional thoughts?) The cost of living here is high. I will be getting a part time job here soon because we are having a hard time making ends meet on just hubby's pay alone.


Military Community:
(How is the military community? Are there resources for family and spouses? Any likes or gripes? Additional thoughts?) There are several military people here. I've only gotten to know a few people in the time that I have been here. They have several resources for families and spouses. The best place to look for the information is on your SO's other's base or through there Family Services Program. I know on hubby's base the Family Support Center offers all different ranges of classes such as teaching you how to make a budget to simple arts and crafts.


Recreation:
(What is there to do in the area for adults? For kids/families? Is there anything within a few hours driving distance?) Malls, beaches, and several other fun things to do. If you like a weekend trip, DC is only like 4 hours away.


Weather:
(What's the weather like? Mild? Seasonal? Hot? Humid? Rainy? Cold? Are there seasons?) The weather here is a LOT better then Texas weather. Yeah it rains a lot here but I'd rather take the rain then 105 degree heat anyday!


Overall:
(Would you go back again? Why or why not? What are your main likes and gripes?) I don't like it here and want to leave. The traffic is terrible, people are rude, and the crime here is ridiculous. I told Josh if we were here when Madison starts school I'm home schooling her because of all the terrible things you here on the news about schools here. Between them having school bus accidents on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis and teachers getting arrested for teaching drunk, its ridiculous.

[Kaymara]

Housing:
(How is military housing there? Which area did you live in and did you like it? Is it affordable to buy or rent in town and if so what areas would you recommend? Any additional thoughts?) We lived out in town in Virginia Beach. This was a LONG time ago (back in 1999-2000) Our apartment was really nice. A bit small but very nice and affordable for us at that time.


Schools:
(Which schools did your kids attend? Did you like them? Did your kids like them? How do you think the school system was overall? Any schools you would recommend over others? Did you go to college while you were there? If so, which college and how did you like it? Any additional thoughts?) We didnt have any kids while we lived there.


Shopping:
(How are the commissary and NEX? Do you shop there or out in town? What stores are available out in town? What is the local shopping like? Malls? Any places you recommend? Any additional thoughts?) We never went to the commisarry and I think we only hit up the NEX maybe once. We just basically shopped out in town which was affordable. We had a grocery store across the street from us. There was also a mall not too far away and we did go shopping there alot too


Cost of living:
(What is the cost of living like? High? Average? Low? How did it effect your family? Was there anything special you had to do to make ends meet? Any additional thoughts?) Cost of living was about average while we were there. Like I said its been about 6-7 years so I know things change. But while we were there it was fine.


Military Community:
(How is the military community? Are there resources for family and spouses? Any likes or gripes? Additional thoughts?) Didn't get a chance really to see how it was. I think there was military discounts offered at a few places in town.


Recreation:
(What is there to do in the area for adults? For kids/families? Is there anything within a few hours driving distance?) Hmmm The mall, the beach. I think there is an amusement park close by, we really diudnt do much there.


Weather:
(What's the weather like? Mild? Seasonal? Hot? Humid? Rainy? Cold? Are there seasons?) It was too hot and muggy for us in the summer and it was chilly in the winter. It did snow and it seemed like when it did snow it shut everything down. We got hurricanes and tropical storms in the spring and summer and severe thunderstorms. I can honestly say I was quite spooked by the weather there . Plus the year we got there we had 3 hurricanes/tropical storms hit in like 2 and a half months time.

Overall:
(Would you go back again? Why or why not? What are your main likes and gripes?)[/QUOTE] If we can avoid it we would like to never go back there. We both prefer the west coast. It was too hot, too much traffic, etc for us.

[gotcurls]

Housing:
My husband was stationed in Norfolk from 2001-2005. We lived in a townhome for the first year while waiting for a house in housing to open up. Norfolk is really a hit and miss area for bad and good. There are other cities close by though that you can check out also. Military Housing was nice while we were there. We lived in Norwich Manor, I posted pictures in the gallery. It is affordable to buy for more senior guys, if your spouse is but an E-3 or lower I would recommend something renting or housing. If you can afford to buy in Hampton Rds as most make atleast 25,000 when they sell. Hampton Roads consists of 7 cities that are within a 50 miles radius...just guessing on the mileage...but they are all close and you can get to all of them with in an hour or less.

Schools:
My daughter attended Camp Allen while we lived there. She was in kindergarten & 1st grade there. She was pushed to do more than I expected at the time. She did very well with what was being taught and made honor roll every time. The class size was average 20-25 students. Overall the school was a good school. Now being in a different state I realise that just how good it was.

Shopping:
I liked the commissary and the NEX. Like all commissary's there are a few things they don't carry but mainly they have everything and they are open on Mondays. Norfolk has all the regular places to shop like Wal-Mart, Target, & Kmart. Military Circle is also in Norfolk, it's a mall, not huge but it's there. Hampton Roads as a whole though has atleast 2 of all places. If you are close or don't mind the drive Coliseum Mall does free Christmas & Easter pictures, well they did when we were there, they give you a 5x7. Also the commissary in Norfolk is always packed around payday...except atleast a 20 min wait in line if you go on a holiday or payday.

Cost of living:
My husband was on sea duty while we lived there. Yes we racked up some credit card bills while there but if you are smart and have a budget you can live comfortably with just the military income. I would say the cost of living was average. Most everything costs money so look for the free stuff they have military days at alot of places there and they are either free or much cheaper. Also go to the base and do stuff. They have a gator pool, bowling, movies (at the Little Creek base) all for little to nothing.

Military Community:
All branches of military have a base or two in the Hampton Roads area. I don't know if the locals like all the military but we(the military) are everywhere. I say it's a great place to get stationed first because there are so many resources and military around. Kinda like everyones in the same boat together.

Recreation:
Waterside for the kids and adults as they have resturants and night clubs. The comedy clubs in the area are also a good date night out with the husband. Norfolk has a zoo, it's not huge but decent sized. In Newport News there is a living museum. In Portsmouth there is a childrens museum. Then of course Va beach is a short drive away. Williamsburg VA has Busch Gardens & Water Country and that's about 45 min drive. Washington DC is about 3 hours north of Norfolk.

Weather:
You get all 4 seasons in Norfolk. Spring is mild like it should be but can also be very rainy. Summer is hot & humid, you need central air. Fall is nice the trees change color and all that jazz. Winter is not harsh at all, there may be some snow fall but no more than half a foot.

Overall:
YES I would go back. I liked the feeling of all the military community around. Lots to go do and see if we choose to. The schools were challenging enough but not overwhelming. To me it felt like I was in the place I should be. My only dislike would be rush hour & tunnel traffic, always remember to leave extra early incase you get stuck in traffic.__________________

[Kris]

Housing:

Currently I live in military housing in Norfolk, near gate 4. I love it. I have had some troubles with getting stuff fixed but overall the house is WONDERFUL!! It is a 2 bedrooms town home that is about 1000sqft but it seems a lot bigger. I have lived out in town (grew up here also) and I enjoy this location much more than anywhere else. Out in town for something that was as nice as this we would pay over 1000 dollars a month and that did not include utility's. I have lived in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton and Norfolk. With what we get for BAH it is not worth it to live outside of military housing if you only have military income. Especially if you have big dogs like me. Most places will not accept them housing allows 2 animals, no restrictions on dogs!!!


Shopping:

The commissary is nice in Virginia Beach it is relatively new. the NEX's are ok. some stuff is cheaper some stuff is not. There are a lot of malls in the area... Greenbriar, Chesapeake Sq., Lynnhaven, MacArthur, and many more. They are trying to build up Norfolk so MacArthur mall is really nice but VERY expensive, and you have to pay to park. If you are just wanting a nice mall experience for low cost I would say go to Lynnhaven


Military Community:

There are many resources for family and spouses, but you do have to look for them. Almost anywhere you live you are bound to have a few military neighbors. Some are nice some are not. You have your rude people and your nice people. It is a blend of many cultures so you have almost anything that you could look for.


Recreation:

There is everything that you could possibly want for families and kids in the area. To many to list but some examples are... beach, Ocean Breeze fun park, Mount Trashmore, Kidz Cove, Bush Gardens, Water Country USA... I could go on!!! Adults they have some great restraunts... if you are looking for a romantic outing for you and your spouse I would recommend Freemason Abby in Norfolk WONDERFUL!!!!!!!


Weather:

Hot and humid during the summer, cold with no snow during the winter and they occasionally forget that there should be a spring and fall. The weather can go from being 80 one day to 40 the next. It is a little frustrating. Be ready to have winter clothes out in Sept. and summer clothes out in May but be ready to wear either for about 3 months surrounding those months!!

Overall:

I love it here. I hate the rude people and the bad drivers. But I have learned back roads so that makes traffic ok. I want to move away because I want to live in other places but I would not complain about having to live here again in the future. Although I have had many of my military friends tell me that they hate it here. I think *and have been told* that it is just a HUGE change from most other places in the US and it can be an adjustment. Just be prepared for people to be rude, cut you off in the street, run over you if you are not on a sidewalk, and walk right in front of you when you are walking. People are rude but if you are nice you will find other nice people out there!!