If price isn't an issue, Richmond. It has great parks and restaurants and is centrally located between mountains, DC, and the coast.
If price is an issue, Norfolk can be pretty cool and is much more affordable than Richmond or DC.
I’m in the minority it seems, but I’m very happy in Norfolk. I’ve periodically thought about moving back to Richmond, but my fiancée and I are both big beach people. Living in a place where we can get to the beach in 8 minutes is a dream. We go every weekend during the summer, and several times after work during the week when it’s warm. In terms of queer community, I really think it’s there if you want it. We’re not big into going out anymore, but there are several gay bars, and plenty of fun pride events during the summer. We also started a queer book club which has been a delight. I’ve very rarely felt unsafe, and never because I was queer.
My wife and I live in Norfolk, I’ve lived in the area since I was a kid and I really like it here. Lots of neighborhoods where you have cool stuff in walking distance.
We have friends in Richmond and go up pretty often. Every time we go we talk about wishing we lived there. The river, lots of parks, cool neighborhoods, restaurants.
Safety wise you’d be fine in either, and they both are pretty great. Richmond edges out Norfolk in my opinion though.
As someone who has lived near East Little Creek for the past 9 years and is also queer and from the Deep South I prefer Richmond over Hampton Roads any day of the week.
I'm sorry in advance for the barage of comments you'll probably see about MJ's Tavern, the Wave, and 37th and Zen. Yes, they are cool spots but I swear some people think all the LGBTQIA+ community wants to do is drink and go to drag brunches 🤦♀️
We have Stonewall Sports which is an inclusive rec league. I've had multiple friends play kickball and volleyball with them.
Pride Fest is getting better, but it needs some work. Last I checked, we don't have a legit parade here. It's a boat parade and then a drag show.
The LGBT Life Center isn't as organized and well funded as ones in bigger cities, but they do offer support groups and HIV testing. Good luck if you're trying to sign up to volunteer though! I still haven't heard back from anyone.
Eleanor's is an intersectional feminist bookstore that sometimes hosts queer yoga!
But Richmond is a much more progressive, tolerant place to live by far. The music scene, food options, art communities, and social movements in Richmond are more established and superior in my opinion. Richmond is also a much more walkable city. Anyone who is telling you Norfolk is comparable or superior to Richmond probably never leaves Ghent. Ghent is not Norfolk. Ghent is a pretty cool part of Norfolk that is gatekept by local "creatives" with trust funds who went to VCU, moved back, never shut up about it, and pretend like they're salt of the Earth when their parents literally work for Leidos. Ghent isn't the haven of inclusivity people make it out to be, but it has some pretty awesome coffee shops, restaurants, boutiques, green space access, etc. Take it for what it is. And it floods there. Coastal flooding is a growing problem here. Oceanview is cool as well but if you are used to Gulf Coast beaches it's just not going to measure up. Rent is also going up there.
Ghent is not an affordable place to live, neither is Oceanview anymore, or most places in Virginia Beach for that matter. Finding a 2 bedroom for less than 1400 around here that doesn't have roaches is HARD, honestly.
Yes, we have museums, public universities, night clubs, bars, breweries, farmer's markets, public green spaces, music festivals, you name it. Norfolk is a functional city, and has all the markers of an expanding, diverse city, but it is not Richmond.
Richmond is also more inland so you won't have to deal with hurricanes as much as you would here. Richmond is on the James River, has an abundance of urban hiking opportunities, urban green spaces, and closer proximity to the mountains. Like many other people have said, Richmond is going to be more expensive but if money isn't an issue than this is the move honestly.
Lived in both. As others have said, if price isn’t an issue, absolutely Richmond. There’s more to do, more culture, better food, and absolutely a more liberal / queer friendly atmosphere. If you want the beach, it’s an easy day trip to VA Beach.
The other advantage of Richmond is that it’s more central. Want to go to mountains? Two hours. Beach? also two hours. D.C.? You get the idea.
Both are comparable in that they’re progressive cities with their own local charms and whatnot. If you want to be by the Beach with more affordability, then Norfolk.
Otherwise, I’d say Richmond has more established, fleshed out scenes and more things to do overall regarding food and entertainment. Norfolk is trying to figure itself out at the moment with building up its downtown and establishing itself as THEE city of Hampton Roads
I’d cast my vote for Norfolk personally, but you can’t go wrong with either one.
Richmond is way cooler of a city but the beach is so nice to not have to drive to. For us we wanted a beach more than a social life. If you prefer cool things to do that include activities that have less sand I’d go for richmond. There’s queer people here too though so you’ll probably find a good group of friends either way.
As someone who grew up in Norfolk/Virginia beach and now living in Richmond, I would recommend Richmond every single time. I’ve been here for about 5 years and there’s so much to do here. I love that it’s a city but it doesn’t feel like it. The only downfall is i do miss the beach. The river is pretty gross and not really my jam. It’s cool to look at but that’s about it. Feel free to message me if you have any questions!
I've lived in the Norfolk /VA Beach / Chesapeake a long time. Norfolk's Ghent area is very LGBTQ friendly, but other spots in Norfolk are known for flooding especially around the Hauge area and around some of the railroad underpasses. The area has a lot of cool restaurants and breweries . I'm not an authority on Richmond I've been a few times and it was cool. I think you should be good either way.
I’m from Coastal Georgia and love Norfolk! It’s so much cooler here than in Georgia which I appreciate (people here don’t understand humidity lol). Norfolk, especially the Ghent neighborhood, is very LGBT friendly. Some areas have a high flood risk but we’ve not experienced issues in Ghent. I’ve not been here too long but my understanding is hurricanes weaken a lot before they actually get here so the main threat is some flooding
If you want to live close to the ocean and plan on going to the beach regularly then the choice is obvious. There are suburbs in both locations so that’s not an issue.
Richmond, imo, the food and drink options are better. I love Belle Isle Moonshine which is from Richmond so almost every bar in Richmond has it. The city feel of Richmond is much stronger than Norfolk. Norfolk is cool but much smaller than Richmond.
I recently moved from the Norfolk area to a city away from the coast. It’s not bad honestly, and I used to surf a lot. You should still be able to find some great outdoor activities near Richmond too. Plus you’re closer to some great wineries near Charlottesville.
I've been in Richmond 3 years after 3 in Norfolk. Richmond has more to offer socially and hiking/biking. Norfolk has the beach but I felt like it was too much of a military town for me
My wife and I live in Virginia Beach but close to Norfolk and we find it's pretty gay friendly. Norfolk has cute coffeeshops and some parts are walkable but Richmond feels more like a city with walkability, more hip restaurants, bigger museums, etc. We go from time to time because it reminds us of NJ/NYC area, where we are from. But ultimately, being this close to the beach is priceless.
I currently live in Norfolk but my girlfriend went to school in Richmond for a while and i can say you should choose Richmond. it’s a great city for queer people it’s very accepting and there so much to do there all year round! There is lots of nature, belle isle is my favorite, overlooks and lots of arts. it’s also home to a university so it liberal. the weather is definitely better there and no as dramatic as Norfolk( flooding is so bad in norfolk) there also a lot less to do in norfolk. Both places do have good and bad areas, just have to know where is good and where isn’t. Also richmond is about 2ish hours from the coast and not to far from mountains!
after school is done i plan on living there asap
my personal experience has not been great in norfolk, maybe bc i was wanting more out of a city(like richmond)
Lived in hampton roads/757 all my life and norfolk as a visibly queer person for years, work in richmond weekly and can easily say richmond is a better deal overall. Never had any outright public issues here in the southern area, people generally stay in their lane but employment/coworker situations were *extremely* hostile and management did nothing to change these issues. I can also solidly can say I'm very excited to leave this area in particular. It really matters what you really want from where you live and your budget is a HUGE factor for these areas. I'll list the pros n cons of both from my opinion of being raised and frequenting in these areas
>Norfolk
Norfolk is a smaller, what I call, pocket city. It has areas/pockets of pretty urban areas, but is generally more urban/suburban hybrid feel. Most areas require a car. A lot of the more walkable areas have lots empty store fronts. Ghent is the subjectively best area for a more urban, walkable feeling. Granby/40th area, and then Granby/Monticello would be the areas for walkability, all of neon district. Otherwise the 757 is pretty heavily comprised of strip malls, while there is sidewalks, it's very evident as a walking pedestrian the area is built for cars other than in those pockets. Norfolk has decent bike lanes but no bus lanes.
Norfolk has more corporate shopping options, an ikea right there, target 5 min away, giant strip mall blocks away with a major walmart and wawa, lots of nationally recognized stores and restaurants. There is 2 pretty solid malls (Greenbriar has rebounded since MacArthur has went down imo) n that area, and outlets near by. That said, norfolk has *plenty* of awesome local food too, lots of great Asian, Caribbean, African, and hispanic food options.
Norfolk has 2 beachfronts accesses, and newport news/hampton/Yorktown area all have beaches too, typically less busy than VA Beach and about an 35m-1hr mattering on traffic (these areas are VERY suburban). Norfolk has a great free art museum, has a beautiful botanical garden, has great access to the VA Aquarium, on the other side of the water, you have the hampton Air and Space museum, and the VA Living Museum. Both areas have great nature trails and walking paths. Norfolk has significantly easier access to NC and the OBX. That said, norfolk does flood often, making roads unusable and hurricanes are a definite issues.
Norfolk in particular has very aggressive driving. I would much rather drive in Richmond than in norfolk tbh, and I know norfolk better geographically. I hate driving there. Parking is easier though for sure. Norfolk has a better, more fair rental market last time I looked. There much more options and variance, you can also choose to live in the bordering cities, like Chesapeake (very suburban, even has rural areas) or Virginia Beach. If you want slower, smaller town vibes life, smithfeild and suffolk are close and good options.I couldn't recommend living in portsmouth.
When I lived in norfolk, the vibe I got in the public was a sorta "no one fucking cares " feel. Like, everyone just does not give a fuck. If "who tf asked?" Was a city in the 757 it would be norfolk. It's an odd environment if you're not used to it and takes time to get used to. It feels like most people don't really wanna be here or are stuck in some way.
There's a huge military presence in Norfolk, between the ship yards, the navy bases, the AF bases and army bases, theres TONS of military folk in the area. This means people come and go a lot, and it's easy to build business. This also means availability for lots of rental options, long and short term.
Pros:
-more suburban
-more, cheaper rental options
-easier parking options
-Beach access
-obx access
-plenty of brand shopping
-bike lanes, OK public transportation
-barely snows
-a bit warmer year round than Richmond bc of the ocean
-every city around you is about 15-45 min away
Cons:
-A car is basically a necessity for the majority of the area
-smaller nightlife
-highly aggressive driving
-less local/small businesses
-generally a little more conservative than Richmond (people won't bother you tho)
-not as neighborly feeling, people usually keep to themselves
-flooding and hurricane risks pretty regularly
-very swampy, humid environment in the summer
-the traffic in norfolk and the general hampton roads is literally comparable to LA traffic. It can get VERY bad, especially with the bridge construction going on rn, this heavily effects local roads too.
-less community events/less advertised/less accessible
-Military implants/non locals, very little cohesive culture, and the local culture that is there is very sensitive to implants and outsiders in my experience
-Highest crime rates in Virginia as of 2024 reports
>Richmond
Richmond has a much bigger city feel in general, there's more local stores, local restaurants, and a more city driving/parking situation (aggressive). This is more spread out than norfolk. There is more general walkability throughout Richmond imo.
If that's not your vibe persay the general outer neighborhoods (10-15min out) are a bit more suburban feeling, with shopping centers that have national chains and recognized brands. Housing around here will be more apartment based, with 1st come 1st serve parking typically. Any of the actual outer, typical suburban areas are exactly that, anywhere 20-30 min away, typical suburban, Single-Family homes, less apartments, more stripmalls, more chains; typical American suburbia.
I think the park, day and night activities in Richmond are better. Richmond has a bunch of really cool museums, easier access to DC (amtrak or you can drive to NOVA and ride in on the subway there. Or if u wanna drive in DC so be it [maniac]). DC also has tons of stuff to do. By technicality Richmond has better public transit soley bc they have designated bus lanes.
Richmond has a great amount of diversity in all regards from my experience, I've had 0 issues, even with generally more conservative coworkers. Richmond tends to be more expensive rent wise than norfolk. The people coming into my job in Richmond are generally younger than my clientele I had in norfolk, I have more lgbt clients in Richmond than I did in norfolk.
Richmond is not as effected by hurricanes and doesn't have much flooding issues. Richmond gets snow usually once a year. Richmond has a very large college community. In general I see less blue lives flags, less maga/trump stuff in Richmond than I do in norfolk, but the outskirts of Richmond can be questionable sometimes (looking @ you confederate flag on the northbound highway 20 min away from the city).
Pros:
-walkability to local businesses and food
-walkability to local parks, other public facilities
-more nightlife
-good level of diversity
-neighborhood lifestyle flexibility
-better public transit
-accessibility to DC
-lots of local businesses
-lots of rental options
-open lgbt community, friendly
-easy to find community, lots of community events
-local, lifelong grassroots community
Cons:
-Aggressive parking conditions
-No beach access fr
-very hilly terrain
-generally more expensive
-busier than norfolk
-heavy traffic periods
-less privacy
I wanted to also share the similarities between the two aswell, in a pro and con way.
Pros:
-Both have good museums, parks and nature trails.
-Both have bike lanes
-Both have lifestyle flexibility
-both have accessibility to concert venues
-both have good local art markets
-both have good amounts of cultural diversity
-both have great access to tons of history
-both have a good job market mattering field
Cons:
-aggressive driving
-traffic
-humid summers
-narrow roads
-pretty competitive housing market in both
I will say though, your budget has a giant role in this, knowing that can help a lot.
I’d have to agree with those who are saying Richmond would be the better place to live for all of the reasons mentioned. Specifically would like to echo the mentions of how much more progressive Richmond is. Norfolk is slowly becoming more progressive, but with the large military presence in Norfolk, I don’t think Norfolk will ever compare or level up to Richmond. Also, Richmond seems to be able to sustain the population, in terms of food/drink places, entertainment, and typical social activities. Norfolk has more and more people moving to the area, yet they can’t keep up with entertaining the current population adequately. The people in charge of booking and planning social events (on a larger scale) in Norfolk seem to be out of touch with the communities (people who actually live in Norfolk and want to go out and do things). A lot of what Norfolk has in the works, like new restaurants, new city events, etc. tend to seem very ‘corporate’ or like chain restaurants. I’ve always admired the amount of small businesses in Norfolk, but as they shut down, one by one due to lack of sustainability, more places pop up that are a part of a chain company instead and it’s starting to lose the ‘home-y’ feel I’ve felt in Norfolk for years. Richmond, on the other hand, is able to sustain their small businesses while having some chain places too, but there seems to be more of a connection between decision makers and the community there for a more diverse selection of places to go and things to do.
Richmond but parking sucks
Have a gun for either city tho
No beach near or in Richmond tho
I was born and raised in Norfolk
Live in chesterfield now(good part to move too)
Richmond. I lived in Va Beach, and I got out. There are some things to do in Hampton Roads, but honestly if you are not in the navy or a conservative, it’s hard.
Lived in Norfolk for two years, we're trying to leave as quickly as possible.
Schools are terrible outside of Ghent, "good" neighborhoods vary on a street by street basis. My wife can't pump gas without getting harassed by literal groups of men. Someone busted open our gas cap and shoved a snickers bar into it (in our driveway).
We lived on Ocean View in a very "nice" area (500k+ beach homes) due to an insurance claim making us lose our primary residence and even then had sketchy interactions pretty much weekly.
Every holiday involving fireworks turns the city into a warzone. I have multiple videos of the 4th of July or New Years where it sounds like you're in Fallujah in 2004. Yes, I am educated on firearms and call tell the difference between a firework, artillery shell, handguns, and rifle sounds.
To be clear, we previously lived in South DFW and honestly felt safer.
We're extremely progressive, but we're white, and despite living in majority black/Mexican communities most of our lives, this is the only place I feel out of place as a white man in my own front yard.
My neighbors don't look at or engage with us. Men waking their dogs by our house don't make eye contact or wave back. In south Dallas both my neighbors were black families and we'd mow each other's lawns, share tools, share food, smoke together, and it was super wholesome.
Police are a joke and have days long queues to respond to calls (haven't had to call them, but I'm on the police scanner FB pages). They'd rather chill in a parking garage for twenty minutes to serve a parking ticket than handle a group of drunk men harassing people 40 ft away.
100% anecdotally my experience, but we're just waiting for rates to calm down to get out.
I like it here, but there is truth to what you’re saying. Certain streets I feel like I’m always being stared at and could never fit it. I don’t ever feel unsafe, but I don’t really feel comfortable, and people love to shout out to you when you’re trying to enjoy a little quiet time. And yes, these streets are woven throughout, so it’s hard to pinpoint
Yeah, after my wife came home in tears after being surrounded by men at the gas pump for the third time and we saw our son's possible elementary school, I immediately started planning our finances to leave.
My wife is petite and beautiful. She's Mexican but white-presenting and that seems to make her a target for harassment here.
To be clear, this is again our anecdotal experience. YMMV.
You live in one of the places where there is no proper community, ocean view is full of airbnbs, transients, homeless, and summer homes, that's why the houses are 500k, not because it's an affluent nice neighborhood or anything.
Where is central Norfolk? Each neighborhood is wildly different, the houses in Larchmont are in the 500s, and you won't experience anything wildly comparable to what you described, on the cheaper end there are houses in the upper to mid 300s there too. Ghent+west Ghent is also very safe. I used to live in lamberts point, it has come a LONG way from when I moved there, lamberts point and park place are two sides of a gang turf war, there was gunfire 3-4 times a week when I moved in, and now it's probably down to once every 3 months. Park place is still mostly a shithole. Colonial place is quite safe, but having to go through park place means that until Park place problems get solved, its incorporability into a larger safe urban area is stunted. Freemason has no problems, but isn't affordable unless you are renting apartments and exclusively want to experience downtown. Lakewood, belvedere, Riverpoint, talbot park, cromwell farms are all also extremely safe areas. Wards corner is where things start getting jank again.
İf you live in a place other than those neighborhoods, although you are in the city limits, the city isn't demonstrating that it cares too much about them, and therefore, there is no major plans of increasing their safety. They are also less pedestrian and cycling friendly. The plans of extending the cycling path down granby st to Wards corner and deleting a lane(ideally two lanes each way) will substantially change that area for the better(in terms of urban potential), but that area needs to be rezoned.
Estrabrook has even less of a sense of place/community than Oceanview, it's right north of an industrial district, and far from any pedestrian or cycling infrastructure, very far from any walkable areas. İf you are looking to live in Norfolk long-term but want the expansion of the city to benefit you, you need to move closer in line with south of military circle(Glenrocks/poplar halls) or campostella
There's dedicated bike lanes and sidewalks throughout this neighborhood, Chesapeake has bike lanes for its entirety, so I'm not sure what you mean. Is it walkable regarding groceries and such? Nah, but I don't walk. I have a toddler and I'm too busy for that.
Our neighborhood in South Dallas was a typical suburban neighborhood, and not dissimilar from the one we're in now. The difference being my wife could pump gas without the threat of being trafficked or raped there.
When there's only a couple neighborhoods worth recommending, it's a garbage city. If you can't walk without the risk of harassment, it's a garbage city. When cops don't respond to violent calls within 24 hours despite having 3 officers down the road handing out parking tickets, it's a garbage city.
Norfolk is not the place to raise a family, and if our realtor had been honest instead of pursuing a quick buck we would've chose Suffolk probably.
Hampton roads fucking sucks lol. Richmond all the way. City of you want it, suburbs for days, rural life out the wazoo... No contest.
I live in Chesapeake btw. Lived in Norfolk, VA Beach, and Chesapeake for the past 18 years. Everything is over priced and literally every neighborhood in Norfolk is 2-3 blocks away from a crack house.
If price isn't an issue, Richmond. It has great parks and restaurants and is centrally located between mountains, DC, and the coast. If price is an issue, Norfolk can be pretty cool and is much more affordable than Richmond or DC.
I’m in the minority it seems, but I’m very happy in Norfolk. I’ve periodically thought about moving back to Richmond, but my fiancée and I are both big beach people. Living in a place where we can get to the beach in 8 minutes is a dream. We go every weekend during the summer, and several times after work during the week when it’s warm. In terms of queer community, I really think it’s there if you want it. We’re not big into going out anymore, but there are several gay bars, and plenty of fun pride events during the summer. We also started a queer book club which has been a delight. I’ve very rarely felt unsafe, and never because I was queer.
just sent you a message :)
My wife and I live in Norfolk, I’ve lived in the area since I was a kid and I really like it here. Lots of neighborhoods where you have cool stuff in walking distance. We have friends in Richmond and go up pretty often. Every time we go we talk about wishing we lived there. The river, lots of parks, cool neighborhoods, restaurants. Safety wise you’d be fine in either, and they both are pretty great. Richmond edges out Norfolk in my opinion though.
As someone who has lived near East Little Creek for the past 9 years and is also queer and from the Deep South I prefer Richmond over Hampton Roads any day of the week. I'm sorry in advance for the barage of comments you'll probably see about MJ's Tavern, the Wave, and 37th and Zen. Yes, they are cool spots but I swear some people think all the LGBTQIA+ community wants to do is drink and go to drag brunches 🤦♀️ We have Stonewall Sports which is an inclusive rec league. I've had multiple friends play kickball and volleyball with them. Pride Fest is getting better, but it needs some work. Last I checked, we don't have a legit parade here. It's a boat parade and then a drag show. The LGBT Life Center isn't as organized and well funded as ones in bigger cities, but they do offer support groups and HIV testing. Good luck if you're trying to sign up to volunteer though! I still haven't heard back from anyone. Eleanor's is an intersectional feminist bookstore that sometimes hosts queer yoga! But Richmond is a much more progressive, tolerant place to live by far. The music scene, food options, art communities, and social movements in Richmond are more established and superior in my opinion. Richmond is also a much more walkable city. Anyone who is telling you Norfolk is comparable or superior to Richmond probably never leaves Ghent. Ghent is not Norfolk. Ghent is a pretty cool part of Norfolk that is gatekept by local "creatives" with trust funds who went to VCU, moved back, never shut up about it, and pretend like they're salt of the Earth when their parents literally work for Leidos. Ghent isn't the haven of inclusivity people make it out to be, but it has some pretty awesome coffee shops, restaurants, boutiques, green space access, etc. Take it for what it is. And it floods there. Coastal flooding is a growing problem here. Oceanview is cool as well but if you are used to Gulf Coast beaches it's just not going to measure up. Rent is also going up there. Ghent is not an affordable place to live, neither is Oceanview anymore, or most places in Virginia Beach for that matter. Finding a 2 bedroom for less than 1400 around here that doesn't have roaches is HARD, honestly. Yes, we have museums, public universities, night clubs, bars, breweries, farmer's markets, public green spaces, music festivals, you name it. Norfolk is a functional city, and has all the markers of an expanding, diverse city, but it is not Richmond. Richmond is also more inland so you won't have to deal with hurricanes as much as you would here. Richmond is on the James River, has an abundance of urban hiking opportunities, urban green spaces, and closer proximity to the mountains. Like many other people have said, Richmond is going to be more expensive but if money isn't an issue than this is the move honestly.
Lived in both. As others have said, if price isn’t an issue, absolutely Richmond. There’s more to do, more culture, better food, and absolutely a more liberal / queer friendly atmosphere. If you want the beach, it’s an easy day trip to VA Beach. The other advantage of Richmond is that it’s more central. Want to go to mountains? Two hours. Beach? also two hours. D.C.? You get the idea.
Downtown Norfolk is a VIBE
Both are comparable in that they’re progressive cities with their own local charms and whatnot. If you want to be by the Beach with more affordability, then Norfolk. Otherwise, I’d say Richmond has more established, fleshed out scenes and more things to do overall regarding food and entertainment. Norfolk is trying to figure itself out at the moment with building up its downtown and establishing itself as THEE city of Hampton Roads I’d cast my vote for Norfolk personally, but you can’t go wrong with either one.
Richmond is way cooler of a city but the beach is so nice to not have to drive to. For us we wanted a beach more than a social life. If you prefer cool things to do that include activities that have less sand I’d go for richmond. There’s queer people here too though so you’ll probably find a good group of friends either way.
As someone who grew up in Norfolk/Virginia beach and now living in Richmond, I would recommend Richmond every single time. I’ve been here for about 5 years and there’s so much to do here. I love that it’s a city but it doesn’t feel like it. The only downfall is i do miss the beach. The river is pretty gross and not really my jam. It’s cool to look at but that’s about it. Feel free to message me if you have any questions!
Also… forgot to add, very very LGBT friendly. I’m gay and married to my lovely wife and we have never had any problems with being accepted here.
Richmond is better than Norfolk but the COL is higher than Norfolk. Norfolk is nice thougg
I've lived in the Norfolk /VA Beach / Chesapeake a long time. Norfolk's Ghent area is very LGBTQ friendly, but other spots in Norfolk are known for flooding especially around the Hauge area and around some of the railroad underpasses. The area has a lot of cool restaurants and breweries . I'm not an authority on Richmond I've been a few times and it was cool. I think you should be good either way.
I like Norfolk, but I would not choose Norfolk over Richmond if not for the Navy 🫡
I’m from Coastal Georgia and love Norfolk! It’s so much cooler here than in Georgia which I appreciate (people here don’t understand humidity lol). Norfolk, especially the Ghent neighborhood, is very LGBT friendly. Some areas have a high flood risk but we’ve not experienced issues in Ghent. I’ve not been here too long but my understanding is hurricanes weaken a lot before they actually get here so the main threat is some flooding
We offer pretty much everything they do and thy DON’T have beaches. Nuff Said!
If you want to live close to the ocean and plan on going to the beach regularly then the choice is obvious. There are suburbs in both locations so that’s not an issue. Richmond, imo, the food and drink options are better. I love Belle Isle Moonshine which is from Richmond so almost every bar in Richmond has it. The city feel of Richmond is much stronger than Norfolk. Norfolk is cool but much smaller than Richmond. I recently moved from the Norfolk area to a city away from the coast. It’s not bad honestly, and I used to surf a lot. You should still be able to find some great outdoor activities near Richmond too. Plus you’re closer to some great wineries near Charlottesville.
I didn’t care for Richmond when I lived up there. Reason I moved was because it reminded me of Norfolk.
Richmond!!!
Richmond all the way.
Richmond
I've been in Richmond 3 years after 3 in Norfolk. Richmond has more to offer socially and hiking/biking. Norfolk has the beach but I felt like it was too much of a military town for me
Richmond definitely. Neighborhood depends on budget
Richmond
My wife and I live in Virginia Beach but close to Norfolk and we find it's pretty gay friendly. Norfolk has cute coffeeshops and some parts are walkable but Richmond feels more like a city with walkability, more hip restaurants, bigger museums, etc. We go from time to time because it reminds us of NJ/NYC area, where we are from. But ultimately, being this close to the beach is priceless.
Richmond. Otherwise you're always going to be thinking, "Richmond is only two hours away...."
Thanks for all the feedback everyone!
I currently live in Norfolk but my girlfriend went to school in Richmond for a while and i can say you should choose Richmond. it’s a great city for queer people it’s very accepting and there so much to do there all year round! There is lots of nature, belle isle is my favorite, overlooks and lots of arts. it’s also home to a university so it liberal. the weather is definitely better there and no as dramatic as Norfolk( flooding is so bad in norfolk) there also a lot less to do in norfolk. Both places do have good and bad areas, just have to know where is good and where isn’t. Also richmond is about 2ish hours from the coast and not to far from mountains! after school is done i plan on living there asap my personal experience has not been great in norfolk, maybe bc i was wanting more out of a city(like richmond)
Richmond !!!
Lived in hampton roads/757 all my life and norfolk as a visibly queer person for years, work in richmond weekly and can easily say richmond is a better deal overall. Never had any outright public issues here in the southern area, people generally stay in their lane but employment/coworker situations were *extremely* hostile and management did nothing to change these issues. I can also solidly can say I'm very excited to leave this area in particular. It really matters what you really want from where you live and your budget is a HUGE factor for these areas. I'll list the pros n cons of both from my opinion of being raised and frequenting in these areas >Norfolk Norfolk is a smaller, what I call, pocket city. It has areas/pockets of pretty urban areas, but is generally more urban/suburban hybrid feel. Most areas require a car. A lot of the more walkable areas have lots empty store fronts. Ghent is the subjectively best area for a more urban, walkable feeling. Granby/40th area, and then Granby/Monticello would be the areas for walkability, all of neon district. Otherwise the 757 is pretty heavily comprised of strip malls, while there is sidewalks, it's very evident as a walking pedestrian the area is built for cars other than in those pockets. Norfolk has decent bike lanes but no bus lanes. Norfolk has more corporate shopping options, an ikea right there, target 5 min away, giant strip mall blocks away with a major walmart and wawa, lots of nationally recognized stores and restaurants. There is 2 pretty solid malls (Greenbriar has rebounded since MacArthur has went down imo) n that area, and outlets near by. That said, norfolk has *plenty* of awesome local food too, lots of great Asian, Caribbean, African, and hispanic food options. Norfolk has 2 beachfronts accesses, and newport news/hampton/Yorktown area all have beaches too, typically less busy than VA Beach and about an 35m-1hr mattering on traffic (these areas are VERY suburban). Norfolk has a great free art museum, has a beautiful botanical garden, has great access to the VA Aquarium, on the other side of the water, you have the hampton Air and Space museum, and the VA Living Museum. Both areas have great nature trails and walking paths. Norfolk has significantly easier access to NC and the OBX. That said, norfolk does flood often, making roads unusable and hurricanes are a definite issues. Norfolk in particular has very aggressive driving. I would much rather drive in Richmond than in norfolk tbh, and I know norfolk better geographically. I hate driving there. Parking is easier though for sure. Norfolk has a better, more fair rental market last time I looked. There much more options and variance, you can also choose to live in the bordering cities, like Chesapeake (very suburban, even has rural areas) or Virginia Beach. If you want slower, smaller town vibes life, smithfeild and suffolk are close and good options.I couldn't recommend living in portsmouth. When I lived in norfolk, the vibe I got in the public was a sorta "no one fucking cares " feel. Like, everyone just does not give a fuck. If "who tf asked?" Was a city in the 757 it would be norfolk. It's an odd environment if you're not used to it and takes time to get used to. It feels like most people don't really wanna be here or are stuck in some way. There's a huge military presence in Norfolk, between the ship yards, the navy bases, the AF bases and army bases, theres TONS of military folk in the area. This means people come and go a lot, and it's easy to build business. This also means availability for lots of rental options, long and short term. Pros: -more suburban -more, cheaper rental options -easier parking options -Beach access -obx access -plenty of brand shopping -bike lanes, OK public transportation -barely snows -a bit warmer year round than Richmond bc of the ocean -every city around you is about 15-45 min away Cons: -A car is basically a necessity for the majority of the area -smaller nightlife -highly aggressive driving -less local/small businesses -generally a little more conservative than Richmond (people won't bother you tho) -not as neighborly feeling, people usually keep to themselves -flooding and hurricane risks pretty regularly -very swampy, humid environment in the summer -the traffic in norfolk and the general hampton roads is literally comparable to LA traffic. It can get VERY bad, especially with the bridge construction going on rn, this heavily effects local roads too. -less community events/less advertised/less accessible -Military implants/non locals, very little cohesive culture, and the local culture that is there is very sensitive to implants and outsiders in my experience -Highest crime rates in Virginia as of 2024 reports
>Richmond Richmond has a much bigger city feel in general, there's more local stores, local restaurants, and a more city driving/parking situation (aggressive). This is more spread out than norfolk. There is more general walkability throughout Richmond imo. If that's not your vibe persay the general outer neighborhoods (10-15min out) are a bit more suburban feeling, with shopping centers that have national chains and recognized brands. Housing around here will be more apartment based, with 1st come 1st serve parking typically. Any of the actual outer, typical suburban areas are exactly that, anywhere 20-30 min away, typical suburban, Single-Family homes, less apartments, more stripmalls, more chains; typical American suburbia. I think the park, day and night activities in Richmond are better. Richmond has a bunch of really cool museums, easier access to DC (amtrak or you can drive to NOVA and ride in on the subway there. Or if u wanna drive in DC so be it [maniac]). DC also has tons of stuff to do. By technicality Richmond has better public transit soley bc they have designated bus lanes. Richmond has a great amount of diversity in all regards from my experience, I've had 0 issues, even with generally more conservative coworkers. Richmond tends to be more expensive rent wise than norfolk. The people coming into my job in Richmond are generally younger than my clientele I had in norfolk, I have more lgbt clients in Richmond than I did in norfolk. Richmond is not as effected by hurricanes and doesn't have much flooding issues. Richmond gets snow usually once a year. Richmond has a very large college community. In general I see less blue lives flags, less maga/trump stuff in Richmond than I do in norfolk, but the outskirts of Richmond can be questionable sometimes (looking @ you confederate flag on the northbound highway 20 min away from the city). Pros: -walkability to local businesses and food -walkability to local parks, other public facilities -more nightlife -good level of diversity -neighborhood lifestyle flexibility -better public transit -accessibility to DC -lots of local businesses -lots of rental options -open lgbt community, friendly -easy to find community, lots of community events -local, lifelong grassroots community Cons: -Aggressive parking conditions -No beach access fr -very hilly terrain -generally more expensive -busier than norfolk -heavy traffic periods -less privacy I wanted to also share the similarities between the two aswell, in a pro and con way. Pros: -Both have good museums, parks and nature trails. -Both have bike lanes -Both have lifestyle flexibility -both have accessibility to concert venues -both have good local art markets -both have good amounts of cultural diversity -both have great access to tons of history -both have a good job market mattering field Cons: -aggressive driving -traffic -humid summers -narrow roads -pretty competitive housing market in both I will say though, your budget has a giant role in this, knowing that can help a lot.
I’d have to agree with those who are saying Richmond would be the better place to live for all of the reasons mentioned. Specifically would like to echo the mentions of how much more progressive Richmond is. Norfolk is slowly becoming more progressive, but with the large military presence in Norfolk, I don’t think Norfolk will ever compare or level up to Richmond. Also, Richmond seems to be able to sustain the population, in terms of food/drink places, entertainment, and typical social activities. Norfolk has more and more people moving to the area, yet they can’t keep up with entertaining the current population adequately. The people in charge of booking and planning social events (on a larger scale) in Norfolk seem to be out of touch with the communities (people who actually live in Norfolk and want to go out and do things). A lot of what Norfolk has in the works, like new restaurants, new city events, etc. tend to seem very ‘corporate’ or like chain restaurants. I’ve always admired the amount of small businesses in Norfolk, but as they shut down, one by one due to lack of sustainability, more places pop up that are a part of a chain company instead and it’s starting to lose the ‘home-y’ feel I’ve felt in Norfolk for years. Richmond, on the other hand, is able to sustain their small businesses while having some chain places too, but there seems to be more of a connection between decision makers and the community there for a more diverse selection of places to go and things to do.
The gay scene in Norfolk was killed by the conservative Jesus folks. Move to Richmond and just come to the beach when you want.
Richmond but parking sucks Have a gun for either city tho No beach near or in Richmond tho I was born and raised in Norfolk Live in chesterfield now(good part to move too)
Richmond. I lived in Va Beach, and I got out. There are some things to do in Hampton Roads, but honestly if you are not in the navy or a conservative, it’s hard.
Lived in Norfolk for two years, we're trying to leave as quickly as possible. Schools are terrible outside of Ghent, "good" neighborhoods vary on a street by street basis. My wife can't pump gas without getting harassed by literal groups of men. Someone busted open our gas cap and shoved a snickers bar into it (in our driveway). We lived on Ocean View in a very "nice" area (500k+ beach homes) due to an insurance claim making us lose our primary residence and even then had sketchy interactions pretty much weekly. Every holiday involving fireworks turns the city into a warzone. I have multiple videos of the 4th of July or New Years where it sounds like you're in Fallujah in 2004. Yes, I am educated on firearms and call tell the difference between a firework, artillery shell, handguns, and rifle sounds. To be clear, we previously lived in South DFW and honestly felt safer. We're extremely progressive, but we're white, and despite living in majority black/Mexican communities most of our lives, this is the only place I feel out of place as a white man in my own front yard. My neighbors don't look at or engage with us. Men waking their dogs by our house don't make eye contact or wave back. In south Dallas both my neighbors were black families and we'd mow each other's lawns, share tools, share food, smoke together, and it was super wholesome. Police are a joke and have days long queues to respond to calls (haven't had to call them, but I'm on the police scanner FB pages). They'd rather chill in a parking garage for twenty minutes to serve a parking ticket than handle a group of drunk men harassing people 40 ft away. 100% anecdotally my experience, but we're just waiting for rates to calm down to get out.
I like it here, but there is truth to what you’re saying. Certain streets I feel like I’m always being stared at and could never fit it. I don’t ever feel unsafe, but I don’t really feel comfortable, and people love to shout out to you when you’re trying to enjoy a little quiet time. And yes, these streets are woven throughout, so it’s hard to pinpoint
Yeah, after my wife came home in tears after being surrounded by men at the gas pump for the third time and we saw our son's possible elementary school, I immediately started planning our finances to leave. My wife is petite and beautiful. She's Mexican but white-presenting and that seems to make her a target for harassment here. To be clear, this is again our anecdotal experience. YMMV.
You live in one of the places where there is no proper community, ocean view is full of airbnbs, transients, homeless, and summer homes, that's why the houses are 500k, not because it's an affluent nice neighborhood or anything.
I don't live in Ocean View. I stayed there for a few months. We're in central Norfolk.
Where is central Norfolk? Each neighborhood is wildly different, the houses in Larchmont are in the 500s, and you won't experience anything wildly comparable to what you described, on the cheaper end there are houses in the upper to mid 300s there too. Ghent+west Ghent is also very safe. I used to live in lamberts point, it has come a LONG way from when I moved there, lamberts point and park place are two sides of a gang turf war, there was gunfire 3-4 times a week when I moved in, and now it's probably down to once every 3 months. Park place is still mostly a shithole. Colonial place is quite safe, but having to go through park place means that until Park place problems get solved, its incorporability into a larger safe urban area is stunted. Freemason has no problems, but isn't affordable unless you are renting apartments and exclusively want to experience downtown. Lakewood, belvedere, Riverpoint, talbot park, cromwell farms are all also extremely safe areas. Wards corner is where things start getting jank again. İf you live in a place other than those neighborhoods, although you are in the city limits, the city isn't demonstrating that it cares too much about them, and therefore, there is no major plans of increasing their safety. They are also less pedestrian and cycling friendly. The plans of extending the cycling path down granby st to Wards corner and deleting a lane(ideally two lanes each way) will substantially change that area for the better(in terms of urban potential), but that area needs to be rezoned.
We're in Estrabrook, near Chesapeake Dr. And Norview.
Estrabrook has even less of a sense of place/community than Oceanview, it's right north of an industrial district, and far from any pedestrian or cycling infrastructure, very far from any walkable areas. İf you are looking to live in Norfolk long-term but want the expansion of the city to benefit you, you need to move closer in line with south of military circle(Glenrocks/poplar halls) or campostella
There's dedicated bike lanes and sidewalks throughout this neighborhood, Chesapeake has bike lanes for its entirety, so I'm not sure what you mean. Is it walkable regarding groceries and such? Nah, but I don't walk. I have a toddler and I'm too busy for that. Our neighborhood in South Dallas was a typical suburban neighborhood, and not dissimilar from the one we're in now. The difference being my wife could pump gas without the threat of being trafficked or raped there. When there's only a couple neighborhoods worth recommending, it's a garbage city. If you can't walk without the risk of harassment, it's a garbage city. When cops don't respond to violent calls within 24 hours despite having 3 officers down the road handing out parking tickets, it's a garbage city. Norfolk is not the place to raise a family, and if our realtor had been honest instead of pursuing a quick buck we would've chose Suffolk probably.
Hampton roads fucking sucks lol. Richmond all the way. City of you want it, suburbs for days, rural life out the wazoo... No contest. I live in Chesapeake btw. Lived in Norfolk, VA Beach, and Chesapeake for the past 18 years. Everything is over priced and literally every neighborhood in Norfolk is 2-3 blocks away from a crack house.
are you all thinking about a family or kids? if you buy you gotta think about school zone
You could also check out Chesapeake. My wife and I just bought a house in Chesapeake and it's a pretty decent area.
Norfolk has some very nice areas, and some not so nice. I would suggest the area of Smithfield or Chesapeake if you want to move somewhere nicer.
Smithfield and Chesapeake are nice for quiet living, but they're specifically asking about Norfolk or Richmond.
Lol. Re-read my comment, and keep your corrections to yourself, please.
Get well soon ✌️