Looking for a small, nice coastal, or near a nice lake, town to vacation at, or even retire to someday. I know it's a pipe dream but one that is not as touristy/built up as others? Can be quite small, or larger. any ideas? I hear N. Carolina might be nice too. thanks so much
You might look on the Northern Neck, in particular towns like Irvington, Kilmarnock, Montross, White Church. These are river towns and not very touristy at all. For lake living you can look at Moneta and Huddleston, both near Smith Mountain Lake. Obviously the lake is a big draw in the summer but it's not a ticky-tack tourist trap that gets overrun in the summer. Another lake area is Lake Anna, which is very small and probably a well-guarded secret. Lake Gaston is a popular spot for retirees, and this lake straddles North Carolina and Virginia.
Look around and if I can help with any other questions, let me know.
For coastal, you might want to investigate Chincoteague on the DELMARVA peninsula...it's about as far north as you can get in VA.
I'm not sure if it would still qualify as "not touristy," having certainly become a more popular destination over the last 20 years. Despite now having some motels & larger restaurants, most visitors still rent classic cottages, and it still has that sleepy, small town feel. It arguably has a New England seaport ambience, yet watermen now share it with resident artists, craftspeople, authors, and other newcomers.
Hi Jenny, I think you'd really enjoy the Northern Neck area for what you have in mind. Namely Colonial Beach, Virginia. It's a small riverside resort town with a lot going for it. There are a number of retirees in the area, so apparently folks think it's a great place to retire. Give it a look-see this spring or summer and see what you think.
We've always been partial to Chincoteague Island and Assateague Island. They're on the border between Virginia and Maryland. Here's a link that has more information and bunches of pictures.
http://www.alandsuejohnson.com/assateague_island.htm
Chincoteague is the town where you stay. Assateague has two federal parks on it with no lodging. They do have wild ponies and all kinds of shore birds.
Yes, the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula are nice; I lived in Tappahannock for 4 years and it's great small town living. If you're on the water, even better. It's in Tidewater, meaning you're going from fresh to brackish to salt water (heading west to east as the rivers flow down to the Chesapeake Bay), and those parts of Va. have been popular for decades. Lots of demand from Washington-area retirees, military retirees from Hampton Roads, and people from central Va. looking for a place at the river. Real estate is not as cheap as other places.
My family has spent vacations near Clarksville, Va., on Buggs Island Lake (Kerr Lake), a dam separates it from Lake Gaston; the lakes are in both NC and Va. It's a man-made freshwater lake, not a coastal community. Great freshwater fishing. If you want something not touristy and not especially close to an urban area, this part of rural southern Va. is worth considering. Prices are probably better than the N. Neck, Mid. Peninsula waterfront properties.
We'd love to hear what you like, after you've looked around.
The town of Clemson, S.C. is recommended in numerous retirement magazine surveys. A University town - next to the big Lake Kiowee and Lake Hartsfield - and short minutes from highway I-85, and on the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, but with lower taxes than N.C. Keep in mind that the regional culture is overall overwhelmingly evangelical and Republican - although the town has Unitarian and Catholic churches.
Edited: 14 years agoAnother place is Edenton, N.C. (near the coast, close to Elizabeth City). Edenton has many gracious old colonial-era homes.
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