I'm awaiting a call from a Navy detailer who's going to give me some options about where my first duty station will be.  Jacksinville, Florida and Norfolk are near the top of my list, and I was wondering if anybody was familiar with one or both of these two areas.

I'm looking for the straight poop here:  good, bad, whatever.  I just want a little bit of info before making this decision, since my new wife and I will be stuck wherever we go for at least 2 years.

I grew up in Jacksonville, left in '78. Basically there are two seasons, Spring and Summer (damn hot and muggy). Very short milder Winter/Spring. It can get to freezing in Feb/Mar. Typical coastal weather, humid. If you are stationed at Mayport, you would be in the beaches area, "dude." If Jax NAS is still there, more urban. Jax has tried hard to clean things up and from what I hear, the downtown is much better with the Riverwalk attraction. My mom still lives there. There are more kinds of fishing than you can imagine. Salt, fresh, and brackish river fishing. Ponds, lakes, river, creeks. If Cecil Field is still there, you would be west of town. More redneck.

My Carolina born/raised wife says that it smells like flat, wet land. I have to admit I was raised near a swamp. Bugs and more bugs. Sand is everywhere. Dusty beach type sand in either tan color or the gray powdery stuff. Everywhere. Get used to it.

It is like any large Florida city. If I ever went back and could choose where to live, it would be Green Cove Springs. That is south of Jax on the St. Johns River. The oak trees go right down to the river's edge. Absolutely beautiful thing to see. Sections of Jax are like that, the Riverside area. I went to high school about 8 blocks from the St. Johns River.

There used to be paper mills north of town. They just plain stank the whole county up. From what I hear they are gone now. The other big industry there is insurance.

Oh well, enough rambling about a place I've left behind. Maybe there will be a 30th high school reunion next year and I can tell you more. By then you will have been station at one of the other.

Never been to Norfolk, but it couldn't be too different weatherwise than Maryland. Florida will be very different weatherwise.

Norfolk is nice.  I grew up in Fredericksburg and traveled there a lot.  It isn't much different from maryland at all except you are close to the ocean.  I know if i had to pick between the two i would stay here in VA because I would hate the humidity in FL.  It is a bit crowded in the areas around Norfolk though since a lot of people work there.  It is very indistrial.

depends on where ya go in norfolk.....there are some real seedy sections of town....I was stationed on Ft. Story, which is in Virginia Beach.....there are a ton  of Naval bases there, Little Creek, Damn Neck, Norfolk Naval, Portsmouth, and a few others I can't recall the names of....

....I enjoyed being in the VA Beach section of town much more then being in Norfolk.....VA Beach has 2 seasons, Tourist and winter......basically labor day to memorial day with a few spuratic times during the year when people come in for a holiday.....

....don't buy a timeshare....seriously there are like a thousand hotels there trying to sell timeshares....I'm still stuck with one from my first marriage....

....Weather wise, it's a decent area, I'd think you're a little more likely to see huricanes in Norfolk then you would in MD.....it does tend to rain a bit at the end of hte summer.....the ocean's nice if you're into that kind of thing.....there's also a lot of other stuff going on in the community....all kinds of festivals and fairs throughout the year.....plus there's some nice vacationing places not too far away.....north to Washington, Gettysburg, PA, etc.....south to OBX, and the Carolinas.....West to WVA.....plenty of camping, hunting, outdoors stuff out there.....

....

Former Nofrolk resident here. I was not in the Navy but taught many Navy folks at Old Dominion University.

I don't know what you are looking for details wise, PM  me if you want. I lived in the Ghent area which we jokingly referred to as the Greenwich Village of Norfolk.

Norfolk is a big metro area with a little of everything. You can go to the opera or to strip bars within a very small area.

the one "cheeta's" right across the street from little creek off the 166, is that one still there?  if it wasn't for the pasties that whould be a great place.
one other thing, VA is a commonwealth not a state.  there are a bunch of wierd traffic laws, like you can't have radar dectectors.  if you need someone to show you around, or what ever I still have some friends in the area.

I have never lived in either but have visited both cities several times and Jacksonville would be my pick hands down... but what can I say, I love the south.

I always say that Norfolk doesn't make a good first impression on most people but I really liked it after living there.

I don't know J'ville at all so I can't compare.

ya know after rereading my first post, i wasn't happy with the way I portrayed Norfolk.....there really are quite a few nice things about the city....I really like the big mall downtown....

....I was actually living on the outskirts of Norfolk.....in an area that was kinda rundown....but the wife and I (well gf at that time) often took day trips to the city (not that its a drive, just that we would spend all day down there)....

....we also spent a lot of time down at the beach.....we would walk down there for hours....so much to do/see.....

Thanks for all the info.  It's such a big decision, and we haven't ever really been to either place (I've was in/through Norfolk a few times back in the mid 90's).  

This issue may be moot by the time I get my call--there's always a chance that everything in the places I want to go to will be filled, and we will end up in a total craphole.  Still holding out hope for one of our top 4 locations.

I'll let you all know where we end up...Unless it's Great Lakes, IL, in which case I will be throwing myself off a tall building 15 minutes after hearing the news.

YOINK on your bike incase you do jump off a building.

ok, Dave's got dibs.  The rest of you, please ask the police to investigate if it appears that I was pushed.

pushed.  I whould do no such thing. bound and gaged and thrown off, well you gotta make sure there's no room for error.    geezz it's like you think I'm a evil doctor trying to take over the world.   I don't do elabrorate death schemes, I take care of bisness

ok well let me help you out since i'm a resident and have been for a few years

good
1.  relaxed atmosphere.  
2.  good food, seafood, etc.
3.  bases are fairly close to each othere, there's about 5 of them
4.  the beach is a good plus during the season

bad
1.  pay sucks due to a lot of retired navy peeeps
2.  after you've done everythign there is to do, you'll get bored
3.  the beach traffic during peak times


don't expect much from norfolk/va.beach,  it is afterall a commonwealth.  they are fairly "old fashioned" here.  no thongs at the beach, etc.  clubs and bars close at 2am.  

let me know once you come or if you do.  i wouldn't mind showing you guys around.

Quote from: chinox22x
let me know once you come or if you do.  i wouldn't mind showing you guys around.

Cool, I appreciate the offer.  I just wish the detailer would call and give me my assignment for crissakes.  The waiting is killing me.