I am strongly thinking about moving to VA in like 6 months. I have never lived anywhere but Tampa, FL my whole life. I am not quite sure what part yet but I am already nervous and excited. Is there any advice or recommendations anyone can give me about the area?

This state varies drastically :) We have evrything from the country, to the city, mountains to the beach, all four seasons, and a very random grouping of people throughout.

What are you looking for or where were you thinking? I've been all over and might be able to help :)

If you move to Richmond and rent do not use River City Real Estate. That being said I now live in the west end in an apartment and it is decent although overpriced. I would like to move back into the fan but I want to buy a house, I love it there with all the old architecture and proximity to Maymont Park. We now have a Trader Joe's, Tom Leonard's and Whole Foods in the west end and of course Ellwood Thompson's natural food store in Carytown (in the fan).

I guess it depends on what you are looking for. I have lived on the east side of Richmond for most of my life. I was born in Tampa and my father still lives in Fla. There have been times I thought about moving away from Virginia, and possibly out of the country. Maybe I just need to get around more and meet more people. I feel that the area where I live is a little too conservative and traditional and not open to anything new. Most people think I'm nuts for being vegetarian. It seems that most people I see around here don't have much in common with me. Even local vegetarians and people who are into new thought or new age or whatever, I don't fit in there either. Also I work overnights so maybe I have been a little out of touch with whatever is going on around here now.

I used to live in Centreville, VA and it was really nice. The Fairfax county schools are awesome. It snows in the winter so that takes a bit of getting used to if you're from somewhere warm (I'm from San Diego). I couldn't take another winter so I had to move.

I can give you a vegetarian's perspective of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania (lived around there for almost my whole life). Also, if you're looking into moving to Southwest Virginia, I went to college near Roanoke. Good luck!