Neighborhoods in Lynchburg VA (Roanoke, Charlottesville: crime, homes, theater)

[NHSuz]

My husband and I are looking to retire to VA. in 2012. We are now living in NH and are sick of the long winters. We visited VA last Fall - Roanoke and Staunton. I liked both of these towns, especially Staunton, but was advised that you must travel to Charlottesville for jobs if we chose it.
Roanoke didn't give us the 'wow' factor as Staunton did, but there were nice areas and restaurants.
We are approaching retirement age and would like to find an area that we could afford. We expect to work part-time or try a home business(iffy, at best). My husband is a locksmith and I a Computer Programmer/Analyst for State of NH Environmental Services.

We are looking for a town that has interesting restaurants, theater, arts in general, historic areas, beautiful scenery , places to walk or bike and decent public transportation to get to these places and downtown jobs.
Also, good medical facilities.

To get to my point.. I have been looking online at various sites on Lynchburg and am impressed enough to plan a visit this Summer, because it appears to have all of the above amenities.
Can anyone tell me where I could find descriptions on the various neighborhoods?
We would like homes on tree-lined streets that have sidewalks. Walking distance to public transportation would be a plus.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[LynchburgLover]

From my name, you can tell I love Lynchburg but I'm not sure anyone would give it a "Wow". It's a delightful small city but somewhat limited in the features you mentioned. There are a few nice restaurants downtown and one in the Peakland area. There is a growing arts, museum, revitalization of the downtown movement but things do move slowly in Lynchburg.

There are good medical facilities but for very serious things, Charlottesville's University of Virginia Hospital is the answer.

There is plenty of natural beauty all around Lynchburg. Smith Mountain Lake is an hour away for summer boating, Wintergreen Resort for close winter skiing, a bike path winds throughout the city. People are constantly walking for exercise -- it's known as the City of Seven Hills so you'll get plenty of exercise by walking. There's an indoor tennis club on Rivermont Avenue in Peakland.

It has all the opportunities of any small city -- Rotary, Lions, YMCA, country clubs, and every kind of charitable organization. There are several colleges -- Lynchburg, Randolph, Liberty, Sweet Brier (1/2 hr. north of the icty) -- so there are a lot of cultural activities connected to them.

Regarding neighborhoods, that is obviously price driven. The entire Peakland/Boonsboro Road area is beautiful. Rivermont Avenue has amazing older homes that are part of an Historic District. That's the area near/past Randolph College. Langhorne Road, Link Road, neighborhoods down VES Road, Trents Ferry area are all lovely areas. I don't really go into the downtown neighborhoods often and I'm not a realtor so I'll let others advise there!

Shopping is limited. Suffice it to say, you'll have to go to Charlottesville or Roanoke for a major mall. Think on-line shopping!

Good luck.

[badger74]

I would second the Peakland Boonsboro area for intown living. I also think there are more than a few good restaurants in and near town and enough shopping for just about any retired person. The only missing thing is some high-end shops but there is plenty in the middle plus your big boxes including Best Buy, Barnes and Noble, Target, Kohl's, Home Depot, Lowes etc.

[LynchburgLover]

Oh, I should have mentioned Isabella's Restaurant (I still keep calling it Meriweather's!) in Boonsboro Shopping Center. Really good. That shopping center also has a Talbots, Silver Thistle (gifts/home decor),Starbucks, Hallmark etc.

There's a second center with Kroger, Sakinas (women's clothing), Milano's Italian Restaurant, etc.

Both are the local shopping areas.

And check out The Farm Basket on Langhorne Road. Gifts, garden things, great place to get lunch and a feel for the neighborhood around Langhorne, Link and Crane Hill Roads. That's the area generally called Peakland/Boonsboro.

[badger74]

Also Peakland Place is one of the top walking/jogging streets in town. I used to see people out walking at sunrise and into the evening.

[roanoker 4]

If you like old 19th Century built homes you must visit this section of Lynchburg. If you are older you will be reminded of a better time when people
were good neighbors and really cared about their neighborhoods. Every time I visit there I feel right at home.

[NHSuz]

Thank you very much for the information.

[badger74]

Also many of the homes in the historic districts sell fairly cheap because they are located near less desirable neighborhoods. In reality crime is not much worse than in other neighbohoods.

[Jerry_Williams]

Originally Posted by NHSuz

We are looking for a town that has interesting restaurants, theater, arts in general, historic areas, beautiful scenery , places to walk or bike and decent public transportation to get to these places and downtown jobs.

Walking distance to public transportation would be a plus.

I left Lynchburg due to the lack of restaurants, theater and arts.
Decent public transportation!!!
I am glad you will visit before the move.

[NHSuz]

To Jerry_Williams .. who left Lynchburg.
What city did you find that had those amenities??