Sandbridge Beach, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Swimming, Kayaking, Fishing and More


There are many reasons why people like to visit Sandbridge Beach in Virginia Beach. Popular with both tourists and the locals, Sandbridge Beach is more than just surf and sand. Aside from the beaches, where dolphins are often spotted and beach goers can watch surfers take on the waves, there is also a host of other activities close by.

Still, for some, the beach is enough. One visitor from Pennsylvania said she has been coming to Sandbridge Beach since she was a child. "It's a lot more commercialized now,'' she said. In many ways that is true as the popularity of Sandbridge Beach as a family resort area helped to spurn the commercial growth of the community.

Today, there is shopping, abundant dining opportunities and nightlife options within very close proximity. Still, the beach is what it has always been, albeit a bit more crowded at times. One major difference between Sandbridge Beach and the even more heavily visited Virginia Beach ocean front is that the feel at Sandbridge is more like that of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Sandbridge Beach underwent a restoration project in 2007 and several tons of sand was trucked in to help and replenish the shore which had diminished as the result of several hurricanes that battered the beach over the years.

One visitor from Fairfax, Virginia said, "The biggest plus is that there are no giant hotels lining the beach. Just rental beach homes.'' Several realty companies handle the beach house rentals. While houses are available all year, the prices, obviously, go up dramatically during the peak summer months.

At one time the only rental was beach houses, but there has been the addition of condo communities, which some renters favor. One said this, "Our room was a three-bedroom unit on the first floor on the north side of the building, we had a partial ocean-view from our balcony.'' She said that the whole family loved the condo as much as the beach.

Some visitors find that they rather enjoy coming in the off-season. "We came in March and had the whole beach to ourselves,'' said a visitor from Pennsylvania. "There were a couple of kayakers out on the water and it was just so quiet and relaxing.''

In addition to surfing, swimming and kayaking, fishing is another popular activity in Sandbridge. At the end of the 7.5 miles of beach is the Little Island Park which includes The Little Island Fishing Pier. The pier is a popular spot for both tourists and local residents. If fishing is on the agenda, keep in mind that a fishing license may be required and there is a small per-person fee to fish on the pier.

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