The Beach! (Virginia Beach: real estate, oceanfront, neighborhood)

[Upsilon]

Went to the beach today, it sure has been awhile since I was down that way.

I absolutely loved it. Lots of cool people everywhere and the water was nice. Sure it is not clear, but it is warm and fun to swim around in. Great weather today too until the storms rolled through.

Do any of you like the beach and if so, any cool spots to check out?

Happy 4th all!

[LilyLady]

I do like the beach and the boardwalk very much, just not at this time of year.

I'll wait to visit until the fall (like October). There are just too many people / too much traffic / too expensive to be enjoyable. I like it much better when the prices come back down and the crowds are a bit thinner. My husband requires the use of a wheelchair and it's just so much easier on both of us when I'm not dodging people to keep from hitting them with the chair.

[UHgrad]

So many beaches to choose from, we are fortunate. Just in VB there is:

Chicks beach - relaxing on the bay, warmer water
First Landing Park - Bay access on one side, bike trails, kayaking, hiking on the other
North End - Chill locals beach (as long as you can find parking)
VB Oceanfront - Tourist trap with good restaurants scattered around. Great walking, biking, and people watching
Croatan - Surf beach tucked away in a neighborhood.
Sandbridge - Quiet, clean, and relaxed. VB's version of the outer banks. Top notch fishing, good kayaking on back bay, and great farmers markets on the way there to stop and pick up some fresh fruit to throw in your cooler.

There are even more options if you can get on base, but not everyone has that privilege.

I mostly stay away from the strip during tourist season, but it is fun to take my cruiser down there and watch the people go by from time to time.

[yankee73]

We have been hanging at First Landing more and more. We hang out at the beach for a few hours, bike the trails and hit the picnic area. Nice quiet spot.

Ocean Front is still awesome, but it does get a bit nuts this time of year.

[meepmeepz]

Sandbridge is definitely my favorite. It's so peaceful and definitely feels like you're in the Outer Banks. The best part is that you really don't find many tourists down that way. Definitely a great place for photos as well!

I'm fairly new to the area (moved to Virginia Beach a year ago) and haven't yet been to First Landing Park. I hear it's really nice but you have to pay to park. Is there anywhere free nearby where you can park and just walk to the park?

I also hear that Knotts Island is pretty cool, they have some vineyards and you can take a free ferry from there to Currituck. Definitely something I plan on doing this summer!

[thorntonm]

The beach (save the coastal water pollution) and boardwalk are awesome. The city has also done a great job with the outdoor venues. The whole 31st street area around Catch 31 is very cool.

I just wish the other side of Atlantic (and the whole of Pacific) were up to par. Half of it is corporatized, and even the individual enterpreneurs don't think about opening a quality place. Stuff a t-shirt shop full of junk from China or try to have the lowest quality food for maximum profit for tourists. You can count the good places to eat on one hand.

Sad when places like Christmas Attic, Phil's Grill and Jewish Mother move out/close down and another Sunsations and pseudo-food place (like that hideous thing at 21st and Atlantic) opens up.
This kind of prime real estate deserves a little more thoughtfulness.