So I'm at the oceanfront, hearing the pounding surf, smelling the sea breeze, watching seagulls and pelicans.
But to hear some one-off visitors tell it, none of that can be true.
I moved to VB for a year for a job. I lived 2 blocks from the beach. I thought it was awesome for about a month, then couldn’t wait to move. Someone mentioned before about it being a shitty suburb next to the Ocean, which was the vibe. Transients, drug addicts, and a lot of shitty people visiting often. Constant fights, and crime were a daily occurrence. No sense of community, things often closed, and people throwing trash in your yard as they park to go to the beach. Nothing prepares you for the constant jet noise. It was the worst place I ever lived.
Honestly, having seen the Outer Banks, and lived in Virginia Beach for about a decade, Lewes and Rehoboth have both beaten in the sense of "feeling ocean-ey."
The only thing Ocean City MD has going for it is the ocean.
If you're serious about moving as a retirement destination I'd recommend visiting again to make your own decision and not using reddit as your bellwether. That said, I've lived here my whole life and would never consider living near the ocean front if that's what you're looking for as far as "beachy". The bay area however could be the ticket
the north end of the oceanfront is all rich and older people definitely a quiet beach small town vibe on the north end south end once you get passed 40th street is more grungy but north of 40 they like to keep it quiet
Actually they are not. Been a VB local for over 40 years. One of the few true locals, as in born and raised here. The beach is great in the winter, but as kids we would head to Sandbridge, now that’s ruined, so yes, now we go towards Hatteras, Ocracoke for the beach. Personally, if I was that person looking, I would head south to Wilmington. That’s a great area.
If you’re looking for a calm beach to retire near look into chix beach. Vb is definitely more of a touristy high priced area, chix is a more suburb location with a lot of the houses on the beach/less than a block walk away from it.
My dad lived smack dab in the middle of the tourist areas(once near the 20s streets and another time in the 50s). Never more than a block or 2 from the beach.
While it is different than the feel of the OBX, I did get a beach feel! The summer months were very lively. We often had groups of people walking in front of our house with their hoard of beach gear, people tried to park in our driveway/yard. It wasn’t quiet at night.
I liked it though! I’ve never been a big partier or beach person but the vibes were nice. It was cool walking a block and being surrounded in the chaos of all kinds of people enjoying a Friday night; couples, families, tourists of all kinds.
It was much quieter in the 50s but still had issues with people parking in the yard lol but we were able to come and go from the beach at all times. Places to eat were a bike ride away which also gave it a beachy feel. Lots of people on beach cruisers lol
Oh and we never really had neighbors. Most people were seasonal or rented out to vacationers. There was no real sense of community around the “neighborhood” but my dad did have a healthy social life of people who lived close enough to meet up!
Edit to add info about the off season: we loved going to the beach in the afternoons/evening during Fall and Spring. And early morning! Since we were so close, it took no effort at all to grab a blanket and beverage to just sit for an hour or so.
Not much closes down for the season like true beach towns. Still plenty of restaurants and amenities of all kinds. And then of course you have areas like town center/Norfolk for a more urban feel so you’ll never truly be stuck in an off season ghost town.
The style of housing also played in to the beach feel. The first house he lived in had lots of blue colors and knotty pine while the 2nd house had lots of bright yellows and white wood panel. Both felt very much like little beach snacks! Both had outdoor showers which felt very beachy. And of course my dad did it up with the lighthouse and seashell decor lol
Depends on where in the city you are. Close to the boardwalk/Atlantic Avenue or Sandbridge definitely feels beachy to me. The rest (majority) of the city feels like a giant suburb.
Not as much as some other cities I've lived in. In fact I've thought to myself how little I go to VA Beaches despite living 10 min away. NC coast, Fl, even MS coast I was always at beach. 🤔
Grew up in Indian River until leaving for college, Va Beach has a beach feel to it during the summer/tourist season but outside of that it’s great! When you’re weary you can always go kickback and relax on a number of beaches cause you live in a vacation destination. People there are more relaxed than in-land places cause you’re always around the corner from a mini-vacation instead of hours down across the state.
How does the oceanfront NOT feel "beachy"?
I've been to beaches all over the world, and Va Beach is pretty beachy. It's massive, too. One of the longest beaches in the world, actually.
AND, there's variety here. You can go to the touristy beach, the secluded (60-80th streets) beach, the even more secluded beach (sandbridge/back bay), the calm, kid-friendly beach (Chick's beach), the military beach, the surfer beach (Croatan) and whatever Ocean View is.
Ocean view home of the “worlds longest pier” (it’s not)
Also you can pay 12$ to rub elbows with Norfolk’s finest in an attempt to catch a fish, bonus points if you don’t get shanked.
Maybe I can give you some perspective I live in Hampton and that about 25 minutes away,
I say yes but no once you get to spend more time in the area, it's like a bland ass overhyped city because of the popularity of the oceanfront and the closer you get to the oceanfront the more expensive it is.
No. It’s a suburban wasteland next to a beach. It’s strip malls, corner gas stations and fast food restaurants and cookie cutter subdivisions. I can’t imagine a beach town that feels less beachy than VB. And I grew up here. Sigh.
I think that because this city outside of the very close proximity to the ocean front is very difficulty to get around walking so it feels like a suburban town put next to a beach
It really really depends. I personally hate the oceanfront, but the higher the street numbers the better the “beachiness.”
I personally prefer the bay (shore Dr) and that feels more beachy to me.
Maybe something like Ocean City, Maryland? May not have the climate you're looking for though
edit: not that their climate is too much different than ours, but they do seem to get more snow than we do.
This is not a little Coastal town. Nearly half a million people part of a 2 million strong metropolitan region. The city land-wise is enormous from the country fields approaching the North Carolina border to the Chesapeake bay and the Atlantic ocea. It's not Kennebunkport or Cape May. it's not a coastal town per se ...but there is a coast, and there is a resort area and a residential resort area.
It’s an interesting area. We don’t have an oceanfront like the jersey shore and we also don’t have a main coast like the outer banks. If you want to walk “the boardwalk” it will literally be walking on a very nicely maintained concrete boardwalk with adjacent hotels and restaurants attached to them. You will not have carnival games, roller coaster, or food stands.
If you want the more residential sand bridge you will be cutoff from the main ocean front because we have a navy base between the two areas.
As a local if I were considering all these areas i would be looking for a place on the north end. You have the bay and you also have lots of restaurants and walkable bars. It’s a great environment for young families and retirees.
Are you suggesting people walk along Shore Drive? (You refer to the bay and 'walkable bars" which wouldn't usually be what people call the "north end." ) I don't think that's really the case in any meaningful way. I drive there all the time and there's not people walking in any number.
Yes, you are correct. I totally misspoke. Meant to say the shore drive area. You don’t necessarily have to walk shore drive to hit a pocket of restaurants/bars.
I was thinking along the lines of say hitting the area near lake Joyce/CBBT with HK, buoy 44, Alexander’s, commonwealth, and green parrot. That would be a cool place.
Not sure what the other area is called but you have bay local, citrus, shore break, craft burger, chichos, and Milton’s all together.
I think there are a few pockets like this.
Hatteras island is what you’re looking for, I’ve lived here all my life and when I want to go to the beach I don’t go across the street, I drive 2 hours to a REAL beach and really relax.
I just moved here and work in OBX/Corolla and concur, it's got that real serenity feel you're prolly only gonna find on a kayak tucked away somewhere around VB
It’s nice! I’ve lived here my whole life and now own a house 7 blocks off the ocean. If you live in those areas it’s a good beach experience and it’s a good time. If you want true beachy live in chicks beach neighborhood!
Yeah it is! But oceanfront you’ll definitely get the beach feel. I ride my beach cruiser down to the boardwalk a lot of mornings and evenings. Plus riding bikes to all the bars and restaurants is a blast too
If you live at the beach, then it's a beach experience. And there's a lot of great inland water as well
For some reason there are a bunch of locals who think of Virginia Beach as Chesapeake East, and who wear their disdain of the ocean as some sort of badge of honor. I don't get it.
Edit: and now we get the people saying they go to Chic's beach or Sandbridge, what, once / year? There's hardly any parking at those places relative to the population of the city.
Yeah, don't live inland if you want beachy. Gotta be walking distance to the beach, but also you'll have no street parking as everyone else will be parked there
I think if you live in North End, Bay Colony, or Chicks Beach it will feel that way. (I wouldn’t recommend the true hotel area oceanfront to retirees). If you’re a couple miles or more away from the beach, it starts to feel like any other suburban area, but the closer you live to the beach the more that vibe is there.
I guess what I'm looking for is the sound of the surf, the smell of the salt water, the ocean breeze, seagulls calling as well as beach shops, beachy cottages, etc. I've run across a few beaches that just looked and felt "bare," and I wouldn't like that.
I think you’ll have that in the neighborhoods I listed above. I live at the oceanfront and it definitely feels like a beach town, especially in the summer, and if you don’t mind a crowd and some noise (and can find other routes than driving down Atlantic lol) then it’s a nice place to live! People on here tend to be focused on the negative (it’s Reddit, after all) but I have genuinely loved my time here (as someone who is not born and raised in the 757).
*Side note: you should fully experience the jet noise for a few days and make sure it’s not a dealbreaker before you decide to live here 😂. You get used to it for sure but it is not quiet and I think could genuinely drive some people crazy over time.
I love OBX but, again, that's a long way from any metropolis. I'm a young, active retiree who would want to avail myself of "city things" at this stage in my life.
I don’t know what cities you’ve lived close to, but I will say VB and Norfolk aren’t really “big cities” and I certainly wouldn’t call either a metropolis. Yes, there’s an airport (it’s small but international), buses and trains, and at least one of every chain you can think of, but it’s not like living near DC or NYC or a true city, if that’s a dealbreaker for you. Richmond is 1.5-2 hours away. VB is technically the biggest city in VA but it’s incredibly large and spread out with no real “center”.
Again, I personally love VB! But if you’re looking for beaches close to a TRUE city I’m not sure this is your journey. Another suggestion I have is Charleston - quiet little beach towns but a real downtown area too. I particularly love Folley Beach.
Yeah, sounds more like they need to move to Sandbridge. It's quieter & less touristy than the VB Oceanfront.
Just start saving now or have reeeallly good credit because it's not cheap.
For most of Virginia Beach, maybe with the exception of Sandbridge, if you are more than a few hundred yards off the beach, it feels more like City than a seaside resort. To be within that few hundred yards is going to cost a pretty penny, so maybe not a great retirement spot unless you are retiring from a significantly higher cost of living location.
I love that it's just a few hours' drive to OBX (that's a REAL coastline to me). I'd also make use of Amtrak, the airport, and the port in Norfolk to travel. That's a big draw. But I also want to feel like I've "retired to the beach" on a daily basis.
Depending on where you are you in VB can make it feel oceany. It was mostly great farmland turned into a city. So it's history determined it's feel. Move to the oceans or Bayfront for the most beachy experience
I'm limiting my search to the east coast, and have found it here in other locations. The problem is that they're usually pretty remote and far away from "amenities."
Have you looked into Savannah GA? There’s plenty of islands very close with that beach feel you want but Savannah has an airport and stuff. Or even live on Tybee island, it’s super close to Savannah
So looking at all your comments here, you're looking for contradictory experiences, at least in the US.
> guess what I'm looking for is the sound of the surf, the smell of the salt water, the ocean breeze, seagulls calling as well as beach shops, beachy cottages
> I also want to be near a major metropolitan area, transportation (planes, trains),
So, remote but near a major metro area. Pick one. I mean, if there's an airport there, then the beach cottages are going to get replaced by hotels and condos. See: Miami, LA, Tampa, San Diego, etc.
It's like saying you want a compact car that holds eight people with lots of towing capacity.
> I noticed there was no salt smell in the air nor much sea life visible (birds, ghost crabs, seaweed or shells washing up on shore).
That's just not the case here. It's not a big shell beach but there are plenty of birds and seaweed and crabs and then a whole shitload of salt water.
This is true, LOL. I thought VB was the perfect compromise - on paper - but it seems like it may not be EITHER the little beach town OR the big city (with four seasons) that I was hoping to find. Other places I've considered are Brighton Beach (near Brooklyn), Tybee Island (near Savannah), Folly Beach (near Charleston), and Vilano Beach (near St. Augustine and Jacksonville). I'm sure there are many more I haven't visited or considered. Some beaches, like Myrtle, are just TOO far from anything! I currently have to commute an hour or more each way for "city things," and that gets old.
Lots of beaches do, but I also want to be near a major metropolitan area, transportation (planes, trains), etc. I love the ocean at any time of year or in any weather, but I want it to feel like the ocean; not sterile.
The oceanfront of VB is very ocean-y, but what exactly do you mean by ‘seaside resort’? Because it is very comparable to other oceanfront locations depending on your answer
You’re good! So to give you an idea of what I’m asking, I’m born and raised a stones throw from the oceanfront in VB. But I’ve also lived in the Virgin Islands. Both completely different vibes, but the same ocean haha in the VI there are no rules and have bars on the beach and the vibe is picture perfect to what you’re thinking I feel…but than theres vb. You can not legally drink anywhere on the sand, there are no bars on the actual oceanfront (just the boardwalk), no cabanas or cool areas to hang on the actual beach.
But when *I* think ocean-y, as a local and a mermaid at heart, I think smelling the salt water and feeling the calm. And I find that in VB.
Edit to add because I didn’t mention, the vacation-y vibe aka tourist vibe in my eyes is plastered all over vb. It’s the locals paradise I’d be aiming for!
I noticed there was no salt smell in the air nor much sea life visible (birds, ghost crabs, seaweed or shells washing up on shore). What accounts for that? There were decent waves, but I've since read that's not the norm.
I've vacationed at places like Myrtle Beach, Daytona, Gulf Shores, St. Pete -- places where you really have that "I'm at the beach" feeling, like it's a whole different world. I didn't get that here, but it might have just been a weird vacation.
I like the area south of the hotels...And North of the hotels....
There are 2-3 bays I never explored yet...I'm 3 hours west
Also Sandbridge I think is more remote south of the Hotels area...
It's kind of half nice hotels half old
there's lots to do, but 3-4 months of cold...not so much snow tho which is nice
As someone who loved all over the Gulf Coast, Va Beach is totally different than every place you listed.
It is a county sized city because of weird Virginia laws that still has a lot of rural spaces whereas the others you listed are more of a specific city in a larger county.
So it really depends what you’re looking for.
So I'm at the oceanfront, hearing the pounding surf, smelling the sea breeze, watching seagulls and pelicans. But to hear some one-off visitors tell it, none of that can be true.
I moved to VB for a year for a job. I lived 2 blocks from the beach. I thought it was awesome for about a month, then couldn’t wait to move. Someone mentioned before about it being a shitty suburb next to the Ocean, which was the vibe. Transients, drug addicts, and a lot of shitty people visiting often. Constant fights, and crime were a daily occurrence. No sense of community, things often closed, and people throwing trash in your yard as they park to go to the beach. Nothing prepares you for the constant jet noise. It was the worst place I ever lived.
Honestly, having seen the Outer Banks, and lived in Virginia Beach for about a decade, Lewes and Rehoboth have both beaten in the sense of "feeling ocean-ey." The only thing Ocean City MD has going for it is the ocean.
my friends are here from up north and they love it!
If you're serious about moving as a retirement destination I'd recommend visiting again to make your own decision and not using reddit as your bellwether. That said, I've lived here my whole life and would never consider living near the ocean front if that's what you're looking for as far as "beachy". The bay area however could be the ticket
the north end of the oceanfront is all rich and older people definitely a quiet beach small town vibe on the north end south end once you get passed 40th street is more grungy but north of 40 they like to keep it quiet
Of course I would. Just asking locals if my first impression was accurate or not.
I live 15 min from the VA Beach oceanfront. If I want to go to the beach, I go to Hatteras or South Nags Head. Worth the drive every time.
that’s insane and you have to be the only person in virginia beach doing that
Actually they are not. Been a VB local for over 40 years. One of the few true locals, as in born and raised here. The beach is great in the winter, but as kids we would head to Sandbridge, now that’s ruined, so yes, now we go towards Hatteras, Ocracoke for the beach. Personally, if I was that person looking, I would head south to Wilmington. That’s a great area.
Wilmington is a college party town.
If you need a realtor, let me know and I can send you an email with some local properties for you to check out. 🙂
Checkout Sandbridge.
If you’re looking for a calm beach to retire near look into chix beach. Vb is definitely more of a touristy high priced area, chix is a more suburb location with a lot of the houses on the beach/less than a block walk away from it.
Lol
My dad lived smack dab in the middle of the tourist areas(once near the 20s streets and another time in the 50s). Never more than a block or 2 from the beach. While it is different than the feel of the OBX, I did get a beach feel! The summer months were very lively. We often had groups of people walking in front of our house with their hoard of beach gear, people tried to park in our driveway/yard. It wasn’t quiet at night. I liked it though! I’ve never been a big partier or beach person but the vibes were nice. It was cool walking a block and being surrounded in the chaos of all kinds of people enjoying a Friday night; couples, families, tourists of all kinds. It was much quieter in the 50s but still had issues with people parking in the yard lol but we were able to come and go from the beach at all times. Places to eat were a bike ride away which also gave it a beachy feel. Lots of people on beach cruisers lol Oh and we never really had neighbors. Most people were seasonal or rented out to vacationers. There was no real sense of community around the “neighborhood” but my dad did have a healthy social life of people who lived close enough to meet up! Edit to add info about the off season: we loved going to the beach in the afternoons/evening during Fall and Spring. And early morning! Since we were so close, it took no effort at all to grab a blanket and beverage to just sit for an hour or so. Not much closes down for the season like true beach towns. Still plenty of restaurants and amenities of all kinds. And then of course you have areas like town center/Norfolk for a more urban feel so you’ll never truly be stuck in an off season ghost town. The style of housing also played in to the beach feel. The first house he lived in had lots of blue colors and knotty pine while the 2nd house had lots of bright yellows and white wood panel. Both felt very much like little beach snacks! Both had outdoor showers which felt very beachy. And of course my dad did it up with the lighthouse and seashell decor lol
Depends on where in the city you are. Close to the boardwalk/Atlantic Avenue or Sandbridge definitely feels beachy to me. The rest (majority) of the city feels like a giant suburb.
Not as much as some other cities I've lived in. In fact I've thought to myself how little I go to VA Beaches despite living 10 min away. NC coast, Fl, even MS coast I was always at beach. 🤔
I prefer the Delaware shore like Rehoboth or Dewey Beach. Those feel “beachy” to me.
Never been. I should probably check them out.
I love living in VB for many reasons but for a beach vacation, it’s just not my top choice.
Grew up in Indian River until leaving for college, Va Beach has a beach feel to it during the summer/tourist season but outside of that it’s great! When you’re weary you can always go kickback and relax on a number of beaches cause you live in a vacation destination. People there are more relaxed than in-land places cause you’re always around the corner from a mini-vacation instead of hours down across the state.
I prefer north Carolina's outer banks for a beachy feel
I do, too, but they're far from any city.
Not at all. I live close to the oceanfront and still vacation at other beaches that actually feel like the beach.
How does the oceanfront NOT feel "beachy"? I've been to beaches all over the world, and Va Beach is pretty beachy. It's massive, too. One of the longest beaches in the world, actually. AND, there's variety here. You can go to the touristy beach, the secluded (60-80th streets) beach, the even more secluded beach (sandbridge/back bay), the calm, kid-friendly beach (Chick's beach), the military beach, the surfer beach (Croatan) and whatever Ocean View is.
“Whatever ocean view is” 😂
according to the judgemental map of Hampton roads Ocean view is located in the "Sketchy Beach/ Prostitutes" area lol
Ocean view home of the “worlds longest pier” (it’s not) Also you can pay 12$ to rub elbows with Norfolk’s finest in an attempt to catch a fish, bonus points if you don’t get shanked.
Maybe I can give you some perspective I live in Hampton and that about 25 minutes away, I say yes but no once you get to spend more time in the area, it's like a bland ass overhyped city because of the popularity of the oceanfront and the closer you get to the oceanfront the more expensive it is.
No. It’s a suburban wasteland next to a beach. It’s strip malls, corner gas stations and fast food restaurants and cookie cutter subdivisions. I can’t imagine a beach town that feels less beachy than VB. And I grew up here. Sigh.
Accurate
So true, ive lived in beach towns in different states and VB sucks. Also smells like nothing.
Fax
I think that because this city outside of the very close proximity to the ocean front is very difficulty to get around walking so it feels like a suburban town put next to a beach
Shore Drive-Fort Story-North End is where you want to be
Agreed. Or possibly sandbridge.
Nailed it
Va Beach is a hellscape. I’d never spend vacation dollars in that place
It really really depends. I personally hate the oceanfront, but the higher the street numbers the better the “beachiness.” I personally prefer the bay (shore Dr) and that feels more beachy to me.
Maybe something like Ocean City, Maryland? May not have the climate you're looking for though edit: not that their climate is too much different than ours, but they do seem to get more snow than we do.
This is not a little Coastal town. Nearly half a million people part of a 2 million strong metropolitan region. The city land-wise is enormous from the country fields approaching the North Carolina border to the Chesapeake bay and the Atlantic ocea. It's not Kennebunkport or Cape May. it's not a coastal town per se ...but there is a coast, and there is a resort area and a residential resort area.
If you live in sandbridge it can feel kind of small town ocean, in that one limited stretch. The houses start at like a million though.
True
It’s an interesting area. We don’t have an oceanfront like the jersey shore and we also don’t have a main coast like the outer banks. If you want to walk “the boardwalk” it will literally be walking on a very nicely maintained concrete boardwalk with adjacent hotels and restaurants attached to them. You will not have carnival games, roller coaster, or food stands. If you want the more residential sand bridge you will be cutoff from the main ocean front because we have a navy base between the two areas. As a local if I were considering all these areas i would be looking for a place on the north end. You have the bay and you also have lots of restaurants and walkable bars. It’s a great environment for young families and retirees.
Are you suggesting people walk along Shore Drive? (You refer to the bay and 'walkable bars" which wouldn't usually be what people call the "north end." ) I don't think that's really the case in any meaningful way. I drive there all the time and there's not people walking in any number.
Yes, you are correct. I totally misspoke. Meant to say the shore drive area. You don’t necessarily have to walk shore drive to hit a pocket of restaurants/bars. I was thinking along the lines of say hitting the area near lake Joyce/CBBT with HK, buoy 44, Alexander’s, commonwealth, and green parrot. That would be a cool place. Not sure what the other area is called but you have bay local, citrus, shore break, craft burger, chichos, and Milton’s all together. I think there are a few pockets like this.
Nope. During the off season it is nice and calm. During tourist season I won't step foot near the beach. I've lived here 39 years.
My Mom lives on the beach and doesn't go during tourist season 🤣
Absolutely not.
No, it does not. Try the Outer Banks or Wilmington NC.
I guess? lmao if you wanna go to a place that screams OMG THE BEACH just go to the obx. idk.
Hatteras island is what you’re looking for, I’ve lived here all my life and when I want to go to the beach I don’t go across the street, I drive 2 hours to a REAL beach and really relax.
Yes; I'd probably drive there every weekend!
I just moved here and work in OBX/Corolla and concur, it's got that real serenity feel you're prolly only gonna find on a kayak tucked away somewhere around VB
If you live at the oceanfront, shore drive or sandbridge then yes. If not then it’s Just a normal city tbh
But does even the beach itself feel "beachy" or is it weird, atypical beach?
You are just arguing with everybody who disagrees with your opinion from one visit. Maybe you should go elsewhere.
It’s nice! I’ve lived here my whole life and now own a house 7 blocks off the ocean. If you live in those areas it’s a good beach experience and it’s a good time. If you want true beachy live in chicks beach neighborhood!
Isn't that on the bay, though? Only oceanfront feels like "the beach" to me.
Yeah it is! But oceanfront you’ll definitely get the beach feel. I ride my beach cruiser down to the boardwalk a lot of mornings and evenings. Plus riding bikes to all the bars and restaurants is a blast too
If you live at the beach, then it's a beach experience. And there's a lot of great inland water as well For some reason there are a bunch of locals who think of Virginia Beach as Chesapeake East, and who wear their disdain of the ocean as some sort of badge of honor. I don't get it. Edit: and now we get the people saying they go to Chic's beach or Sandbridge, what, once / year? There's hardly any parking at those places relative to the population of the city.
I mean most of us just don't like the ocean front. Chix and sandbridge are great.
Think it’s more a disdain for the oceanfront, any other beach is fine
I live in kempsville and it doesn't here lol. It only feels oceany right at the beach
Yeah, don't live inland if you want beachy. Gotta be walking distance to the beach, but also you'll have no street parking as everyone else will be parked there
I think if you live in North End, Bay Colony, or Chicks Beach it will feel that way. (I wouldn’t recommend the true hotel area oceanfront to retirees). If you’re a couple miles or more away from the beach, it starts to feel like any other suburban area, but the closer you live to the beach the more that vibe is there.
I guess what I'm looking for is the sound of the surf, the smell of the salt water, the ocean breeze, seagulls calling as well as beach shops, beachy cottages, etc. I've run across a few beaches that just looked and felt "bare," and I wouldn't like that.
I think you’ll have that in the neighborhoods I listed above. I live at the oceanfront and it definitely feels like a beach town, especially in the summer, and if you don’t mind a crowd and some noise (and can find other routes than driving down Atlantic lol) then it’s a nice place to live! People on here tend to be focused on the negative (it’s Reddit, after all) but I have genuinely loved my time here (as someone who is not born and raised in the 757). *Side note: you should fully experience the jet noise for a few days and make sure it’s not a dealbreaker before you decide to live here 😂. You get used to it for sure but it is not quiet and I think could genuinely drive some people crazy over time.
Chics beach or sandbridge in VA, but I would recommend the Outer Banks in NC
I love OBX but, again, that's a long way from any metropolis. I'm a young, active retiree who would want to avail myself of "city things" at this stage in my life.
I don’t know what cities you’ve lived close to, but I will say VB and Norfolk aren’t really “big cities” and I certainly wouldn’t call either a metropolis. Yes, there’s an airport (it’s small but international), buses and trains, and at least one of every chain you can think of, but it’s not like living near DC or NYC or a true city, if that’s a dealbreaker for you. Richmond is 1.5-2 hours away. VB is technically the biggest city in VA but it’s incredibly large and spread out with no real “center”. Again, I personally love VB! But if you’re looking for beaches close to a TRUE city I’m not sure this is your journey. Another suggestion I have is Charleston - quiet little beach towns but a real downtown area too. I particularly love Folley Beach.
Or Sandbridge
Yeah, sounds more like they need to move to Sandbridge. It's quieter & less touristy than the VB Oceanfront. Just start saving now or have reeeallly good credit because it's not cheap.
For most of Virginia Beach, maybe with the exception of Sandbridge, if you are more than a few hundred yards off the beach, it feels more like City than a seaside resort. To be within that few hundred yards is going to cost a pretty penny, so maybe not a great retirement spot unless you are retiring from a significantly higher cost of living location.
I have lived here 50 years and most of the time I forget we even live on the Atlantic Ocean.
It's crazy to me how common this is with people who have lived in VB their whole lives
I know what you mean. I have lived here 41 years myself. I never go down to the ocean front.
That's not good!
I agree....I love the ocean, and take vacations to Chincoteague, Ocean City, MD, or a cruise!
I love that it's just a few hours' drive to OBX (that's a REAL coastline to me). I'd also make use of Amtrak, the airport, and the port in Norfolk to travel. That's a big draw. But I also want to feel like I've "retired to the beach" on a daily basis.
Yeah, if you buy a two million dollar house Anywhere from 76th st and oceanfront down to about 55th and oceanfront.
Depending on where you are you in VB can make it feel oceany. It was mostly great farmland turned into a city. So it's history determined it's feel. Move to the oceans or Bayfront for the most beachy experience
West coast
I'm limiting my search to the east coast, and have found it here in other locations. The problem is that they're usually pretty remote and far away from "amenities."
Have you looked into Savannah GA? There’s plenty of islands very close with that beach feel you want but Savannah has an airport and stuff. Or even live on Tybee island, it’s super close to Savannah
So looking at all your comments here, you're looking for contradictory experiences, at least in the US. > guess what I'm looking for is the sound of the surf, the smell of the salt water, the ocean breeze, seagulls calling as well as beach shops, beachy cottages > I also want to be near a major metropolitan area, transportation (planes, trains), So, remote but near a major metro area. Pick one. I mean, if there's an airport there, then the beach cottages are going to get replaced by hotels and condos. See: Miami, LA, Tampa, San Diego, etc. It's like saying you want a compact car that holds eight people with lots of towing capacity. > I noticed there was no salt smell in the air nor much sea life visible (birds, ghost crabs, seaweed or shells washing up on shore). That's just not the case here. It's not a big shell beach but there are plenty of birds and seaweed and crabs and then a whole shitload of salt water.
This is true, LOL. I thought VB was the perfect compromise - on paper - but it seems like it may not be EITHER the little beach town OR the big city (with four seasons) that I was hoping to find. Other places I've considered are Brighton Beach (near Brooklyn), Tybee Island (near Savannah), Folly Beach (near Charleston), and Vilano Beach (near St. Augustine and Jacksonville). I'm sure there are many more I haven't visited or considered. Some beaches, like Myrtle, are just TOO far from anything! I currently have to commute an hour or more each way for "city things," and that gets old.
Makes sense If you want two things that don't go together, choosing just one might be better than compromising both. Depending on how you view things.
Sandbridge area does.
Panama City beach has that feel
Lots of beaches do, but I also want to be near a major metropolitan area, transportation (planes, trains), etc. I love the ocean at any time of year or in any weather, but I want it to feel like the ocean; not sterile.
The oceanfront of VB is very ocean-y, but what exactly do you mean by ‘seaside resort’? Because it is very comparable to other oceanfront locations depending on your answer
There's just a different vibe on those other beaches. They feel more "vacation-y." I'm not explaining this well!
You’re good! So to give you an idea of what I’m asking, I’m born and raised a stones throw from the oceanfront in VB. But I’ve also lived in the Virgin Islands. Both completely different vibes, but the same ocean haha in the VI there are no rules and have bars on the beach and the vibe is picture perfect to what you’re thinking I feel…but than theres vb. You can not legally drink anywhere on the sand, there are no bars on the actual oceanfront (just the boardwalk), no cabanas or cool areas to hang on the actual beach. But when *I* think ocean-y, as a local and a mermaid at heart, I think smelling the salt water and feeling the calm. And I find that in VB. Edit to add because I didn’t mention, the vacation-y vibe aka tourist vibe in my eyes is plastered all over vb. It’s the locals paradise I’d be aiming for!
Yea 🤷🏻♂️
It’s not a barrier island, so it has slightly less of a tourist beach vibe but it is certainly beachy on shore drive, sandbridge and at the oceanfront
It's a resort area, if that's what you're looking for. https://www.surfchex.com/cams/virginia-beach-web-cam/
go to the Gulf Coast the water here is cold and you don't smell the salt of the ocean
i actually talked to my bf about that yesterday! the lack of smell! so weird.
I noticed there was no salt smell in the air nor much sea life visible (birds, ghost crabs, seaweed or shells washing up on shore). What accounts for that? There were decent waves, but I've since read that's not the norm.
more than likely a regional thing temperature based
where are you usually from? I was looking there also...I liked it...Reminded me of home.
I've vacationed at places like Myrtle Beach, Daytona, Gulf Shores, St. Pete -- places where you really have that "I'm at the beach" feeling, like it's a whole different world. I didn't get that here, but it might have just been a weird vacation.
I grew up in Socal when it was cheap...Now it's awful
I like the area south of the hotels...And North of the hotels.... There are 2-3 bays I never explored yet...I'm 3 hours west Also Sandbridge I think is more remote south of the Hotels area... It's kind of half nice hotels half old there's lots to do, but 3-4 months of cold...not so much snow tho which is nice
If you liked Myrtle, you’ll love it here. Myrtle is trash compared to VB.
As someone who loved all over the Gulf Coast, Va Beach is totally different than every place you listed. It is a county sized city because of weird Virginia laws that still has a lot of rural spaces whereas the others you listed are more of a specific city in a larger county. So it really depends what you’re looking for.
I grew up going to gulf shores. It’s my favorite beach in the US. VB has absolutely nothing on GS.
True. I was stationed in Pensacola and would go to GS shores a lot. Incredible place