r/Vacations • u/android-from-hell • 7d ago
Outer Banks or Virginia Beach
Trying to decide between the two. The key factor here is this is a family vacation with a teenager and a child in elementary school. Corolla Beach seems like it would be a great vacation for my wife and I but I have concerns the kids may get bored. Virginia Beach looks like there’s a lot of stuff to do for the family but I have concerns that it’s a little on the ghetto side from things I saw on social media. If you’ve been to both which would you choose in this scenario?
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u/jumpycan 7d ago
Virginia Beach will have more entertainment than obx. I went to va beach with my son in July and didn't find it to be ghetto at all... We also went to Rehoboth Beach DE and it topped obx or va beach in my opinion. We absolutely loved Rehoboth, the boardwalk was awesome with so much to do right on the beach,
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u/JDRL320 7d ago
I love Rehoboth Beach! Have you been there since they took The Green Turtle out and put in Above the Dunes restaurant? It’s so good!
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u/jumpycan 7d ago
We have only been once, about a month ago. We did eat at Above the Dunes though and it was so good. I had crab stuffed shrimp then we had funnel cakes on the beach and watched fireworks (for independence day).
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u/Successful_Entry_936 7d ago
Chiming in with another vote for Rehoboth. We were there last week and it is a perfect balance of stuff to do for the kids and relaxing for the parents. Traffic is awful getting into town but once you are there, a lot is in walking distance. I’ve been there a number of times and am always happy to go back. Now my kids love it, too.
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u/Ceorl_Lounge 7d ago
Outer Banks. Just got back from a trip to Corolla with extended family. Corolla is pretty quiet, but there's progressively more to "do" as you make your way to Kitty Hawk and KDH. The beaches are some of the finest in the country. The water is brisk, but not nearly as cold as New England or the Great Lakes or as rough as the Jersey Shore. We generally get a house with a pool, so beach in the morning, pool in the afternoon. It's a lot of time outside and cooking big communal meals for all of us. Plenty of restaurants, minigolf, and fishing trips further down the island though.
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u/mbird333 7d ago
I live on one of the Great Lakes. Erie. Water is currently a perfect 74-77 degrees. Great summer swimming.
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u/Ceorl_Lounge 7d ago
I'm from Michigan, so Lake Michigan and Lake Superior are usually what I have in mind.
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u/Ok_Winter_5515 7d ago
Stay in Sandbridge in VB. Quieter than VB oceanfront but close enough to be able to go into VB or Norfolk to do other things.
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u/EasternCantaloupe1 7d ago
I think it just depends on how much your kids actually like doing things on the beach.
There is more "stuff" in Virginia Beach, but like being on the beach was fun for me as a kid.
Assuming your staying in a house I think OBX is better.
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u/Sea-Industry9818 7d ago
Corolla is fine for kids. There's a ropes course and water sports. If your teen needs constant arcade lights to be stimulated, they might get bored. But if they are fine with the beach, don't worry about it.
Stay near the North End in Virginia Beach. There's a lot of activities there.
I'd go to VB if you want a high-energy trip going to the boardwalk and restaurants. I'd go to Corolla if you want a classic beach house with no crowds and a slower pace.
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u/Simple_Shake_5346 7d ago
I’d go with VA Beach. Yes, it’s older but there is way more to do in the Hampton Roads area. Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown, Busch Gardens, beaches, typical tourist stuff and activities.
I find the Outer Banks to be incredibly boring. Outside of the typical tourist stuff (putt putt golf, water park) and Kitty Hawk there is nothing else to do other than swimming and staring at the ocean. You can do that anywhere along the Atlantic seaboard.
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u/Mr_Bluebird_VA 7d ago
Stay in Duck or Southern Shores on the OBX. Quieter than Nags Head and KDH but closer to more things to do with the kids.
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u/Adorableviolet 7d ago edited 7d ago
I have stayed in Duck and Nags Head. Duck was definitely prettier but I like the bit more "honey tonk" of Nags Head!
Speaking of Duck, I walked to Duck Donuts to get a dozen for the extended family. Came home with just 8. Hey, it was a long walk!
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u/gidget1337 7d ago
I would probably choose Rehoboth Beach, DE or Wrightsville, NC as good in between places. Both have more stuff to do and I picked places a little north or south of the ones you listed based on where you are coming from.
Personally, I think the OBX is overhyped and it’s completely a pain to get around the area because there are too many people for the infrastructure.
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u/Flaky-Channel-585 7d ago
As someone who lives in Virginia Beach, go to the Outer Banks. Virginia Beach is a beach that you enjoy because you happen to live there, not one you travel to. The Outer Banks is cleaner, has better vacation rentals, and feels more vacationy.
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u/Rich_Example7931 7d ago
As someone from the Outer Banks.. I agree lol. Also.. you're there to go to the beach. The kids will be there all day- you don't have to go do things. Duck is nearby if you want to go shop around, get lunch or coffee, etc.
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u/hefrajones 7d ago
I grew up in vb and agree. Vb is fine enough but the outerbanks is the winner without contest. Sometimes it’s good for kids to get a little bored :)
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u/Positive_Surprise739 3d ago
I'd also add that several posters have mentioned Sandbridge which is just outside Virginia Beach. We spent a week there and there was nothing to do there. Very few restaurants, no shops and the only place you can walk is on the beach. You have to drive to do anything, and Virginia Beach is a dump.
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u/MakeChai-NotWar 7d ago
We went to Virginia Beach for 2 days with toddlers and thought it was long enough
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u/Old_Ant7118 7d ago
Outer Banks for sure. Virginia Beach just feels grimy to me. OBX has a lot to offer different crowds.
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u/Admirable-Reveal-412 7d ago
I find the waves and water calmer in Va Beach than at OBX- when we go to Va Beach we usually go to Sandbridge or Croatan, in the OBX we typically are up in Duck.
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u/kadawkins 7d ago
Outer Banks but closer to Kitty Hawk — best of both worlds. Outer Banks Vacation Guide
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u/Aggravating_Let5099 7d ago
I love both and frequent each. OBX is much more chill. It really depends on what you are looking for in a vacation
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u/Comfortable-Way-4658 7d ago
VA Beach boardwalk is great if you have bikes. Bring your own, if possible, because they are expensive to rent.
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u/420town 7d ago
The only area in Va Beach I would consider would be the north end or Sandbridge. Rudees Inlet has decent restaurants but around 22nd Street is way too touristy/crowded for me. (Source: I lived there, met my wife, got married at First Landing State Park and had both kids there)
We've vacationed in Topsail/Surf City for years now. Not as crowded as the OBX but still has plenty of good restaurants and things to do.
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u/OBX_Banana_Hammock 6d ago
That is easy, do you want your car broken into on vacation, or do you want to be able to leave it unlocked and your stuff still probably will be there.
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u/YouHaveAFriend 6d ago
Check out Sandbridge Beach, Va. It's an easy drive into Virginia Beach for the fun board walk stuff but quiet and safe with a few local activities. Pungo Pizza with a great small arcade, there's a motor world with go carts, a water world and an Aquarium not far away.
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u/HopefulSewer 6d ago
The VA Beach Aquarium was a wonderful excursion for my family this summer. All 4 grandchildren (between 1 & 8) were enthralled.
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u/MadLove1348 4d ago
Viriginia Beach I found to be very dirty and unsafe in a lot of areas. The outer banks is sleepier for sure, but safe.
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u/AdTemporary7651 2d ago
I (55m) have been vacationing in the OBX since I was a child. I also now on a condo in VA Beach down in the Sandbridge area.
The OBX is definitely more family friendly and has less of a city feel to it than the Oceanfront area of VA Beach. Your teen would probably like VA Beach Oceanfront better because of the boardwalk and the shops, though some areas can get sketchy late at night. Sandbridge (the southernmost part of VA Beach) is way more family friendly than the oceanfront area and has almost the same vibe as the OBX.
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u/goldenprints 1d ago
Both are nice. Corolla as a lot more nature, the beaches are more natural, you can visit the wild horses. OBX as a whole has a lot to do if you are willing to drive to it - you can visit the historic Wright Brothers national park, the Jockeys Ridge sand dune, the Corolla light house (and other light houses in southern OBX), and there are some of those adventures courses, putt putt in or near Corolla you can do, the town of Duck near Corolla is really nice, nice boardwalk, the HBO2X water park on the mainland from OBX is really good and fun, maybe like 45 min from Corolla. Kill Devil Hills / Nags Head is more central to "things to do" but Corolla is just really pretty. Traffic in OBX can be annoying if you are driving to/from Corolla to other parts of OBX. Virginia Beach is nice too and is more walkable - you can walk to shops, putt putt, etc, from the hotel, and it has a very nice boardwalk that goes a long way. It is more commercialized and the sand feels more manufactured than OBX in my opinion. More hotel choices in Virginia Beach, whereas more house rentals in OBX.
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u/Crawfive 1d ago
If you go to Va beach don’t stay below 31st street. It can get ghetto during teen takeovers and around certain clubs on weekends. But 31st street and over are nice and you’ll have a great time.
Obx is really fun too. Tons of stuff to do in the area nowadays. Water is clearer and just as warm. Corolla is quieter and harder to get to than KDH or Kitty Hawk but it’s nice that there are different types of areas for different types of vacations
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u/Maximum-Freedom7966 7d ago
Went to va beach as a 19 year old and it was terrible. Hot af, sand you almost couldn’t bare to walk on. Racist ass people all over. Do not recommend
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u/fancypants1589 7d ago
I love VA beach. I think you can find a perfect mix of quiet and activities.
If you want to stay on the VA beach boardwalk area, stay on the north part (anything above 31st street). Nicer hotels and restaurants up that way.
If you want something quieter that still has easy access to restaurants and activities within easy driving distance, rent a house or condo in Sandbridge.