Va Beach or Outer Banks

We love the Outer Banks. Normally we have a big group and rent oceanfront large house in Corolla. This year we have a smaller group and want to be in condo. Still oceanfront. Considered Kill Devil Hills condo. Now looking at Sanctuary in Sandbridge since its much closer to us in DC than NC is. Is Va beach as nice as NC? Is Sanctuary/Sandbridge/Va Beach at all similar to NC? What are differences? Can anyone give us the good/bad of Sanctuary and Va Beach? Thanks

Va Beach or Outer Banks

Sandbridge is pretty much residential. Little commercial. No hotels. So it%26#39;s like one of the quieter areas of the NC Outer Banks. (Sandbridge is actually Va%26#39;s outer banks.)

You can drive as often as you like to the more commonly known resort area for the boardwalk acitivites, festivals, fireworks, street performers, stage performers, etc.

If you look at www.vbfun.com you can see what event might be happening during your stay and all kinds of things about Sandbridge as well.

Va Beach or Outer Banks

Corolla is very nice, but Sandbridge is the Outer Banks a couple hours closer without the causeway and the traffic.

If you love the shopping in OBX, go there. Sadly, VB does not measure up to OBX%26#39;s ';cute shop'; experience. But for beach quality, come to VB.

Having done both, I kind of like Sandbridge better. It%26#39;s closer, no toll-roads, and I don%26#39;t have to drive through 40 minutes of people trying to sell me kites and hermit crabs to get there.

I don%26#39;t know much about the condos, though.

Thanks all for the replies. I agree that it would be smarter to cut out the extra travel time to NC. Does anyone know if the actual beach itself in the area of the Sanctuary (looks like southern-most Va beaches) is as nice as the beach in Corolla (wide/clean)? And there is a condo further north in Sandbridge than Sanctuary (Sandbridge Dunes?), does anyone know how these 2 condos compare? And how do these 2 areas of Sandbridge compare?

Having been inside neither one, I have no right to comment but I will anyway - it%26#39;s America, right? I would go with the Sanctuary just to be out of the line of traffic. Sandbridge Dunes is right there where everyone arrives; there is a big public parking lot, so you%26#39;re likely to get the day-trippers filling up your beach. Neither location has a ';wide'; beach like Corolla, but it%26#39;s still roomy enough.

This photo was taken about halfway between your possible destinations, and its wide enough for me:

tripadvisor.com/鈥?9146453

Personally, I love having space on the beach, but some people might also enjoy having the store just across the street from Sandbridge Dunes and being a few minutes closer to the restaurants and movie theaters on the ';mainland';.

I think I would just rent the one that has the amenities and schedule you%26#39;re looking for, on the theory that both are great places to be.

Well we live in Va Beach an vacation elsewhere :). But to answer your questions:

The beach in front of the Santuary, in my opinion is not as wide as in Corolla, so it can feel more crowded-but still much better than the Va Beach oceanfront.

Also, one area of the beach is designated for swimming, the other for surfing.

Since last summer we have also noticed an increase of smokers on the beach-not sure what that is about, but some days it is really a nuisance.

I would also say to check the ammenities you want, maybe try someplace new this year-like Sandbridge, you can always go back to Corolla another year if it is not to your liking.