Virginia Beach Area Information for Future Home Owners
2007 Virginia Beach Fact Sheet
Destination Overview In Virginia Beach, visitors are invited to Live the Beach Life! Offering the classic beach vacation, Virginia Beach maintains a long-standing reputation as a family-friendly oceanfront resort and a great place to own real estate, homes, or condos. Visitors are greeted by a 300-foot wide beach lined by Virginia Beachs three-mile concrete oceanfront Boardwalk. After spending lazy
days on the beach, the state parks and Back Bay National
Wildlife Refuge beckon, enticing visitors to embark on a
hiking, kayaking, or biking adventure.
Fishing, golfing, whale and dolphin watching, historic landmarks, the
Virginia Aquarium and exciting events complete the Beach
experience. Virginia Beach offers seaside lodging with
spectacular views and delectable seafood dining experiences. With a mild climate
year-round, Virginia Beach is the ideal vacation destination for every season.
Virginia Beach Convention Center The resort city is one of the nations premier year-round meeting destinations. The new Virginia Beach Convention Center was completed in January 2007, offering meeting planners over 500,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space. As a destination marketing organization, the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) manages the Convention Center, which hosts regional and national trade shows, conventions, sports tournaments and special events, and sponsors some of the citys major festivals and special events. The CVB is a city department that also plans and implements marketing strategies to attract consumer travelers, convention and meeting groups, as well as group tours.
Location
Centrally located on the East Coast, Virginia Beach is situated in the southeastern corner of the state where Virginia meets the sea. The resort city is within easy fly-drive access of two-thirds of the U.S. population. Norfolk International Airport which hosts most major airline carriers and offers 200 flights daily is just 20 minutes from the Virginia Beach oceanfront. Virginia Beach is also situated 45 minutes from Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport.
For visitors driving to Virginia Beach, the resort city is just four hours away from Washington, D.C. and two hours from Richmond, Va.
DISTANCE FROM SELECTED CITIES (IN MILES):
Accessibility
Virginia Beach is primarily a drive destination more than 94% of its visitors arrive by automobile. When approaching from the west, the easiest routes are Interstate 64, U.S. 460 or U.S. 58. From the north and south, convenient routes are Interstates 85 or 95, U.S. 17 and U.S. 13 (crossing the world-famous Chesapeake Bay-Bridge Tunnel, a 17-mile span connecting Virginias Eastern Shore with Virginia Beach). These routes intersect with Interstate 64, which connects with Interstate 264, leading directly to the Virginia Beach oceanfront. An Amtrak train connection is available in Newport News, a neighboring city. Greyhound and Trailways Bus Lines also operate in the area.
Beginning at mile-marker zero, recreational boaters can follow the Intracoastal Waterway where the Atlantic Ocean meets the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay into the area. From Virginia Beach, they can travel as far north as Boston, Mass. and south toBrownsville, Texas.
Tourism and Visitor Profile
Approximately 2.6 million people visit Virginia Beach annually, spending $828 million and providing approximately 14,204 jobs within the city. This makes tourism one of the largest economic industries for Virginia Beach. Typically, the Virginia Beach visitor is between 35-54 years old, married with children and has an average household income of more than $82,800. A large majority of visitors arrive from the mid-Atlantic region. The citys top states of visitor origin in descending order are: Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Michigan, Texas, Illinois, South Carolina, and Kentucky. The Northern Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia and D.C. DMA is the top DMA for total visitation, with 16.9% of visitors arriving from that DMA. Summer travelers from Canada make up 9.2% of overall visitation. The average distance traveled by visitors to Virginia Beach was 409 miles and 80.9% were repeat visitors. Almost 90% of visitors said that Virginia Beach is a very good or a great place to visit. (Statistics based on the 2006 Summer Visitor Survey and the 2005 Virginia Beach Tourism Impact Study, authorized by the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau.)
Climate
The seaside resorts mild climate year-round continues to surprise visitors, adding to Virginia Beachs appeal as a quality destination for every season. Of Virginia Beachs 2.6 million visitors, 63% percent visit in the shoulder season (after Labor Day and before Memorial Day).
For travelers in search of a more relaxed pace, these seasons are ideal for uncrowded beaches and back-to-nature activities. Winter whale watching and Chick-Fil-A Holiday Lights at the Beach add to the cool season vacation experience.
AVERAGE TEMPERATURES
Air High Air Low Water
Ocean and Bay Beaches
With 35 miles of waterfront property, Virginia Beach has long been considered a classic American beach vacation spot. In Virginia Beach, a total of 14 miles of beach is free and open to the public. In the Virginia Beach resort area, newly-landscaped pedestrian beach entrances are easy to find, and parking is ample. If your idea of a “day at the beach” is more relaxed, visit Chesapeake Beach (known to the locals as Chicks Beach) for a more tranquil spot along the scenic Chesapeake Bay. Swimmers will enjoy the bays protected shallow waters.
For a more
secluded environment, the Sandbridge area on Virginia Beachs southern shore is perfect. The pristine shores of Sandbridge are quiet and untouched by the hands of modernization, and just 20 minutes from the main resort area. No hotels. Just breathtaking ocean-view rental homes, condominiums and peacefulness fill the Sandbridge shoreline. White sand sweeps from the shore to the streets where the traffic is less and seagulls leave long-lasting footprints.
Oceanfront Boardwalk
The Virginia Beach boardwalk dates back to 1888, and has been ranked among the best American boardwalks by Discovery Channel, Dr. Beach, Southern Living and Coastal Living. The concrete thoroughfare is an impressive 28 feet wide and three miles long with a separate bike path, making it ideal for strolling, rollerblading and biking. Entertainment is offered nightly during the summer months and four oceanfront stages at 7th, 17th, 24th and 31st Streets provide live musical acts. For handicapped accessibility, ramps from the boardwalk to the beach are available at every block.
Located at 8th, 17th, 24th and 30th Streets are eight-foot wooden walkways that reach the waters edge. Accessible restrooms are
located at 17th, 24th and 30th Streets. Handicapped parking can be found along the main thoroughfare. –more
Lodging and Dining
Virginia Beach is an accommodating destination, with nearly 12,000 hotel rooms, more than 1,800 campsites and several hundred rental cottages – and most offer ocean or bay-front vistas. Nearly 300 restaurants serve up succulent seafood dishes, from fresh Chesapeake Bay crab cakes and steamed shrimp to stuffed flounder and the local favorite, striped bass (also known as the rockfish). The restaurants celebrate a diverse range of cultures, offering a myriad of choices from Italian and Japanese to Mexican and Indian. Agriculture is one of the top three industries in Virginia Beach, with miles of green space in the southern end of the city harvesting produce from fresh strawberries to yellow corn and squash. Therefore, the restaurants are enticing visitors with the freshest seafood and the freshest produce.
Entertainment
When the sun goes down in Virginia Beach, more fun begins. The Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater, with a 20,000 seating capacity, showcases such national recording artists as Elton John, Sheryl Crow and Jimmy Buffett, among others. Nightclubs in Virginia Beach offer everything from Top 40 and jazz to country, reggae, comedy and the beach music. Virginia Beachs music festivals are among the best on the East Coast. Kicking off Memorial Day Weekend, Beach Street USA provides free nightly family entertainment in and around the oceanfront area from the boardwalk to Atlantic Avenue. Roaming jugglers, musical acts, clowns and dramatic acts add a little festival flavor.
The Arts
Each year, more than 400 artists travel to Virginia Beach for one of the nations most prestigious events, the Boardwalk Art Show and Festival, which is ranked as one of the Top 15 fine art shows in the country by Sunshine Artist Magazine. And, its only natural that a city maintaining such a long-standing association with the arts has its own outstanding visual arts center. The Contemporary Art Center of Virginias changing exhibits feature painting, sculpture, photography, glass, video and other visual media from internationally-acclaimed artists as well as artists of national and regional renown. Additionally, visitors can experience opera, dance and musical performances at venues throughout the region. Each spring, Virginia Beach also participates as a regional venue in the annual Virginia Arts Festival, which brings some of the worlds finest performers of classical music, dance, world beat and more to the Hampton Roads area.
Shopping
Virginia Beachs newest downtown area, Town Center, spans 17 city blocks and provides a mix of upscale retail, luxury residential, and an array of cafes and restaurants, along with business-class and deluxe hotels. A performing arts center and a new Westin are also scheduled to open at Town Center in 2007. The city also is home to Lynnhaven Mall and Hilltop Shopping Center. Approximately five minutes from the oceanfront, the Hilltop area features some of the finest dining and several shopping centers with stores such as Williams-Sonoma, Talbots, and Blue Ridge Mountain Sports. Along Atlantic Avenue, visitors will find a number of quaint boutiques and souvenir shops offering a variety of selections.
Military Installations
At the jet observation park in Virginia Beach, visitors can watch the Navys most sophisticated aircraft taking off and landing at Oceana Naval Air Station. It is one of only two master jet bases in the U.S. Navy
and is host to the F/A-18 Hornet aircraft. Fort Story was established in 1917 as a coastal artillery post. Its history, however, dates to 1607 when Americas first English settlers touched shore there before continuing on to Jamestown. Today, the installation is a training and test site for the Armys Joint Logistics¬Over-the-Shore (J-LOTS). Its oceanfront location, two historic lighthouses, First Landing Cross and Battle Off the Capes Monument make it a popular stop for visitors.
Other military bases in Virginia Beach include: the Naval Station Norfolk, Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, the major operating base for the amphibious forces of the United States Atlantic Fleet and the largest base of its kind in the world; Fleet Combat Training Center, Atlantic, Dam Neck, which provides training in the operation and employment of combat direction and control systems; and the State Military Reservation, also called Camp Pendleton, which the state has traditionally allocated primarily for the use of the Virginia National Guard. Note: Access to military bases may be restricted for public tours and a valid picture ID is required.
Awards
Throughout the years, Virginia Beach has received numerous accolades. In 2006, the resort city was honored with the following recognitions: Mens Fitness ranked Virginia Beach the No. 3 fittest city in America. Money Magazine named Virginia Beach the sixth-best big city in the U.S. Fit Pregnancy named Virginia Beach the most stroller-friendly city, as well as one of the top 50 Best Cities to Have a Baby. Readers Digest named Virginia Beach one of the Best Seaside Strolls in America. Virginia Beachs Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon was voted the 5th favorite half marathon in the country by the readers of Runners World. And the American Podiatric Medical Association and Prevention magazine named Virginia Beach as one of the 10 Best Walking Cities in America for 2006.
In 2005, USA Today recognized Virginia Beachs boardwalk among the Top 10. In 2004, TravelChannel.com named Virginia Beach the 5th Best American Boardwalk, and Byways named Virginia Beach among the Top 50 U.S. motorcoach destinations. Virginia Beach was recognized as the most technology-advanced city government in the nation with more than 250,000 residents, according to the 2004 Digital Cities Survey. Also in 2004, a Sperlings BestPlaces survey listed Virginia Beach as the 8th least-stressful city in the nation. Virginia Beach also has received top honors as a convention destination from Successful Meetings, Meetings & Conventions and Black Meetings & Tourism.
For Information
The official Web site for the Virginia Beach CVB, www.vbfun.com, provides help with online trip planning as well as information about the new Virginia Beach Convention Center. Visitors also can call 1-800-VA¬BEACH (800/822-3224) for more information.
For media information and digital images, click on www.vbpressroom.com.
Virginia Beach entices visitors to Live the Life every season of the year! Located in the southeastern corner of the state, Virginia Beach is four hours southeast of D.C. by car and within a days drive or less from two-thirds of the U.S. population. For visitor information, call 1-800-VA-BEACH (800/822-3224) or visit the Web site www.vbfun.com for online trip planning and more information about Virginia Beachs new $202.5 million convention center. For media information and digital images, click on www.vbpressroom.com. 
Serving Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads – Dennis Blackmore, REALTOR®
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Wow, I wish I could live there. My wife and kids would love this.
Seems very interesting, living in a beach front that is family-friendly. This would be ideal for families who are living an active lifestyle and into water sports.
Reise Laender’s last blog post..Dänemark: Urlaub im Ferienhaus
Such blog entries really revitalize one’s the day.