Why Move to Virginia Beach? My Favorite Reasons
- Adam Garrett
- Sep 6
- 3 min read
Some of my favorite aspects of Virginia Beach include:
The Virginia Beach boardwalk is well-ranked & the "World's Longest Stretch of Pleasure Beach".
My wife & I enjoy it so much that we once did a 5-night staycation there at the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront Resort (primarily covered via travel hacking, of course).
Low Cost of Housing for Oceanfront Big City in Big East Coastal MSA
Among the big cities on the East Coast Oceanfront in Big MSA's, Virginia Beach's housing prices are relatively affordable:
When compared to other options among big cities directly on the coast in big MSA's, that's pretty good.
Great School District
The Virginia Beach school district is in the top 10 percent of school districts in the state of Virginia, with the top 2 public schools, as published by Public School Review & 5/132 in Virginia with Niche’s popular algorithms.
Things to Do
Plenty of things to do, including some of the top-rated things in Virginia, with more highly ranked things to do in Virginia Beach according to TripAdvisor than in other cities & counties of the “South Side” of Hampton Roads (below the James River).
If new to the city, there are great touring options, including boat tours available:
Here's a map of 9 categories of free things to do in the area & 1 category for paid options:
Here are some of the top things to do in Virginia Beach, per TripAdvisor, last I checked, w/ Virginia rankings on the left & Virginia Beach rankings on the right as well as the rating on the right:
#1 Virginia Beach Boardwalk #1 4.5/5
#30 Military Aviation Museum #4 5/5
#47 Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center #5 4.5/5
#52 First Landing State Park #6 4.5/5
#77 Tarnished Truth Distilling Company #7 5/5
#91 Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge #8 4.5/5
#134 Cape Henry Lighthouse #10 4.5/5
#172 Mount Trashmore Park #11 4.5/5
#183. King Neptune Statue on the Boardwalk #12 4.5/5
#191 False Cape State Park #14 4.5/5
Parks & Nature
While Virginia Beach has a number of parks & other things to do in nature, First Landing State Park, located in Virginia Beach, is one of the top-rated parks in Virginia on TripAdvisor. There are plenty of hidden gems as well, like Grezia Covington Reed Lotus Garden below:
Plenty of well-rated restaurants
Orion's Roof is one of the best restaurant settings I've been to:
Here's a map of many more options:
Becca Restaurant & Garden is one of my favorites in Virginia Beach, & is one of the most highly rated and in a great setting.
Plenty of well-rated shopping
Here's a map:
Options Nearby, like the city of Norfolk
Virginia Beach is adjacent to Norfolk, with plenty more there to do like the Norfolk Botanical Garden (one of the top-rated botanical gardens in the US) & Battleship Wisconsin (below)
Being in the Middle of the East Coast & Flight Impact
The East Coast is one of the top population areas of the US, so being near the middle means you've got shorter flights to most areas on the East Coast. You'll be able to get directly to many locations via the Norfolk Airport, which is adjacent to Virginia Beach:
5 Months of 68°F+ (20°C+) Water in Hampton Roads
Located within Hampton Roads, the 2nd largest metropolitan statistical area in Virginia & the biggest oceanfront East Coast MSA north of Jacksonville FL with 5 or more months out of the year with water at or above 68°F (20°C).
Overall Lower Climate Risk than Many Oceanfront East Coast Cities & Counties
Better Protected from Hurricanes than Many Other Warm Water Locations on the East Coast
Low Snow Volume While Only a Few Hours Drive to Snow Skiing
Virginia Beach and the surrounding area (Hampton Roads) have a relatively low amount of snow compared to a number of locations in the US, yet have easy access via a drive to ski resorts, a shorter time than any locations on the East Coast.
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