Virginia Beach or Outerbanks

[janej]

Hi,

I am trying to decide where to go next summer. I have a choice between the Barclay Tower at Virginia beach and the Outer Banks Beach Club I for the same week. Both units are 1 bedrooms. We've been to the Outer Banks twice, staying at the BIS Duck both times. We enjoyed the beach, the resort, but not the unit there.

I don't know much about Virginia Beach. It is closer to home. We can probably find a friend to split the week if there is not enough to do for a week.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Jane

 

[Carolinian]

Most people in eastern Virginia seem to prefer the OBX over their own beaches. Probably 60% of TS owners on the OBX are from eastern Virginia.

While there are a lot of things I like about Duck, the OBBC is IMHO the best TS on the beach, and from its location, there is a lot more to do that is convenient. Day trips to Hatteras and Ocracoke, for instance.

 

[janej]

Thanks a lot for the information. While we were at the OBX this year, we went to crabbing at the Whalehead club. My kids loved it so much that they asked to be closer to the Whalehead club next time. Is there a place that is close to OBBC for crabbing?

We have not got to Hatteras and Ocracoke. I am looking forward to these day trips.

I'd love to hear more about Virginia Beach area too.

 

[Steve]

Virginia Beach is a crowded, urban beach with high rise hotels and a concrete boardwalk. It is a completely different feel from the Outer Banks. There is a lot to do in the Hampton Roads area, of which Virginia Beach is a part. Attractions within an hour's drive include: the zoo, botanical gardens, aquarium, downtown Norfolk, Colonial Williamsburg, the museums in Newport News, Busch Gardens, etc. It's far more than you could do in a week. Having said that, I'd rather stay in Williamsburg to visit those attractions.

For a beach vacation, I would choose the Outer Banks of NC over Virginia Beach any day! (I grew up in Virginia and have visited both VA Beach and the OBX many times.)

Steve

 

[janej]

Steve,

Thanks for the information on VB. It does sound like OBX would be a better fit for us.

Does any one have more information on the one bedroom OBBC? I read the following review on RCI dated July 08. I am concerned.

"We were looking for a nice and quiet family vacation and did not find it here. The resort is on a main road and our unit was lucky enough to have a view of the parking lot, main road and outdoor Mexican bar! Most of the units face parking lots; only a couple will actually have a view of the ocean. "

I know ocean view would be too much to expect. But I also don't want to be that close to the main road.

 

[pedro47]

My suggestion is OBX. I dislike Va Becah because of the above same reasons.
True R&R can be found at OBX. Now crowds can be found at OBX from June until September. This year tourism at OBX were down between 15 to 20%. Because of the high price of gasoline.

 

[pcgirl54]

I was at OBX last year at a different resort. OBBC I and II were down the road. It was from memory a small beach road not the larger hwy 12. I think the beach road was called Virginia Dare Rd. Was not OBBC II across the street from OBBC I? Not all units face the ocean.

Really liked OBX. Each town is a little different. Great giant farmers markets a couple of towns north of OBX.

 

[Don]

Most people in eastern Virginia seem to prefer the OBX over their own beaches.

As a former Eastern Virginian, I can't quite vouch for that as far as day trips are concerned, anyway. Locals usually go to Sand Bridge Beach at the south end of the city's coastline or north Va. Beach to avoid the resort area. I didn't even like driving through the resort area during the summer.
IMHO, Va. Beach (resort area) is over rated.

 

[pedro47]

Don, Sandbridge is still the spot for locals in the summer months. Do you remeber the Duck Inn in the Beach? It is gone and a condo is being built on that location.

 

[Don]

Yes I do. There were threads posted during the same time it closed about it. My uncle and aunt had a condo just down the road about 1/4 mile.

 

[Carolinian]

I was at OBX last year at a different resort. OBBC I and II were down the road. It was from memory a small beach road not the larger hwy 12. I think the beach road was called Virginia Dare Rd. Was not OBBC II across the street from OBBC I? Not all units face the ocean.

Really liked OBX. Each town is a little different. Great giant farmers markets a couple of towns north of OBX.

There are two north-south roads between Nags Head and Kitty Hawk, NC 12, known locally as ''the bypass'' which is four lanes and either 45 MPH or 50/55MPH, and Virginia Dare Trail, known locally as ''the beach road'' which is 2 lanes and 35MPH. The main road with most of the traffic is NC 12, which is NOT the road these timeshare are on.

 

[jfbookers]

Or as Yogi supposedly said

As to both "Nobody goes there anymore, It's too crowded."

 

[PeelBoy]

If yours is a one bedroom Friday check in, your unit will be the one across the street, so you must walk like 5 minutes to the beach. There is not much view there, like my unit is facing the parking lot.

The two bedrooms are facing the beach but lower floors will be blocked by the sand dunes. Lots of people don't mind OBBC I or II, but if you want a unit facing the beach, make sure which unit you will be checking in.

 

[NTHC]

I didn't take the time to read the entire thread, but just wanted to post a few thoughts on both areas.

Virginia Beach is a city. The area is urban and has a city feel. You can walk out of your high rise condo and go to amusement parks, restaurants, etc. There are hundreds of people on the beach on any given summer day.

The Outer Banks has a more laid back feel. You will have to most likely drive or take resort transportation to do any activity. It is a town and has a town feel to it.

Both are nice places to spend a vacation. Rarely a year goes by that we don't spend time in the Outer Banks. Our son is 18 now so we have spent time in VA Beach recently as well because he and his friends like the activity. It just depends on what you really want for a family vacation.

Whichever you choose, I know you will have a nice vacation.

Cindy

 

[Travelmom64]

Agree

Both are nice places to spend a vacation. It just depends on what you really want for a family vacation.

Whichever you choose, I know you will have a nice vacation.

Cindy

I agree with Cindy. Living in SW Virginia we have vacationed at almost every beach from Cape May, NJ to Amelia Island, FL. Yes, while Va Beach is commercial and can be crowded (we usually go late August just before Labor Day and it is not bad), it still is one of our favorite destinations. We love biking the Award Winning boardwalk, never having to move our car to enjoy nice restaurants, see a movie, see tons of live music and people watching from our oceanfront balcony. While the OB is truly a reprieve from most of that sort of stuff!

On a side note, for anyone that has never been to Va Beach over the holidays, a drive down the boardwalk to see the "Festival of Lights" is listed in Southern Living as one of the Top 10 things to do on the East Coast. We have been and it is really neat!

Enjoy whatever you choose!
Lisa in VA

 

[Don]

You can walk out of your high rise condo and go to amusement parks, restaurants, etc.

Where is the amusement park? There used to be one at the ocean front end of 26th St., but it was torn down at least twenty years ago if not longer. I haven't been there since we went back for Christmas in 2000 so if they built a new one, please tell me.

 

[bigrick]

When we exchanged to Williamsburg, VA, we spent several days at Virginia Beach. When we exchanged to the Outer Banks, we spent several days at Virginia Beach. We have never stayed in Virginia Beach itself but we do like to visit the area.

For you, it may depend how much time you want to spend in this area of Virginia. We focused our trips to the primary areas we wanted to see and left VA Beach for side trips. Your mileage may vary from ours!

 

[janej]

Thanks a lot for the information, everyone.

Lisa, where is a good place to stay to see the lights in Virginia Beach. I found good availability in RCI and II. After the crazy fall kids' activities winding down, I really want to go away for a weekend.

 

[Carolinian]

I think the OBX's small former amusement park is also caput. I don't go in for such things, but it looked derelict.

As to restaurants, if you want those within walking distance, several OBX resorts have that. The ones with the best selection of restaurants an easy walk away are Ocean Villas and Ocean Villas II. If you want walking distance to a fishing pier, on the other hand, try Dunes South.

In the Virginia Beach area is the new Monitor museum, something I would like to see. It would be an interesting contrast to my visit to an older and much more powerful ironclad, HMS Warrior which is docked at Portsmouth, England.

 

[pedro47]

Where is the amusement park? There used to be one at the ocean front end of 26th St., but it was torn down at least twenty years ago if not longer. I haven't been there since we went back for Christmas in 2000 so if they built a new one, please tell me.

There is a small water park located in VA Bch.

 

[bigrick]

One place we always enjoy eating at when we are in the Virginia Beach area (for us, roughly Williamsburg to the Outer Banks) is the Azalea Inn in Norfolk Last time we had pizza and a german chocolate cake drink (no cake actually but definitely the taste). We had some Greek appetizers too but I can't remember how to spell or say what we ate but they were GOOD. The food is always great here!

 

[Travelmom64]

Festival of Lights

Thanks a lot for the information, everyone.

Lisa, where is a good place to stay to see the lights in Virginia Beach. I found good availability in RCI and II. After the crazy fall kids' activities winding down, I really want to go away for a weekend.

Sorry for taking so long to get back with you! We like the Residence Inn around 34th on the ocean, next door to the Hilton (which is beautiful and nice, but pricey), that area is more upscale. Which properties did you find available? You want to stay where you can see the lights from your balcony, however, you will want to make the drive all the way up the boardwalk for the full scene, it's $10 but neat.
Lisa

 

[janej]

Lisa,

Here are the resorts I found available for 2nd weekend of Dec

RCI

The Colony (#0015)
Barclay Towers (#1407)

II
Beach Quarters
Ocean Beach Club
Turtle Cay
Villas at the Boardwalk

Any one good? We could also stay at a hotel for just one night.

Thanks,

Jane

 

[Big Matt]

Jane,
stay at the Residence Inn for the one or two nights. It's very new still and has free hot breakfast. You'll have the same amount of space as a timeshare depending on the configuration.

 

[zentraveler]

I have always wanted to go to the Outer Banks and am looking around for a place to exchange into mid-February. Would the weather be decent in the OB then? (We are also considering Hawaii and I don't imagine it would be that warm in the OB...my California location has muddled my east coast weather sense.)