How far is Virginia Beach from the Outer Banks NC

Hello,

I want to go to virginia beach this summer (around June) I%26#39;ll probably fly to Norfolk airport and stay either in Norfolk or right at Virginia Beach.

How long of a drive would be from either place to the Outer Banks in NC.

I%26#39;m planning on staying 4-5 days in virginia and would love to have the chance to see the outer banks, but logistically I dont know if is a good idea.

Thanks!

How far is Virginia Beach from the Outer Banks NC

Define the Outer Banks-if you just want to go to Nags Head or Duck, it would only take you a few hours. If you want to go much further south-Emerald Isle, Topsail, Wrightsville (where the beaches are MUCH nicer), it will take you longer. A lot of people don%26#39;t really consider the last few I mentioned the ';outer banks'; but they are all barrier islands along the coast of NC.

How far is Virginia Beach from the Outer Banks NC

VB to Duck is about 90 miles. I double checked that with mapquest. Their timing might be accurate too if you don%26#39;t stop or catch traffic...2 hours. We make stops along the way but that seems about right. REmember NC 12 is around 35 will be slower during the popular check-in times.

If you want to see the OBX, go for it. It%26#39;s a great experience and won%26#39;t take long.

I definitely want to see the outer banks. Humm, would one day be enough time? Maybe I can split my time and spend a few days at the outer banks and a few days in VB.

Thank you for your replies.... I%26#39;ll keep searching and will eventually come up with a good plan.

You could certainly make a day trip to OBX from Norfolk/Va Beach or spend a night or two there. Just be aware that the 1 1/2-2 hour trip can actually take 4 hrs if you get in traffic. You may want to check the forum for OBX for additional information, like where to stay, best times to travel, etc. Try to make it to Hatteras and check out the lighthouse. Good luck.

A really nice thing to do is take the ferries and hop down between the islands. This will take a while. Consider staying in Ocracoke for a night and making your journey down. The beaches south of Cape Hatteras REALLY are far more superior. The water is clearer and warmer due to the Gulf Stream. Once it hits Cape Hatteras, it shoots out to sea.

Virginia Beach, while I don%26#39;t mean to slam it, is very commercial-the kind of place where they have big tractors out on the beach in the middle of the night sifting out the trash. Not exactly nature at its best. If that is not your scene, then spread out your time.

And it is true about the traffic. We stayed in Corolla a few years back, and when we were leaving, there had been some bad thunderstorms and due to standing water on the road, it took us 6 hours to go 11 miles. It was awful.

Wow, the problem with VB is that they clean the trash at night? Hmmm.

We have a few favorite beaches and love all of them for different occasions, different groups, different moods, different needs. We are very often in VB. Wiki VB. You%26#39;ll see it%26#39;s an acclaimed uraban beach with a record breaking long boardwalk. There%26#39;s always entertainment up and down the boardwalk and on periodic stages. But it%26#39;s not raucous or anything. There%26#39;s a noise ordinance, curfew, decency code...road signs for no cussing, etc. The beaches are the widest we%26#39;ve seen anywhere. We love the historic beach cottages restored/renovated into restaurants, museums, etc. I%26#39;ll send a couple of links for some things to do. Lots of nature...state park, bay, eco tours, kayaking, too. You will see tourists as well as locals at hotels...since the shore is different than inland...and lots of business people taking guests to shore restaurants, sitting beside the families in swimsuits.

The OBX is wonderful for dedication to the beach. That is a main business there afterall. (VB is tops in growth in Va with all that goes on off the resort strip as well as on.) There are lots of great natural areas, still some quiet areas although not like in the old days. There are areas for family reunions where an entire house can provide bedrooms, bathrooms, hdtv, etc. for each of, say seven families and all their little ones. And there are the quieter areas, the natural reaches north and south. We go there as a couple and as a large group.

Each has it%26#39;s own feel, though. So, yes, I%26#39;d recommend a couple of days in each to pick up the distinctive vibe. If you can go before the big vacationing crowds you%26#39;ll have a better opportunity to drive up and down the main drag at a better pace and see more ... in the interest of your time.

When choosing a place to stay, realize that one doesn%26#39;t continue straight down from VB into the OBX. You go down the mainland of NC and cut over to enter the OBX about midway.

Check out Virginia Beach Overview and click on Things to Do. Also check out vbfun.com. Here are a few links:

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g58277-s401/Virginia-…

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g58277-s403/Virginia-…

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g58277-s404/Virginia-…

I know Virginia Beach may be a bit more congested than The Outer Banks. I%26#39;d like to see both, enjoy the natural beauty of The Outer Banks and enjoy what larger cities have to offer like in Virginia Beach.

This is a great start form my planning and will be checking the VB and OBX forums for ideas.

Thanks again!

Without traffic, I drove to Duck in an hour and a half. I would recommend staying in Duck (as I did) because it was close enough to everything but far enough from the hustle and bustle. The lighthouse at Corolla is great. Go fly a kite off the sand dunes or just enjoy the beach. There is plenty to do.

They are both worth seeing and If I were you I would try splitting up the time fairly evenly. (maybe leaving a little more time for the Outer Banks if you like lighthouses)

Virginia Beach boardwalk during summer is wonderful - music, games, restaurants, shops.

Outer Banks (Duck, Kill Devil Hills (?), Manteo) is wonderful. I usually only visit there in Spring/Fall though - I never have had to deal with the crowds that I imagine are there during the summer. But there are wonderful visitor centers where you can get all the info you need. My favorite place in the area is Manteo (site of the Lost Colony, Elizabethan Gardens, Aquarium)