Sandbridge Beach: The Outer Banks of Virginia – Updated

Sandbridge Beach: The Outer Banks of Virginia

The Outer Banks are stretches of peninsulas and barrier islands that run 200 miles along the coast of North Carolina and Virginia. The Outer Banks strand actually begins in Virginia with the 4.5-mile long Sandbridge Beach. Because Sandbridge Beach is backed by Currituck Sound to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, its geography is similar to that of the North Carolina Outer Banks. That similarity (and also cultural similarities) have earned Sandbridge Beach the nickname “The Outer Banks of Virginia.” Sandbridge Beach is a must-see for those who love the remote, untamed, and relaxed atmosphere of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. READ MORE

Best Beach Hacks for Families Visiting Sandbridge Beach, VA

Sandbridge Beach hacks

A trip to the beach should relax you, not stress you out. Here are a few simple ways to facilitate a fun-filled getaway at Sandbridge Beach, VA.

Make Ice Packs from Balloons

Filling your cooler with ice to take to the beach doesn’t last very long. The high heat of a sunny afternoon quickly melts the ice, leaving you with lukewarm drinks and food. Ice packs are great, but often take a long time to freeze before use. READ MORE

Family Fun: Memory Monday July 3, 2017.

Happy Monday.  We hope you all are having a wonderful Monday and looking forward to a festive Independence Day holiday tomorrow and some family fun.   Today’s Memory Monday brings family fun into focus as this week’s picture comes to us from the Bradford family of Steamboat Springs, Colorado who stayed with us last week at the property “Always For Sail.”

Sarah, Chris, Nicholas, and Willem enjoyed a family fun filled time with us as they share with their pictures of their recent stay.

Everyone knows the biggest part of the fun of a family vacation is the travel to and from the destination.  Here is evidence of a long trip in the car being broken up with a stop at the Virginia Farm Market where Nicholas had some fun.

Then there was the final destination

Sandbridge Beach is definitely worth the trip.   The Bradford’s tell us the most fun they had was Ghost crab hunting on the beach each night after dark, and eating at Margie and Ray’s restaurant.

We are so glad that the Bradfords had such a great stay with Sandbridge Blue, their first visit to Virginia Beach.  We look forward to having them back many times in the future.

All the best from the beach!

Unplugged Vacation Tips for Sandbridge Beach Lovers

Unplug in sandbridge
It wasn’t all that long ago that going on vacation meant purposefully being out of touch with day-to-day life for a while. Today smartphones, tablets, and ultra-portable laptops have changed the way we take a holiday.

Cell phones are our cameras and navigational systems. We use them to make dinner reservations, to stay accessible if there’s a work emergency, and even monitor our pets in real time. Laptops are a good excuse to stay tethered to work, and tablets and TVs are go-to ways to to keep kids occupied. While some of these conveniences make traveling easier, they can make relaxing harder.

A visit to Sandbridge Beach is an opportunity to slow down and ease into the rhythm of nature. Going low-tech or unplugged is a good start. Here are 10 vacation tips for unplugging at Sandbridge Beach.

Lay the Groundwork

The first rule of unplugging is to get agreement from everyone, no matter how reluctant, to abide by the same guidelines. Whether you decide to go totally tech-free or set limits for screen time, make the rules clear. When you build excitement for how much more fun and relaxing it will be to fly kites on the beach or explore the coastline, you’re more likely to get compliance.

Declare an “Emergencies Only” Policy

Consider setting an “emergencies only” policy for phones. If you leave your phone on, or just plan to limit talk time, it’s too easy to slip right back into old habits. You can still use your smartphone for photos or navigation — just change the settings to block notifications. You could go the old-fashioned way and pick up a Sandbridge Beach visitor’s guide or map to help you get around.

Set Expectations

Let bosses, co-workers, family, and friends know you’ll be out of touch. For security reasons, don’t post your absence on social media, but do leave out-of-office messages on work email and voicemail saying you’re not available and the dates you’re inaccessible. Exploring the quiet beauty of Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge without interruptions is what a Sandbridge Beach vacation is all about.

Provide a Backup

Leave a backup number for someone who can handle minor emergencies. Problem with your house? Let a trusted neighbor know you’ll be gone and leave the number of your handyman. At work, designate someone to field questions for you. Nobody wants their Sandbridge Beach dolphin-watching experience interrupted by the daily grind.

Schedule a Check-in

If you do have a work or family situation that requires a check-in, schedule it. For example, some people find that a daily “All is well” text from a house sitter or caregiver gives them peace of mind. When you check in with work or family, establish a time and keep the interaction brief. After all, you’ve got to hit the pier in time to catch fish for dinner!

Leave It At Home

Sandbridge Beach is known as the place to kick back, unwind, and spend your days fishing, swimming, and enjoying sunsets and sunrises. You might not even need a phone here, so if you’ve decided to go totally unplugged — no phones, tablets, or laptops — leave them at home.

Plan Activities

Most of us reach for our phones or laptops out of habit, or when we don’t have anything better to do. Before you leave home, plan the activities and pastimes you’ll enjoy instead of surfing social media or the Internet. This is especially important if you have kids who are used to online games as a diversion. Stock up on board and card games, let everyone pick out a new book (yes, a real paper one!), and take advantage of the opportunity to learn to surf or boogie board.

Try It Without TV READ MORE

Take a Leap!: Memory Monday February 14, 2017.

Take a leap!

Well on this Monday we want to wish all of those lovers out there an early Happy Valentine’s day.  We hope you have a day filled with the love you deserve.

Today on our Memory Monday photo submission we want to thank Andrew Daron who stayed with Blue last summer and provided this great picture of kids jumping in the pool at one of our properties.

We love this picture.  Look at the look on the two youngest ones in this picture….pure trust and excitement.   Makes you want to schedule a family vacation now for this coming summer doesn’t it?!

Thanks to Andrew for sending us this photo, and we look forward to serving he and his family again soon.

All the best from the beach!

 

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