Coastal Residents - a question for you!

[vi lover]

We are moving from Lexington Kentucky to Virginia Beach first of June.

My questions is: For those of you who live at/by the beach - does this arrangement at all diminish your innate desire to get back to the VI?

I'm obsessed. We've gone 7 of 8 years (did not go this year because I changed jobs and could not take off). But - I wonder if having access to sand most of the year makes the trip a little less important.

Time will tell for us, but thought I'd hear what you all have to say!

[darkanddietwithlime]

A big resounding 'NO' from us!
Last Fall we moved from Ogunquit Maine to Dunedin Florida (Gulf Coast) and we did two weeks on St. John this year. And it was fabulous and we are looking forward to going back.

[AH]

We moved from MI to Florida's east coast 16 months ago. Before our move we were either planning or going on a trip to either St.John or the BVIs. It got us through the long winters and gray skies of MI. Now that we are here I must admit we are not planning an island vacation. Of course we hope to return to the islands at some time but when the beach and ocean are outside your door the "need" is not so great. We also live in a pretty laid back area which also helps. Many local bars & shops remind us of the islands.

Good luck with your move!

AH

[piscesgirl0314]

NO WAY...I live in the VA Beach area and lived AT the Ocean Front for six years. The beach(s) is NOTHING like St John. Its hard to even get IN the water around here having been to STJ several times. Its very commercial in VB...we perfer the OBX over VB..thankfully its about an hour to the obx for us. That being said, we will always live near the ocean/beach...we'll take what we can get...

[vi lover]

We're actually moving to Chesapeake. Right by Great Bridge HighSchool, so we'll be neighbors!

[Connie]

We've owned a condo for 35 years in Angelsea, NJ. It's in North Wildwood and we look out over Stone Harbor. We love it there. We're right on the water and watch the boats and "Pot Island" where people bring there boats, swim and just have a good ole time.

We've never stopped traveling. Although I love going down the shore, it's no comparison to going to that turquoise, warm water. NJ is flat, the Islands are fun to drive.

I would never give up my travels to the Islands.

[Exit Zero]

When the 1st serious tropical storm warning of the late summer forces us to secure the Virgin Island home, move the all plants to safer and more protected situations, remove and store the porch furniture, pack away the umbrellas, bird feeders, flags and wind chimes and prepare or install the shutters for the windows and sliders - we fly up to our beach house at the Southern tip of NJ [08212] for 2-3 months of beachfront living - the beach there is fringed with high woodland dunes with few houses in sight, changes daily with breaking waves and tidal flow, has spectacular water sunsets and sunrises, is practically deserted after Labor Day and is walkable for miles, of course the ocean water lacks the color, clarity, temperature and underwater beauty of the Caribbean - but I probably spend more time with my feet in the sand there in 3 months than I do here the other 9 months but it has Never "diminished my innate desire" to return home to the VI.
It is all about the contrast and experience and there will be a wonderful difference between your move to Virginia Beach and your visits to the VI which may spur you to even visit here more often.

[jmq]

When the 1st serious tropical storm warning of the late summer forces us to secure the Virgin Island home, move the all plants to safer and more protected situations, remove and store the porch furniture, pack away the umbrellas, bird feeders, flags and wind chimes and prepare or install the shutters for the windows and sliders - we fly up to our beach house at the Southern tip of NJ [08212] for 2-3 months of beachfront living - the beach there is fringed with high woodland dunes with few houses in sight, changes daily with breaking waves and tidal flow, has spectacular water sunsets and sunrises, is practically deserted after Labor Day and is walkable for miles, of course the ocean water lacks the color, clarity, temperature and underwater beauty of the Caribbean - but I probably spend more time with my feet in the sand there in 3 months than I do here the other 9 months but it has Never "diminished my innate desire" to return home to the VI.
It is all about the contrast and experience and there will be a wonderful difference between your move to Virginia Beach and your visits to the VI which may spur you to even visit here more often.

EZ: are you familar with this store and their publications?

[Exit Zero]

Yes,an excellent weekly publication with occasional colour issues - that is the new store on Sunset - their old store was on Perry in the Congress Hall building - all of Cape Island was usually referred to as exit 0 since the GSP ends there just before the bridge over the Canal.

[michigancouple]

I live on the gorgeous shores of Lake Michigan and while it doesn't compare with the aqua blue of the caribbean, I will never take a trip to the islands in the Summer. It is too pretty to leave my dunes and beaches and awesome Summer days. With that said, our season is short and spending May through Sept/October at my beaches just isn't enough. I look forward to my February/March trip to get me out of the snowy, cold Winter. It's the perfect time to rewind and relax and know that I have the upcoming Spring to look forward too. I know it's high Winter season rent but it's sooooo worth it to me

[NYBB]

We are a couple hundred yards from the beautiful beaches of the Atlantic and, even though we are in the NE, we enjoy it in various stages of dress and undress April through November. Summer months are reserved for "staycations" and Spring and Fall for non-tropical travel. December through March are our Caribbean travel months and we love every second of those trips. Our beaches are beautiful, but totally different animals than the Caribbean beaches.