Virginia Beach is a beach town in the state of Virginia that grew into now a popular resort city and one of the best places to live on the East Coast and to raise your family. One of the most populous cities in Virginia and the fifth-largest in the mid-Atlantic area. It is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay.
It is also the largest city in what is known as “America’s First Region,” otherwise the Hampton Roads metropolitan area comprises of Hampton, Chesapeake, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Suffolk, all of which are independent cities, as well as other smaller cities, towns and counties of Hampton Roads.
Living in Virginia Beach
Unexpectedly for its beach town/resort-city reputation, the laid-back atmosphere and friendly residents have attracted more than a few to permanently reside in Virginia Beach. The stunning views of the Chesapeake Bay and the Ocean, the charming and beautiful waterfront homes, the many award-winning restaurants, parks and natural recreation areas, and its excellent public schools’ system putting the city among America’s top ten, make Virginia Beach an attractive dream home destination.
Various civilian and government companies based in the Hampton Roads region, in Virginia Beach, neighboring Norfolk and Newport News, provide a thriving job market with numerous opportunities for business and employment in several fields like defence, government, science to hotel and hospitality sectors.
Registered in the Guinness Book of Records as having the longest pleasure beach in the world, its many historic sites and significance to America’s founding, are the toppings to why Virginia Beach has some of the best neighborhoods in a dream place to raise your family!
Family-Friendly Areas in Virginia Beach
Here are some of the family-friendly areas and best neighborhoods in Virginia Beach area to raise your family. For more details, information and assistance, you can also reach out to the top real estate realtors at Barry Jenkins – Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate | Real Estate Agents in Virginia Beach, VA. Barry Jenkins can guide you in your planning, choosing and moving to your dream to raise your family in one of the best neighborhoods in Virginia Beach.
Chic’s Beach
Although the community was first developed as a residential area in the early 1900s, you can still find new construction here. If you are looking for a new home near the water, Chic’s Beach is actually much more affordable than other areas of Virginia Beach, such as the Oceanfront. Chic’s Beach is the best neighborhood for those who want to live near sand and water.
Besides, the waters of Chic’s Beach are calm, making it safe for your future toddlers for wading and learn to swim. The area has less traffic and tourists than other parts of the city. It is also a good place for fishing and crabbing, and residents have quick and easy access to the rest of the city.
Just east of Chic’s Beach and off Shore Drive is Bayville Farms Park, a sprawling 68-acre park with a playground, a dog park, picnic shelters with grills, tennis, volleyball, shuffleboard and basketball courts, softball fields and Virginia Beach’s only 18-hole golf course. A perfect recreational spot for your children as they grow up through various stages. Almost nearby too is Pleasure House Point Natural Area, a preserved land of undeveloped 18 acres of tidal, marsh, sandy shores, water and maritime forest, perfect for walking or exploring on foot or a non-motorized boat.
Thoroughgood
One of the most desirable neighborhoods in Virginia Beach VA is Thoroughgood, lying between Chick’s Beach and the Lynnhaven River. Family-friendly, that is, safe, kids playing on the streets or residents walking their dogs on the quiet streets of treed lots of single detached homes.
You can also see brick ranch-style and waterfront homes with access to the ocean. A pleasant and quiet escape from bustling city living, Thoroughgood is near the highways, the beach, and shopping opportunities, as well as having one of the oldest colonial homes in Virginia Beach VA, after whom the neighborhood was named.
Thoroughgood Elementary School, and excellent Virginia school, which is within walking distance of anywhere in the community and the nearby Hermitage Elementary School, are reasons why parents choose to build their families here.
For recreation, there is the Pleasure House Point Natural Area with sprawling greens and the Lynnhaven River, and the Bayside Recreation Center for runs or billiards. The diverse population in Thoroughgood makes for interesting delicious food in the area’s restaurants, from Chinese, Mongolian to Italian to vegetarian and local craft beer.
Ashville Park
One of the largest and newest neighborhoods in Virginia Beach VA, Ashville Park is a master-planned community. All around the lush natural landscape of the neighborhood are 15 lakes and 30 acres of preserved trees giving you the feel of stepping out of your front door into nature! The sandy ocean beaches and shopping opportunities are close by.
There is also a community clubhouse, The Lake House next to one of the lakes, consisting of a fitness center, space for events, and a salt-water pool (the only community pool in Virginia Beach VA!) with cabanas. Outside is a basketball court and a dog park, and the kid’s adventure park to enjoy the great outdoors up close.
Reputed to be a family-oriented neighborhood, there are lots of sidewalks in the safe and scenic routes. Ashville Park hosts three public schools, the Princess Anne schools for elementary, middle school and high school, which rank among the top and sought-after academic institutions.
Kempsville
Another family-friendly and relatively quiet community among the best neighborhoods in Virginia Beach is Kempsville, comprised of Kempsville Gardens, Avalon and Fairfield. One of the original “suburban” communities from the 1970s to the 1980s, Kempsville can be accessed easily from the interstate highway, making it a convenient location for homeowners to commute to their workplaces in nearby cities.
Outdoor recreation opportunities are available with green spaces like City View Park and Ferry Point Park, Mount Trashmore Park and City View Park. It is located near the Chesapeake’s northern part with the shopping district, thus giving the local’s search for essentials easy and convenient, not to forget restaurants serving varied fare.
A good number of school choices like Arrowhead Elementary School, Kempsville High School and the Oak Tree Academy. Houses of all sizes can be found in this great place, from apartments for young professionals to sprawling brick ranch-style single-family homes for growing families, for working people seeking the comfort of home not too far from their places of work. This neighborhood is quite a distance from the bay and the oceanfront beaches, and the cost of housing is reasonable and affordable.
Christopher Farms
A beautiful neighborhood for families, located between Holland Road and Princess Anne Road and developed in the 1990s, Christopher Farms is private yet convenient for its homeowners. Characterized by wide streets, cul-de-sacs and sidewalks lined with mature trees, it is not rare to see kids playing in the streets, or neighbors enjoying drinks with friends on their house deck. Low to almost zero crime rate which makes it super safe for kids of all ages!
Two man-made lakes in the middle of Christopher Farms and these, along with the surrounding green spaces and around the neighborhood, provide privacy and, at the same time, recreation opportunities in a natural environment. Then there is the Christopher Farms Elementary School, one of the top elementary schools in Virginia Beach, right in the middle. Easily within walking distance for the kids from and to their homes. This is ideal if you want to raise your family near the school area.
Alanton
Located in the area known as the Great Neck corridor extending to the Lynnhaven River, Alanton’s ranch-style houses along tree-canopied streets that wind and turn for miles and sidewalks give the neighborhood a countryside charm and character. There are houses in various styles and sizes, from single-family fixer-uppers to great ocean view mansions and foreclosures and short sales seldom happen, if ever, in Alanton. Most homeowners are not first-time home buyers; the area’s repopulation is from grown kids who move back to raise their own kids.
Northern side has a neighborhood boat ramp, there is also the pier on nearby Travis Parkway to get your name on the wait list to dock your boat. Homeowners go to Broad Bay and Linkhorn Bay for cooling off and relaxation far from the tourist areas of Virginia Beach. The heart of this neighborhood is the Alanton Bayliff Recreation Center where the community pool is and the Alanton Elementary School, which has earned a place in the top 20% of Virginia schools for overall test scores.
Bay Colony
The Bay Colony, one of the oldest and most prestigious neighborhoods in Virginia Beach, is close to the Atlantic Ocean, and between Crystal Lake, Linkhorn Bay, First Landing State Park and Cavalier Drive. It is great waterfront living with an eclectic combination of home styles from ranch-style brick to 2-story to modern later-20th century, many of which have extensive lawns. Bay Colony is so close to the beach but tucked away from the hubbub of the ocean beaches. The winding streets and private driveways give a close-knit small-town vibe, a perfect tandem of quiet residential, lifestyle, and perfect place to raise your family.
Princess Anne Country Club is the social go-to place of many Bay Colony locals, drawn to its golf course, swimming pool, tennis courts and great dining. Linkhorn Bay connects to Broad Bay, and Chesapeake Bay, and is just at the back of the neighborhood. Another country club, The Cavalier has a marina among its attractions. The Linkhorn Park Elementary School is highly rated by parents. There is also the Virginia Beach Middle School and the Frank W. Cox High School, among the best schools in Virginia Beach!
Croatan
Croatan is the neighborhood that’s right on the beach, yet without the excitement of the boardwalk, perhaps because its entrance is out of sight just south of Rudee Inlet. Near the entrance are 3-story single-family houses just a couple of blocks from the beach.
A short walk or bike ride away from the beach are larger lots. The municipal parking lot at the southern end of the neighborhood has shower stalls but parking is tight so there’s not much tourist traffic in this area. Even the houses a walk away from the beach get to have fantastic ocean views and are ideal to raise your family.
Great Neck
Great Neck is one of the best neighborhoods in Virginia Beach, great for raising your family because of its safety ratings besides being a closely-knit community. Located in North Virginia Beach makes it is around 15 minutes away from the downtown area, amidst Broad Bay and Lynnhaven Bay. House styles range from colonial to ranch style. There are great schools here, particularly the Cape Henry Collegiate and First Colonial High School beside the Great Neck Middle School.
You can find several interesting recreation activities here, indoors and in nature, like the Lynnhaven Park, Great Neck Park and the Great Neck Recreation Center, for basketball, swimming, tennis, fitness lessons, volleyball, or just a picnic. There is the Broadbay Country Club for a game of golf or its olympic-size pool and fine dining. Food options in the neighborhood range from New York bagels to Italian pizza and sandwiches to Mexican enchiladas to grilled lamb and seafood restaurants.
Public School System
Virginia Beach has the fourth largest school system in the state of Virginia, and is among the 50 largest school systems in the country, based on student enrollment. These almost-90 schools have acquired full accreditation from the Virginia Standards of Learning.
To date, there are 12 high schools, 18 middle schools and 58 elementary schools. The Virginia Beach Public School System is highly rated for the student’s test scores, showing 88% proficiency in math and 85% proficiency in reading giving Virginia Beach the #7 out of 131 best districts in Virginia. This data is important if you’re considering raising your family in the city.
Parks and Recreation Areas
There are more than 7,000 acres of almost 300 parks and park facilities, neighborhood and community parks, metro parks, signature parks, natural areas, trail linkages, waterway accesses, open space preservation areas and park athletic facilities. You’ll find campsites, cabins, programs, activities and events. The parklands of Virginia Beach have something for locals and visitors of all ages.
From preserved natural habitats to immaculate city parks, there’s always fun and adventure. Some of the popular and famous recreation areas in Virginia Beach are Mount Trashmore Park, world-renowned for its 165 acres with two man-made mountains, two lakes, two playgrounds, a skate park and vert ramp and multi-use paths. The most visited state park in Virginia, the First Landing State Park, contains one of the most endangered habitat types in the world, the maritime forest ecosystem has been registered as a Natural Landmark.
It has 1.25 miles of beach and 19+ miles of hiking trails through freshwater ponds, beach, dunes, tidal marsh, cypress swamp, forest and the protected salt marsh. The Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a park of 9,108 acres comprising barrier islands, beach woodland, dunes, freshwater marshes, maritime forests, ponds and ocean beaches located on a narrow coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf coasts.
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