Sandbridge, Virginia Beach, Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sandbridge
Neighborhood
Entrance to Sandbridge Beach
Seal
Nickname(s):  "Virginia's Outer Banks"
Sandbridge, Virginia Beach, Virginia Location in Virginia Show map of Virginia Sandbridge, Virginia Beach, Virginia Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
Elevation	10 ft (3 m)
Population
• Estimate  (2010)	405
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code	23456
Area code(s)	757, 948

Sandbridge is a cool beach community in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It's located on a narrow strip of land called the Currituck Banks Peninsula. To the east, you'll find the huge Atlantic Ocean. To the west, there's the calm Back Bay of the Currituck Sound.

South of Sandbridge are two amazing nature spots: the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park. To the north, Sandbridge is next to a U.S. Navy base called Dam Neck. Sandbridge Beach itself stretches for about 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometres) along the ocean.

Getting to Sandbridge

The only public road that leads into Sandbridge is Sandbridge Road. This road is near the northern part of the community. It connects Sandbridge to other neighborhoods and businesses in the Princess Anne area of Virginia Beach.

Years ago, local people could drive through the nearby Dam Neck Naval base. This helped them get to places faster. But after the 9/11 attacks, this "back-gate" was closed for safety reasons.

There are plans to make it easier to get to Sandbridge in the future. By 2025, Virginia Beach wants to extend Nimmo Parkway. This new road would cut travel time to nearby areas like Lago Mar in half. It would also make it much simpler to reach shopping and dining spots. A path for walking and biking, called Nimmo Trail, will also be built next to the new road. This means you could even bike or walk to Sandbridge!

Life at the Beach

Sandbridge is known for being a bit more quiet and remote than the main Virginia Beach resort area. It doesn't get as many visitors, which makes it a peaceful spot. Even though it's quieter, lifeguards from the Virginia Beach EMS Lifeguard Division keep the waters safe.

Lifeguards are on duty every day from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. This is from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day. They have four lifeguard stands at Market Place Beach and ten stands at Little Island Beach. Four supervising lifeguards also patrol other areas where there aren't permanent stands.

Most of the buildings in Sandbridge are single-family homes. There are also four condo complexes. The largest ones are Sanctuary at False Cape, near the wildlife refuge, and Sandbridge Dunes, at the north end. Many of these homes and condos can be rented for vacations.

In the past, some homes were lost to the ocean. But efforts to add more sand to the beach have helped protect the coastline. You used to sometimes see wild Banker Horses wandering too far north from North Carolina. These horses would sometimes eat plants from yards or even get hit by cars. More fences have been built south of the Virginia/North Carolina border to help keep the horses in their natural areas.

Famous Faces from Sandbridge

Did you know that a famous baseball player grew up in Sandbridge? Ryan Zimmerman, a former Major League Baseball third baseman, spent his childhood here. He even owns a vacation home in Sandbridge now!

Sandbridge Weather

Sandbridge has a warm, wet climate, which means it has long, hot summers and short, cool winters. Most of the rain falls during the summer because of thunderstorms. Snow is pretty rare here.

Because Sandbridge is on a peninsula sticking out into the Atlantic Ocean, it can be affected by big storms. These include hurricanes and Nor'easters. Nor'easters usually bring a lot of rain, and sometimes a mix of rain and snow.

Winters in Sandbridge are usually milder than areas further inland. In January, the low temperatures are around 34–36 °F (1–2 °C) and highs are about 50–53 °F (10–12 °C). It's often cloudy in winter. However, the strong winds from the ocean can make it feel much colder. While snow is possible (about 3 inches (76 mm) per year), sometimes years go by without any snowfall.

Summer months are warm, with lows from 70–76 °F (21–24 °C) and highs from 87–89 °F (31–32 °C). The ocean water gets warmer too, from about 70 °F (21 °C) in early summer to around 80 °F (27 °C) by August. Spring and fall are usually mild and pleasant. The ocean helps keep the temperatures a bit cooler in summer and warmer in winter compared to places away from the coast.

Exploring Sandbridge Beach

Sandbridge Beach (36°44′46″N 75°56′39″W / 36.74611°N 75.94417°W / 36.74611; -75.94417) is in the southern part of Virginia Beach. This beautiful beach is about 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometres) long. It's very similar to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. The Back Bay of the Currituck Sound is to its west, and the Atlantic Ocean is to its east. This is why people often call it "The Outer Banks of Virginia."

Just like the Outer Banks, Sandbridge Beach can sometimes be affected by tropical storms. When big storms are coming, people might be asked to leave the area for safety.

You won't find any big hotels right on Sandbridge Beach. Instead, you can rent houses and condos, which makes it a popular place for tourists. One of the best things about Sandbridge is how peaceful it feels compared to the busy Virginia Beach oceanfront. The only way to get there by car is on the two-lane Sandbridge Road, which has a low speed limit.

At the very south end of the beach, you'll find Little Island city park. This park is home to the Sandbridge Pier, a great spot for fishing or just enjoying the view.