Yankee213

Just wondering if any one knew if it was possible to drive down the beach from Virginia Beach to the Outer Banks. From google maps it looks like it is possible, but not sure about restrictions as far as off-roading go. Any ideas? Anything extra I should pack?

XJPat

Last time I was down there the beach was blocked with a fence at the state line. Not sure about the rest of the barrier island being blocked or not.

SteveMongr

Yes but no, most do not realize that stretch of beach is continuous from Rudee Inlet in VB to Oregon Inlet NC. And the outer banks are an unbroken extension of the Virginia mainland.
But the portion you are referring to is from Sandbridge to Carova. That route is a nature preserve and the only way 'through' is by bicycle on the beach and trails (takes 4-6 hours out and back). A few old timers can still drive it from Sandbridge to Carova. Once they pass away, no more. In the 1970's it was wide open.
Now there is a monster tour bus that drives that beach full of tourists. It's 'Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge' and 'False Cape State Park'. Accessible only by foot, kayak and bike. Primitive camping.
Hatteras Island has the driving beaches and adventures. 2 hours south of Chesapeake

Yankee213

Thanks man

inthe-03

shenanigans. it's true that it's blocked off so you can't go directly there from the sand bridge way, but if you just take the highway it only takes about an hour and fifteen minutes to get to OBX. once you're there you can drive about an hour north to corolla which has year round beach driving and wild horses on the beach. or you can go south. right there in kill devil hills you can drive on the beach, espcecially now that tourist season is over and you can have fires on the beaches for the most part. but check the local laws becuase some used to require permits while others didn't. and if you go south and go to all the little islands there's tons of spots to get muddy. april 30th through labor day is tourist season so it's pretty restrictive then. and if you don't have beefy tires make sure you know what your doing on the beach, i've seen plenty of trucks, and jeeps and stuff literally get taken away by the ocean because people didn't know what they were doing.

Yankee213

Yea I've been down there a few time,but we always hit traffic on the only bridge to get on to the outerbanks and that is what I was trying to avoid....thank you though

SteveMongr

That way is also blocked with a gate at the border of Carova/False Cape State Park.

SteveMongr

Yes, no more traffic until Easter!
I live here year round and we are in prime season now.

Yankee213

Nice, we try to get a vacation in down there every year mostly the northern part and every year we find something crazy to do