Should you visit Duck or Virginia Beach?
Should I visit Duck or Virginia Beach? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Duck
Duck is a resort town in Dare County, North Carolina. The town is quite small, with a year around population of just 369, but during the peak summer months the tourist crowds can climb to over 20,000. Duck is also the northernmost incorporated town in the county, and also the newest town in the Outer Banks, having been incorporated on May 1st, 2002.
Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach sits on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay. It's a popular beach destination and has many of the characteristics of most southeastern beach towns. There are many activities that you can enjoy and there's a concrete boardwalk that runs parallel to the water for about three miles. The boardwalk is a fun place to walk or bicycle. The beach itself is wide and sandy and is a great place to soak up some sun. During the summer months and school holidays it can get quite crowded and you might struggle to find a place for your towel and beach chairs. There are also many beach side resorts that line the water front. Most have pools and hot tubs where you can relax and some hotels have indoor pools as well, which can be nice during the cool winter months.
Which city is cheaper, Virginia Beach or Duck?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Duck is $151, while the average daily cost in Virginia Beach is $104. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Duck and Virginia Beach in more detail.
Accommodation
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $85. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Duck the cost is $170 on average.
The prices for places to stay in Virginia Beach can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $60, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $120.
Food
The price of a meal in Duck can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is $36 per person, and a typical meal will cost around $14 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
Food in Virginia Beach costs travelers about $25 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
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Food
Meals for one day
Duck $36
Virginia Beach $25
Local Transportation
The cost of a taxi ride in Duck is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $53 per person, per day, on local transportation in Duck.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Virginia Beach than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $31 on transportation in Virginia Beach on average per day.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Virginia Beach
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Virginia Beach:
Is it cheaper to fly into Duck or Virginia Beach?
Prices for flights to both Virginia Beach and Duck change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Entertainment and activities in Duck typically cost an average of $11 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
Sightseeing expenses in Virginia Beach, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $17 per day, per person.
Tours and Activities in Virginia Beach
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Virginia Beach.
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Sunset Stand Up Paddleboard Tour of Linkhorn Bay:
$41
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Wetland Zip Tour:
$61
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Sunset Dolphin Kayak Tours:
$62
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Small Group Dolphin Kayak Eco-Tour:
$62
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RIDE ALONG GREEK GODS & AQUATISM *Certified Tours*:
$75
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Tour of Virginia Beach (half day), for GROUPS of 10-16:
$499
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Tour of Virginia Beach, for GROUPS of 10-16:
$831
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All-Inclusive, Autumn Weekend Tour for GROUPS of 10-16:
$5,901
Alcohol
The average person spends about $36 on alcoholic beverages in Duck per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Virginia Beach, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $8.51.
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Duck and Virginia Beach, we can see that Duck is more expensive. And not only is Virginia Beach much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Virginia Beach would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Virginia Beach and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Duck would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Duck than you might in Virginia Beach.
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