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11 Remote Work Spots in Virginia Beach
Looking for inspiration for where to hunker down in Virginia Beach and get work done or even read a good book? Check out the places below!
*If you’re working from a coffee shop, café, or some other similar establishment, mind your etiquette and read the room. Are there only two tables in the space? Is it more like a restaurant where you should eat and leave? Then it might not be best to set up shop and hog a table for half a day.
“Always fresh. Always memorable.”
Lots of seating
Big windows with natural lighting
Friendly staff
Free wifi
Delicious food & coffee
Consistently clean environment
My go-to order: Top of the Hill Sandwich on gluten-free bread with a lime Crunchy Hydration water or iced coffee
Note: Closed on Mondays!
2. Fruitive - Hilltop
“Plant-based. Simple. Beautiful.”
Tons of seating: booth, comfy chairs, & café chairs
Free wifi & lots of outlets to charge laptops
Delicious, organic, plant-based foods & beverages
Great natural lighting
Consistently clean environment
Indoor & outdoor seating
My go-to order: 24oz Wellness Warrior w/ almond butter added
Chai Tea Latté
3. VLOVE
“A beach coffee dream.”
Lots of windows with natural lighting
Delicious coffee & food
Great spot for people-watching!
Beautiful minimal esthetic
Walking distance to the beach
My go-to order: Vanilla latte w/ oat milk or fresh squeezed lemonade
4. Astraea Coffee
“Liberty. Justice. Coffee for all.”
Free wifi
Great staff
Delicious coffee & food
Lots of different seating areas and nooks
Indoor & outdoor seating
Homey vibes
My go-to order: Hung Jury latte w/ oat milk
5. Three Ships Coffee - Hilltop
“A quiet repose in an otherwise not quiet part of town.”
Free wifi
Several spots to sit
Good natural lighting
Fairly quiet environment
Modern, fun interior
My go-to order: Pungo latte w/ oat milk
6. Commune
“real food unites us all.”
Lots of seating options (indoor and outdoor)
Delicious food & coffee (their homemade coffee syrups are incredible)
Good natural light
Free wifi
My go-to order: The Vedge on a crepe w/ a dulce latte
Note: Can get crowded & noisy during busy times.
7. American Brew
“Coffee, whiskey, & community.”
Free wifi
Delicious coffee & food
Lots of seating options (indoor and outdoor)
Natural lighting
My go-to order: Morning Hash Bowl w/ vanilla oat milk latte
Note: Can get crowded & noisy during busy hours. Closed on Mondays!
8. Gather VB
“Your work space is more than deadlines and coffee. It’s people, the possibilities. It’s about your productivity, your goals, your future.”
Coworking spaces
Free wifi
Private offices
Conference rooms
Podcast booths
Phone booths
Communal kitchen w/ coffee
Clean, modern esthetic
Located in Virginia Beach’s town center
Note: You can tour the space for free but membership is required to go regularly. If you get a membership, you can have access to all 7 of Gather’s locations.
Image from workatgather.com
9. 1701
“Cool kid’s club but for entrepreneurs.”
Coworking space with flexible memberships
Collaboration & community
Conference rooms
Fast wifi
Local coffee served
Printing
Phone booths
Indoor & outdoor workspaces
Walking distance to restaurants, coffee shops, & the beach
Note: You can tour the space for free but membership is required to go regularly.
10. Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library
I hadn’t been to the library in a few years but stopped by the Central Library recently to renew my library card and am excited to go back and work from one of their cozy nooks!
Lots of seating options
Free wifi & lots of outlets to charge laptops
Huge collection of books & other resources
Public computers, printers, & scanners
Meeting & study rooms
Don’t need to purchase coffee, food, or memberships to work from here
Note: Bring your own coffee or snacks! Talking on the phone may not be appropriate for the common areas.
P.S. If you haven’t downloaded the Hoopla Digital App or Libby App yet they’re awesome free resources that connect with your library card!
11. TCC / City of Virginia Beach Joint-Use Library
While I didn’t like this spot quite as much as the Central Library (since it’s part of TCC, it had more academic/college vibes), it is a very nice facility with:
A ton of great seating
Huge collection of books & other resources
Free wifi
Public computers, printers, & scanners
Meeting & study rooms
Don’t need to purchase coffee, food, or memberships to work from here
Note: Bring your own coffee or snacks! Talking on the phone may not be appropriate for the common areas.
Many of us have given up the 9-5 life for the flexibility and freedom that comes with working remotely. That could mean working from your house, a local coffee shop, a co-working space, or even a hammock on a faraway exotic island (GOALS). Check out my blog post here for what to consider before working remotely.
My Mobile Office Essentials
When it comes to working remotely, it’s important to be efficient with your (often limited) space. After a couple of years working from coffee shops, co-working spaces, or even my couch, I have finally found the essentials I need to be productive and comfortable. Click on the titles to shop the items.
1. MacBook Air (& charger)
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to lug around a massive Dell or (insert name of other laptops I don’t know the name of) computer. Not only are they heavy, they take up precious space. Although the MacBook Air doesn’t have an insert for CDS or DVDs, you can purchase an extension that will allow you to use those.
2. MOFT laptop stand
My MOFT (AKA Mobile Office For Travelers) is amazing. It easily attaches to the bottom of your laptop and is virtually invisible when not propped up. It also helps prevent the neck aches that can occur from looking down at a screen.
3. Wireless Apple Mouse
I used the credit from turning in my old iPhone through Apple’s buy back program to purchase this wireless mouse. It prevents my fingers from aching, especially while doing design work!
4. Mouse Pad
I love this mouse pad as it’s functional and stylish. One side is aluminum and the other side is a waterproof mat.
5. Mark & Graham Laptop Case
I received this monogrammed laptop sleeve as a Christmas gift this past year and I LOVE IT. It fits pretty much everything I need for a day of work.
6. External Hard Drive
Anyone else get notifications that your computer space is almost full? The WORST. I use the My Passport for Mac external hard drive and it has been amazing for freeing up storage on my device by storing files, pictures, etc I don’t need access to on a daily basis.
7. Moglea Notebook
Although most of my work is done digitally, I prefer to take notes in a journal for my initial client meetings. I’ve found that if the client can’t see what you’re doing on your screen they can feel like you’re looking at something else / are distracted. There’s also no substitution to a good brainstorm with pen and paper! I picked up this beautiful hand painted notebook from one my of favorite local shops Wanderful Boxes.
8. Blue Light Glasses
According to Amazon, these glasses “can relieve our eye fatigue especially when watching TV and looking at a computer”. Since they were only $16.99, I decided to give them a try. I’ll be honest, I forget to wear them most days but it’s a habit I want to create. I know people who swear by them!
Although I have found each of these items to be incredibly useful for me, everyone has to find what works for them. I’d love to hear YOUR favorite mobile office essentials — I’m always game to try new things!
Cheers,
Emily
What To Consider Before Working Remotely
So, you’re interested in working remotely. Many of us have given up the 9-5 life for the flexibility and freedom that comes with working remotely. That could mean working from your house, a local coffee shop, a co-working space, or even a hammock on a far away exotic island (#goals). Before permanently changing your work habits, it’s important to consider the pros and cons.
Potential Cons:
Spotty Wifi. This can especially be an issue if you are traveling to other parts of the world. Many places don’t have great wifi (or you have to purchase it) so make sure to do research before heading out the door.
Distractions. From crying babies to people watching, there’s generally more going on when you work out and about than at an office. If you’re working from home, the temptation could be to stay in your pajamas and work from bed, or to start working on household duties instead of being focused on your work.
Not having a designated meeting space. “Can I meet you at your office?” “Yep! I’ll meet you at the Starbucks down the road at the third table from the back.” While most people are fine meeting you out and about, this could be viewed as potentially unprofessional or inconvenient depending on your occupation and the nature of the meeting. Luckily, co-working spaces are growing in popularity and often offer meeting rooms for rent by the hour.
Isolation. Are you a big people person? Do you get your energy from collaborating and being around others? Then you might not enjoy working remotely on your own. I’d recommend joining a co-working space where you can interact and sometimes even collaborate with others in the shared office.
Potential Pros:
Increased Creativity. I believe that where you work has a big influence on how you work. For me, being in new environments each day increases my creativity and productivity.
Flexibility and Travel. Depending on the nature of your job, working from your laptop may allow you to work out of state or out of the country without having to take vacation time.
Reduced Expenses. If you are comparing working from home or a coffee shop to an office space, you can definitely save money on overhead costs like rent and utilities.
If you’re working from a coffee shop or some other similar establishment, mind your etiquette. Remember, you don’t own the place and there are others trying to enjoy their visit, too.
A few best practices:
Read the Room. Are there only two tables in the space? Is it more like a restaurant where you should eat and leave? Then it might not be best to set up shop and hog a table for half a day.
Purchase Something (more than a small drip coffee). While this isn’t a hard rule, I try to support the establishment by either purchasing food and a drink, or a higher-priced drink or two. I justify the pricey latté by knowing I’m not being stingy and taking up a chair for several hours without really paying, and I also view it as part of my “office rent” expense.
Be Seen and Not Heard. While it’s okay to take the occasional phone call, by all means, DO NOT have a FaceTime call where you’re using earbuds that prevent you from knowing how loud you’re talking… or shouting.
“Table for one, please.” Try to condense what you bring with you so as to not take up a large amount of space, especially if the establishment is busy. Blog post on this topic coming soon!
If you have considered the pros and cons and feel like it’s the right fit for you, go for it! I have been working remotely for almost two years now — everywhere from Scotland to Utah to my apartment — and I love it.
Cheers,
Emily