I agree with most of the comments above
if youre going with a family, your kids will love the "beach street". I think that's what separates va beach to others besides the massive boardwalk. they do performers and shows every couple of blocks at night. kids of all ages seem to absolutely love it.
the beach is okay, certainly better beaches further south, but much worse beaches around too. I would say VA beach is a major upgrade over like Ocean City.
if youre going to party and nightlife, frankly, just go elsewhere. I think the nightlife scene lacks - but really this seems to be true of a lot of beach communities.
if you want more family time and less hassle of a busy city, goblue is right. go slightly further south into nagshead. You can rent HUGEMONGOUS houses or even normal houses for far far cheaper than VA Beach. It's not a city feel at all in NC though, can't really walk to restaurants, quiet at night, but as I age I tend to enjoy those vacations more.
in Va Beach, theres way more places to eat, grab a beer, a slice, or dine nicely in VA Beach though. Also, if youre into history, Colonial Williamsburg / Jamestown is less than an hour away. Busch Gardens, probably the nicest kept theme park in the US is there too... There is a brand new outlet mall in Norfolk, probably a 20 minute drive...
JohnnyMac is also right about not going in offseason. Not only is it dead, but the weather is not beach weather. Definitely, go Late May through Early September