Chix Beach is a good compromise between the better amenities of VB and the sucky drive-time, especially for the young-and-free types.
I lived in VB, about 4 blocks from the Oceanfront, until I got my wings and soon-to-be-Mrs Fester moved up. Goods: lots to do, could walk to the Boardwalk and the bars and such. Others: long (45+ mins) commute, mostly on the 64/264 gauntlet. VA drivers will test your faith in man and examine your plans for the Afterlife on a daily basis. And a long commute is rough when you've got the 0500 sim.
Lived in Ghent for a few months, between wings and moving over to my Fleet squadron. Fun "college town" type neighborhood, but expensive. I paid more in rent for a 1-BR apt then I did on mortgage on my next house.
Bought a house in Ocean View and lived there for the duration of my JO tour. OV is being rapidly gentrified...ghetto motels torn down and replaced with $1M beach houses. Distance between "can't afford to live there" and "couldn't pay me to live there" may be a block or two, or just opposite sides of the street. Still, it's very close to NB; my drive door-to-door was maybe 10 mins on a bad day.
Whatever you do, don't get a place on the Peninsula (north of Norfolk, near Langley AFB). It looks close on paper, but the bridge traffic is horrendous - huge backup to a standstill for several miles every single day at rush hour - and the Hampton neighborhoods make Norfolk, VB and Chesapeake look like Mayberry.