It's not really one vs the other. They work together. I learned how to program in basic decades before I ever learned SQL... So I'd say start with vb, but both are very valuable. I cover bits and pieces of each throughout my courses as you need them.

Please learn SQL. You will reap the rewards.
Start with the Query Builder first, if it's easier, change the view to SQL and see how it's been created. Then simplify it.
Having an understanding of how to get the data you need is paramount.

Or do that. :)

Currently working on learning MS SQL Server and how all that works using SSMS. I will be connecting the example db from Microsoft Adventureworks to Access via reaching the tables on my SQL server to understand how all that works. After SQL I want to learn some more .Net / C# which I learned some in college. But I also continue to learn all Richard's courses (not done yet) I'm up Expert 22.

PS: Every time I open my web browser 559cd is one of my homepages.

If you want to learn relational databases, you have to learn structural query language (SQL) because it is pretty much the standard for many relational database systems (Access, SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, etc.).  But if you don't like VBA, there are other means to create applications: PHP, VB.Net, Python, C++, C#, etc.  Everything has a learning curve, and you can't avoid difficulties  -- as in, you won't be able to avoid them, and also mustn't avoid them.  Like Kennedy said, we do things not because they are easy, but because they are hard.