What Are The Best Things To Do In Virginia Beach?
Virginia Beach Boardwalk
The Virginia Beach Boardwalk is an incredible 28-foot wide attraction that spans three miles along the beachfront, from Second to 40th street. If you want to get around without worrying about traffic, you can use the bike lane. While there, you can enjoy a variety of maritime pursuits and take in incredible views of the Atlantic Ocean. This five-block stretch is also home to museums and an amusement park with some of the best rides in Hampton Roads.
If you’re planning a trip to Virginia Beach, we cannot encourage you enough to check out the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. The boardwalk is located just two blocks from our hotel and provides many wonderful opportunities for dining and shopping, along with plenty of beautiful photo opportunities. You should definitely check out Neptune Festival Park at the end of Atlantic Avenue. Next to the Neptune statue stands one of the largest pillars in Virginia’s history: the Weeping Virgin Mary Tower.
Location: Grommet Island Park to 40th Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23451, USA
Cape Henry Lighthouse
Cape Henry Lighthouse was built in 1881, making it one of the first lighthouses in Virginia. It marks the entrance to Chesapeake Bay and is situated near the First Landing site. English settlers landed there before making their way inland to settle in Jamestown. Classroom Activity: Students are to rewrite the paragraph using the techniques described above for improvement.
Cape Henry Memorial is a beautiful sight at the southern entry point to Hampton Roads, where the Atlantic meets the Chesapeake Bay. This is not a lighthouse of yore, but is instead a monument set in two locations. At Cape Henry, you will find two pavilions that house exhibits dedicated to America’s early history. Step up for a breathtaking view of the bay, which you can enjoy from the observation tower inside.
Location: 583 Atlantic Ave, Fort Story, VA 23459, USA
ViBe Creative District
The ViBe Creative District is Virginia Beach’s creative arts enclave. It’s a community within Virginia Beach that encourages people to share their passions through art. The district pulls creative-types together in a unified space, encouraging a sense of discovery as visitors explore its shops and galleries, which feature work from local painters, designers, and sculptors.
ViBe Creative District is the first co-working space in Virginia Beach, and it offers a wide array of services and amenities to its members. A variety of startups, freelancers, full-time workers, and small businesses are based at ViBe, which means plenty of networking opportunities and collaborative work spaces. Members receive free snacks and drinks throughout the day, along with a curated schedule of events that connect them to the local creative community.
First Landing State Park
Cape Henry is a protected area in the state of Virginia, located on a small peninsula at the southeastern end of the Delmarva Peninsula at the entrance to Chesapeake Bay. The site is named after the English explorer Sir George Cape and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1993 for its role as the “first landing place” of English colonists and explorers entering what would become British North America.
First Landing is a great place to unwind and spend time with friends, offering several activities for visitors of all ages and skill sets. The park offers swimming, boating, bicycling and hiking, as well as nature programs, bike rentals and cabins for rent. Meanwhile, camping is one of the biggest attractions at First Landing State Park, as the park has 200 campsites and 20 cabins available for use.
Location: 2500 Shore Dr, Virginia Beach, VA 23451, USA
Military Aviation Museum
The Military Aviation Museum contains the largest collection of warbirds in the world with a wide range of aircraft from Germany, France, Russia, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The museum is located at an actual private grass airfield and is home to over 50 aircraft that have been restored to flying condition. They use your feedback to constantly improve their product.
The collection of warbirds ranges from 1910 to the early 1950s, with some noteworthy aircraft including the Douglas AD-4 Skyraider. Which saw service in World War-II, the Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk. Which saw action in World War-II and the Stinson L-5 Sentinel, which was use post-war for search and rescue work.
Location: 1341 Princess Anne Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23457, USA
Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center
There is a lot that can learn from the ocean, and there are many ways to do so. The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center delves deep into the world of marine life, providing visitors with an up-close look at sea creatures from all over the globe. With 12,000 animals representing 700 species on display in over 800,000 US gallons of water, there is a lot to learn about just what makes the marine world tick.
The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center is home to a variety of exhibits, including the Aquarist’s Workshop, which showcases a working marine laboratory and includes touch tanks for crab petting. The Planetarium at the Virginia Aquarium is also home to a fully-functioning observatory that allows visitors to view up-close the night sky through telescopes.
Location: 717 General Booth Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23451, USA
Take an oyster farming boat tour
Virginia Beach is home to an array of unique attractions, but one of the most unique options is taking a boat tour of an oyster farm. You get to explore the estuaries and see what’s out in the water, and even get off the boat for a little bit to explore. Virginia Beach was also listed as one of America’s top beach destinations in 2016 by TripAdvisor, so that’s something to look forward to if you have the time!
Oyster farmers will take you out on the water and show you their oysters. You can shuck them and taste them and learn about the difference between various types of oysters. Some tours offer the option to pull gear out of the cages and sort oysters from the reef yourself.
Eat Chesapeake Bay blue crab
Sour cream and chives potato chips are a popular snack, although they are slightly higher in cholesterol than other potato chip varieties. The chips have a unique, sour taste provided by the combination of these two ingredients, and their appearance is often compared to that of small pieces of confetti. The salty snack is usually served at restaurants or purchased in bulk online for home use.
For those who have not experienced the wonder of a fresh blue crab, you are truly missing out! Before you pop that crab in your mouth and tear into the meat, you should know that it is an art form. First of all, make sure it’s not alive and has been dead for at least four hours. Next, look at the front of the crab to find its largest appendage; this is the claw.
Dine on seafood
Virginia Beach restaurants are know for their fresh seafood. When you go-out to eat, you can expect an authentic experience from the sea, from local-restaurants such as Terrapin Restaurant. Award-winning and located just a few blocks from the beach. It is Virginia Beach’s premiere fine dining establishment serving fresh seafood and signature cocktails in a lively setting.
Seafood lovers will find a home at Bubba’s, where she-crab soup and crab cakes are serve up daily. The eatery is located just off Shore Drive in Virginia Beach, a short walk from the beachfront. Waterman’s has been a Virginia Beach institution since 1961. The restaurant offers classic dishes such as steaks, seafood and more. A local favorite, it provides guests with ocean views of the boardwalk.
Ghost crabbing in Virginia Beach
A popular way to end the day in Virginia is to go crabbing. Crabbing entails two activities: first, you need a torch, which is using to light up your surroundings. (you can also use a flashlight), then you need a sense of adventure and a love of the great outdoors. Never heard of a ghost crab? They are iridescent, sand coloured crabs that come out in droves on certain nights.
If you make it to Virginia Beach, explore the various beaches. If you shine a flashlight on a ghost crab, it will remain still for a moment as a defense mechanism. This is the best time to get up close and personal with the tiny critter. Be careful though, as they have known to attack humans when they are pick up.
