11 Things About Virginia Beach That Are Pushing It To the Next Level
JUST IN CASE our miles and miles of pristine Atlantic shoreline weren’t enough, we’re going green, too. We’re getting creative. We’re pushing the bar, and here’s how.
1. An entire district exists to ignite your creativity.
Photo courtesy of Visit Virginia Beach
The
The district is also home to Commune, Virginia Beach’s first farmer-led restaurant, which serves up a locally sourced menu from an on-site garden, including the popular organic Heirloom Cornmeal Waffles. Sharing the garden is
2. It’s easy to climb to the top…
Photo courtesy of Visit Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach’s
And while it’s definitely easy on the eyes from the outside, you’ve got to take the history-packed tour inside and to the top. Bring your camera, as the lighthouse’s pinnacle offers views that are definitely Instagram-worthy. If you capture a stellar photo, enter it in the monthly photo contest for a chance to win a laser-cut Cape Henry Lighthouse frame.
3. …or soar even higher in a WWII fighter plane.
Photo courtesy of Visit Virginia Beach
Yep, you read that right. Our
Hint: If you’re a photographer, get into the 1941 Boeing Stearman. It has an open cockpit and will basically act as your own personal drone. Couples should climb into the Waco YMF-5 biplane, perfect for two.
4. We called dibs first.
Photo courtesy of Visit Virginia Beach
The most-visited state park in Virginia and one of the best camping sites on the entire East Coast has another claim to fame: It’s the site where the first permanent European settlers landed in North America. We’re talking 1607, the Virginia Company, and the stuff your American history textbooks are made of.
Nowadays, the landing site is memorialized as
5. Your bicycle fits one? Ours fit four.
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Grab some of your buddies and head to Virginia Beach’s three-mile boardwalk for a bike ride unlike any you’ve experienced before. Sure, you could rent a normal one-person bike — you can even rent
If you need to take a break from pedaling, do two things: Make everyone else pick up your slack and enjoy the ride and, when it’s snack-and-rest time, give in to your sweet tooth and grab some homemade saltwater taffy at Forbes. With three oceanfront locations along your route, distance is never an excuse.
Also, don’t forget to pause to take a pic with the legendary bronze King Neptune statue on the boardwalk. With a selfie next to a 34-foot statue in a surrey, you’ll win every Facebook award ever.
6. We prefer our modern buildings green…
Photo courtesy of Visit Virginia Beach
The massive edifice known as the
There are guided tours, where you can learn about how the Chesapeake Bay Foundation managed to establish one of the most energy-efficient — and all-around eco-savvy — buildings in the world. After you’re done renewing your hope in the world, spend some time outside to appreciate the architectural design, the photovoltaic roof, and the wind turbines (and the views, of course).
7. …but we also celebrate our historic homes.
The founding fathers left their mark on Virginia Beach, and those marks are still here. Check out the exquisite
Other historic homes offering budget-friendly glimpses into early life here in Virginia Beach include the Adam Keeling House and the Lynnhaven House. The former goes all the way back to the 1680s, while the Lynnhaven House was constructed around 40 years later. Yep, far more than just your average beach town.
8. The rest of America has shamrock shakes — we have shamrock marathons.
Photo courtesy of Visit Virginia Beach
Each March around St. Patrick’s Day, 30,000 runners from all over the world converge on the Virginia Beach oceanfront to participate in the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon, a Boston Marathon qualifier. Throughout the race, runners get their hearts pumping against panoramic views of beaches and ocean and make their final strides to close out the race on the boardwalk. Spectators get the opportunity to cheer on some seriously talented runners — those looking for a quick sweat can participate in the shorter events.
To top it off, there are plenty of St. Patty’s Day celebrations following the race, so get ready to cheer with some Murphy’s Irish Stew and a cold Yuengling beer. And, of course, be sure to wear green or you might get pinched.
9. Here, you can walk among legends.
You know all this Virginia history we’ve been talking about? Luckily, many of the most interesting anecdotes, biographies, and tales are compiled in one place. Salute past and present influential Virginians by visiting the
10. There’s surfing…and then there’s championship surfing.
Better start studying up now — you don’t want to mix up your combo swells with your backwashes and your barrels when you’re hanging out with the pros. For the past 55 years, Virginia Beach has drawn professional and amateur surfers from all over the world to participate in the annual Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championship, or ECSC — the longest continuously running surf competition in the country. The event is just as much for spectators as it is for participants, since you can grab a snack, sit on the dunes, and watch these athletes defy the physics of water. It takes place in August along the Virginia Beach oceanfront, and the total prize giveaway? More than $100,000.
But it’s not all about surfing: There’s also a half pipe where you can check out BMX and skateboarding demos, as well as skimboarding, stand-up paddle boarding, beach flag football, beach volleyball, beach cornhole, and a boardwalk 5K run.
11. All that, AND dolphins.
Photo courtesy of Visit Virginia Beach
History, the arts, good coffee — but don’t forget: At the end of the day, we’re still a coastal city, and we love the water. Memorial Day through Labor Day, dolphin-watching tour boats take to our waters and follow bottlenose dolphins as they swim across the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia Beach oceanfront. The animals often venture up close and sometimes even ride the waves alongside the boat.
If that’s not close enough for you, there are dolphin kayak tours, too, through
