Virginia Beach
With 35 miles of waterfront, most visitors expect to relax by the beach, play in the sand and waves, and enjoy the beautiful Atlantic Ocean. The waves in Virginia Beach are relatively small (for surfer’s standards), but they are the perfect size for playing! Both kids and adults of all ages love to boogie board and body surf through the breakers, and swim and float on rafts out past the breakers. You can see ocean kayakers, surfers, and even dolphins having fun in the water. During the summer, Virginia Beach has a lot to offer.
The main strip of the tourist area in Virginia Beach stretches from 1st Street to about 50th Street along the oceanfront; north of 50th Street and south of 1st Street are mainly residential areas. In between 1st and 50th Streets, however, you will find rows of hotels along the oceanfront, sprinkled with great shopping, dining, and entertainment.
There are many venues in Virginia Beach to catch a great concert. The new Oceanfront Hilton on 31st Street has incorporated a small outdoor amphitheater that frequently holds concerts during summer weeknights and weekends. Other concert venues include outdoor stages at 7th, 17th, 24th, and 29th Streets. Many concerts and events, such as the Beach Music Weekend, are put on by the city and are free. A few of the myriad other events that the city hosts at these outdoor beach stages include the Atlantic Coast Kite Festival and Neptune’s Spring International Wine Tasting in May; the Latin Fest and the Viva Elvis and the Legends of Rock & Roll event in June; and the Stars & Stripes Explosion and Chalk the Walk ARTsplosion events in July. Additionally, the Virginia Beach Amphitheater, a fifteen minute drive from the oceanfront, hosts many big name bands in all music genres throughout the spring and summer.
Amongst the many lemonade and snow cone stands along the oceanfront boardwalk, you can find the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum. Here, a bird-lover can pop in to learn about migratory birds in the Eastern Virginia area. Display cases, artifacts, carvings, a variety of art, and loads of information teach visitors about the history of these birds and present various forms of documentation. The museum is housed in a charming and historic beach cottage, the deWitt Cottage, on 11th Street, and is open seven days a week.
Another interesting stop is a visit to the international headquarters for the Association for Research and Enlightenment—locally known as the A.R.E. This not-for-profit organization was started by the famous Edgar Cayce in 1931 to “research and explore transpersonal subjects such as holistic health, ancient mysteries, personal spirituality, dreams and dream interpretation, intuition, and philosophy and reincarnation.” The A.R.E. today contains tons of books and information on Edgar Cayce, health solutions, life issues, and spiritual and historical topics. The A.R.E. also contains to a massage school (visitors can schedule spa services through reservations), and hosts many conferences throughout the year.
A few blocks off of the oceanfront, you will find the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia Beach. Although the Contemporary Art Center was founded in 1951, this very modern building is home to many exhibits and both national and international artists. The Contemporary Art Center offers a variety of workshops, classes, and educational programs for both adults and children, and holds a number of events throughout the summer.
If your skin has received a bit too much sun during your stay at the beach, a day of shopping might cool you off. Laskin Road, which stretches from the oceanfront westward, has a number of shopping centers, beginning at the first block from the beach. The shops next to the Oceanfront Hilton include two cute clothing boutiques, a Starbucks, and of course a few souvenir shops. From there, the left and right sides of Laskin Road offer Meg’s, a swimwear and women’s clothing store; Beecroft and Bull, a fine men’s clothing store; the Ragged Robin and Lemon Cabana, both fun and elegant gift shops. Five minutes from the oceanfront, you will find Hilltop East, North, and West, a conglomeration of shopping centers that includes Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, Stein Mart, The Bahama Shop, All the Rage, Fresh Market, and a few delicious dining options. A few minute’s drive west, at La Promenade, you can find Williams-Sonoma, Talbots, Sunglass Hut, Yves Delormes, Children’s Wear Digest, Chico’s, the gift shop Simply Selma’s, and Ocean Palm, which is full of Lilly Pulitzer’s line.
Virginia Tourists Guide - Virginia Beach, Virginia
The main strip of the tourist area in Virginia Beach stretches from 1st Street to about 50th Street along the oceanfront; north of 50th Street and south of 1st Street are mainly residential areas. In between 1st and 50th Streets, however, you will find rows of hotels along the oceanfront, sprinkled with great shopping, dining, and entertainment.
There are many venues in Virginia Beach to catch a great concert. The new Oceanfront Hilton on 31st Street has incorporated a small outdoor amphitheater that frequently holds concerts during summer weeknights and weekends. Other concert venues include outdoor stages at 7th, 17th, 24th, and 29th Streets. Many concerts and events, such as the Beach Music Weekend, are put on by the city and are free. A few of the myriad other events that the city hosts at these outdoor beach stages include the Atlantic Coast Kite Festival and Neptune’s Spring International Wine Tasting in May; the Latin Fest and the Viva Elvis and the Legends of Rock & Roll event in June; and the Stars & Stripes Explosion and Chalk the Walk ARTsplosion events in July. Additionally, the Virginia Beach Amphitheater, a fifteen minute drive from the oceanfront, hosts many big name bands in all music genres throughout the spring and summer.
Amongst the many lemonade and snow cone stands along the oceanfront boardwalk, you can find the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum. Here, a bird-lover can pop in to learn about migratory birds in the Eastern Virginia area. Display cases, artifacts, carvings, a variety of art, and loads of information teach visitors about the history of these birds and present various forms of documentation. The museum is housed in a charming and historic beach cottage, the deWitt Cottage, on 11th Street, and is open seven days a week.
Another interesting stop is a visit to the international headquarters for the Association for Research and Enlightenment—locally known as the A.R.E. This not-for-profit organization was started by the famous Edgar Cayce in 1931 to “research and explore transpersonal subjects such as holistic health, ancient mysteries, personal spirituality, dreams and dream interpretation, intuition, and philosophy and reincarnation.” The A.R.E. today contains tons of books and information on Edgar Cayce, health solutions, life issues, and spiritual and historical topics. The A.R.E. also contains to a massage school (visitors can schedule spa services through reservations), and hosts many conferences throughout the year.
A few blocks off of the oceanfront, you will find the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia Beach. Although the Contemporary Art Center was founded in 1951, this very modern building is home to many exhibits and both national and international artists. The Contemporary Art Center offers a variety of workshops, classes, and educational programs for both adults and children, and holds a number of events throughout the summer.
If your skin has received a bit too much sun during your stay at the beach, a day of shopping might cool you off. Laskin Road, which stretches from the oceanfront westward, has a number of shopping centers, beginning at the first block from the beach. The shops next to the Oceanfront Hilton include two cute clothing boutiques, a Starbucks, and of course a few souvenir shops. From there, the left and right sides of Laskin Road offer Meg’s, a swimwear and women’s clothing store; Beecroft and Bull, a fine men’s clothing store; the Ragged Robin and Lemon Cabana, both fun and elegant gift shops. Five minutes from the oceanfront, you will find Hilltop East, North, and West, a conglomeration of shopping centers that includes Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, Stein Mart, The Bahama Shop, All the Rage, Fresh Market, and a few delicious dining options. A few minute’s drive west, at La Promenade, you can find Williams-Sonoma, Talbots, Sunglass Hut, Yves Delormes, Children’s Wear Digest, Chico’s, the gift shop Simply Selma’s, and Ocean Palm, which is full of Lilly Pulitzer’s line.
Virginia Tourists Guide - Virginia Beach, Virginia
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