Virginia Beach

1. Go for a stroll along the Virginia Beach Boardwalk

The Virginia Beach Boardwalk is the heart and soul of the area and provides a range of fun entertainment and activities for visitors and locals alike. Stretching for three miles along the oceanfront, the boardwalk has an energetic mix of restaurants, shops, entertainment, and laid-back beach vibes. The boardwalk features a separate bike path with vendors offering bike and surrey rentals, making it ideal for strolling, rollerblading, and biking. The boardwalk is also a center for performing arts, including live musical acts, summer concerts, and a range of nautical sculptures such as the famous bronze statute of King Neptune.

2. Visit the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art

The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art is dedicated to encouraging and fostering the exploration and understanding of contemporary and modern art. Located at 2200 Parks Avenue, the museum is housed in an award-winning building designed by Boston architect E. Verner Johnson and boasts over 6,000 square feet of exhibition space. The museum features a range of ever-changing exhibitions spanning a variety of art forms and genres, from painting, drawing, and sculpture, to photography, video, and glass.

The museum also offers educational outreach programs, studio art classes, and outdoor art shows featuring local and upcoming artists to promote their works and encourage the community to take an interest in the arts.

2200 Parks Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA, Phone: 757-425-0000, Map

3. Explore First Landing State Park

Named after the landing of the first English colonists in 1607, First Landing State Park is a beautiful oasis in the heart of Virginia Beach, and it is the region’s most-visited state park. Built in the early 1930s, the park is a National Natural Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

It offers an array of recreational and educational activities, including over 20 miles of hiking and biking trails and uninterrupted views over Chesapeake Bay.

A variety of diverse habitats ranging from maritime forests and lush lagoons to marshy cypress swamps serve as the home to myriad fauna and flora. Meanwhile, the visitor-friendly Chesapeake Bay Center features historical and educational exhibits, as well as a pavilion and amphitheater that can be rented for special events.

4. Take the kids to The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center

Located just south of Rudee Inlet, the The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is home to over 12,000 animals representing over 700 species. The animals are cared for in a variety of habitats, including the Bay & Ocean Pavilion, which features animals from oceanic marine environments, and the Marsh Pavilion, which hosts a variety of river and marsh creatures.

The two pavilions are connected by a lovely outdoor hiking/walking trail that runs alongside Owls Creek Salt Marsh. If you are looking for fun things to do in Virginia Beach with kids, this is a great place to visit.

The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center also offers a range of educational programs and workshops that aim to encourage and inspire the preservation of the marine environment through research and sustainable practices.

717 General Booth Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA, Phone: 757-385-3474, Map

5. Head to oceanfront Grommet Island Park

Grommet Island Park is a place in Virginia Beach, Virginia that was designed for everybody. The first park of its kind in the United States, this unique playground and park is a 100-percent accessible oceanfront park.

Grommet Island Park is approximately 15,000 square feet in size and features a playground consisting of a sway boat, sensory board for visually impaired and autistic children, raised sand tables designed for building sand castles at an accessible height, and poured-in-place surfacing. The playground features several sculptural features as well. There are also wheelchair-accessible entrances to the park and accessible seating areas.

100 2nd Street, Virginia Beach, VA 2345, 757-385-1100, Map

6. Go biking in False Cape State Park

The former home of Native Americans, False Cape State Park is situated between Back Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, and it is one the last remaining undeveloped areas along the Atlantic coast. The park is home to a diverse range of wild and untamed ecosystems and offers excellent outdoor activities such as hiking and biking opportunities through various trails, kayaking trips, beach combing, and camping.

The park is also home to the historic Wash Woods community where visitors can explore the old church and cemetery, as well as take an enjoyable round-trip tram ride through the park from the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The park is open from dawn until dusk and has no public vehicular access – it is only accessible by foot, bicycle, beach transport, tram, or boat. Map

7. See WWI and WWII aircraft at the Military Aviation Museum

The Military Aviation Museum is located at the Virginia Beach Airport and is home to one of the largest collections of World War I and World War II military aircrafts in the world. Spanning a vast complex of four hangars and an exclusive museum space for the collection’s non-flying pieces, this fascinating living history museum grew from a passion for World War-era aircraft. It features an impressive selection of meticulously restored aviation treasures.

Examples of World War I bi- and triplanes include a Bleriot XI and an Albatross DVA, and World War II pieces include a Spitfire and a MIG. Enjoy guided tours of Master Jet Base NAS Oceana on a special double-decker bus and get up close views of F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet fighter jets. You will have the exciting opportunity to watch Naval Aviators and ground crews at work.

Military Aviation Museum , 1341 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Phone: 757-721-7767

8. Head to Blue Seafood and Spirits for fresh seafood

Located on Upton Drive in Virginia Beach, Blue Seafood and Spirits is a chef-owned and operated restaurant dedicated to serving high quality, fresh seafood accompanied by a range of signature cocktails, wines, and beers.

Managed by Chef Charles Thain, the 60-seater restaurant boasts an elegant yet casual ambiance and specializes in a variety of freshly prepared seafood dishes such tempura fried shrimp and crab cakes. The restaurant does not accept reservations, so be sure to get there early to get a table.

Blue Seafood and Spirits, 2181 Upton Drive, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Phone: 757-698-5395

9. Play at Ocean Breeze Waterpark

Ocean Breeze Waterpark is a family-friendly water park and entertainment center in the heart of Virginia Beach. The Caribbean-themed Park features more than 30 exciting rides and exhilarating water slides, river adventures, a pirate ship, and a massive wave pool, as well as other fun attractions.

Popular rides include the Log Rolls, Walk the Plane, and Jungle Falls. Smaller children can enjoy themselves on a real pirate ship, and adults might enjoy spending a few hours browsing the shops. The park has several restaurants and cafés that serve a variety of food, snacks, and drinks, and the park offers free sunscreen and inner tubes for all visitors.

10. Start your day with a breakfast at The Bee and The Biscuit

The Bee and The Biscuit is a delightful Virginia Beach restaurant housed within a 1919 cottage in the city's Pungo district, opened in 2016 by restaurateur Karen Johnson. The restaurant serves up breakfast and lunch entrees throughout the week, known for its delicious fare crafted with locally-sourced farm ingredients.

Guests can enjoy delicious breakfast entrees all day, including Southern-style favorites like buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy, Tex Mex selections like vegan or sausage breakfast burritos, and gourmet bistro offerings like stuffed French toast with mascarpone filling and orange sauce. A full menu of creative omelettes and Benedicts are also served, including favorites with bay lump crab meat. Lunch selections include health-conscious wraps, mushroom melts, and Carolina pulled pork biscuits.

The Bee and The Biscuit, 1785 Princess Anne Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23456, Phone: 757-689-6243