Hampton, VA

Buckroe Beach and Park offers eight acres of family-friendly land and a lovely nearly mile long stretch of sandy beach on Chesapeake Bay. During the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day, there are certified lifeguards on the shore, Saturday night concerts for Groovin' By The Bay, and Tuesday night outdoor movies.

The park has ample parking, a playground, a nice path for walking or cycling, restrooms, and rental of kayaks and paddleboats. Restrooms are available. Two picnic pavilions with tables and grills can be reserved for a small fee, and there is a stage for community events. From Memorial Day until Labor Day no dogs are permitted in the park.

Fort Monroe has guarded the waters between Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay since the earliest fortifications were built in 1609 in the Colony of Virginia. It is the largest stone fort in the United States and a site brimming with history. It served as a Union fort in Confederate Virginia during the American Civil War, and as a safe haven for slaves under the Contraband Act. Today, Fort Monroe National Monument is a popular tourist attraction and offers a historical museum, miles of nature trails, excellent fishing off Engineer Wharf, picnic areas, a marina, and miles of beaches, one of which, Outlook Beach, has a lifeguard during the summer months.

41 Bernard Road, Fort Monroe, Virginia 23651, Phone: 757-722-3678

The Virginia Air and Space Center has partnered with NASA to house an exciting hands-on science center. Visitors young and old can land on the moon in a lunar simulator, check out the Apollo 12 command module, experience the wonder of the five-story high IMAX theater, and get an up-close look at the sun and its waves in the solarium, which is full of radiant images taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory.

Little ones can put their minds and hands to work at Engineer-It, a playground in which building larger than life buildings is the game of the day. The museum has day camps that teach core sciences, facilities for completing scouting badges, curriculum materials for teachers and homeschooling parents, a café, and a gift shop. Guided tours for school children and community groups are available.

600 Settlers Landing Road, Hampton, VA 23669, Phone: 757-727-0900

The Casemate Museum of Fort Monroe tells the history of this significant fortress built to withstand attacks from the sea. Once the prison that briefly held Confederate President Jefferson Davis after the American Civil War, the museum is a real treasure for those who love military history or old buildings.

The museum has excellent artifacts and educational displays, a replica of an officer's two-room family quarters, and a self-guided tour that takes visitors through the museum, out to the moat, and along the defensive walls, which are six to eight feet thick and built to withstand cannon fire. Groups of ten or more people can make reservations for a guided tour of the museum and grounds.

41 Bernard Road, Fort Monroe, VA 23651, Phone: 757-788-3391

Bluebird Gap Farm was first used as farmland by an English sea captain in 1622. Now it is a rural educational, family-oriented site with approximately 150 farm animals such as chickens, horses, pigs, cows, and goats. The farm also has more uncommon animals, including peacocks, tortoises, llamas, alpacas, rabbits, and deer.

Birds of prey are regular visitors to the park, as are water birds and shore birds. The farm has a picnic pavilion available for full or half-day rental and more picnic tables scattered throughout the property for family use. There are animal feed vending machines and vending machines with snacks and drinks for people. The display barn is filled with farm and home antiques from the past two decades.

60 Pine Chapel Road, Hampton, VA 23666, Phone: 757-825-4750

The Hampton History Museum chronicles the story of Hampton, the oldest continuously English speaking city in the United States. In chronological fashion, the museum takes visitors through the city's four hundred year history, delving into its African American history, its Native American history, the War of 1812, the American Civil War, and into Hampton's current rebirth as a military and aerospace technology center.

The museum has particularly fine collections of old maps and photographs, and there are a great many interesting artifacts from early times, including a nine thousand year old arrowhead. Snacks and drinks are available in the gift shop.

120 Old Hampton Lane, Hampton, VA 23669, Phone: 757-727-1610

Sandy Bottom Nature Park is a 456-acre property containing a pond, twelve miles of nature trails, and a huge nature interpretative center. The reclaimed land now has wetlands, woodlands, and wildlife such as white-tailed deer, frogs, turtles, Mabee's Salamander, and the endangered canebrake rattlesnake. The trails are well maintained and suitable for both hikers and cyclists.

The park has a children's playground, two sets of restrooms, five picnic shelters available for rental, and other picnic tables set in shaded areas around the park. Fishermen can fish off the pier or rent a boat to go after largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, and bluegill. The water is so clear that you can see the fish and the bottom of the lake. It's a great place for family outings, and it has an educational aspect to it that kids and parents can both appreciate.

1255 Big Bethel Road, Hampton, VA 23666, Phone: 757-825-4657

The Hampton Coliseum is a 9,777-seat multi-use entertainment venue, and fan-favorite music performers, comedians, and Cirque de Soleil have all graced its stages. Conventions and trade shows find Hampton Coliseum suits all their needs, and the coliseum hosts three annual festivals: the Hampton Jazz Festival, the Hampton Funk Festival, and the Hampton Roads Soul Music Festival.

Throughout the year there are varied performances for the entire family to enjoy: the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circuses, Disney on Ice, monster truck rallies, WWE events, and professional bull riding. The coliseum has a multitude of food and beverage concessions and free parking.

1000 Coliseum Drive, Hampton, VA 23666, Phone: 757-838-4203

Perched at the mouths of the Elizabeth, James, and Nansemond Rivers, the Old Point Comfort Lighthouse represents the entryway to the historic Hampton Roads. The site on which the lighthouse stands has been said to have been a long-time navigational beacon as historians believe that the Native Americans would light wood fires and keep them burning for the navigation of Spanish ships in the 16th century. The first official lighthouse, however, was built sometime in 1800. Guests to the lighthouse today can explore it and learn more about the area through informative and entertaining guided walking tours or self-guided tours.

69 Fenwick Road, Hampton, Virginia 23651

Hampton University Museum was established in 1868, the same year the university itself was established. The museum has always strived to provide knowledge and understanding of diverse cultures and traditions. To foster that, they emphasize studies in geography, culture, and history. It is the only museum in the U.S. to have a permanent collection of African American fine art.

Its African art collection is widely esteemed and includes several hundred pieces from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They have a variety of other pieces from across the continent. The first collection in the museum was of South Pacific art, and it has been augmented in recent years by pieces from Japan and the Philippines. The most recent collection of the museum is of the history of the university.

11 Frissell Avenue, Hampton, VA 23669, Phone: 757-727-5308