In southeastern Virginia, right on the coast, you can find the colorful Virginia Beach city. This oceanfront location is well known for its history, culinary, art, and entertainment experiences. Therefore, don’t be surprised by the number of visitors you can find there throughout the entire year.
Furthermore, it’s good to know that this city is divided into districts, with each having its own beach and different activities to experience. Each district offers its unique lifestyle which is great for those who want to relax on the beach but explore the inland as well.
In addition, you can visit Virginia Beach any time of the year and have an amazing time there. In fact, it would take 10 guides to share all this coastal city has to offer. But, this time, we tried to narrow down our choices to the most interesting ones. Enjoy!
Virginia Beach – Where to Start
In the following paragraphs, you will get a better insight into what Virginia Beach City has to offer. Let’s start with the weather and then move on to what to do once you are there.
Virginia Beach Weather
Virginia Beach offers warm and shiny summers while the winters are cold and with plenty of winds. Throughout the year, the temperatures go from 34°F in the winter and 87°F to 93°F during the summer.
If you are a summer climate fan, then the best time to visit Virginia Beach City is from the end of May, all the way to mid-October. So, as you can see, the warm season here lasts quite long.
Virginia Beach Boardwalk
When in Virginia Beach, you must take a walk down the famous 3-mile long and 28-feet wide Virginia Beach Boardwalk. The mentioned 3 miles include a breathtaking Oceanside view, museums, an amusement park, a plethora of interesting activities, and a separate bike path for those who like to have a faster pace.
When it comes to making stops, there is a number of restaurants and cafes, all with amazing views. Just imagine a romantic dinner while enjoying a sunset over the ocean. Sounds like a fairytale, doesn’t it?
Cape Henry Lighthouse
The southern entrance to the iconic Chesapeake Bay is famous for its Cape Henry lighthouse. Furthermore, this lighthouse also marks the “First Landing” spot, the shores where the first English settlers made their first steps on the American continent.
This is an ideal spot for taking photos for your social media channels and for learning more about the history of the first settlers.
Oyster Farming Boat Tour
If you want to enrich your Virginia Beach experience, a boat tour is just the way to go. Such tours are there to celebrate the rich local food history and to make your vacation filled with great memories.
The oyster farming boat tour also includes out-of-the-boat times when you can take a walk on the sandy beaches while exploring the amazing marine ecosystems. Of course, checking out the oyster farming spots and trying them right out of the ocean is included in the tour.
Try the Famous Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab
When in Virginia Beach, among other interesting things to do and try, the legendary Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab is something you definitely have to try. There are many restaurants that offer this delicious crab as well as local crab shacks and they all prepare them excellently!
However, know that eating this crab demands some crab opening skills and plenty of patience. But, once you get the hang of it, all the effort will be rewarded with a taste that will stay in your memory forever.
Pro tip: Start your crab from its legs, then flip it belly up and work your way through its lateral lines. Bon appetite!
Have a Seafood Dinner
If the crabs aren’t your thing, don’t worry, Virginia Beach has excellent seafood choices and it’s always right-out-of-the-ocean fresh! Our recommendation is the famous Terrapin Restaurant, holder of many culinary awards.
The fine-dining restaurant is located in the vicinity of the Virginia Beach boardwalk and besides delicious meals, they also have an excellent cocktail menu. Of course, all of this comes with professional service and an excellent view.
On the other hand, if you do like crabs and want to try more than the legendary blue crab, you should definitely pay a visit to Bubba’s Seafood Crabhouse and Restaurant. This establishment is located on Shore Drive and offers mouthwatering crab cakes and crab soups.
Furthermore, for those of you who are seafood grill fans, or traditional grill lovers, we recommend the Waterman’s Surfside Grille. This Virginia Beach iconic restaurant is located on the Boardwalk, more precisely at 5th and Atlantic and it’s been there since the 1960s!
Military Aviation Museum
Whether planes are your thing or not, checking out the Military Aviation Museum should definitely be on your checklist for the Virginia Beach road trip. The museum includes two massive hangars with planes from both World Wars on display, a WWI wooden hangar and a maintenance hangar replicas, and a grass airfield.
Now, you might wonder why a museum has an airfield, well, it might sound unbelievable, but all their warplanes are actually still in excellent condition and they are all flyable. Furthermore, during the summer, the museum hosts fly shows where you can see these magnificent warbirds reenacting dog fits in mid-air.
As far as their collection goes, you will be happy to hear that they have planes from 1910 to the early 1950s and models such as the legendary Stinson L-5 Sentinel, Curtiss P-40E Kitty Hawk, Douglas AD-4 Sky Raider, and even a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3
Wrapping Things Up
Well, now you know what the best things to do when in Virginia Beach are. You also know where the best food is and where to enjoy a romantic ocean sunset dinner with the ones you love. Therefore, you can start making preparations for your next road trip!
We hope you enjoyed reading our guide and that you will leave a comment or a question in the comments section. We will be happy to help you out! Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter and get the latest news and insights about dream destinations.
Featured image: Unsplash/TammyChan