Tourists are always welcome in the expanding community of Virginia Beach. The historic seaside resort has a wide range of artistic and recreational options, family-friendly events, and a developing food scene. More than just beach access is available in Virginia Beach. It’s a thriving area with a number of beaches that are divided into various zones. The communities of the coastal city exhibit a variety of lifestyle choices, whether they involve spending time on the ocean or going inside.
Virginia Beach is a terrific destination to visit at any time of year. Virginia Beach provides a wide variety of activities, but we’ve tried to focus on some of the more notable sights and attractions. So, what are the top activities in Virginia Beach?
Virginia Beach Boardwalk
The magnificent, 28-foot-wide Virginia Coastline Boardwalk spans three miles of beach between 2nd and 40th Street. It is close to the water and features an adventure park, a number of shipping vessels, a designated cycling route, and museums. A fantastic place to start the day and take in the scenery is the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. There are numerous cafes, restaurants, and companies that rent bikes to pick from. Many of the side streets that lead to Atlantic Avenue are adorned with maritime sculptures, which you’ll notice if you appreciate art. Don’t forget to pay a visit to the enormous King Neptune, a 12-ton, the 24-foot-tall bronze statue that watches over Neptune Festival Park’s entrance on 31st Street. The King Neptune monument, one of the boardwalk’s most well-liked photo spots, is ideal for Instagram pictures!
ViBe Creative District
The cultural and artistic hub of Virginia Beach is called the ViBe Creative District. The vibrant and diverse seaside area serves as a center for artists and creatives to share their talents while stimulating curiosity in both Virginia Beach residents and visitors. The ViBe Creative District often hosts weekly and monthly events, so there’s always something going on.
In the ViBe Creative District, you may find cute stores and coffee businesses. Aside from the Chesapeake Bay Distillery, the area is home to artisanal shops, vintage boutiques, art studios, antique furniture stores, and culinary arts establishments. For art enthusiasts, the area has large, vibrant murals created by local artists. The murals, which cover an area of one mile, are distinctive, fascinating, and great for photos.
First Landing State Park
The 2,888-acre First Landing State Park, which is located near Cape Henry, is a park with a lot to offer. The first English colonists entered America in 1607, and as the name implies, this is where they stayed before moving inland to create Jamestown. The park today has miles of hiking and beach trails that wind past freshwater ponds, beaches, dunes, woodlands, a tidal marsh, and a cypress swamp, as well as through a protected salt marsh ecosystem. The maritime forest community, one of the most threatened ecosystem types in the world, can be found in Virginia’s most popular state park.
Due to the variety of recreational opportunities available, the park is a favored destination for those who appreciate being outside. In addition to being easily accessible in the park, swimming, boating, and biking, guests also enjoy hiking and taking part in a nature program. With over 200 campgrounds and 20 cabins to select from, First Landing State Park is a great place to go camping as well.
Military Aviation Museum
At the Virginia Beach Airport, the Military Aviation Museum manages a tiny, private grass airfield. One of the largest collections of warplanes still capable of flight is housed at the museum. In addition to a model wooden hangar from World War I and a maintenance hangar, the complex has two exhibition hangars. Examples of aircraft from Germany, France, Russia, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States are on show.
Aircraft from both World Wars I and II are included in the display of warbirds. The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3, the Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk, the Stinson L-5 Sentinel, and the Douglas AD-4 Skyraider are a few notable warbirds in the entire collection, which spans from 1910 to the early 1950s.
Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center
The Virginia Aquarium and Aquatic Science Center is a must-see for anyone with a passion for marine life. There are 12,000 animals living in the aquarium and marine science museum south of Rudee Inlet. Which, is likewise home to more than 700 species. Over 800,000 US gallons of fresh and saltwater displays to house the museum’s exhibits.
A day of fun may be had by all at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, which features water pavilions, three separate aquariums, a marsh pavilion, an aviary, and an exhibit on the Restless Planet. The latter has such exotic creatures as the Komodo dragon and Egyptian Cobra and has five immersive exhibits.
Take the Virginia Beach oyster farming boat tour
While in Virginia Beach, take a tour of an oyster farm from a boat. These excursions are a fun way to spend the day and celebrate the regional cuisine of Virginia Beach. During an oyster farming boat tour, visitors frequently have the chance to disembark and explore the sand bars. Which, are home to a complex marine ecosystem and a wide range of fascinating living things—including, of course, oysters!
The itineraries for the oyster farming boat cruises are varied. Oysters straight out of the ocean will be available for you to shuck and taste. You can just take different kinds of items out of the cages if you’re feeling daring. The majority of cruises provide the chance to sort oysters right from the reef.
Eat Chesapeake Bay blue crab – Virginia Beach
A trip to Virginia Beach wouldn’t be complete without trying the renowned blue crab from Chesapeake Bay. This well-liked sweet meat is served in a lot of upscale restaurants and neighborhood crab shacks. However, the Chesapeake Bay blue crab is small and fragile. Therefore, eating one can frequently require a lot of care and patience.
Make sure you have plenty of napkins available before attempting to eat a blue crab from the Chesapeake Bay! Starting with the legs, flip the crab over so that its belly is facing up, and then cut it in two along its lateral lines. I wish you luck and a delicious meal! No matter how messy it may be, learning how to eat Chesapeake Bay blue crab is important.
