It may take longer to drive to Virginia Beach than the Jersey Shore, but it’s a completely different beach destination, and well worth the trip. Yes, both areas offer lodging and attractions along their bustling boardwalks. But beyond its 30-mile stretch of sand, Virginia Beach offers fun attractions, a world-class aquarium, boat cruises and important historic sites.
The Beach Scene
Of course, the main attraction is the beach itself. You can pick a spot in the middle of the action along the hotel strip, or north of 18th Avenue for a quieter patch in front of rental homes. Lifeguards are positioned at regular intervals and you can rent lounge chairs and cabana tents. Alongside the boardwalk is a bike path and you can rent 4- and 6-seat surrey bikes to ride together.
Our family of four spent a quiet day on Sandbridge Beach, a less developed stretch 15 miles south. The terrain is hilly and public parking is scarce, but the waves are great for boogie boards and the sand bars allow you to walk out at least 30 feet before it gets deep. There are no public restrooms or lifeguards; so a little advance planning is necessary.
Amazing Aquarium
The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center is a great option on a hot or rainy day. The emphasis here is on the ecosystems of Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay exhibits are the first you will visit and you’ll learn about the meteor which landed in the area millions of years ago. The Bay and Ocean Pavilions are easy to navigate and fun to explore, because many of the exhibits are walk-through tunnels and aquariums.
The main attraction – the shark tank – is the last exhibit you’ll pass through. We saw at least 10 sharks, stingrays and a variety of other fish. While my husband and I sat on the risers to enjoy the view, our kids discovered the replica of the “Alvin” Navy submersible adjacent to the tank. Inside the control room were enough buttons, lights, levers and other gadgets to keep their imaginations active for hours.
Wonderful Waterpark
The Ocean Breeze Waterpark re-opened last year after a multi-million dollar renovation, and it looks and feels brand new. The seaside village themed décor is delightfully detailed. For tweens and teens, there are 16 water slides within the park of varying levels of thrill. My 11-year-old enjoyed the Hurricane, which shot him down into and around a centrifugal flusher bowl. There were several short, easy rides for the preschool set. My 4-year-old daughter enjoyed the Little Amazon, a miniature lazy river with small-scale inner tubes.
On the Water and On the Links
Dolphin sightings are a safe bet on a dolphin watch cruise, because Bottlenose dolphins birth their calves in the safe waters of Cape Henry Bay. We chose a mid-afternoon ride on the double-decker Rudee Flipper tour boat.
Miniature golf is available on several courses with fun themes. We played 18 holes at Jungle Golf (www.junglegolf.com), a tropical course with oversized elephants, gorillas, hippos and rhinos.
Historic Sites
Virginia Beach is the site of the “first landing” of English settlers more than 400 years ago. You can visit the First Landing Cross, the Historic Villages at Cape Henry, the Battle of the Capes Monument, and the Cape Henry Lighthouse. We enjoyed the Old Coast Guard Station, where the kids learned about early at-sea rescue methods. This historic house sits directly on the beach, a quiet refuge from the boardwalk. With only two floors of exhibits, it’s a quick visit; perfect for short attention spans.
Wrap It Up In Williamsburg!
Adding extra value to a Virginia Beach trip is the major attractions in Williamsburg, less than an hour away. One day was barely enough time to enjoy Busch Gardens, which is separated into sections themed for different European countries. My preschooler found her favorite character mascots in the Sesame Street Forest of Fun, while my tween thrilled on the coasters.
Colonial Williamsburg offered a completely different experience as a living history museum. The kids learned 18th-century games, watched re-enactments in Revolutionary City, and enjoyed “Thomas Jefferson’s Macaroni and Cheese” for dinner at Shields Tavern.
Traci L. Suppa blogs about her family’s travels at www.GoBIGorGoHomeBlog.com.
When You Go …
Busch Gardens – www.buschgardens.com/bgw/
Colonial Williamsburg – www.history.org
Jungle Golf – www.junglegolf.com
Ocean Breeze Waterpark – www.oceanbreezewaterpark.com
Old Coast Guard Station – www.oldcoastguardstation.com
Rudee Boat Tours – http://rudeetours.com/
Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center – www.virginiaaquarium.com
Virginia Beach Visitors Bureau – www.visitvirginiabeach.com
