Virginia Beach is a beautiful coastal city located along the southeastern side of the state of Virginia, and it has become an incredibly popular destination with tourists looking to spend some time on the beautiful coast of the Atlantic Ocean. There are plenty of awesome things for visitors to do and see in Virginia Beach, and we’ll be taking a look at some of our preferred picks in this video! From enjoying the numerous attractions that can be found along the 3-mile-long Virginia Beach Boardwalk to immersing yourself in the culture of the ViBe Creative District, join ViewCation as we explore the very best things to do in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Walk Along the Three-Mile-Long Virginia Beach Boardwalk
The Virginia Beach Boardwalk is arguably the most popular location in the entire city of Virginia Beach, and this popularity comes for good reason! Not only does the Virginia Beach Boardwalk run right alongside the beautiful Virginia Beach, but it also features plenty of shops, eateries, and attractions that will entertain visitors once they’re bored with the water. It’ll be a while before you run out of interesting things to check out along the three-mile-long boardwalk.
As one would expect, the Virginia Beach Boardwalk is a bustling area populated with numerous places to shop for souvenirs and grab a bite to eat. There’s also a designated bike path running along the boardwalk, which makes it an ideal location for both visiting and local cyclists to get their workout in for the day. Finally, the three-mile-long Virginia Beach Boardwalk features a staggering four separate stages over the course of it’s length where performances are held.
Head Over to Chic’s Beach for Some Quiet Time
While Virginia Beach and it’s adjacent Virginia Beach Boardwalk stand as some of the absolute most popular locations within the city of Virginia Beach for tourists to get acquainted with the area’s surrounding waters, those looking for some more peaceful and secluded time on the beach need to head over to the area colloquially referred to as Chic’s Beach. Chic’s Beach spans only two miles near the Chesapeake Bay, and is sometimes also referred to as Chesapeake Beach due to it’s close proximity.
Though Virginia Beach is the most popular beach in the city of Virginia Beach when it comes to visiting tourists, the secluded and peaceful nature of Chic’s Beach makes it more popular with the locals, especially those with young ones. The beach’s waters are also appreciably gentle, and families can spend all day swimming and playing in the sand.
Try Your Hand at Some Watersports at Rudee Inlet
Chic’s Beach is a great and secluded beach for families to go out and get in the water while visiting the city of Virginia Beech, but Rudee Inlet is the preeminent spot for visitors to try their hand at watersports. Rudee Inlet also happens to be one of the best locations in the entire city to go fishing, which is why so many fishing charters base their operations out of the venerable marina! Besides fishing, you’ll also see plenty of people parasailing and jet skiing. If you’re looking to get out on the water and do something extreme, Rudee Inlet is the best place to do it. The area is also home to a variety of fine-dining restaurants that serve local seafood.
Venture Out to the Agricultural Community of Pungo
On the outskirts of the city of Virginia Beach is a quaint, little rural community by the name of Pungo. One might assume that there isn’t much for tourists to do in the small community of Pungo, but this actually isn’t the case! Though the community stands as a necessary escape for locals to get away from the hustle and the bustle of the city, it also serves as a great place for tourists to do the same thing. If you’re visiting Virginia Beach and you’ve gotten tired of the overcrowded boardwalk, Pungo will provide a reprieve.
There’s plenty to do in the agricultural community of Pungo, but the most popular activities for tourists visiting the area are inarguably the farm tours. There are a wide variety of farms within the community of Pungo that offer different types of tours to visitors, and these tours will typically allow guests to do such things as pick their own fruits and vegetables. In order to get the most bang for your buck, you should try visiting the community during berry season!
The farm tours are certainly some of the most popular activities for tourists to take part in while visiting the rural community of Pungo, but the area is also known for it’s incredible cuisine. You’ll find numerous eateries around the area with a bit more local flavor than the majority of the eateries that you’ll find in Virginia Beach’s downtown area.
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Visit the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center
If you’ve got a thing for sea creatures and you’ve found yourself within the city of Virginia Beach, you’ll certainly want to head over to the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center houses hundreds of different species of aquatic creatures, and even has a few non-aquatic creatures, as well. Some of the more notable aquatic creatures that visitors will get the chance to see while perusing the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center include a variety of sea turtles and seals. Meanwhile, those who want to check out some of the aquarium’s less aquatic offerings will be granted the opportunity to see snakes and Komodo dragons!
The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center could certainly draw in plenty of tourists with it’s staggering array of creatures alone, but there’s also the Adventure Park to sweeten the deal! The Adventure Park at Virginia Aquarium aims to offer visitors exactly what it’s name suggests, with that being adventure. Visitors will certainly find that there’s plenty of adventure to be had within the park, whether it’s via it’s plethora of treetop trails or it’s zip-lining opportunities.
Step Back in Time via the Cavalier Hotel
Visitors to Virginia Beach that are interested in the city’s cultural history will find that there’s plenty to enjoy at the Cavalier Hotel. The stunning hotel was first built nearly 100 years ago, and has recently been renovated in a way that was meant to highlight the building’s classical beauty and bring it closer to how it looked when it first opened.
Over the decades, the gorgeous hotel has played host to some fairly notable figures, including a large handful of United States presidents. It has also been said that such Golden Age Hollywood luminaries as Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra stayed at the hotel back in the day. The cultural significance of the location has seen it become listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which is a big reason why so much care has been put into it’s renovation.
Though the cultural and historical appeal of the Cavalier Hotel is unquestionably the biggest draw for tourists, there’s also the fact of the matter that the basement of the hotel contains one of the most acclaimed distilleries in the entire city of Virginia Beach! That distillery goes by the name of Tarnished Truth Distillery, and it’s award-winning spirits make the perfect accompaniment for visiting tourists.
Visit the Area’s Historic Cape Henry Lighthouse
Lighthouses are so rare nowadays that they’re always a treat to see, and the Cape Henry Lighthouse is no exception. However, the Cape Henry Lighthouse is much more than just your run-of-the-mill lighthouse! The lighthouse is thought to be only the fourth lighthouse that was ever built in the United States, and it was the first to be officially authorized by the country’s government. In fact, it was said to have been George Washington himself who authorized the lighthouse.
The Cape Henry Lighthouse was constructed in the years after the Revolutionary War, and Alexander Hamilton oversaw the project after it was given George Washington’s approval. Many years later, in 1881, a second lighthouse was built near the same sight as the Cape Henry Lighthouse, and both lighthouses are plenty of fun to visit!
Camp on the Beach at First Landing State Park
First Landing State Park is considered to be the most popular state park in the entirety of Virginia, and this popularity comes with a good deal of historical significance. The name of the state park stems from the fact that it was used as a landing spot for English colonists during the 15th century. The park is also the subject of it’s fair share of legends, including some about pirates and the Civil War.
Though First Landing State Park has certainly seen it’s fair share of incredible history, the main appeal of the park nowadays it that it offers a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city of Virginia Beach. There are numerous stunning locales located within the state park, including a variety of swamps and lagoons, as well as some forest.
One of the biggest draws for tourists visiting First Landing State Park is the fact that visitors are allowed to camp on the beach. However, the state park’s close proximity to a nearby military training center means that campers are liable to get woken up in the middle of the night by loud noises…
Immerse Yourself in the ViBe Creative District
First Landing State Park offers visitors the oppurtunity to experience what landing in Virginia was like for English colonists back in the day, but those who want to put their finger on the state’s more modern pulse might want to head over to the ViBe Creative District. This little art district has plenty to offer to tourists, including the chance to check out some incredible street art and street performers. There are also plenty of unique places to grab a bite to eat, and there’s even a farmers’ market that opens up every Saturday.
Whether you’re interested in the city’s beautiful scenery, unique modern culture, or it’s historical importance, Virginia Beach is certainly worth a visit! Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know that Virginia Beach has a bustling art district called the ViBe Creative District, and that nearby First Landing State Park marks the spot where English colonists first came to the area in the 15th century? As always, like this video to show your support, and subscribe and hit the notification bell if you’d like to be among the first to know when more globetrotting ViewCation videos are on their way!