Nature Parks
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge / False Cape State Park
Back Bay is a 8,500-acre beach, woodland and marsh refuge for a wide variety of migratory birds, endangered species and other wildlife. Just south is False Cape's ocean-to-freshwater bay habitat accessible only by boat, tram, 5-mile hike or bike ride. Camping is permitted.
4500 Sandpiper Rd., (757) 721-2412 / 4001 Sandpiper Rd., (757) 426-7128
First Landing State Park / Chesapeake Bay Center
Miles of breathtaking seashore, hiking, picnic areas, camping, and beautiful biking trails. The Bay Center includes aquariums, environmental and historical exhibits, classroom space and information about nature-based tourism activities in the area.
2500 Shore Dr., (757) 412-2300 Chesapeake Bay Center, (757) 412-2316
Fishing & Boating
Oceanfront & Bay Cruises / Offshore Sport Fishing
Enjoy great fishing excursions from Rudee and Lynnhaven Inlets, or just take in a whale or dolphin watching boat trip.
Rudee Inlet, 200 Winston Salem Ave., (757) 422-5700, 491-8000
Lynnhaven Inlet, 3311 Shore Dr., (757) 481-4545
Pier Fishing
Just bring yourself, your kids, your friends and drop a line. No need for your own gear or to pay for licenses. Four piers are near the resort area, many offering rod and reel rentals, with additional equipment and bait for sale.
- Virginia Beach Fishing Pier, 15th St. at the oceanfront (757) 428-2333
- Sea Gull Fishing Pier, Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Route 13, www.cbbt.com - The CBBT’s Fishing Pier is now closed to the public as we “tunnel forward” with construction of the Parallel Thimble Shoal Tunnel. Upon the completion of the tunnel project, plans are to renovate the fishing pier and re-open to the public in 2023.
- Little Island Park Fishing Pier, 3820 Sandpiper Rd. (757) 426-7200
Virginia Aquarium Boat Trips
Get out on the water to encounter majestic creatures of the ocean. An onboard educator will narrate and point out interesting facts about the ocean wildlife. Winter Wildlife, Dolphin Watching, Ocean Collection and Cruise the Creek boat trips available throughout the year. Trips leave from the Aquarium or Virginia Beach Fishing Center. 200 Winston Salem Ave., (757) 385-FISH or
www.virginiaaquarium.com
Beach Entertainment
Beach Street USA
Celebrate the lazy days of summer from June-August. 100 days of free entertainment on the boardwalk with street performers on Atlantic Ave. between 17th and 25th Streets. Also enjoy special events throughout the city year-round.
The Christian Broadcast Network
Tour one of the nation’s most modern TV stations and join the studio audience of “The 700 Club” with Pat Robertson.
I-64 at Indian River Rd. at Regent University, Exit 286B, (757) 226-2745
Oceanfront Stages
When the beach is your playground, there’s no lack of inspiration for great music and stage shows. With park stages featuring local bands and headlining acts, Virginia Beach is the place to be for great music and great fun.
7th, 17th, 24th and 31st Street Stages, (757) 491-7866
Regent University Theater
Regent University Theater presents family fun entertainment. Running from September through May, the theater presents a wide range of productions from modern comedies to classic tragedies to Broadway caliber musicals.
Sandler Center for the Performing Arts
Located at the intersection of Commerce and Market Streets in Town Center, the region’s newest performing arts facility hosts scores of nationally renowned entertainers while providing a world class home for the area’s finest performing arts organizations.
Farm Bureau Live Amphitheater
This 20,000-seat amphitheater is host to some of the hottest performers in pop, rock, rhythm & blues, alternative, jazz and more from April through October.
Virginia Beach Sportsplex
Located in the heart of our coastal city, the Sportsplex is the first facility of its kind in the U.S. designed as a soccer complex, but can be used for football and other field sports.
Historic Sites & Museums
Adam Thoroughgood House
This circa 1719 National Historic Landmark is one of the earliest examples of permanent Virginia architecture and features a collection of period English antique furniture and a colonial revival garden designed by Alden Hopkins.
Association for Research and Enlightenment
Visit the international headquarters of Edgar Cayce, the most documented psychic of modern times.
Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum
Dedicated to wildfowl, this museum features decoys and carvers in the 1895 DeWitt Cottage. Also onsite is a pictorial history of Virginia Beach and the city’s first library.
Bill Myers Veterans Memorial & Park
This stunning waterfall sculpture symbolizes the elements of war that unify and divide us all and is a tribute to the area’s military forces.
1000 block of 19th St.
Ferry Plantation House
Visit this 1830 Federal farm house with docents dressed in Civil War era costumes. Be amazed by the ferry service and family records dating back to 1642.
4136 Cheswick Lane (on Old Donation Farm), (757) 473-5182 or
Francis Land House
This circa 1805 house is one of the larger and more imposing of the Federal era plantation/farm houses in Virginia Beach. The site includes a variety of gardens and a wooded wetland trail.
Historic Cape Henry
The First Landing Cross marks the area where America’s first English settlers touched shore in the New World in 1607. The Old Cape Henry Lighthouse, built in 1791, is the oldest government-built lighthouse in America.
Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek / Fort Story, 89th St. and Atlantic Ave., (757) 422-9421
Historic Villages at Cape Henry
An educational and engaging tribute to the first English explorers of the New World and the Native Americans of the Chesapeake region. Complete the journey through the villages to see early American history, when the Virginia Company sought to establish an English colony.
King Neptune
He stands 26 feet tall, sun reflecting off his frame, wave-inspired curls case in bronze. King Neptune stands at the gateway to Neptune Park at 31st St. at the oceanfront, at the threshold of the sea.
Neptune Park, 31st Street at the oceanfront
Lynnhaven House
Built in 1725, this home is one of the best preserved 18th century buildings in the United States.
Military Aviation Museum
Fighters, bombers, seaplanes and more – a huge display of fully operational World War II aircraft.
Naval Aviation Memorial Park
A compelling memorial to recognize and honor the rich naval aviation heritage that is an integral part of the city’s history and culture.
25th Street and oceanfront on the boardwalk
Norwegian Lady Statue
This beautiful bronze figurehead commemorates the 1891 wreck of the Norwegian bark, “Dictator.”
25th Street and oceanfront on the boardwalk
Built in 1903, this museum vividly depicts its own life-saving and Coast Guard history, as well as the many shipwrecks off the Virginia coast.
24th Street and Atlantic Ave., 422-1587.
The Princess Anne County Training School / Union Kempsville High School Museum
Reflect on a legacy in the Museum dedicated to the first high school built for African Americans in Princess Anne County (now Virginia Beach). This tribute to the students, faculty and community includes original artifacts, oral histories and interactive displays.
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
Explore the mysteries of the deep (and the shallow) at one of the top aquariums in the country. It features a huge open-ocean aquarium, live sharks, more than 300 hands-on exhibits, a giant sea turtle aquarium and a loggerhead turtle hatching lab.
Virginia Legends Walk
This state attraction honors Virginians who have made significant contributions to the nation and the world. Nightly entertainment is available in the gazebo during the summer.
13th Street Park at the oceanfront, (757) 491-7866
Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art
Don’t miss this center, which focuses on 20th-century art and features an incredible changing exhibition of American and international artists.
Kid Zone
JT’s Grommet Island Park
This oceanfront park and playground is 100% handicap accessible for everybody. It is a destination for both healthy and disabled children and adults.
Between 1st and 2nd Streets and the oceanfront on the boardwalk, (757) 385-1100
Mt. Trashmore Park and Skate Park
Fly kites and have picnics at the city’s most popular park with 165 acres and one of its highest elevations at 68 feet. Once a solid waste management project and active landfill, now a recreations treasure with playgrounds, a skate park and shelters for rent.
310 Edwin Dr., (757) 473-5237
Ocean Breeze Water Park
Experience an afternoon or enter summer in paradise. The million gallon wave pool, 16 water slides and delightful water features for children are sure to amuse the entire family.
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
Let the Virginia Aquarium share the wonders of science and nature with your children.
We offer outdoor experiences and hands-on explorations for children ages 3 to 15. From weeklong summer camps to 1-hour afternoon activities, we have a variety of program formats and topics to choose from year-round.
Virginia Beach Motorworld Family Thrill Park
Experience the thrill of racing on nine go-cart tracks, 14 different style go-carts and bumper cars. It also has two 18-hole mini golf courses, food, arcades and more.
Shopping
Lynnhaven Mall
Shop till you drop at one of the largest malls on the East Coast. Select from several large department stores, plus many small restaurants, shops and move theaters.
Resort Area / Hilltop
Before you get your new tan, get some beach stuff at souvenir shops, surf shops and boutiques in the 40-block resort area. Just a few miles inland, Hilltop’s many shopping centers offer everything from one-of-a-kind fashions and jewelry to discount merchandise.
Resort Area, 2nd-40th Streets at the oceanfront
Hilltop, Laskin & First Colonial Roads
Town Center / Pembroke Mall
This area offers dining, shopping and entertainment. Just 11 miles west of the oceanfront near the corner of Independence and Virginia Beach Blvd..
Town Center (757) 227-4054 Pembroke Mall (757) 497-6255
Virginia Beach Farmers Market
This open-air market features fresh produce, home and garden gifts, plants and flowers, homemade ice cream and a restaurant.