Going to Virginia Beach, What to do?

S

Shann

Joined
Sep 2, 2004
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So I'm going to VA Beach in March. My son is on spring break, figured he might want to go there, although its too early to be beach weather. He thinks he's bailing to go with his friends somewhere.

Anyway, so now I'm going to be in VA Beach for a week in March. What should I do or see, or eat? We'll probably go to Williamsburg one day, depending on the weather, but everything else is open
 
Enjoy the giant statue and the ghetto that surrounds the better parts.
 
If you have the time I would recomend a day-trip to the Outer Banks of NC. I live in VA and have not been to Virginia Beach since my first trip to OBX. If you like a layed-back peaceful setting OBX is a great place. If you decide to go let me know and I'll give you a list of places to eat. The closes I come to stopping in Virginia Beach is the Basss Pro in Hampton.
 
I went out fishing for a day and then just messed around. Lots of neat stuff to see, or at least I thought so.
 
pcnorton said:
http://www.militaryaviationmuseum.org/

http://www.virginiaaquarium.com/Pages/default.aspxPaul
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+1 on the aviation museum- They just got a B-17. It's an amazing collection of aircraft. It's a little out of the way & you may think you're lost getting there- but it's worth it. The aquarium rocks as well.
Forget the oceanfront. It sucks @ night. If you're coming in March- it might not be so bad- still not High Season- and the weather can either be in the 70's or the 30's... Crowds of "young people" swarm the sidewalks in the summer & the police are less-than-polite w/ the late-nite, just-left-the-bar crowd. If you drive past the same place in less than 30 minutes or so, you can get a ticket for "cruising". If you like tacky t-shirt shops, bad parking & crowded beaches, you're in the right place. If you're on the "strip" & looking for a restaurant- I can recommend Mahi Mah's. It's on the southern end- around 6th St in the Sheraton I think.
Norfolk has Nauticus http://www.nauticus.org/ which sits right next to the battleship USS Wisconsin http://www.usswisconsin.org/ . There are also harbor tours that will take you around the Naval Base here (Largest in the world). You're also a close drive to Busch Gardens, Colonial Williamsburg and the Yorktown Battlefield (already mentioned). If you are looking for specific restaurant recommendations, please PM/e-mail me when you're getting close & tell me what you're looking for/where you are & I may be able to help.
 
Sorry to be a downer here.....but Va Beach sucks. I have lived here for 17 of my 33 years on earth. The beach is dirty and there is nothing but Navy guys. I hope your son doesn't like good looking women either.

Go to Nags Head or Miami. There is very little to do in Va Beach.

Notice nothing "to do" is actually in Va Beach. Nauticus is cool. But that is about it in Norfolk. The Va Beach Marine Science museum is under construction although that place isn't bad.....but it is terrible when compared to the Boston aquarium or others.
 
Well, I'm heading out Friday. I'll check out Nauticus for sure and depending on the weather, which is supposed to be bad, we will take a trip to Williamsburg area.

If anyone has any other ideas, I'd appreciate it. Even just a good store, etc., that would be of interest to a BF member.
 
Grande Junquetion Center, 3900 Bonney Road, (lots of funky surplus, used to anyway). London Bridge Trading Company 585 London Bridge Road, (packs, bags, etc...) is located there. First Landing State Park has great hiking trails http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/fir.shtml (very level and easy, pretty too) I could probably think of more. How you doin?
 
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Doc Taylors by 23rd Street and Pacific is a nice breakfast/lunch place, can be busy on the weekends.
Pi Pizza near 32nd and Atlantic is also good, it's "gourmet" pizza.
The Jewish Mother is a nice place, too, it's like home cooking but they put a little twist on everything (apples in potato salad). They used to be right next to the beach, but they moved down the road a bit. They also have bands play at night, I haven't gone to witness that, though.
Beach Bullies is pretty good barbecue.

Stay close to the beach or go far from the beach, the locals in the area will target tourists. I almost got mugged by 8 or so kids one block away from the beach. (This was before I got paranoid.) We actually have a tourist season, here, and the price of gas goes up with it. -.-

I used to know some places to visit, but haven't really gone to do the tourist thing for a while.
 
You might want to take a trip down Virginia Beach Blvd to Town Center, too. They have some nice restaurants there, like Gordon Biersch, The Cheesecake Factory, and a few others, I'm sure there's a website that lists them all.

Catch 31 in the Hilton at 31st Street is a nice seafood place. I like the food there. A friend of mine claims that Salacia is nicer. They occupy the same dining room, use the same kitchen, but they are two different restaurants. Kind of expensive, it is probably $20+ for an entrée.

Pacifica is another one that would be nice to check out. It's almost a fancy bar. It's part of a small chain, and a friend of mine likes the one in the next town over. It is small portions, like the whole menu is similar to appetizers (al la carte), so if you are looking to get filled up, it will be expensive.

The next town over, Norfolk has some really interesting places, too.

This is a spread out town, I've been living in the area for about 7 years and I know there are a ton of hole in the wall places worth going to, but I feel like I've only scratched the surface. Even talking with people who've lived here their whole life, I can tell them places they never knew were good places to go.

I will keep my eye on this thread, let me know if you have any questions.
 
Thanks for the tips. I'm heading out Friday afternoon down to RI to pick up my son and then Saturday early we are heading for VA.
 
monday and thrusday from 6-9 is all you can eat crab legs and shrimp $16 and dollar beer at Envys on 18th street. Keep in mind it is a bar and you have to be 21 to get in.
 
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fishiker said:
If you have the time I would recomend a day-trip to the Outer Banks of NC. I live in VA and have not been to Virginia Beach since my first trip to OBX. If you like a layed-back peaceful setting OBX is a great place. If you decide to go let me know and I'll give you a list of places to eat. The closes I come to stopping in Virginia Beach is the Basss Pro in Hampton.
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I live on the Eastern side of Richmond and I've been to Va. Beach twice in my 26 year life, it's always the OBX for us, I love the area, very laid back and a lot less touristy. Even spent our honeymoon there
 
I'm here in VA Beach now. Having a nice relaxing time, not an awful lot going on; I'm right on the edge of the season. We've been to the Zoo and the Aquarium, both nice, but not awesome. Some of that may be do the not being in season. But I'm having a great time with my Wife and Son, so all is good.

Thanks.
 
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