Virginia Beach: The Hidden Gem of Virginia

Virginia Beach is a hidden gem amongst the many seaside escapes on the east coast. Mile after mile of clean white sandy beachfront greets visitors from I95. One of the main attractions to this seafront city is the boardwalk. Well attended festivals in Virginia Beach include the Jelly Belly Mid-Atlantic Hermit Crab Challenge, Chalk The Walk ARTsplotion, Blues At The Beach and Pro Trucks’ Monsters On The Beach, just to name a few.

Seafood lovers will be in heaven with the abundance of fresh blue crab, soft shell crab, tuna and catfish that are pulled from the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean daily. Adventurous travelers can also fish and crab for themselves in the waters of this area. Rent a boat or kayak or even book a fishing tour for an afternoon of fun in the sun. Wildlife lovers can choose from the many dolphin watch cruises offered from the beachfront.

There are many other things to do in Virginia Beach besides ambling along the waterways in a kayak or fishing boat. Popular area attractions, aside from the boardwalk, include the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, False Cape State Park, Virginia Marine and Science Museum, the Cape Henry Lighthouse and the Nauticus in Norfolk. Quick day trips from this area include Williamsburg, Yorktown, Jamestown, Assateague Island, Chinqueteague and Norfolk. Many of these attractions have hands-on activities for children such as petting stingrays and horseshoe crabs at the Virginia Marine and Science Museum or taking a ride on the new Boomerang Bus downtown to Williamsburg and learning a skilled trade as an apprentice for a day.

Up to his neck in the white sand of Virginia Beach

Credit: Charlotte Gerber

Copyright: Charlotte Gerber