Things To Do In Virginia Beach

April 19, 2009 3:19 PM

I'm heading down to Virginia Beach with some friends for a low-key bachelorette party this weekend. We have a beach house rented but no other plans. Help us find fun things to do!

Other than getting some sun and doing some grilling what is there to do in Virginia Beach at this time of year? Are there restaurants and bars that we shouldn't miss? We're not super in to clubs or woo-hoo bachelorette party type things, but we'd definitely like to go out and have fun. Obviously it's a little early for serious beaching, but will it be warm enough to walk and just sit by the water?

posted by fancypants to travel & transportation (3 comments total)

Depends. I was able to go to the beach yesterday, but not today. The weather here is strange: if you don't like it, take a nap. When you wake up, it will be something else.

For a nice hotel bar scene, Catch 31 at Atlantic and Laskin is pretty cool. The Beer Festival is in Norfolk, and it's usually a good time. Check the local events calendar from our paper for anything that catches your eye.
posted by sephira at 4:08 PM on April 19

It looks like it'll be in the 70s on Friday and Saturday. That's plenty warm to sit on the beach, but I wouldn't necessarily try going in the water. If you've never experienced a sunrise at a beach, it's definitely worth getting up early to do -- they're gorgeous (and it looks like it won't be cloudy next weekend). Apparently sunrise will be at about 6:16 that weekend.

If you're looking for clubs and bars, I'd suggest looking at the Waterside, in nearby Norfolk. The bars and clubs at the Beach are a little .. uh .. sailor and college student-oriented. Unless you're into that sort of thing. In which case you should head to Peabody's, where swarms of 21 year old guys will be happy line up to hit on you.

As for other things, there's a lighthouse near the oceanfront at Fort Story that you can walk up, with an outstanding view of the surrounding area. I'd highly recommend that. It's on an active military base, so you should probably call ahead to make sure they're admitting visitors. (I think admission is $3, but I haven't lived in the area for a few years).

If you've never been on a military ship, the USS Wisconsin is probably worth your time. It's in downtown Norfolk, which is about a 20 minute drive away. I believe admission is free.

I've not done it myself, but I've heard good things about local kayak tours. They are a stunning number of inlets in the area, and you can see an awful lot of wildlife. Those particular folks are running a trip on Sunday of next week, but there are other companies.

The Virginia Arts Festival is running that weekend (to somehow include the beer festival sephira mentioned). I'd highly recommend that.

Other than that, I'd need some idea of what you're interested in to give you any better recommendations -- it's a pretty busy area, with a number of things to do.
posted by oostevo at 4:14 PM on April 19

It's been about 72 degrees here for a week or so, so it seems to be warming up nicely. I spent the afternoon on the beach just yesterday and it was glorious, but it is sort of hit-or-miss right now.

The Virginia Aquarium is really fun, though not particularly bachelorette-ish.

Check out the VA Beach Amphitheater and the Hampton Coliseum for concerts and events during your stay.
posted by cmchap at 4:26 PM on April 19