White sand, a beautiful beach and a hopping bar scene — it could be Miami, but it’s actually much closer than you think.
Virginia Beach is the largest city in the state, and arguably the most fun as well. With an expansive white sand beach that rivals the best in Florida, plenty of shops, restaurants and bars, and a variety of lodging choices, it is a great place for a weekend getaway or just a day trip.
Getting there and staying there
Virginia Beach is about a three-hour driving distance from Charlottesville without heavy traffic. Just get on Interstate 64 East and keep going. After exiting onto Interstate 264 East, you’ll literally run into the ocean.
The temperature at Virginia Beach is usually a few degrees warmer than up here in the mountains, so as long as it’s warm here, you can bet the weather is fair there as well. Barring any hurricanes, you could still lay out on the beach during Fall Break.
The trip is doable in a day, but the drive back is draining. For a day trip, if you start early, you could both avoid traffic and arrive early enough to enjoy the entire day. If you’ve got a night to spare, though, consider staying. The restaurant and bar scene is worth it alone, especially if you like seafood.
One of the best things about Virginia Beach is its variety of lodging. Take Oct. 11, the Saturday of Fall Break, for example. There is a $40 room at Travelodge, a $105 room at one of the newest hotels on the strip, the Hilton Garden Inn, and a suite at the top-notch Boardwalk Resort Hotel and Villas for $199.
Keeping busy
The number one attraction of Virginia Beach is the beach, obviously. Thirty-five miles of waterfront stretch down the Virginia coastline, but the place to be is the resort area. A three-mile boardwalk links the hotels to the beach, where you’ll mingle with locals and both American and international tourists. Like any other popular beach, the sands are packed during the summer. The crowd thins out, though, during the fall as the temperatures begin to dip.
If beach-going doesn’t appeal to you, Virginia Beach has plenty more to offer. Although many of the shops are cheap souvenir stores, there are some more serious retailers. One Virginia Beach staple is the 17th Street Surf Shop. Located on Pacific Avenue between 17th and 16th, a block off the beach, the store offers typical surf shop apparel, including brands such as Roxy and Billabong, as well as surfboards. They also have an extensive selection of souvenir shirts.
Looking for something a little more active than shopping? There are dozens of miniature golf courses dotting the area around the beach. You can also rent bicycles and other self-propelled vehicles at street-side vendors. There is a bike path that runs along the boardwalk to separate pedestrians from bikers.
If you want to save money, bring your roller blades and explore the boardwalk. People run and skate up and down the boardwalk at all hours of the day and night. Conveniently for exercisers, the boardwalk’s miles are marked for ease of measuring distance.
Places to eat and drink
If you’re a seafood lover, you’ve come to the right place. Virginia Beach has some of the freshest selection of seafood in the state. And even if you’re not a seafood lover, there’s probably a restaurant for you at the beach.
One option is the Hilton, which features two restaurants and an bar. Though the location is upscale, you can still wear jeans and a cute top and feel comfortable. They play an eclectic mix of music, mixing top-40 hits with jazz tunes.
The seafood restaurant, Catch 31, features seven or eight catches of the day, which can be prepared in a variety of ways, including sushi. The menu also includes shellfish and a few beef dishes.
The other restaurant, Salacia, named for the wife of the god Neptune, is a very upscale steak restaurant — upscale as in the only AAA 4-Diamond Steakhouse in Virginia, and the Web site warns potential guests that children under age 8 are not welcome.
For those interested more in turf than surf, try Il Giardino, an Italian restaurant across the street from the beach. They have a traditional Italian menu with hearty pasta dishes.
Want to save some money? Try Planet Pizza. The pizza is out of this world, and they also have a cocktail list.
With only a three-mile stretch of bars to deal with, almost everything is within walking distance, which is key for those after-dinner cocktails. And during the summer, Virginia Beach has live outdoor music almost every weekend.
If you’re looking for ocean-side sunbathing, dining and shopping, Virginia Beach is the place to cast your anchor.
Read More
Virginia Policy Lab — a hub for student-led policy action
By Katherine Haden | December 9, 2024Students propose their own projects and collaborate with other members to research their issues of interest, brainstorm solutions and write policy proposals.
Perfecting the subtle art of the ‘sexile’
By Val Vixen | December 7, 2024Approach this sacred college ritual with a newfound confidence.
Top 10 ways to ring in the holiday season in Charlottesville
By Sam Saks | December 5, 2024With temperatures down, lights up and spirits high, not even pesky final projects and exams can dampen this holiday season.
