Virginia Beach Travel AdventuresI have heard of Virginia Beach my entire life because of the Edgar Cayce Institute. Strange as it may sound, Edgar Cayce was called “The Sleeping Prophet” because he went into trance and helped people figure out their illnesses and life problems. In Virginia Beach a nice building houses his thousands of hours of psychic messages and general work. It is all cataloged and open to the public, as well as the spiritual seminars that are held on a weekly basis. There is also a spa where I received one of the best massages of my life.
But that is just a sideline jaunt when you travel to the Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Hampton area. These three cities all sit next to one another like sisters, yet all are unique and known for their own particular niche.
Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is the most laid back of the three. The beach is remarkably clean and the crowds aren’t unbearable- however don’t try to change clothes in the public restroom because it is not allowed.
There is a three-mile board walk in Virginia Beach that stretches from 1st all the way to 39th street – it’s the highlight of the area. A fun place to shop, eat and hang out. If a more relaxing time is what you’re looking for you will want to get further down 39th away from the din and drone of it all.
A quieter beach is located at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park. There’s camping, hiking, boating and canoeing in the area.
I also visited the Virginia Marine Science Museum, a nice place to get a feel for the marine life in the area. The museum is home to the six-story Fox Family Channel Imax 3D Theater, one of the nation’s first and the only one in Virginia.
Late one afternoon we took a sunset kayak tour through Back Bay Wildlife Refuge where I was a bit lazy, making my partner do most of the intense labor in the kayak, but where I saw a variety of birds and trees among an unspoiled back country.
For dinner we paddled up to Blue Pete’s – a bit wet from the kayak tour, but ready for the hot soup and tropical drink specials.
Norfolk
In 2001 American Heritage Magazine named Norfolk one of the “Great American Places” for that year. It’s a small city, not easy to get lost, but easy to get caught up in all there is to do, from shopping to eating to visiting the waterfront.
The 400-year old port city is traveler friendly and people are always willing to help with directions. While I was in town the Bayou Boogaloo was in full swing. Lots of music and southern food – a complete stranger kindly shared his large order of crawfish with my friend and me. No crawfish fan am I, but who could pass it up? I found the crawfish to be incredibly spicy, but the cold beer was worth it.
While in Norfolk you don’t want to forget to visit the USS Wisconsin. It is the world’s largest battleship and is berthed on the waterfront proudly waiting for all to see.
A pre-dinner drink was at Empire Bar and Bistro in downtown and Havana is good for after-dinner cocktails. Getting in the spirit of Havana, I smoked my first cigar there, a friendly stranger bought the cigar for me. Cigar: not bad at all, but what most impressed me about Norfolk was how easy it is to make friends. As a traveler, you could never get lost.
Hampton
Fondly making my way through the week, the next city, Hampton, had yet another personality. There is an antique carousel in the town that is a must see and across the street is the Virginia Air and Space Center. The most wonderful man gave us a tour of the center talking about his days when he flew the air force planes himself.
My favorite memory of Hampton was getting into Fort Monroe after questioning my hosts about ghosts in the area. Sure enough, without even being told, I picked the exact spot within the grounds that the ghost had been rumored to have been seen.
It’s an old fort, completed in 1834 and recognized as the largest stone fort ever built in the United States.
Hampton is also a town of firsts; America’s first continuous English-speaking settlement, America’s first English Christmas, America’s first free public education and America’s first site for NASA.
Each city has a unique personality so visit all three. A day or two in each is worth it with a final destination on the beach, ending your trip with a smile and a good tan.
Sidebar:
Where To Stay:
(Downtown) Norfolk Waterside Marriott
235 East Main Street
Norfolk, VA
757-627-4200
(Ocean Front) Best Western Ocean Front
1101 Atlantic Avenue
Virginia Beach, VA
757-422-5000
Where To Eat:
Mahi Mah’s Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Saloon (on the boardwalk)
615 Atlantic Avenue
Virginia Beach, VA
757-437-8030
Blue Pete’s
1400 North Muddy Creek Road
Virginia Beach, VA
757-426-2005
Real Travel Adventures 