Nearby Hampton Roads, VA
Is Well-Rounded Vacation Destination
By Ann Augunas
Contributing Writer
For thousands of veteran travelers shoulder season is the preferred time of year to take to the open road. You know the why; diminished traffic, lower gas prices, no crowds to speak of, no long waits at restaurants. And the big plus? The weather is still lovely.
If you haven’t thought of it before, an interesting southerly option would be a visit to the area of Hampton Roads, Virginia, distant enough for a proper getaway, yet close enough to home that a reasonably comfortable drive of about four to five hours to arrival is all it takes.
Hampton Roads holds so much history that a trip there is akin to a sort of time travel, providing a step back in time to revisit our beginnings as a new nation. Then again, it provides an opportunity to view history as it is being made today in areas of science and technology. While Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown, are the most often visited sites, nearby Newport News and Virginia Beach, also in the Hampton Roads community, have their own special attractions truly worthy of a visit.
Beaches, golf, shopping, fine restaurants, and particularly great museums, are all part of the attraction. It wasn’t until a few years ago we got to check it out for ourselves, as our usual destination, Williamsburg, always topped the list for our three sons.
A brief stay in Newport News last summer gave my husband and me the chance to revisit some attractions, this time with our grandchildren in tow. We took them to the US Army Transportation Museum at Fort Eustis, where horse-drawn wagons, huge locomotives and planes up close, had them wide-eyed. Next was a visit to the Virginia Living Museum. They had a good time investigating each and every corner, and exhibit, all the while insisting we look at every discovery they made. A special treat for them was eating at the popular Quaker Steak & Ale Restaurant. This unique spot, filled with car and motorcycle memorabilia, gas pumps, and huge TV screens, all indoors, also had them agog. So taken with this place, they insisted we take them back. We did.
History buffs, former military personnel, and families looking for new experiences, find a lot to be enjoyed in Newport News. Should fall festivals appeal to you, check the list of some that are just around the corner. If a visit there might be of interest, I recommend staying at the Comfort Inn Newport News. It’s a very attractive place, comfortable, affordably priced and close to everything, especially restaurants and a large shopping mall directly across the street. (Visit www.Newport-News.org or call 888-493-7386.)
Virginia Beach was where we spent a two-night respite, just a few weeks ago, before heading to Williamsburg for our family vacation. Accommodations at the Best Western Oceanfront were great. We had easy access to almost everything including the beach at the hotel’s back door and their own pool across the street from its front door. Restaurants were within walking distance and museums were a short ride away. (800-344-3342; www.bestwestern.com)
We did a lot in a short time but our main intention was to see the recently expanded Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, one of the top ten facilities of its kind in the nation. We weren’t disappointed. Thanks to a $25 million renovation, visitors may well marvel at the 800,000 gallons of aquatic environments; the over 300 hands-on exhibits; 6,000 new animals; 367 new species that include Komodo dragons that kids can see up close and personal; exotic snakes, hedgehogs, the list goes on. Just be prepared to spend the day.
Virginia Beach, a great family destination since the late 1800’s, still remains a great attraction, drawing well over 2 million visitors annually to its 38-mile stretch of clean, sandy beaches. And while you can be sure that surf, sun and sand are the main attractions, there’s so much more to enjoy, there’s just not enough space to list it all.
Anglers, for instance, love the year-round, inshore fishing opportunities. Golfers don’t have to head as far south as Hilton Head to play great courses because there are plenty of local courses around. And others, like Newport News Golf Club at Deer Run, and Kingsmill Resort Golf Courses in Williamsburg, are only a short drive away.
Dining, always a main ingredient of travel, is flourishing in Virginia Beach. Choosing is the problem but we were spot on with dinner choices. If a heads-up helps you, we tried Waterman’s, a local, waterfront favorite where we had the most deliriously rich She Crab Soup ever! Might even beat out Baltimore’s! On the fine dining side, a meal at Catch 31, located in the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront, was intense. A tower of the freshest seafood including half a New England lobster, a pound of fresh shrimp, oysters (or mussels) and crab meat, was over the top and delicious! The Raw Bar staff couldn’t do enough to please customers. A lunch at Beach Bully’s BBQ on 19th St. served up traditional, southern-style, pulled-pork sandwiches that were finger-lickin good!
For Virginia Beach travel information visit www.vbfun.com or call 1-800-VA-BEACH.
Something to put in your Travel Planner: If you haven’t visited the area before remember to do a bit of research. If you make a list of must-sees, be sure to include Busch Gardens, voted “America’s Most Beautiful Theme Park.” It’s not just for kids. Neither is the very popular Water Country USA with its fantastic water attractions such as the Wave Pool and Lazy River. Also, if the spirit moves you, you might look into the Great Wolf Lodge, also in Williamsburg, for a mini family vacation. The main attraction is indoors so no matter the weather you’ll never have to worry about it and the kids will never want to leave. The Lodge, as you might know, is for guests only so you might want to check it out for packages and rates, etc. by visiting www.greatwolf.com.
Is Well-Rounded Vacation Destination
By Ann Augunas
Contributing Writer
For thousands of veteran travelers shoulder season is the preferred time of year to take to the open road. You know the why; diminished traffic, lower gas prices, no crowds to speak of, no long waits at restaurants. And the big plus? The weather is still lovely.
If you haven’t thought of it before, an interesting southerly option would be a visit to the area of Hampton Roads, Virginia, distant enough for a proper getaway, yet close enough to home that a reasonably comfortable drive of about four to five hours to arrival is all it takes.
Hampton Roads holds so much history that a trip there is akin to a sort of time travel, providing a step back in time to revisit our beginnings as a new nation. Then again, it provides an opportunity to view history as it is being made today in areas of science and technology. While Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown, are the most often visited sites, nearby Newport News and Virginia Beach, also in the Hampton Roads community, have their own special attractions truly worthy of a visit.
Beaches, golf, shopping, fine restaurants, and particularly great museums, are all part of the attraction. It wasn’t until a few years ago we got to check it out for ourselves, as our usual destination, Williamsburg, always topped the list for our three sons.
A brief stay in Newport News last summer gave my husband and me the chance to revisit some attractions, this time with our grandchildren in tow. We took them to the US Army Transportation Museum at Fort Eustis, where horse-drawn wagons, huge locomotives and planes up close, had them wide-eyed. Next was a visit to the Virginia Living Museum. They had a good time investigating each and every corner, and exhibit, all the while insisting we look at every discovery they made. A special treat for them was eating at the popular Quaker Steak & Ale Restaurant. This unique spot, filled with car and motorcycle memorabilia, gas pumps, and huge TV screens, all indoors, also had them agog. So taken with this place, they insisted we take them back. We did.
History buffs, former military personnel, and families looking for new experiences, find a lot to be enjoyed in Newport News. Should fall festivals appeal to you, check the list of some that are just around the corner. If a visit there might be of interest, I recommend staying at the Comfort Inn Newport News. It’s a very attractive place, comfortable, affordably priced and close to everything, especially restaurants and a large shopping mall directly across the street. (Visit www.Newport-News.org or call 888-493-7386.)
Virginia Beach was where we spent a two-night respite, just a few weeks ago, before heading to Williamsburg for our family vacation. Accommodations at the Best Western Oceanfront were great. We had easy access to almost everything including the beach at the hotel’s back door and their own pool across the street from its front door. Restaurants were within walking distance and museums were a short ride away. (800-344-3342; www.bestwestern.com)
We did a lot in a short time but our main intention was to see the recently expanded Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, one of the top ten facilities of its kind in the nation. We weren’t disappointed. Thanks to a $25 million renovation, visitors may well marvel at the 800,000 gallons of aquatic environments; the over 300 hands-on exhibits; 6,000 new animals; 367 new species that include Komodo dragons that kids can see up close and personal; exotic snakes, hedgehogs, the list goes on. Just be prepared to spend the day.
Virginia Beach, a great family destination since the late 1800’s, still remains a great attraction, drawing well over 2 million visitors annually to its 38-mile stretch of clean, sandy beaches. And while you can be sure that surf, sun and sand are the main attractions, there’s so much more to enjoy, there’s just not enough space to list it all.
Anglers, for instance, love the year-round, inshore fishing opportunities. Golfers don’t have to head as far south as Hilton Head to play great courses because there are plenty of local courses around. And others, like Newport News Golf Club at Deer Run, and Kingsmill Resort Golf Courses in Williamsburg, are only a short drive away.
Dining, always a main ingredient of travel, is flourishing in Virginia Beach. Choosing is the problem but we were spot on with dinner choices. If a heads-up helps you, we tried Waterman’s, a local, waterfront favorite where we had the most deliriously rich She Crab Soup ever! Might even beat out Baltimore’s! On the fine dining side, a meal at Catch 31, located in the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront, was intense. A tower of the freshest seafood including half a New England lobster, a pound of fresh shrimp, oysters (or mussels) and crab meat, was over the top and delicious! The Raw Bar staff couldn’t do enough to please customers. A lunch at Beach Bully’s BBQ on 19th St. served up traditional, southern-style, pulled-pork sandwiches that were finger-lickin good!
For Virginia Beach travel information visit www.vbfun.com or call 1-800-VA-BEACH.
Something to put in your Travel Planner: If you haven’t visited the area before remember to do a bit of research. If you make a list of must-sees, be sure to include Busch Gardens, voted “America’s Most Beautiful Theme Park.” It’s not just for kids. Neither is the very popular Water Country USA with its fantastic water attractions such as the Wave Pool and Lazy River. Also, if the spirit moves you, you might look into the Great Wolf Lodge, also in Williamsburg, for a mini family vacation. The main attraction is indoors so no matter the weather you’ll never have to worry about it and the kids will never want to leave. The Lodge, as you might know, is for guests only so you might want to check it out for packages and rates, etc. by visiting www.greatwolf.com.
