Anything a must see in Virginia beach, VA?

The wifey and I are taking a road trip there first weekend in May. Any must do's a out of towner must see? Bonus points if there is a goob BBQ recommendation.

Thanks!

They aren't in VA Beach proper but are very close.

http://www.monitorcenter.org/visitorinformation/generalinfo/

You can see the preserved turret from the monitor as well as a life size replica and the last time we were there there was an impressive collection of rigged model ships and small boats.

http://www.transchool.eustis.army.mil/Museum/Museum.html

We got to go when my brother was stationed there years ago and it was pretty interesting.

Also the Cheasapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel http://www.cbbt.com/ is a nice ride. You can stop at a gift shop resturaunt in the middle and usually see ships pas by pretty close.

Seafood:
The biggest advertising budget will be The Lynnhaven Fish House (good) but I prefered the place down the street:
Croakers 3629 Shore Drive Virginia Beach, VA 23455-1700 (757) 363-2490

The lighthouse at Camp Story is cool where you can climb up to the top.

My wife and I were there to visit family. A day-trip to Kitty Hawk was a nice way to get away from family for the day.

If you want to take a ride further down the coast you can visit the Grave Digger World Headquarters. Its a little over an hour south of Cheasapeak. You know you want to, even if you won't admit it out loud. http://www.gravedigger.com/?id=51

I would stay away from Va Beach and visit Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown instead. My favorite BBQ in the area is Pierces Pitt BBQ - it is in Williamsburg right off of I-64.

My favortite place in Va Beach is the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the adjoining False Cape State Park. The best beach in Virginia if you want miles of unspoiled and endeveloped beach. Great for a hike/stroll on the beach/jog whatever.

Va Beach prpoer is only a handful of miles to the north and is a bunch of high rise motels and a paved boardwalk usually packed full of people buying touristy t-shirts and other junk.

Depends what you are looking for.

The predominant BBQ in Tidewater is North Carolina style - which is a vinegar based sauce. The Beach Bully and Frankie's are both good places to start. Pierces is good too, but a hike from the beach.

You won't have too much tourist congestion in early May, but the boardwalk area is still pretty ticky-tacky. I'll second TJ's recommendation of Back Bay, but no swimming is permitted. On the way to Back Bay is Sandbridge, where you can park on the street for free and walk to a nice beach that is far less crowded than the resort area.

Lynnhaven Fish House and Croakers are both good, for a more casual atmosphere and good seafood including excellent crab cakes try the Surf Rider.

Give us some idea of your interests and we might have some additional suggestions.

Second the Kitty Hawk trip - OBX was way better than Virginia Beach and being on Kill Devil Hill made my engineering senses tingle. I sat at the landing site from the first landing and just stared for a long time. Good stuff - brilliant guys.

bludroptop wrote: You won't have too much tourist congestion in early May, but the boardwalk area is still pretty ticky-tacky. I'll second TJ's recommendation of Back Bay, but no swimming is permitted.

I doubt they will want to do much swimming in early may.. water MIGHT be in the high 50s at that point.

The OP is from Wisconsin. Don't they cut holes in the ice on frozen lakes to go swimming up there?

Kidding, sort of. The water will be chilly, but that doesn't stop some folks.

Right, VA is under about a foot of snow.

Thanks for the replies. This is just a trip as we need to get away for a week or so and the Solstice will be long overdue to come out of hibernation. I tried to get her to agree to go to Atlanta for the weekend but then she realized I had ulterior motives (Mitty ) and nixed that idea.

I was actually born in VA Beach but left when I was 4 so I don't remember anything about it. Part of our trip will be finding some podunk town that was settled by my ancestors (Manry, VA). Google shows.......well, hardly anything, but it's supposed to be there.

Our expectations are nonexistent, She just wants to see the ocean on the right (no swimming), see some cool stuff, and eat some good food (me BBQ, her seafood).

Thanks for the restaurant recommendations, good places to eat are hard to find, so much hit or miss when it comes to food. KIttyhawk and the Monitor site sound right up our alley, we both love history. I may also be able to con her into the Gravedigger site .

As far as swimming in the ice, I've been close to that a few times. It tends to happen when I rush the ice fishing season (or push it to far ).

Marty! Magically Delicious.... wrote: This is just a trip as we need to get away for a week or so and the Solstice will be long overdue to come out of hibernation. I

Wisc. to V.Beach is a 15hr drive according to google. That is pretty aggressive.
I would recommend a stop at America's best RollerCoaster Amusment Park but it does not open until May 15th.
It is about half way in your trip in Sandusky, Ohio (my home town.) http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/visit/schedule/index.cfm

mad_machine wrote:

bludroptop wrote: You won't have too much tourist congestion in early May, but the boardwalk area is still pretty ticky-tacky. I'll second TJ's recommendation of Back Bay, but no swimming is permitted.

I doubt they will want to do much swimming in early may.. water MIGHT be in the high 50s at that point.

Last time I was down there, actually on the beach/boardwalk I went for a swim, in early april, out past the peir.

If only Burgeys was still around. It was a small dairy farm with fresh made ice cream and a gift shop. Made for a nice M/C ride.