By Gary Bennett
If Virginia is for lovers, then Virginia Beach is like the warm, furtive glances that gets the romance started.
My (now) wife and I began visiting Virginia Beach in the 1980s to forgo the craziness of Ocean City and to enjoy slightly warmer and gentler waters. To us, it was just far enough away to be a getaway but not too far to take up all our time getting there. Plus, Virginia Beach is “down South.” There is just something special about Southern hospitality. (And make no mistake, this part of Virginia is definitely in the South.)
As a Marylander, it’s hard not to compare Virginia Beach to our Ocean City. In some ways, they are like long-lost cousins with not much in common.
VIRGINIA BEACH VS. OCEAN CITY
Virginia Beach is not glitzy and shlocky like Ocean City. It’s laid-back, less crowded, and with warm people helping you at every turn.
On the downside, Virginia Beach’s boardwalk is a utilitarian concrete, not the traditional wood of Ocean City’s. Virginia Beach’s touristy shops are set back one street from the boardwalk while Ocean City’s are right there in your face at every moment.
Virginia Beach beaches are wide, sandy and clean. Ocean City’s beaches are narrower, darker and not so clean. Virginia Beach is rugged and outdoorsy with hundreds of nearby bays, creeks and other waterways for fishing, boating, paddling and exploration. Ocean City has Assawoman Bay that is more of a lagoon and is not really used for recreation.
At Virginia Beach, you are met on the beach by an enormous statue of the mighty and heroic King Neptune. In Ocean City, you’re met by a giant Ferris wheel.
What’s more, Virginia Beach is gigantic! You may not realize it, but Virginia Beach is Virginia’s most populous city, and that is year-round. Sure, Ocean City swells to about 350,000 in the summer, but the rest of the year it is not much more than a village. Virginia Beach’s year-round population of 450,000 makes it almost twice as large as Richmond, Arlington or Alexandria. There aren’t a lot of tall buildings, but the sheer size in area gives it an unmistakable cosmopolitan feel. When you combine Virginia Beach with nearby Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and Portsmouth, you’ve got an immense urban landscape that is multicultural and exciting.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
There’s a lot to see and do in and around Virginia Beach, and its rich history is a good starting point. When not swimming in the ocean or sun bathing, I recommend a visit to the First Landing Cross at Cape Henry in the north end of the oceanfront. The cross bears witness to the location where the Colonists first set foot in the New World in 1607 before pushing up the James River to establish Jamestown. Nearby First Landing State Park is the largest state park in Virginia and is an absolute oasis for nature lovers. Located next to Chesapeake Bay, it features 20 miles of trails, two miles of tranquil beachfront and the most pristine habitats in Virginia, maritime forests and wetlands.
No trip to this part of Virginia is complete without stops in Jamestown, Yorktown or Williamsburg. Known as America’s Historic Triangle, these significant sites represent different eras in America’s story. Jamestown is the first permanent American settlement dating back to 1607, Yorktown is the site of America’s final victory of the Revolutionary War in 1781, and Williamsburg was the first capital of Virginia in the 1600s and 1700s. All are lovingly maintained and feature outdoor re-creations.
I highly recommend taking the Jamestown Ferry across the James River from Yorktown to Jamestown to arrive in style. With the 250th anniversary of American independence coming up in 2026, there is no better place to celebrate (other than perhaps Boston or Philadelphia).
GETTING THERE
When traveling to Virginia Beach, eschew I-95 South through highly congested Northern Virginia, Richmond and the Tidewater area (unless you have an EZ Pass) in favor of traveling to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, through Salisbury and over (and through) the amazing Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Going this way may take a bit longer, but you won’t have horrendous traffic spoiling your getaway.
We have gone to Virginia Beach both ways and the time difference is negligible. Both routes are officially listed at about 4 1/2 hours from Frederick, but the mileage is a bit less traveling through Northern Virginia.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel is an amazing engineering achievement. It straddles the Chesapeake Bay where it joins with the Atlantic Ocean. It totals 17 miles from Norfolk to the Eastern Shore of Virginia, which makes it about four times longer than Maryland’s own Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The marvel, though, is in the two 1-mile-long tunnels that take you below the bay and allow maritime and military ships to pass above. The views are breathtaking.
ENTERTAINMENT
Virginia Beach calls itself the “Event Capital of the East Coast.” This is hyperbole for sure, but there is no denying the presence of first-rate venues that attract world-class entertainment. The centerpiece of Virginia Beach’s entertainment scene is The Dome. It is a state-of-the-art concert venue that can flex from an indoor setting into an outdoor amphitheater-type setting. Think Major League Baseball stadiums with retractable roofs, but in this case, there are giant hangar doors that open. There is nothing like it up or down the East Coast. Upcoming shows at The Dome include Cody Jinks, Alison Krauss, Steve Martin and Martin Short, Ziggy Marley and Shaboozey.
For Orioles fans, Norfolk is home to their AAA minor league baseball team, the Norfolk Tides. The Tides play at Harbor Park in downtown Norfolk on the Elizabeth River and feature players just a step away from the big leagues like the Orioles best prospect, catcher Sam Basallo, who just won International League Player of the Month, proving there is hope for the Orioles yet.
LET’S EAT!
Virginia Beach and its environs are known for their “coastal cuisine,” which naturally centers around the freshest seafood available. I’m loyal to Maryland-style crab cakes, but I’ve learned that the tidewater area of Virginia has its own homegrown delicacy: Lynnhaven oysters. They are named after the deep-channel Lynnhaven River where they reside. They are served raw and on the half shell, steamed and loaded with spinach, cheese and bacon. It’s not for me, but I can see the pride in which this local favorite is served.
For breakfast, one of my favorites is Another Broken Egg, a restaurant we fell in love with in Sarasota, Florida, and it’s just as good in Virginia. They feature giant (and delicious) eggs and pancakes.
For lunch, I don’t think you can do better than Abbey Road Pub and Restaurant, located oceanfront at 22nd Street. Naturally the pub has a rock ‘n’ roll theme with plenty of live acts and musically inclined decor. But the real stars are the hand-cut steaks and fries, homemade soups and farm-to-table fruits and vegetables. Naturally there’s a “Lucy in the Sky” bar on the roof for taking in the warm ocean breezes.
One of our guilty pleasures is stopping at a local dive bar and cafe called The Raven. The Raven has the best burger I’ve had in Virginia Beach and is served with the freshest, tastiest broccoli ever. If you’re not a broccoli fan, try theirs anyway. I don’t know what they do, but it’s wonderful.
For dinner, we like The Butcher’s Son and their aged, hand-cut steaks; Aldo’s Ristorante, for casual elegant dining (it was voted best Italian restaurant at the beach) or my favorite, Rudee’s Restaurant and Cabana Bar. The Rudee Inlet views are unmatched in Virginia Beach and the food is delicious and fresh. You can watch the boats come and go during dinner for some free entertainment. The draw here is the fresh seafood, including steamed shrimp, the catch of the day (anything from grouper to yellow fin tuna and mahi mahi) and the overwhelmingly large raw bar. Even getting to the restaurant is fun. Take the Oceanfront Trolley or the 10-foot-wide Rudee Inlet Connector Walk.
Gary Bennett is a longtime Frederick resident who spends his time hiking, biking, volunteering and providing childcare for grandchildren. He is married and retired from his career as a nonprofit marketing executive.