Travel: Bay-have yourselves! Virginia Beach is full of fun

When you visit a city with “beach” in its name, you have a clear expectation of what lies ahead. Words like flip-flops, sunblock and ice cream are sure to feature. But when you visit one of the USA’s rising star holiday destinations, you soon discover that Virginia Beach has a lot more going for it than just nominative determinism.

Yes, it does have more than 38 miles of stunning sandy coastline and gorgeous swimming water, but it’s also full of adventure, sports, history and stunning nature that leaps out of the bay, swoops from the sky or glides underneath your board.

Located about four hours drive south of Washington DC, at the mouth of the mighty Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Beach is one of the best-loved vacation spots in America’s south and east coast, and is growing in popularity with international visitors.

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The modern city of Virginia Beach was founded just 61 years ago, and was originally a small resort town known for its proximity to Norfolk, the massive US-Navy base community to the north. But Virginia Beach has since outgrown its neighbour and is now the biggest city in the historic namesake state.

The centrepiece of the community is the three-mile-long boardwalk, punctuated with bars, restaurants and playparks, all best navigated with handy bike hire options up and down the strip.

Each stretch of beach has its own delights, from the Atlantic coast right round into Chesapeake. We were lucky enough to be based at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Virginia Beach Waterfront, just where the ocean meets the bay. The wonderful family resort has a private beach, with an ocean-side bar, restaurant and pool just a few steps up from the sand.

You could genuinely spend your whole trip bouncing back and forth from the water to the pool, watching mullets leap from the ocean and ospreys divebomb the ocean’s fresh seafood buffet every few minutes. But there’s so much to do in this vibrant wee city that you need to get out there and see it.

In the city’s Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, you can explore the natural history of the coastal and wetland wildlife, and see a range of sharks, turtles and rays up close.

The next step is to get out on the water. One of the area’s most exciting features is its local dolphin and whale populations, and while we were lucky enough to see the odd flipper from our hotel, boat trips such as Rudee Tours set off from the southernmost end of the beach and offer more exciting encounters.

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It was dolphin season when we visited in late July, and they showed up in camera-friendly numbers. You can also enjoy self-powered voyages with options here including kayaking and surfing – Virginia Beach claims to be the birthplace of east coast surfing and is home to major tournaments such as the East Coast Surfing Championships and the Virginia Beach Pro – but we wanted to explore inland, so signed up for paddle-boarding into the waters of Chesapeake Bay’s First Landing State Park.

As you can guess from the name, this stretch of inland beauty was the site of English settlers’ arrival in 1607, and is a gorgeous spot for families to hike, barbecue, play and enjoy weekend fresh air.

We were taking on the might of the bay with our first stand-up boarding. It soon descended into stand-up comedy, however, as one of our party (OK, me) did a great job of getting as close to the waterway as possible by falling off, repeatedly.

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Despite the odd lapse of balance, it was actually pretty easy to pick up. Propelling yourself is a fun ride but the real highlight is the incredible scenery and natural wonders, which include eagles soaring above and manta rays swooping underneath your board. It’s an incredible moment to just stand and gaze in awe, and desperately hope you don’t fall in to disturb their graceful underwater flight.

In addition to its amazing natural wonders, Virginia Beach is also a place of action and speed, as underlined by the occasional overhead jet fighters from nearby bases. The area has a massive military history, from wars of independence to the hi-tech modern Navy and Air Force presence.

Inspired by those military flyovers, we got as close to airborne action as a civilian can, in the shape of in-door skydiving centre, i-Fly. With the help of experienced instructors, you can get kitted out in a literal flightsuit before entering a high-speed wind tunnel tube, which buffets and propels you around, simulating real sky diving. The rush is incredible, and the feeling of speed and adventure is unlike anything we had ever tried before. All four of us loved every gravity-busting second.

We were then treated to a surprising military experience. The city is home to the historic Cape Henry lighthouse, which has stood since the days of George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, and remains as one of the great landmarks of the area. It’s also situated in the middle of the working Fort Story army base, so you need to pass through strict military security to get in, which adds to the diverse fun of the trip.

While you can spend your days surfing, swimming, kind-of skydiving and paddling, by night there are a whole new load of adventures to enjoy, as the city is home to some incredible food and drink options. Near our hotel, we enjoyed the pizza and party fun of the Shorebreak sports bar, and the stunning Italian restaurant Zia Marie, with the biggest portion of chicken parm I’ve ever seen.

The locals heartily recommend the beachy Waterman Surfside Grille, and the No. 1 dish is the crab cake.

As you’d hope with seafood served up just a few feet from the coastline, it doesn’t disappoint. The other local favourite we’d been advised to try was an orange crush cocktail, which is kind of like a funkier version of a vodka and orange, and works a refreshing treat in the evening warmth.

When your belly is full, I’d recommend the hilarious Jungle Golf course, with every hole featuring handicaps and challenges. For entertainment, the city is home to great arts and culture, with a huge open-air amphitheatre hosting gigs and events, while home town hero Pharrell Williams runs the Something In The Water Festival every year, with past artists including Grace Jones, Jonas Brothers, Lil’ Wayne and Arcade Fire.

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But while the nightlife is fun and varied, we found that, as with most things in Virginia Beach, nothing beats the natural wonders. With our hotel located right on the tip of Chesapeake Bay, facing north and west, we chose to end our visit with the full view of an absolutely stunning sunset, with dolphins dotted across the water ahead of us. It’s the kind of moment the whole place just stops for a second to let sink in.

That’s what makes Virginia Beach such an amazing place, and why the east coast’s formerly best kept secret is becoming less and less hush-hush.

P.S. On the tranquil shores of what is now First Landing State Park, pirate William Teach – better known as Blackbeard – is said to have buried some treasure in the early 1700s. It has never been found, so instead of building sandcastles, why not make good use of your bucket and spade and get digging?

Factfile

A family suite at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Virginia Beach Waterfront starts at £308 per night. Flights from Edinburgh to Washington DC via Newark with United Airlines start from £878.48. Rudee Tours 90-minute dolphin watching starts from £22 per person (adult +12) or £16 per person (children +3). iFly Flights start from £57 person. Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center is £23.14 for adults and £19.27 for under 18s.