Rolling waves, soft sands, salt air and a blue ocean…Virginia Beach, VA reels the vacationer into its magic. This park-like city is a renowned beach resort that delights travelers time and time again. The expansive sands, the beach restaurants, theconcrete boardwalk and the numerous beach hotels make this resort city a popular destination.

Neptune, God of the Sea, emerges from the deep onto the famous Virginia Beach concrete boardwalk

Throughout time, the boardwalk has remained an enduring symbol of Virginia Beach. Constructed in 1888, the boardwalk of the Victorian era featured wooden planks and was all the rave for Victorian vacationers.  Today’s boardwalk is concrete, three miles long and twenty-eight feet wide. There is a bike path adjacent to the concrete boardwalk, thus making rides on the beach a breeze.

During the summer, entertainment is offered nightly. Along the concrete boardwalk there is a variety of quaint outdoor beach restaurants and vendors. Nautical sculptures adorn many of the side streets. The largest and most enduring of these sculptures is the twenty-four foot bronze statue of King Neptune at the gateway to Neptune Festival Park. Every fall, there is a beach festival, Neptune Festival, celebrating the culture of Virginia beach.

Virginia Beach is also site to many historical buildings like the Cape Henry Lighthouses that silently guard the entry way into the Chesapeake Bay. Completed in 1792, the octagonal structure is the oldest government-built lighthouse in the United States. It is located at Fort Story which is the first military base in Virginia Beach.

Virginia Beach has a long military history dating back to 1781 with the Battle of the Capes. In 1943, the Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Oceana, was commissioned. For those who love military history, it is imperative to visit the Tidewater Veterans Memorial that is dedicated to all United States war veterans, and The Naval Aviation Park, a monument depicting three historic areas in naval aviation history.

For a fascinating look at American military equipment, check out the Military Aviation Museum which houses one of the largest private collections of World War 2 and Korean War era fighters, bombers, trains and seaplanes.

Virginia Beach is also known as the host of the exciting East Coast Surfing Championships. A cherished affair in the surf and skate community since 1963, theEast Coast Surfing Championships have attained legendary status as the nations’ longest running surf competition, and the second largest continuously run surf event in the world. This thrilling beach event usually takes place the last week of August.

More stimulating beach festivals and events in Virginia Beach are the Patriotic Fest (celebrates the Armed Forces with military concerts and displays at the end of May), the Beer and Art Festival every spring, the Wine Festival held the second weekend in May, and the Caribbean Music Festival where the oceanfront becomes an island paradise.

For great dining head to the many beach restaurants like Angelo’s by the Sea, Surf Club Ocean Grill and Waterman’s Surfside Grill. All these beach restaurants feature fresh, quality food with spectacular ocean vistas.

While on a beach vacation, it is always more fun to stay in a beach hotel. There are no shortages of beach hotels in this seaside resort. The Virginia Beach Resort Hotel, the Atlantic Hotel and the Ramada Limited are beach hotels that offer great amenities and gorgeous ocean views.

Virginia Beach is the perfect vacation spot for the traveler looking for a beach vacation. The white sandy beaches, the temperate weather, the quality beach restaurants andbeach hotels, the many beach festivals and events, and the bustling concrete boardwalk, make this resort city different from all the other beach destinations. The vacationer will not be disappointed….