<p>Please tell me what there might be to see in the area (within a one hour drive, max) when one is not at the beach. Thanks.</p>
<p>Also, restuarant suggestions are welcomed.</p>
<p>The Williamsburg area is about 60 miles from VA Beach. Traffic can be iffy though, but if you can time your travel to off peak hours, it should only take about an hour.</p>
<p>[Williamsburg</a>, Virginia In 5… - FoxNews.com](<a href=“http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2011/07/22/williamsburg-virginia-in-5/]Williamsburg”>Williamsburg, Virginia In 5... | Fox News)</p>
<p>The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is excellent, good for all ages. Ocean Breeze Waterpark was recently updated I believe. Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge if you are into hiking. Going in towards Norfolk, there is the Virginia Zoo, Chrylser Museum Of Art, Norfolk Botanical Garden, Nauticus National Maritime Center and USS Wisconsin. Williamsburg is around an hour if not rush hour or weekend travel peak times. In that area is Jamestown and Yorktown. Busch Gardens and Water Country USA are there, too. There really is a great variety for any tastes. We visit there a lot.</p>
<p>Lynnhaven Fish House has the most wonderful she-crab soup. I go there every time we visit just for the soup. Yum!!!</p>
<p>Just want to thank all of you!</p>
<p>I second the Virginia Aquarium recommendation. One neat thing about it is that many of the tours are led by quite knowlegeable and friendly volunteers.</p>
<p>Forgot to mention that the last time we were there we found a delightful little Tapas bar, Pacifica at 214 40th St. Had fun making a dinner of the various items and finished with making S’mores at the table :)</p>
<p>^^Sounds like fun!</p>
<p>Thanks LakeWashington and Singersmom!</p>
<p>I’ll be in VA Beach in two weeks! Can’t wait.</p>
<p>As for something to try: </p>
<p>One year we took a ride over the bay bridge/tunnel. You can stop and park in the middle and fish, take pictures, go in the little store/restaurant. Took a picnic lunch and found a beautiful park on the other side of the bay. It was something different to do, and relaxing.</p>
<p>Last year we discovered Sandbridge. It’s just south of VA Beach. Uncrowded, beautiful. Going to take a picnic lunch this year so we can stay longer. It just had a completely different feel than our “regular” VA Beach area.</p>
<p>Silverlady - I think we’ll try Lynnhaven Fish House this year. We used to go to Duck Inn every year - I think it’s in the same area.</p>
<p>We usually eat at Captain George’s and Rudee’s on the Inlet. Last year went to a fondue place and also tried a mongolian grill. Both were just fine. (We usually eat out every night.)</p>
<p>Hubby just reminded me that we toured the Naval Base in Norfolk one time. It was amazing. Not sure if you can still do it - it was before 9/11.</p>
<p>Thanks for those tips eddieeodessa. If we go, we will be passing through, so we’ll only be there for 2-3 nights.</p>
<p>I have to think about this one… we used to go there when I was a kid… Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens, I think they have a sea world or something?</p>
<p>No Sea World, sorry. Busch Gardens and Water Country, USA. Jamestown, Yorktown and CW are all about an hour west, depending upon traffic. If you go to CW, make sure to get sandwiches from “the Cheese Shop” on Duke of Gloucester (DOG) street. Call ahead as the line gets VERY long 804-220-3070 and make sure to get house dressing (a VERY secret recipe). You have to eat outside at a table or on a bench, but it’s worth it, even in the heat. Cheese shop sandwiches are by far the #1 thing every W&M grad misses from CW. Even if you don’t want to pay for the whole CW tour, it’s still fun to walk around, up and down DOG St, from the Wren building at William and Mary(free to tour-walk to the back to see the Sunken Gardens) to the Capital at the other end. The Raleigh Tavern bakery is behind the Raleigh Tavern and sells cookies and cider, with lots of shopping in Merchant’s Square (the end near W&M and cheese shop). If you’re not doing the whole visitor’s pass thing, just get off I-64 at Rt 199 and follow the signs for W&M admissions office - it will take you straight to Merchants Square and there’s plenty of parking there.
As for Va Beach, Sandbridge is great and it’s also good to just drive north up Atlantic Ave past all the hotels until you come to the houses. You can park anywhere on the streets up there and just walk through the access strips to the beach for a less crowded experience, but there are no lifeguards. Make sure to see the original Cavelier Hotel which was the first hotel at Virginia Beach. Also, be sure to check out the statue of Neptune,on the boardwalk, by Richmond sculptor Paul DiPasquale (a friend). It is breathtaking! Be on the lookout for dolphins this time of year, you can usually see lots just a hundred feet offshore. But most of all, have fun and be safe!</p>
<p>sewbusy, thank you for all of this info!</p>
<p>Just got back from spending 2 days in this area. We ended getting a deal on a hotel room in the Hampton area. Actually, we passed Hampton U a couple of times. The area was really nice. We ended up spending one day at Busch Gardens and one day at Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. We really enjoyed both places. </p>
<p>We had to really fantastic dinners and I would go back to either restaurant if I were to return. We ate at Surf Rider the first night. This is right on the marina and had such wonderful seafood. The other restaurant was County Grill and Smokehouse, and it was also very good food. We enjoyed some wings and such tender brisket. We were served so much brisket that I could only finish half of what was served to me, but it was really very good.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the suggestions. I will keep them in mind, should we return to this area. We had a great time.</p>
<p>I don’t like Busch Gardens much. I’ve never been in an outdoor place with as much secondhand smoke as there is there.</p>
<p>But my now-grown kids used to love the water park in Williamsburg, which is a separate facility.</p>
<p>We never noticed the smoke and we don’t smoke. I did not really think about their smoking policies once. Marian, Busch is not our favorite park, but it was something different for us to do. We had been there before (probably 10 years ago).</p>
<p>I understand that you’ve already visited, but as these threads get pulled up again on searches, a wonderful restaurant in Williamsburg for dinner is The Trellis. Really, really, great!</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.thetrellis.com/[/url]”>http://www.thetrellis.com/</a></p>
<p>Sewbusy mentioned The Cheese Shop in Merchants Square for lunch. I’d also highly recommend that.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.cheeseshopwilliamsburg.com/[/url]”>http://www.cheeseshopwilliamsburg.com/</a></p>
<p>But umm…Is Virginia Beach really a good place to vacay right now?</p>
<p>I think Busch Gardens is a beautiful park. I also don’t smoke and also don’t recall any second hand smoke issues. We went there on Christmas Eve last year. The park looks very beautiful decorated for Christmas. Had a great time as a family.</p>