cheerful

Travel

Lively and lively or calm and relaxed

by Ilse Romahn

Sun, beach and sea – for many, this is simply part of a successful holiday. Virginia Beach on the east coast of the USA has more than enough of that, as the city lies on both the Atlantic and the Chesapeake Bay.

Where life rages: The Oceanfront
Probably the most famous beach in Virginia Beach is the resort beach on the oceanfront with its nearly three-mile-long boardwalk. Life is raging here: street artists, live music, restaurants, cafés, ice cream vendors and a lively nightlife make this stretch of beach a highlight for everyone looking for entertainment and pleasure. It is not for nothing that the resort beach, at 45 kilometers in length, is the longest pleasure beach in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records. Holidaymakers with sporting ambitions use the boardwalk for jogging and inline skating or throw themselves into the waves of the Atlantic on a surfboard.

rest and relaxation
When you’ve had enough of all the hype, head to the north end of the Oceanfront, what the locals call the North End. It’s much quieter here and you can take a relaxing stroll along the beach or ride a bike. The local surfers meet south of the oceanfront at Croatan Beach. This quieter stretch of beach is patrolled by lifeguards and is ideal for extensive sunbathing.

Beach experience for everyone: Grommet Island Park
At the southern end of the Boardwalk, Grommet Island Park is a beach playground for everyone, no matter how mobile, right on the sand of Resort Beach. Soft sculptures, sensory panels and raised play equipment make this playground a unique experience, even for people with disabilities. Free beach wheelchairs can be borrowed.

Untouched nature: Sandbridge Beach
If you like it more secluded, you should head for the natural beaches at Sandbridge Beach with their hilly sand dunes covered with beach grass. Nature lovers can enjoy walks at nearby Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park. For a livelier vibe, Little Island Park is a beachfront park on Sandbridge Beach with picnic areas, athletic facilities and a 330-foot fishing pier that offers beautiful views of the Atlantic.

Calmer waters and relaxed serenity: Chesapeake Bay Beach
The beach on the Chesapeake Bay in the north of Virginia Beach, which slopes gently into the water, is ideal for families with children. The slightly calmer waters of Chic’s Beach, as the locals call it, are great for swimming, kayaking or kiteboarding, while little ones can build sandcastles in privacy. A walk on the beach with a view of the famous Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel should not be missed. And while you’re at the Chesapeake Bay, make a detour to First Landing State Park, where the first English settlers arrived in 1607. On the roughly two-kilometer-long sandy beach, you can relax after a hike or bike tour through the popular national park.

www.visitvirginiabeach.com

The Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau showcases the city to visitors from around the world as a year-round destination. Additional information is available at www.VisitVirginiaBeach.com.