I remember years ago, when the project was first discussed, the vision that there should be a…read morerevitalized pathway between the Oceanfront & the Convention Center. The area would provide a walking zone for tourists, turning the rundown area into an arts & entertainment center. Fast forward to 2015 when City Council voted to establish the ViBe Creative District. In addition to the city's participation, a nonprofit organization was created and the vision of the ViBe began to be created into reality. An area adjacent to the Oceanfront didn't need to be filled with rundown buildings and vacant lots. It deserved to be a vibrant area that both locals and tourists would love and appreciate. Today the area contains restaurants, coffee shops, art galleries and a plethora of beautiful murals. Longtime popular surf shop WRV shares new neighbors that range from a distillery to leather smiths. The district is home to an annual mural festival and the Old Beach Farmer's Market. It's an area that calls for walking and exploration, rather than driving to a favorite eatery or coffee shop. If one motors through the area today there isn't a lot of foot traffic, even during tourist season. That's disappointing. Hopefully its new neighbor, the long anticipated Atlantic Park, will change that. The Dome Concert Arena has already opened as has the Surf Park, the only man made wave park in the world located near an ocean. Under construction are still urban residences, office space, shopping & restaurants. The future looks bright for the ViBe Creative District. So park your vehicle and walk the area built on the vision of a world where art is an integral component of the community.

Absolutely love wandering around & bringing friends to see all the cool art in the Vibe District! :)read more

Have a taste of the India flair at the India Fest! Here are a few key things to know:…read more * Most of the clothing + jewelry are for girls/women little choice for men it was very hard to find stuff. Clothing areas were piles of attire on tables that were grab and buy. Some were more organized. * Get at least $10 in tickets for 1 person $20 was bit much better for 2 people. The prices of food ranged from $2- $7 with a fair blend of appetizers, meals, & drinks. * Food was good and flavorful but one dish I had discovered a long hair...apart from that a great discovery into Indian cuisine. Would've been nice to know what places locally serve food besides Nawab. * Seating is terrible, people kept stealing chairs from neighboring tables. Some hawked tables for 20 minutes and after an hour still sitting in the same spot! People were careless just pulling chairs without asking and at one point someone had their food knocked out of their hand without apology. * Go to watch the dancing and entertainment that was very good to see * Also go to check out the beautiful clothing of the people that were lavishly adorned. Some articles of clothing I had no idea what they were called...a difference between the names of clothes and what we the traditional male V female dress.

Definitely a good festival to attend each year. They've had them in the past in Norfolk but after…read moreexplosive growth with vendors and attendees they held their last event at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. It's all things about India and some. If you decide to check them out in 2015, expect the event to be in the October/November time frame. They have everything from Bollywood performances, fashion shows, vendors representing various businesses and of course, food. You do have to pay for food when you're at the event but the best part is that this event is free to attend. If you like to learn about other cultures this is something that you'll enjoy. Good job to the Asian Indians of Hampton Roads for putting this event on each year.

Created in 2020 this is a collaborative effort between Hive Public Space and muralist Navid Rahman…read more It is a 2-part installation. The first part, titled Barreled, is constructed out of a steel tubes and aqua colored acrylic panels that represent the ocean's oscillating balance of power and fragility. Each arch goes from a wall that is connected to a ceiling and the then continues to and culminates with a seating component. They are alternately placed in the space. Visitors are encouraged to take a seat on this interactive piece. The second piece, which is a mural painted by Rahman, serves as a background of sorts and is titled "Broken Current." The mural is an abstract piece that depicts a colorful wave against a teal background. It is intended to illustrate powerful rip and tidal currents created by ocean waves. This project has an inspiring background. It was conceived as a way to activate an underutilized space that was attracting negative behavior. It was funded by the contributions of local business owners. The original plan did not include the mural. However, they eventually saw it as a way to add even more beauty and I am glad that they did. It looks nice and is very appealing to the eyes. Bothe pieces are wonderful alone and demands your attention. I am glad that I was able to check it out. I recommend swinging by and taking a look if you can. If you want to get out and take a closer look, there is metered street parking and a few commercial lots and garages within walking distance that you can park at to visit here. The meters cost about $2/ hour and the lots vary in price depending on what is going on and the season. I parked in a dirt lot in front of the Feels mural, located across the street, and I was fine. Of course it was a slow weekday though. Anyway, as with most attractions that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. Even though this is a little different because it has some seating that you can use to sit on and enjoy. I was there less than 15 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other boardwalk attractions, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. I would start with the nearby Feels Mural, Virginia Walk of Fame and the Norwegian Lady Memorial.

Total scam. Do not waste your time or money, not hard to figure out quickly, they are full of…read morecrap. They are very pushy, and try to force dates on you, that you don't have interest in.

Terrible service. More than happy to have taken my money. Failed to fulfill their end of the…read morecontract would be a serious understatement. Then wanted more money to "reactivate" my account after failing to live up to their end. Didn't receive half what was promised. When I requested a refund (willing to settle for partial) I was laughed off, literally. Don't trust them at all. their consumer reports reviews are one extreme or the other, mostly the 5 stars are fluff. All the negative ones are basically the same, paid lots of money, no service.

This mural was painted in 2019 by Shaylen Broughton and Carl Medley. It is located on the back of…read morethe Dough Boys California Pizza Kitchen and overlooks a dirt lot that is in front of a commercial lot. They created the piece for the Art Walk sponsored by American Express during the inaugural Something in the Water Festival. It depicts the word "FEELS" in large letters that are in some type of pinata style font set against a realistic and detailed water background. The fluid pattern background was created by Shaylen and was meant to be a symbol of life and the connection of all things. Medley did the letters with the intent of speaking to the idea of potential and how that can be scary for some and exciting for others. Together the mural is supposed to hit the viewer in the "feels". The detail of both the lettering and background is awesome. I also like the artists' use of colors. The letters are very vivid and almost look 3D. If you want to get out and take a closer look, there is metered street parking and a few commercial lots and garages within walking distance that you can park at to visit here. The meters cost about $2/ hour and the lots vary in price depending on what is going on and the season. I parked in the dirt lot in front of the mural and I was fine. Of course it was a slow weekday though. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other boardwalk attractions/shops, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. I would start with Barreled and Broken Current, which is right across the street.

I did the haunted walk tour with a group on 9/12. The tour guide was boring. The explanations were…read morevery brief so there was more walking than learning. I, along with a few others left about halfway through.

I did the ghost tour last night 9/12 with a large group. I am sorry to say I was very disappointed…read more I have done several ghost walks and this was the worst. The stories were mediocre, the tour guide was subpar. I was counting the minutes till it concluded. Don't waste 25 dollars for this tour.

Stopped into Il Giardino and ended up having one of those nights that just feels cozy and fun from…read morestart to finish. We sat in the bar area, which I'd definitely recommend if you're going for a more laid back vibe and want to take advantage of happy hour. First of all, happy hour is legit! They have half off select appetizers and drinks in the bar, which is always a win. We ordered the pizza of the day (supreme) and it did not disappoint. Crispy crust, generous toppings, and that classic Italian comfort flavor you're hoping for. We also grabbed the bolognese, which was half off for happy hour, and it was rich, hearty, and perfect for sharing (or not). And yes... martinis were half off, so obviously I had to get an espresso martini. Smooth, not too sweet, and exactly what I needed to balance out all the carbs. Our waiter was incredibly friendly and gave great suggestions without being pushy, which always makes a difference. On top of that, there was a man playing the piano, violin, and singing ... fully setting the mood. He absolutely got me when he started playing the Titanic song. Instant nostalgia. The whole place has an old-school Italian feel. Warm, welcoming, and the kind of spot you could linger in for hours. I also love that they do specials throughout the week, so it feels like a place you can keep coming back to and try something new. Great food, great drinks, great atmosphere. Il Giardino is officially on my repeat list.

Very nice ambiance and as a party of 8 we were seated promptly. They offer a buy one get one free…read moremeal on sunday which is a great deal. Everyone was tasty and portions big enough for leftovers. Our server Courtney was so pleasant and helpful. The dipping oil for the bread was really good. I would recommend trying this place if you want a good Italian meal.

Ok, the food is def on point. My husband had the homemade lasagna which was AMAZING. I had the…read morecheese ravioli which was decent. My oldest some had the meatball hoagie & it was great. I tried a bite & liked it & I don't usually like meatball sandwiches. My youngest had Mac & cheese & seriously there is no way to screw that up, lol. Unfortunately, service was a hot mess. Pretty disorganized. Our waiter was great. It just seems they need a better system with their set up.

The food is ok, the service is good, but the wait time is really long. Took us 1hr to be seated,…read moreand 30 mins for the food to be served.