I stumbled upon this beautiful spot on a morning walk along Virginia Beach. I had no idea what it…read morewas other than a pretty little place to rest in the shade. Then I began to read the remembrances of so many people about loved ones they have lost. Having recently lost my son, I found such love and peace in this lovely little space and I was flooded with beautiful memories. What a beautiful space to keep memories alive. Thank you.

One of Virginia Beach's little hidden gems. It's located in a quiet residential area by the beach…read more There's only a couple of parking spaces. This is a memorial garden as names and dates are engraved on the concrete bricks. There are beautiful flowers and a nice gazebo before access to the Beach.

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

I was originally super excited to check out this coffee shop that so many of my yelp friends…read moreenjoyed. The parking situation is a gravel road with a good bit of parking spots. In the backyard of the house, there's a playground and picnic tables, making this a cute spot to bring the little ones while you enjoy a treat outside too. Of course, I ordered a Lavender Honey Latte because that's just my go to. It was beautifully and perfectly crafted! It was so delicious. At the end of the cup, I was debating ordering another because it was that good! I also order the breakfast bowl, but wish I hadn't. I knocked off one star due to the poor food experience. I waited maybe 15 mins or so for my food to be ready (no biggy as I wasn't in a rush). But when I bit into my food, it was cold. The eggs were inedible. The bacon was chilled and I guess served in syrup. The avocado was perfectly ripe. Overall, I wouldn't recommend the breakfast bowl, especially not this for $15+ dollars. If I visit again, I'll stick with the lattes and skip the food!

I haven't been here since it changed from Sawdust Road. I absolutely love the drive out to Pungo,…read moreso decided on Sunday morning to take the drive out and give Corduroy a try! For a Sunday at 9AM, it was not busy which was great since I was on a time crunch. It's an old, rustic farmhouse that when you walk in, truly feels like you're walking into someone's home. I ordered an iced latte with their homemade strawberry syrup and almond milk, and my friend got a black cold brew. The strawberry syrup was incredible. Not too sweet, and it was the PERFECT addition to my usual coffee order. 10/10 recommend for you strawberry fans. The food menu looked fantastic, but I was not hungry so we settled for the liquid diet this morning. But, the burrito and the pimento BLT definitely caught my eye for next time. The inside is super cute, with such a cool vibe. It would be a great place to come back with my laptop to get work done! We sat outside before it started to get too hot, and it truly felt like we were at someones house, drinking coffee on their porch. Such a cozy vibe. I loved this spot.

Tucked away by the entrance of Hampton University is this piece of history. Being an alum of an…read moreHBCU, this one is very special to myself. For those who aren't familiar (and I wasn't until recently), this oak tree is where President Abraham Lincoln stood to give the first Southern reading of the Emancipation Proclamation. And this was a place where newly freed slaves were taught at the Butler School which was built right by the oak tree, which was the beginning of Hampton University as we know it. Tip: There is a small parking lot (Lot 2) where you can park near the tree for free. There is a fence that covers the oak, but behind it is an opening where you can take some pictures up and close. Believe me, it's a sight to see.

If it was not for the Yelp Adventure Bingo challenge I would have never known about this slice of…read morehistory! I'm so glad this was on the bingo board as a place to visit. The location is very convenient there is a parking lot so you could see it. I love to seeing other people visiting the same location while I was there. It's a quick visit, so perfect if you are passing through. The tree is amazing along with the history.

On this rainy Sunday newly arrived Snow Geese from Greenland and Russia have arrived. This has been…read morea bucket list for years. Hundreds of these geese, named for their white plumage, have landed in North Carolina. The snow goose is mostly covered in white feathers, but has black wing tips. They are typically native to Greenland, Canada, Alaska and the northeastern tip of Siberia. While seemingly rare to most people, there's another type of goose that's far more rare to spot along the Atlantic Coast that has also arrived- the Blue Ross Goose. Its color mutation is controlled by a single gene. This bird was the inspiration for cartoonist J.N. Darling to create the symbol of the the National Wildlife Refuge System. Populations of blue geese are found mostly in central North America and very rarely come to the east coast. Snow Geese fly to the Arctic and subarctic zone of North America, as well as marginal areas of neighboring Russia and Greenland to breed each year. They time their arrival to coincide with the melting snow and thawing ice. The tundra of the far north provides rich foraging grounds and a relatively safe place for these birds to raise their family. At such high latitudes however the summer is short-lived, and the birds must head south because they cannot survive the coming harsh winter. Once breeding is complete, the birds molt and then begin a long migration. The timing of migration is highly dependent on weather conditions, but normally begins shortly after the first snow begins in mid August and is usually completed by December. The migration is a pretty drawn out affair that lasts 3 or 4 months, making long stopovers at regularly used staging grounds to refuel for the next leg. They will begin their northward spring migration as early as February from the south and arrive at their breeding grounds by the end of May. Geese form lifelong pairs on their second northward spring migration. They will mate for life and return to the same nest site year after year.

If you have never been to this spot - you are missing out. This summer I have made it my mission…read moreto bike all the local refuge, parks, and trails and I have found some real gems but this has been my favorite so far. Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge is just across the Virginia/North Carolina border (through Pungo and Princess Anne Road) and takes up most of Knott's Island. There are two primary entrances and during COVID the facilities are closed but you can still adventure, hike, fish, ride bikes, bird and wildlife watch, and enjoy! Most of this refuge is made up of marsh land and I rode the loop from the end of the entrance road parking lot fully around earlier today which was around 5.5 miles total and it was beautiful. I saw huge cattails, tons of white baby's breath flowers along the trail, turtles, birds, fish, and white and blue herons! No snakes surprisingly. There is no shade on the trail so come prepared with tons of water and hats and sunscreen. Water and marsh on both sides and beautiful, beautiful, scenery is what you will be treated to here. It is a must see. My all-time favorite so far this summer!

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.

This is my favorite part of downtown Norfolk just walk up and down granby or Monticello and you…read morewill see some of the coolest art work and graffiti I will add to the photos here soon Every visit I see something new it is so beautiful

This up and coming newcomer is sure to please the urban young professionals as well as the…read moreneighboring residents and families alike. What began as an industrial area is beginning to morph into the likes of Scott's Addition in Richmond. It offers a variety of eclectic restaurants (Commune, Neon House), eateries (Zeke's Beans & Bowls), and dessert pastry shops (Hummingbird Café, Brioche Bread & Bistro). It also offers various outdoor events at the Plot. The Culture Lounge provides entertainment as well. So check out this new area! It's Norfolk's answer to Virginia Beach's Vibe District!

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.

Classy & upscale! I love it!…read more I have been looking to attend events that have a more mature feel, where you put on a sexy dress and have some grown-up fun and SALT is the perfect venue for such an event. It is beautiful decorated with a great floor-plan and even a loft space (that can be screened off) where you can hold private events. You know how passionate the owners are about this venture of love when you learn how much care went into every detail-they did a great deal of the work themselves including the beautifully crafted bar. The food of course was delicious! I was most fond of the crab cakes, I love them in general and these were delicious. There was of course much more there to enjoy, sushi, green beans, pork belly over mashed potatoes, macaroni & cheese, cold soba noodles with scallops, cheesecake topped with watermelon cubes and a blueberry. Regarding the cuisine: I appreciate that everything is prepared fresh daily, not frozen and heated or baked. The bread is freshly prepared every morning and they stay local for their ingredients. SALT is a winner for me and Yelp's Black and White Party was just the event I needed this summer! I had a wonderfully enjoyable evening.

When is free food and a alcohol a bad thing? Like, about never…read more This was my first Yelp event where we took a huge group picture. I am going to miss the closely knit Yelp community in good old Virginia Beach, VA. Great event! Thanks Xerxes!

Old Point Comfort lighthouse is on Fort Monroe I did drive right by it the first time because I was…read moreexpecting it to be on the water side. It's actually sandwiched in between two houses, but if you're walking around I think you would have noticed it quicker than driving. Either way, a beautiful drive or a beautiful walk

Not exactly sure why this was only given 2 stars. The lighthouse and landscape both were beautiful…read more Now I realize this can only be seen from outdoors. Still it deserves more than 2 stars even for the upkeep of the landscape and views alone. We came in the spring. The flowers were blooming. We paid a visit on a weekday. Next to it was the light keeper house. It did state private property. So it was not available to view. You could still take pictures from the outside. Directly across the street is the amazing view of the water. Plenty of parking available and you can take a nice stroll to catch the views and Sunray. We stopped by here on our way back to Maryland. I have a thing for lighthouses. So definitely on my list for returning while in the area. Overall I'll give it a 3.5 rating.