Neptune's Park is a must-visit if you're in Virginia Beach. That giant bronze statue of King…read moreNeptune? It's basically the Eiffel Tower or Big Ben of the Oceanfront; towering, iconic, and perfect for photos. I got an amazing pic there with my little brother that I'll always treasure. The park itself is a chill, grassy space right off the boardwalk, often buzzing with live music and people just soaking up the vibe. It's the perfect spot to relax after a stroll or while waiting for the next show to start, there's also beach access not too far from the park if you want to feel the sand in-between your toes, soak up the sun, or hop in the Atlantic Ocean. Surrounding the park is a whole world of things to do; plenty of places to eat, drink, and shop within walking distance. Whether you're in the mood for seafood, a cocktail, or something sweet, it's all right there. Great views, good energy, and that unforgettable Neptune statue this spot is a Coastal Virgina staple for tourists and locals alike.

This public park had an open grass field, a performing stage, and a status on the boardwalk. The…read morestatue is a popular spot for tourists to take pictures. It has plaque describing the contribution of Sidney Kellam King Neptune VI in forming the city of Virginia Beach. It just sits on a concrete extension of the broad walk, a bit underwhelming for such historical landmark. The field across the statues is open to public. People just walk around while going in and out of the beach sand. Bunch of restaurants and shops are nearby to grab food and drinks. The theater is used for scheduled special events. But while visiting the park I noticed few of random people were just sitting on the stage. It felt little sketchy but there was plenty of foot traffic since there was beach shower faucet right across the Neptune statue and the park.

This is a fitting place for this memorial with SEAL Team IV based right down the road in Dam Neck…read more Those guys are real super heroes. It is very nice and well constructed. Bravo, to whoever designed it. Anyone that knows or follows me know that I am all in for military stuff and this is no exception. Easily 5 stars for me. It was dedicated in July 2017 and was funded by nearly 1000 contributors whose names are inscribed on a Donor Stone next to it. The monument's centerpiece is a statue named, Naked Warrior. It is the same statue that you will find at the Navy SEAL Museum and the two other major SEAL heritage sites. The sculpture is flanked by 2 Navy SEAL flags, one on each side. It over looks the ocean and boardwalk and is located in a small plaza. There are inscribed granite slabs. One of the slabs is engraved with gold Medals of Honor for every SEAL who earned one, and gold stars for every SEAL killed in the line of duty. There is also a gold paw print for every SEAL war dog killed in the line of duty. Other slabs have concise words and 100 photographs illustrating the entire history of SEALs and their forerunners. Around the base of the statue is what is known as a Living Beach that is composed of sand from over 80 places around the world significant to SEAL history. The sand is replenished periodically. Behind the monument is a couple of benches for people to sit on. There is metered street parking and a few commercial lots within walking distance that you can park at. The meters cost about $2/ hour and the lots vary in price. There are a few other attractions in the area, and it would be best to add them to your visit here. You could see the Neptune sculpture, and Law Enforcement Memorial to start.

Pretty cool to see one of the three Navy Seal monument. Major respect to all that served.read more

This is a very small plaza area that features a gazebo with a bunch of cement benches in front of…read moreit. It is reminiscent of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but instead of stars on the ground, there are granite plaques on tall brick pillars. It is a self guided tour, whose honorees are Virginians, by birth or residence, who have made a significant contribution to the nation and the world. Some of the honorees include Woodrow Wilson, Edgar Allen Poe, Ella Fitzgerald, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Pearl Bailey, Booker T. Washington, Arthur Ashe, Patsy Cline, Thomas Jefferson, Pocahontas and Captain John Smith. Inductees can be nominated by anyone, but are officially chosen by judges from various backgrounds such as the heads of various historical societies, college presidents , and the heads of public libraries. There is an annual event to announce the newest additions to the Legends Walk. Be sure to check both sides of the pillars. That is where you will find plaques. This is a living attraction, with lots of room for expansion. (just see that spaces available to place a plaque on the pillar). Oceanographer Mathew Fontaine Maury and bluegrass musician Ralph Stanley were inducted as the Class of 2019. It is relatively easy to get to and is marked with a huge archway on each side of it. There is metered street parking and a few commercial lots 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. There were a few urban campers taking a nap and hanging out while I was there. And the place could be a bit cleaner and maybe a little maintenance. The bronze plaques could also use some periodic polishing. All in all, it is still an attraction to see in Virginia Beach. It is not a destination spot though and would be best if it was visited during a trip to the boardwalk or one of the other local attractions.

This park has several arches with pair of plaques on each side. These have the names and…read morecontributions of several well known artists, politicians, leaders, and sports personalities who were born in Virginia. There a section with some open space benches too for visitors. The park is kept neat and clean by the city. When I was at the park, I saw city employee removing litters from the grass area. I would also recommend visiting the park during day time. Overall a decent small park to get to know some of the greats of Virginia ie. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Woodrow Wilson, James Madison, Arther Ashe, and the famous Triple Crown champion, Secretariat.

There is metered street parking and a few commercial lots within walking distance that you can park…read moreat to visit here. The meters cost about $2/ hour and the lots vary in price depending on what is going on and the season. The 9 foot statue of the Norwegian Lady is a bronze replica of a wooden figurehead that washed ashore after the fatal wreck of the Norwegian ship, "Dictator", in 1891 after a heavy storm. The figure head stood at the oceanfront as a memorial for sixty years before being gifted to Virginia Beach by Norway in 1962, to commemorate the tragic loss. The statue is placed on a granite pedestal that has two bronze plaques on them and overlooks the Boardwalk and the ocean. One of the statue's plaques is wishing sailors a "safe return home". It is a nice little plaza area that has benches in a u-shape on each side of the statue. There is also granite panels with a description of what happened in 1891 and another which talks about the "Sister Cities", Oslo, Norway and Virginia Beach. The Naval Aviation Monument is right behind the monument along the street and it would be best and most efficient to add that to your itinerary when your visit here.

This statue is situated at the 25th street entrance to the beach, right next to the Naval Aviation…read moreMonument. There's a statue of a Norwegian standing next a Norwegian flag. There are few plagues attached to the base of the statue recognizing the contribution of people of Moss, Norway. There's a separate stone plaque that also highlights the history and relation of Moss, Norway and Virginia Beach. It refers to both cities as "Sister Cities". This historical spot doesn't get much attention as most of the visitors quickly walk past it to enter the beach. There's no big signs. The plaques also engraved in same color as the background, making it difficult to read. I also noticed sketchy people lurking around the area.

I came here after going to a sports card show in Norfolk. It wasn't a planned visit but I was just…read morelooking for something interesting to look at since I had a lot of free time and the weather was nice on Saturday. I thought it would be a lot larger but the spot is quite small but it is very nice to walk around. There are also lots of nice areas adjacent to the garden and terrace as well. I parked in front of the garden went around it and then found the USS Wisconsin and the Naval museum just past the garden. I went around and finished checking out the other side of the garden after. The parking was free for 2 hrs in front of the garden and it seemed like parking in general was plentiful and open this weekend. It looked like college dormitories around the garden and some other residential areas around the middle of downtown Norfolk. There were many nice plants in the garden, the terrace was nice but not open as far as I could tell, and the koi pond was nice if someone would clean out the pond scum from the fish pond. There were small bridges over the water and multiple water fountains in the koi pond. There were a few benches to sit on if you wanted to just relax or meditate in the garden. Overall, it was a nice garden but it is not something to go downtown to see, but it is a nice additional thing to see if you are going to the USS Wisconsin and the Naval museum or if you staying in downtown area. Lots of people were exercising (walking and jogging) so it is a nice scene to pass by if you are doing that.

Great spot to walk around. There's ice cream inside too! Very yummy. Beautiful day to explore.read more

Honor those that sacrifice for other's…read more For all those that gave the ultimate price protecting their fellow mam. I and many others salute you and you have our eternal thanks.

This is one of the few law enforcement memorials that I have seen around the country. It is very…read morewell done and is in a small plaza area off of the Virginia Beach Boardwalk, near 35th street. There is metered street parking and a few commercial lots 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. The center piece of the memorial is a sculpture that was designed by Paul DiPasquale, the artist who also created the world famous King Neptune Statue, just down the boardwalk. It was dedicated in 2012 and is in great shape. The statue depicts 3 officer representing the Virginia Beach Police Department, the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office and the state and federal agencies, extending their hands down to help others, while their arms are interlocked at the center. Individual plaques provide details of each fallen officer's line-of-duty death. You will find the names of fallen officers are inscribed on the granite base of the memorial and Individual plaques on granite slabs, providing details of each fallen officer's line-of-duty death. Additionally, there is a granite wall with law enforcement pictures engraved on it and another wall acknowledging donors. This memorial is illuminated at night and sadly, has to have camera coverage to protect against potential vandals. It is meant to be a peaceful place to pay respects and reflect. It is a tad off of the boardwalk but over still is able to overlook the water. It is a very fitting tribute to the heroes in blue that paid the ultimate sacrifice. It would be a wonderful thing if there are no more names added to this memorial. This will probably not be a very long stop, so I recommend making this part of a larger itinerary. You could start with coupling it with a visit to the boardwalk, the nearby King Neptune sculpture and the Navy SEAL memorial.

Hampton Carousel is hands down the best carousel experience I have ever had, and that goes the same…read morefor my parents who were with me. The gentlemen running it were incredibly nice and gave us an unforgettable tour of this classic piece of Americana. My parents and I had planned to make the Hampton Carousel a focal point of our recent visit to the area since my mother is a member of the National Carousel Association, and we were so glad we did. This was a gorgeous Sunday and despite that the area was relatively empty. We had very few other folks come by the carousel while we were there and so the two gentlemen running it gave us the grand tour, including of the central support pillar, the electronics adapted to assist the century-old organ, and the other historical artifacts lining the walls. They did so out of the kindness of their hearts and a genuine affection for the carousel and its history, which you just don't see in terms of commitment at most venues anymore. The price for all of this? $1 a ride. What a deal! The carousel ride itself was enjoyable, and it's very cool that they have so many tracks of the hit songs from each year the carousel has been open. You never know what you'll hear next! The pavilion containing the carousel is beautiful and sturdy, which is particularly important when it comes to protecting the carousel for the next century or so. This was a fun experience, and you can't beat the $1 ride price. Genuinely great fun for everyone, make sure you stop by if you're in the area! Overall: 5.0 stars ----- Pros: - Amazing staff who go out of their way to make your experience a special one. - $1 carousel rides? The price is right! - Beautiful pavilion in great shape. - Fun decor with a ton of history behind it. Cons: - None, even their hours are great. Make sure you stop by!

Hampton Carousel (HC) is ready for Halloween! I had read about HC from another Yelper and…read morebookmarked it for a day we found ourselves in Hampton and whaddya know, we found ourselves in Hampton last weekend, a lot sooner than I thought so this bookmark came in handy. Our kids love carousels so I knew this would be the perfect little pit stop before we made our way back to the other side. HC is located right next to the Virginia Air and Space Science Center. - Parking - There was not a dedicated parking lot for the HC that we could see, so luckily we found street parking nearby and it was free. - TLC - Two staff members were running the place. One by the admissions desk and one operating the carousel. The woman by the admissions started her spiel like a seasoned actress rehearsing her lines for the next blockbuster movie. She did not skip a beat. She told us that the HC turns 101 years old this year! Wow, pretty neat that they have kept this piece of history well maintained. - Pricing and Ride - The cost is one whole dollar. Cash only. And you get your dollar's worth too. The ride seemed quite long, like a good 5 minutes, but maybe that's just me. I was riding the sleigh (that doesn't even move!) and I was feeling a little queasy by the end LOL. Our kids on the other hand, couldn't get enough. HC was decorated for Halloween. The women encouraged the kids to make their way around the carousel to the different spooky and ghoulish figures to nab some candy before it spooked them. The kids had fun doing that! Well worth the visit to witness a bit of history and super cheap entertainment for the kids. Ride $1, smiles priceless. Stay safe, Friends!

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.