A first for me, I didn't know this house existed. I found out about the holiday decor/open house…read morevia an IG story that VBhistory museums posted. Apparently they have been doing these holiday open houses for a couple years or so now. Admission is free but suggested donations range from $3-$5 (there's a sign outside the house and the info is on their website). The holiday open house showcased the house decorated with 18th century decor with flowers, cotton, fruit and oyster shells designed by the garden club. The original house structure contained one room on the first floor and a loft upstairs, but after ownership had transferred across three families -Whitehurst, Bratten and Buffington it has undergone expansions. The house has been occupied up until 1986 and is considered one of of the 50 historically significant structures in Virginia Beach. It was built soon after the first lighthouse was erected in Cape Henry. Daniel Whitehurst was a commissioner and allowed for the VB courthouse to be built near his home. During the holiday open house they had refreshments consisting of mints, various cookies and nuts, with the accompaniment of coffee and cider. The house boasts four fireplaces where on the left, Bob Clark was doing what he does well, playing sweet sounds from the dulcimer. For those not familiar with the dulcimer, it's essentially an open stringed portable piano. The sounds that originate from it are very clean, calming and relaxing. Upstairs are three rooms, one which holds an old singer and a quilt, another with historic maps of the area and the last room has a bed and a bassinet. In an attic? Or small partitioned area was a violinist gliding her bow in a frenzy of holiday cheer. It was neat to see the house, however the kitchen had been updated and renovated in a 1950s style, which truly lives up to a "house over time."

While walking on the West Neck Natural Creek Area with my dog. I thought I could check out the…read moreWhitehurst Buffington House within the area. It was a nice stroll through the trees on the horse trail. I imagined how it was like before cars when one would ride a horse carriage. This place takes me back in time. Unfortunately, they would not allow dogs and I wasn't surprised. I got a peek at the nice house.

This place is your typical dump. It smells terrible, is very…read moremessy, and the staff get their kicks by asserting whatever little authority they think they have. While It is fun to just drop stuff on the ground and leave, it's always so busy because they make their hours of operation so ridiculous that everybody shows up at the same time and it gets constipated in that big building. And they limit the kind of things you can throw away there, while also wanting you to gently put it on a soft pile of crap in order to remove all fun from the experience while they wobble their hard hats on the top of their heads with glee at your disappointment. You will leave covered in dust, dirt, and a gnarly stench... like you're a damn zombie or something! You can also smell the place from miles up the road. Reminds me of my house.

Whether you've got some household hazardous waste, used motor oil or just a bunch of trash to get…read morerid of, it's convenient to just load it in your truck and head to the SPSA Transfer Station. The transfer station receives waste from the city's municipal haulers as well as private waste haulers so depending on when you show up with your load of waste you may have to wait in line to dump it. The wait is usually not too long, about twenty minutes is the longest I've had to wait. You just pull up to the scale house window and tell the employee what you've got then get in line to dump it. There is signage to guide you. Make sure you wait to drive in to the drop off area until another employee gives you the signal to do so. You just throw your stuff out and an employee will use the wheel loader to push it where it needs to go. Be careful because the area can get slippery and of course the place smells like garbage so be ready for that too. The employees are polite and helpful so don't hesitate to ask for help if you're not sure how to proceed. Be sure to check out their website too because it's full of helpful information.

Pretty church, but for some reason I got the Mass time wrong. I don't remember how that happened,…read morebut I was going for the first Sunday Mass, which I thought was at 7AM. It wasn't. First Mass on Sunday is at 9AM. For other Mass times, see my picture. So now I'm left with a decision. I can wait 2 hours, I can skip Mass (which would not bode well with my wife), or I can see if there is another Catholic Church nearby. Turns out there is another Church. Holy Trinity by the Sea is 12.6 miles away, and a 20 minute drive. So rather than hanging out in the parking lot (the church doors were still locked at 6:45 AM), I decided to see more of the OBX and drive down to Nags Head. So if you are reading this, check your times. If you want to see my review for Holy Trinity by the Sea, you can find it here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/holy-trinity-by-the-sea-nags-head Bottom line: A rather interesting location with plenty of parking. Peace be with you!

I always think of going to church sort of like going to McDonald's. You expect an almost total…read moreuniformity where everyone is doing the same thing everywhere but every now and then you can get surprised by what you experience when you go somewhere different. Let me just start by saying that unlike a lot of churches Holy Redeemer is not exactly much of a looker. It looks like it was built at some point within the last thirty years where buildings became more about functionality then about some type of grand outward appearance. The inside is very nice with everything being in a semi-circle format versus the more traditional rectangular format. The mass itself was fantastic. Father Walsh is very warm and personable and does something that I can't say I've seen anywhere else. Before each reading and The Gospel he gets up and explains the important points of what is about to be read. Although it is weird to see that neither Father nor anyone else bow when crossing in front of the altar or that they still use the version of The Creed that refers to Jesus descending into Hell. Can't say I've heard that version is a looong time. Musically there was a small choir and the songs were played some on the organ and some on piano. Depending where you are at in OBX this is going to be your only place to get your Jesus on while on vacation. If you're in the extreme southern half there is another parish all the way down in Hatteras but aside of that it's either Kitty Hawk or Nags Head or hike it out to Elizabeth City. Overall everything was very nice and with the Mass being well attended along with a great homily from Father Walsh. Off Season Mass Schedule Holy Redeemer by the Sea - Kitty Hawk: Monday - Friday 9:00 am Mass or Communion Service Saturday 5:00 pm Mass Sunday 9:00 am Mass Off Season Mass Schedule Holy Trinity by the Sea Chapel - Nags Head: Sunday 11:00 am Mass Summer Season Mass Schedule Holy Redeemer by the Sea - Kitty Hawk: Monday - Friday 9:00 am Mass or Communion Service Saturday 5:00 pm Mass Sunday 9:00 am, 11:30 am, 7:00pm Mass Summer Season Mass Schedule Holy Trinity by the Sea Chapel - Nags Head: Saturday 5:30 pm & 7:30 pm (Bilingual) Mass Sunday 8:00 am & 11:00 am Mass

Great find while staying in Nags Head! We walked here from Dowdy park. Next time we will drive and…read morepark in the lot since they have marked hiking trails. Lovely views of flora and fauna. Bring bug spray, sun screen, and water!

Beautiful views. Bring serious bug spray and a camera. I…read morewish they marked the beginning of the trails and paths better. I mean even some spray on the trees would work!

If you like fresh air, walking and shopping, this is a great place to be. It's great if you go on a…read moresunny day when the view is beautiful.

"Oh, under the boardwalk, down by the sea, yeah On a blanket…read morewith my baby is where I'll be" (The Drifters) It meanders along the Currituck Sound shoreline, covers 11 acres of trails, swamps, forest, a mile-long boardwalk, and takes you to dozens of retail stores, bars and restaurants. Welcome to Duck Town Park and Boardwalk in lovely Duck, NC. It's a real family and entertainment destination with an amphitheater, picnic shelter, and playground. Without question, the boardwalk and piers are the centerpiece of the property, measuring over 4,000 feet long and ten feet wide. You can take some beautiful photos of the boardwalk hovering over the water or silhouetted against the sky. The scenery along the boardwalk is gorgeous with pretty views of the Sound, sand dunes, fallen trees, and seagrass. We saw plenty of people taking advantage of the beautiful weather and simply strolling along the boardwalk or ducking into stores, bars, and restaurants, or relaxing on one of the twenty-one benches. I even saw a large bird (maybe a hawk or eagle or condor?) sweeping along the tree line and walking in the woods. anyone know what this is? https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/duck-town-park-and-boardwalk-kitty-hawk?select=JptpdCQdvEtdn_g0CL2tpw&userid=cVrM2BvOvPV0Vi_rC8kepQ We had such a nice relaxing time just wandering around the boardwalk and ducking into the occasional store or shop.

Is it too early for a beach review? Nah, we need something to look forward to this Winter…read more Sandbridge Beach is a favorite and it's been probably two years since the last time I visited. Parking is plentiful and free. The City of Virginia Beach operates the beach and its guards. The beach is clean and wide. It's not as busy as the VBOF either. For surfing it's better than others with currents. Also a plus is its proximity to Back Bay Park. A drawback is that they do not have an infrastructure built up, but many consider this a plus since it's so natural. You can find a food truck on the road in for tacos named Bandino's. Come out and enjoy with warmer weather in the Spring. It's a family friendly beach, so bring the family and dog too! There are so many reasons why Virginia Beach residents feel as though they live in paradise. Our beaches point blank rock and few would dispute that the city knows how to take excellent care of them for our tourist and locals alike.

I almost don't want to review this beach so it stays under the radar. As a local, this is the best…read morespot to enjoy the beach. Its a little more crowded than it was several years ago & has been built up a little, but it still holds onto its low key beach vibes and 'quieter' more chill environment compared to the ocean front. I greatly enjoy how easy it is to park & walk to the beach. Absolutely love doing shore clean ups here.

We loved stopping at Jennette's Pier while on vacation. We got to watch people fishing, surfing,…read moreand enjoy a nice walk. It is only $2 per person per day to walk along the pier which we appreciated!

Jennette's Pier is a must stop if you're in the Nag's Head area! For $2 plus tax, you can walk out…read moreon the pier as much as you like! The pier itself was rebuilt after a hurricane wiped it out over a decade ago. There's a small aquarium with fish you'd find swimming underneath the pier itself, too, which is air conditioned, and a snack shop and huge gift shop. If fishing is your jam, they'll hook you up with everything you need for a day of casting and catching. Say hey to the friendly pelicans, maybe toss them a spare fish if you've got it.