Things To Do While Stationed in Hampton Roads, Virginia

Are you PCSing to Hampton Roads, southeastern Virginia, or northeastern North Carolina? Have you recently moved here? Well… the area has much to offer. We love living here, and are going to share some great things to see and do here. First and foremost, each branch of the armed forces is represented here, which gives us a real sense of being a military community. Secondly, if you like water, we have you covered. This area is surrounded by water, perfect for beaching, fishing, and boating. Our climate is mild, and we enjoy four seasons. 

Beach Days | If you love the beach, you’ll love Hampton Roads. Most notably, the Virginia Beach oceanfront offers 12 miles of white sand - from Fort Story to Sandbridge. The boardwalk also features entertainment, music, festivals, and fireworks throughout the summer. You also have the option to enjoy quieter (less travelled) beaches. Our beach recommendations are listed here.

Gloucester Point:

• Gloucester Point Beach Park

Hampton:

• Buckroe Beach
• Grandview Nature Preserve
• Outlook Beach at Fort Monroe

Newport News:

• Huntington Park Beach

Norfolk:

• The Ocean View Beaches

Virginia Beach:

• Oceanfront/Boardwalk
• Croatan Beach
• Sandbridge Public Beach
• Little Island Park
• Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
• First Landing State Park

Williamsburg/Jamestown

• Jamestown Beach Park

Yorktown:

• Yorktown Beach

Wealth of History | Our part of the world is where America began, so we are history rich to say the least. Our Historic Triangle includes Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Yorktown - all heavy hitters in United States history. These locations are in very close proximity to Joint Base Langley-Eustis, and a short drive from our other Hampton Roads installations. Check out the Blue Star Museum Initiative for great military discounts or free admission to these historic sites. Local history sites include:

• Colonial Williamsburg
• Historic Triangle
• Jamestown Settlement
• Yorktown Victory Center
• Virginia War Museum
• Cape Henry Lighthouse-Fort Story
• Endview Plantation
• Lee Hall Mansion

Additional nearby day trip options:

• James River Plantations
• Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello
• Michie Tavern-Charlottesville
• James Madison - Montpelier
• George Washington's Mount Vernon
• Civil War Battle Sites
• Segway of Richmond- offers several historic Richmond Tours

Mountains | A great thing about our region is that it is a short drive from the ocean and historic sites, to the mountains. When you are stationed here, you must see the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains. The mountain areas feature loads of outdoor activities including skiing, hiking, golf, wineries and breweries, and apple picking. Here are some places to start:

• Shenandoah National Park-Skyline Drive
• Natural Bridge is included in several “Natural Wonders of the World” lists.
• Wintergreen Resort,  SnowShoe Mountain, and Massanutten have skiing, golfing, and hiking. Plus, great military discounts.
• Crabtree Falls Trail-one of the most beautiful hikes in Virginia

Busch Gardens & Water Country USA | Busch Gardens is a kid-friendly amusement park that consistently gets voted “most beautiful”. The park along with Water Country USA both offer military discounts. Information on their ‘Waves of Honor’ and military discounts are linked below. 

• Busch Gardens Williamsburg
• Water Country USA

Unique Family Entertainment | The list below includes some of our favorite family entertainment opportunities. 

• Virginia Zoo
• Virginia Air & Space Center
• Virginia Living Museum
• Virginia Children's Museum
• Mariners' Museum and Park
• Norfolk Botanical Gardens
• Nauticus/USS Wisconsin
• Norfolk Admirals Hockey
• Norfolk Tides Baseball-Minor League
• Climb the Cape Henry Lighthouse
• iFly Indoor Skydiving
• Chrysler Museum of Art
• Ocean Breeze Waterpark
• Great Wolf Lodge
• Military Aviation Museum

Fun On The Water | Our region has fantastic day trip fishing excursions, whale and dolphin watching trips, pier fishing, and more. Some of our favorite water activities are listed below.

• Virginia Aquarium boat tours for whale and dolphin watching in season.
• Fishing! All about our local charters, fishing piers, and local fish species.
• Miss Hampton II offers the only tour of the famous Hampton Roads Harbor, site of the Battle of the Monitor and Merrimac.  
• Rudee Tours- Dolphin tours, Whale tours, and Sunset trips in Virginia Beach
• Yorktown Schooners Alliance and Serenity sets sail on the historic waters of off Yorktown.
• Check with your local MWR as many of the Hampton Roads military bases offer kayak, paddle boarding, and boat rentals. 

We hope that this list gives you some ideas for things to see and do while stationed in the Hampton Roads area. Let us know in the comments where you went and what you thought of it. And, if you are moving to the area, contact us for information about our local real estate market.