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Lights on the Beach

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vampirefan
vampirefan
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Lights on the Beach

  • January 18, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by vampirefan from Mt. Pleasant, North Carolina
Lights on the Beach

If your lucky enough to be in the area during the holidays, make sure to head out to Virginia Beach for the annual Lights on the Beach.

From mid-November until New Years locals and visitors alike take part in one of the most popular events around. Just load up the family and head out once the sun sets. Once darkness arrives, the beach is light by more than 450,000 lights of twinkling red, green, gold, white, and ever other color under the rainbow. You will see flipping whales and dolphins, Santa fishing, giant gingerbread houses, frolicking mermaids, just to name a few of the estimated 250 displays that fill the boardwalk and transform it from summer playground to winter holiday flight of the imagination.

Just line up at the starting point, where you receive a complimentary Christmas CD to add to the joyful mood. Guests in cars, vans, and motorcycles get to drive along the 25 blocks of the boardwalk as they are dazzled by each unique and festive display. It is the only time of the year you can drive on the boardwalk. The pace is slow going allowing you optimal photo taking opportunities. The show starts about 6pm everynight. If you don’t care to pile up in a car and see the displays, then make sure to get to the beach about 4:30. When we got here the sun was setting and the lights were already on display. You can walk up and down the beach and enjoy the displays at your own unhurried pace. Now you can still walk on the beach while the cars are going through, but they are pretty much going to block the best views of the lights.

This exceptional holiday outing is all part of the 100 miles of lights in the Hampton Roads area. This includes VA Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Richmond, Hampton, Newport News, and Williamsburg. Each city has their own glittering display of lights to charm visitors. From the lights on the beach, to the impressive lights on the waterfront in Norfolk, to the modestly yet equally as luminous displays in historical Williamsburg you will be most assuredly delighted.

There is a fee per vehicle to ride along the boardwalk. This year it was $10 per vehicle. You can just follow the signs to the start of the displays. I noticed many of the hotels along the beach offered packages that included the lights display.

The annual lights display has become a favorite of the locals. But just come here once and I bet it will be a favorite of yours too. For more information go to www.vafun.com.

From journal Lovin' Life in Virginia Beach.

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