Sweet Home Virginia Beach

The city paid millions of dollars less than 2 years ago to widen the beach and it could not have been a better investment. The beach is now wide and beautiful, with plenty of space for people to sit in the sun or play with the kids. Lifeguards are a big plus for parents, an extra set of eyes is always important! Not very many shells at this beach, so if you're looking for that I would try somewhere farther south. Beaches do still get crowded during the day, so get a place early on for the family, especially if you've got a larger group. Plenty of places to eat, from four-star locations to pizza parlors and ice cream shops. There are often festivals throughout the summer (surfing championships, beach music festivals, etc.), so keep an eye out for those activities as well. Also, there is a new no-cursing law in the entire resort area, so be careful! Beautiful area, definitely worth the trip! See other entries for what's nearby

For those who want to learn a bit about the colonial times, definitely stop by some of the historical houses in the area. The Adam Thoroughgood House and the Lynnhaven House located around the Bayside area of the city are always very popular. Check for tour times, and take the family to see how people lived in colonial times - they wear traditional clothing and cook over open fires. Be careful though, this can get very hot in the summer (think no air conditioning). If you're visiting in the winter, there is a beautiful holiday trolley tour that goes between the different houses and shows how holidays were years ago. You'll drink cider, get mistletoe and even see the traditional yule log. The girls in the family used to do this every year with friends and it was a huge hit, even with the younger ones.

Although the cost has increased significantly over the past few years, Busch Gardens is still a lot of fun for the whole family. There are child rides and shows for the family to see, as well as roller coasters for those young at heart. Apollo's Chariot is great - very smooth but still makes your stomach flip on the 210-foot initial drop. Food is somewhat pricey, but the shows in Oktoberfest while you eat were wonderful and the kids stayed entertained the entire time. On the Alpengeist roller coaster, your legs hang down so make sure to take shoes off or sit on them if they are in danger of falling. There is a bit of walking, so make sure you're wearing comfortable shows. Some rides also get you wet, so if you plan on going on those wear something appropriate. It has different "lands" which is an exciting way for the park to be set up. A very enjoyable, but tiring day!

Kings Dominion is a bit farther from Virginia Beach than Busch Gardens. It has more rides and roller coasters than Busch Gardens, but we found most of the roller coasters to be much shakier than those at Busch Gardens. The shorter people in the group (even those just over 5 feet tall) had a lot of problems with their heads getting banged around on many of the rides. Prices for food are very high ($3 for bottled drinks in the machines), but that's to be expected for an amusement park. The water park is great, and definitely a necessity on hot summer days. Admission is included in park admission and it is located right in the park, so it's a perfect break during the day. Most lines move quickly, but quite a few lines are in the sun so make sure to keep everyone hydrated and with sunscreen. Different types of food for everyone, so there's no need to worry about that - they even have veggie burgers for vegetarians. Busiest times are on weekends, so try to go on weekdays to try to avoid lines (although it's very busy during all days in the summer). Plenty of rides for people who are scared of roller coasters as well, so there is definitely something for everyone.