fun in HAMPTON By Laura Boycourt
ROADS
There’s no shortage of fun between Williamsburg, Newport News, Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
M
aryland, Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia are packed with kid-friendly museums, getaways, and other places of interest, but Hampton Roads in the southern Chesapeake region, also known as Tidewater, Virginia, is no slouch when it comes to providing incredible experiences for visitors of all ages. Pre-kids, the area drew me in with promises of long beach days, numerous waterfront festivals and concerts, and some incredible restaurant hot spots. Colonial Williamsburg was also an obvious attraction— perhaps the region’s most well known and one that I’d been fortunate to visit several times. Now that I have two young daughters, I’ve been able to view the Tidewater area anew through the “parent filter,” wondering where can the entire family have fun without much stress or cost. Williamsburg is still an obvious choice, and parents can absolutely bring the kids along for many of the area’s waterfront events. But when it comes to exploring more of Hampton Roads, my family and I have found that the region is teeming with kid-friendly, engaging experiences, if you know where to look.
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JUNE 2019
If you’re unfamiliar with the area, here’s a brief geography lesson. Once you pass Richmond on your way down I-64, you’re entering the beginning of the Virginia peninsula, a collection of cities surrounded by the James and York Rivers that culminates at the junction of the James and the Chesapeake Bay. If you’re staying in Williamsburg and heading south, Yorktown, Poquoson, Newport News, and Hampton can all be reached within about 35 minutes or so, barring any major traffic incident or construction backup (which do happen regularly in Hampton Roads!). The Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel connects Hampton, the southernmost city on the peninsula, to Norfolk and the beginning of what locals call the “Southside.” This portion of Tidewater is also home to Virginia Beach (about an hour from Williamsburg, depending on the time of day), Chesapeake, Suffolk and Portsmouth. So buckle up, roll down the windows, and enjoy a quick virtual tour of some of the best family-friendly spots in Hampton Roads.
