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WELCOME TO
V L I R A G T I S NIA A O C one of America’s most scenic and historic travel destinations.
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SAILING HARBOR CRUISES 2 Hour Narrated Harbor Tours & Sunset Cruises Depart from Norfolk's Waterside.
Since 1986
(757) 627-7245
Group Rates and Private Parties Available.
www.americanrover.com
D O W N TO W N N O R F O L K WAT E R F R O N T
NAVAL BASE CRUISES “Your Front Row Seat To The Naval Fleet”
#1 on TripAdvisor
(757) 627-7406
www.navalbasecruises.com
2 Hour Narrated Cruises Depart Depart from Nauticus, home of the Battleship Wisconsin.
Explore-Live-Enlighten at Edgar Cayce's A.R.E. Association for Research and Enlightenment
Tools for Wellness, Spiritual Growth, and Personal Empowerment for more than 100 years! Metaphysical Library • Bookstore and Gift Shop • Holistic Health Center & Spa Cayce/Miller Café • Free Daily Lecture, Tour, and Film • ESP Testing • Meditation Garden Stone Labyrinth • Conferences • Weekend Workshops • Psychic Fairs
215 67th St. and Atlantic Avenue Virginia Beach, VA 23451 757-428-3588 • 800-333-4499 • Spa: 757-457-7202 EdgarCayce.org • AREHealth.org
10% OFF
your total purchase at the A.R.E. Bookstore. Valid through 5/31/17
$10 OFF 1-hour massage at the A.R.E. Spa. Valid through 5/31/17 May not be combined with any other discount.
Ask for your FREE BOOK at the Visitor Center desk!
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Coastal Virginia Attractions
The Coastal Virginia Tourism Alliance welcomes you to one of America’s most scenic and historic travel destinations. The Coastal Virginia region is comprised of the cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Smithfield/Isle of Wight, Suffolk, Yorktown, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, and Virginia’s Eastern Shore. All are accessible by major interstate highway systems, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and two major airports in Norfolk and Newport News both served by low fare airlines. Coastal Virginia makes a perfect vacation destination for those seeking clean beaches, outdoor recreation, fascinating history, fine arts culture, thrilling events and festivals, exciting theme parks, abundant shopping, world-class fishing and coastal cuisine. We offer an experience for every kind of traveler. Beach lovers revel on the Virginia Beach oceanfront. History buffs are inspired by the past in Williamsburg, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News and Smithfield/Isle of Wight. Chesapeake and Suffolk are both entry points to the vast nature of the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Virginia’s Eastern Shore offers pristine coastal plains perfect for bird watching as well as NASA rocket launches. In addition, museums and the arts abound throughout the region and it is home to the world renowned Virginia Arts Festival. You’ll also have a chance to “salute” our military. We are the home to the world’s largest naval base! This just touches on what you can see and do in Coastal Virginia. We hope you get a chance to experience it all. We are glad you are here to “Sea Our History”!
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Our area’s major attractions listings are presented on the following pages.
AMERICAN ROVER Norfolk Harbor Sailing Cruises
Set Sail aboard this 125 passenger Sailing Schooner. Offering daytime and sunset harbor cruises on the smooth waters of the Elizabeth River and the Port of Virginia. Help hoist the sails, take a turn at the helm, or just relax and enjoy the Captain’s tour. Seating is available on the shaded upper deck. Our air-conditioned below deck area has ship store, bar and rest rooms. Private charters and special event cruises available. Departing Waterside Marina in Downtown Norfolk. Call 757-627-7245 or visit www.AmericanRover.com. Sailing April through October.
EDGAR CAYCE’S A.R.E.
Edgar Cayce’s A.R.E.– Association for Research and Enlightenment, Inc. Come explore the fascinating work of famed psychic Edgar Cayce, the “sleeping prophet” and “father of holistic medicine.” Free daily film, tour, and lecture on dreams, intuition, holistic health and more. Our campus includes a metaphysical library, Bookstore & Gift Shop, meditation garden, stone labyrinth, Health Center & Spa, and an onsite café. The renovated Health Center & Spa has treatment rooms overlooking the ocean offering holistic services including the Cayce/Reilly® massage, chiropractic services, and hydrotherapy sessions. We also offer ESP testing, astrology charts, psychic fairs, and conferences with world-renowned presenters. Learn more at EdgarCayce.org.
HAMPTON This is Hampton
Hampton, the 400-year old city located in the heart of Coastal Virginia, is multi-faceted; rich in Civil War history, African American heritage, water recreation, and abundant shopping and dining opportunities. The Hampton History Museum is a great place to begin your explorations. The museum introduces Hampton’s 400-year history in its galleries, interpreting the city’s role in pivotal American decisions and milestones. The Hampton Visitor Center shares this location so you can gather great information on the sites you wish to explore and purchase money-saving admission tickets. The Sea to Stars Ticket, for example, combines admission to the Virginia Air & Space Center, an IMAX film, a ride on the Hampton Carousel, a cruise aboard the Miss Hampton II and admission to the Hampton History Museum for one low price. Buy adult tickets for $39 and youth tickets for $25. The Virginia Air & Space Center features more than 100 flight simulators and hands-on exhibits of air and space innovations. The Riverside 3D IMAX Theater presents digital feature films and documentaries on a five-story screen. Next door, the Hampton Carousel spins visitors on hand-carved horses and chariots built in 1920 by European artisans. Fort Monroe visitors are encouraged to cross the moat encircling the stone fort to explore the Casemate Museum and many historic landmarks and to climb the fort walls to enjoy the spectacular view of the harbor. See the cell where Jefferson Davis was held at the conclusion of the Civil War. A tour aboard the Miss Hampton II reveals Fort Monroe’s companion fortification, Fort Wool, located across the channel at Hampton Roads’ entrance. The Miss Hampton II harbor Continued on page A4
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Authentic Indian Fare With Unique Flair
• Full Bar • Catering Services • Chicken, Lamb, Seafood & Vegetarian • Lunch (Buffet) & Dinner Daily
tour boat and the Ocean Eagle fishing boat are located nearby along the Hampton waterfront. Hampton University Museum, founded in 1868, has a collection of more than 9,000 works of contemporary art and artifacts spanning African, African-American, Pan-American and Native-American cultures. You can explore the campus with one of several Smartphone tours available at VisitHampton.com or learn about the campus’ and city’s remarkable past through interpretive historic markers located on the campus and throughout Hampton. You are also sure to adore the unique dining and shopping in Downtown Hampton, Phoebus and in Coliseum Central. There’s no shortage of fun and adventure. After all, This is Hampton! For visitor information call 800-800-2202, 757-727-1102 or come to VisitHampton.com.
JAMESTOWN SETTLEMENT, YORKTOWN VICTORY CENTER
Living-History Museums Chronicle Nation’s Beginnings
nawabonline.com NORFOLK 888 N. Military Hwy (757) 455-8080 WILLIAMSBURG 204 Monticello Ave. (757) 565-3200
VIRGINIA BEACH 756 First Colonial Rd. (757) 491-8600 NEWPORT NEWS 11712 Jefferson Ave. (757) 591-9200
A hands-on history experience awaits visitors at two Williamsburg area museums that explore the nation’s beginnings. At Jamestown Settlement, gallery exhibits chronicle 1600s Virginia in the context of its Powhatan Indian, English and African cultures, complementing historical interpretation at outdoor re-creations of a Powhatan Indian village, the three ships that brought America’s first permanent English colonists in 1607, and colonial fort. The story of the American Revolution, from the beginnings of colonial unrest to the formation of the new nation, unfolds at the Yorktown Victory Center through indoor exhibits and outdoor re-creations of a Continental Army encampment and Revolution-period farm. The museums are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Christmas and New Year’s days. For more information call 888-593-4682 or visit www.historyisfun.org. Continued on page A6
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MILITARY AVIATION MUSEUM
A true treasure of Virginia Beach, the Military Aviation Museum is home to one of the largest private collections of military aircraft. These vintage WWI and WWII aircraft, such as our Curtiss JN-4 Jenny, Messerschmitt Bf-109, P-51 Mustang, de Havilland Mosquito and Spitfire, have been restored to their original flying condition. See these living pieces of history fly at our annual WWII air show in May, Flying Proms in June and WWI show in October. Visit us at 1341 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach or call 757-721-7767. www.MilitaryAviationMuseum.org
NAUTICUS
This maritime-themed science museum, on the downtown Norfolk waterfront, offers a fun and exciting educational experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to its largest artifact—The Battleship Wisconsin—unique features of this 120,000-square-foot facility include hands-on exhibits, touch tanks, 3D movies, and more. Plus, walk the decks of history with a self-guided deck tour of the Battleship Wisconsin—one of the largest and last battleships built by the U.S. Navy—and see the wardroom, and officers’ quarters, berthing units, chapel and other areas. Guided tours of additional ship areas are available for an additional fee. While onsite at Nauticus, be sure to check out Our Mighty Seaport, an exhibit exploring maritime commerce as well as Guns, Sweat, and Gears: Anatomy of a Battleship, with its enormous gun devices, tools, and personal mementos from the Battleship Wisconsin. Step inside the Clelia, an underwater exploration submersible, and control an actual 9-foot long robotic arm to collect samples and artifacts from the seabed and examine Science on a Sphere, a six-foot globe displaying weather phenomena around the world. Don’t leave without a visit to Dockside Café or the Banana Pier Gift Shop for great nautical gifts. Call 757-664-1000 or visit Nauticus.org for hours and admission fees.
NEWPORT NEWS
The Mariners’ Museum The Mariners’ Museum, America’s National Maritime Museum, is filled with fascinating stories, captured in the priceless artifacts that celebrate the spirit of the open sea. Explore small craft from around the world. Discover the USS Monitor Center, home to the Civil War ironclad’s iconic gun turret, where the
incredible story of her creation, battle, sinking and recovery are told in vivid detail. View maritime art, handcrafted ship models and rare figureheads. Experience a 3D film in the Explorers Theater. Located in a 550-acre park, visitors can hike the 5-mile Noland Trail, picnic Continued on page A8
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Virginia Living Museum Virginia Living Museum – celebrating 50 years of connecting people to nature! View endangered red wolves. Get close to a loggerhead turtle and jellyfish. Touch live spider crabs and fossilized dinosaur tracks. Living exhibits depict Virginia’s natural heritage from the mountains to the sea. See animals living in a cypress swamp, mountain cove and beneath the
Chesapeake Bay. Touch famous Bay creatures. Enjoy hands-on activities. Travel the galaxies in the planetarium theater. Outdoors, stroll the boardwalk to view animals in naturalized habitats. Explore an extensive collection of native plants and green living exhibits. Young kids enjoy role play as an animal keeper/vet and the Nature Playground. Explore supersized animatronic bugs through April 17, roaring animatronic dinosaurs May 7 – Sept. 5, plus enjoy special anniversary events.
NORFOLK VISITNORFOLK
With 144 miles of shoreline, there’s so much to do while visiting Norfolk, Virginia. Take a tour of the Elizabeth River harbor on a majestic tall ship, sip on some of the best wines around at Mermaid Winery, Virginia’s very first urban winery, try delicious beers at local breweries or watch world-renowned artists blow glass at the Chrysler Museum Glass Studio. Hungry? Norfolk has become well-known for its wide variety of cuisine and is home to more than 80 chef-owned restaurants in the downtown area, many featuring Virginia wine and Virginia-grown produce and meat. Downtown isn’t the only place to find eclectic entrees. A host of restaurants dot the streets of Ghent, the historic Freemason district, Ocean View and other areas of the city. If history is your thing, sign up for a boat or land tour of the world’s largest Naval Base, stop by the MacArthur Memorial, or walk the Cannonball Trail. You can jam out to some of the nation’s best music at the NorVa, named “Venue that Rocks” the hardest by Rolling Stone
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Set Sail for a bygone era aboard The Yorktown Schooners
Serenity & Alliance magazine. There are antique shops, coffee houses & galleries galore in the hip, historic Ghent district just a few minutes from downtown. There is truly something for everyone here! For additional information, call 800-368-3097, or visit www.visitnorfolktoday.com.
Pirate Adventure Cruises
Late March to September $37 Adults, $22 kids
2 Hour Sightseeing Cruises
Late March thru Early November Morning, Afternoon and Sunset Sails
Departing from Riverwalk Landing, Yorktown. Call 844.724.5956 or visit www.sailyorktown.com
NORFOLK SOUTHERN
Clothing, tools, locomotive and train parts, maps, and advertisements are among the more than 500 artifacts dating to the 1830s showcased in the Norfolk Southern Museum. Exhibits include a locomotive simulator, a 900-pound railroad coupler, photographs of workers past and present, and diagrams used to teach hand signals and lantern use to railroad trainees. The history of Norfolk Southern belongs not only to the company, but to the communities it serves and to generations of workers. Norfolk Southern’s history has shaped its path as one of the nation’s premier transportation companies, with 20,000 route miles in 22 states.
SPIRIT OF NORFOLK Cruising Year-Round From Downtown
Get ready for the time of your life. Step aboard the Spirit of Norfolk and come alive for an afternoon or evening of all-out fun. You’ll dine and dance to live DJ entertainment while being dazzled by skyline sights and a close-up look at the Navy’s Atlantic Fleet. Choose from fun-filled lunches, dinners and midnight cruises. Details and tickets, www.spiritofnorfolk.com or 866-211-3803. Advance reservations strongly recommended.
SCHOONERS ALLIANCE AND SERENITY
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Join the Yorktown Schooners Alliance and Serenity and step back into history as you sail the York River past the battlefield where our country won its independence. Lend a hand at setting sail, look for dolphins and osprey, or relax with a beverage from our ship’s galley. For families, try the Pirate Adventure Cruise. Kids will join the pirate crew and help raise the sails, steer the schooner, tie a knot and fire the cannon. Both ships also available for private charters and special events. Sailing daily late March to early November. Advance reservations recommended. For schedule and tickets, visit www.sailyorktown.com. 844-724-5956. Continued on page A12
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SUFFOLK
Small town charm and big city amenities converge in Suffolk, Virginia. Our historic downtown blends unique boutiques and shoppes with award-winning restaurants. Anchored by the Suffolk Visitor Center, Main Street is lined with historic homes and churches. Suffolk boasts year-round family-friendly events. Discover the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge—112,000 acres of untouched wilderness. You’ll love our swamp safaris, canoe excursions, ghost walks and lantern tours. Kayak or fish in 8,000 acres of lakes and rivers. Golf one of our five championship golf courses. Take the plunge and skydive! Explore Riddick’s Folly House Museum where Union Army officers left behind penciled graffiti that is still legible today. Our 1885 passenger station is now Seaboard Station Railroad Museum. Visit the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, a professional performing arts theater. 757-514-4130. VisitSuffolkVa.com.
VICTORY ROVER
NAVAL BASE CRUISES ABOARD THE VICTORY ROVER Your front row seat to the Naval Fleet. Two Hour Narrated Cruises depart daily from Nauticus, home of the Battleship Wisconsin in Downtown Norfolk. The Captain provides a fascinating commentary as passengers cruise the smooth waters of the Elizabeth River. See one of the world’s busiest sea ports including the world’s largest naval base, home of the Atlantic Fleet: Destroyers, Cruisers, Submarines, Aircraft Carriers and more. Up to 150 guests enjoy comfortable seating, air conditioned enclosed deck, shaded upper deck, and snack bar. Call 757-627-7406 or www.navalbasecruises.com. Cruising March - December.
VIRGINIA SPORTS HALL OF FAME
Whether it is with a large school group or a family visit, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum is home to many memorable exhibits and full of interactive fun. A basketball court, sports complex, racing simulators and a radio announcing booth await you! The Museum also hosts many special events, birthday parties, galas and weddings. For more information, visit the Museum’s website at www.vshfm.com or follow them on Facebook or Twitter (@VSHFM).
THE VIRGINIA ZOO
Journey to mysterious places inhabited by exotic animals from around the world–without leaving Hampton Roads! Discover lions, bears, elephants, gibbons, giraffes, colorful birds and more! Watch the red panda climb through the trees just above your head. Pet the animals in the ZooFarm. Enjoy a stroll or ride the Zoo train among the themed gardens and beautiful landscaping. The Virginia Zoo provides education and entertainment for people of all ages, and the Zoo is home to more than 400 animals on 53 beautifully landscaped acres. Exhibits encourage the animals’ natural behavior, provide information about their habitats, what they eat and their worldwide conservation status. Visiting the Virginia Zoo is a fantastic thing to do with family and friends, and it’s a terrific value! Admission is $11 for adults, $9 for children (ages 2-11) and $10 for seniors (62+). Children under two get in FREE! The Zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except major winter holidays. For more information, visit www.virginiazoo.org.
HISTORIC YORKTOWN
Travel back in time, then savor the present at this year-round destination for history, shopping, outdoor recreation, fine dining and special events. Relive the pivotal battle of the Revolutionary War. Visit historic homes, museums, and battlefields by foot or enjoy a guided Segway tour through town. Set sail on Yorktown’s Schooners Alliance and Serenity. Shop in specialty stores, enjoy a wine or beer dinner, play on the riverfront, and dine in one-of-a-kind restaurants. Come for a day, a weekend or longer. 757-890-3300 or www.visityorktown.org.
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