Great place to take a walk. Natural surface vs concrete or asphalt. Roots visibly marked with blaze…read moreorange spray paint. We easily got 4 miles in. Port A Potties were clean and the handwashing station had plenty of water, soap, towels!

Beautiful place for small elopement! Just park at the kayak launch and walk down the path. You come…read moreto a wooden dock overlooking the wetlands and the Cypress Creek. Photos are wonderful!

I lived in Virginia Beach for right at two years and my condo was two blocks from Virginia Beach…read more There are a lot of activities on the beach year round and I enjoyed many of them! My favorite was the "Neptune Festival" which was around Labor Day and signified the locals "taking the beach back" from the tourists! I do like the Neptune statue on the beach! I took some free yoga classed offered on the beach, enjoyed watching professional sand sculpture competitions, professional beach volleyball tournaments, and much more! I could have sworn the boardwalk was wooden back then. Regardless if it was wooden or concrete, the boardwalk would open for vehicles every Christmas to enjoy the Christmas lights on the beach! That was always a fun time and Virginia Beach does a great job with this lighting display! It's a must see! We enjoyed rollerblading, bike riding, jogging, and walking along the beach and boardwalk. Why no fifth star? The Atlantic water is ice cold! I did enjoy the beach itself, despite the sand not being as brightly white colored as I'm accustomed to at Orange Beach, Alabama. However, I did not enjoy the ice cold water! Also, during peak tourist season, the beach gets super crowded!

I sure do love my city. VB is such a vibe and really comes alive during the summer. It still offers…read moreso much fun in the off season and truly is a fabulous place to raise a family.

The newly renovated area was a bit of a shock, but then I realized that it has actually been…read morerestored to the wetlands that it was years ago. It's a pleasant retreat for fowl and residents. The only complaint I have is some people feel entitled to let their dogs run off-leash, which is against the posted policy.

The Mayor and City Council have ruined this beautiful area that I've been visiting for years. I was…read moreshocked when I went. Many people would come take pictures of the rare birds here. Their homes are now gone. What's left doesn't look taken care of. Shame on the city!

I didn't run the Shamrock Marathon in 2021, but I applaud them for their efforts to adapt Shamrock…read moreWeekend to the strange times we're living in while keeping the runners safe. The 2018 Shamrock Marathon was my very first and to this date, my only marathon. It was the year they changed the course so the Marathoners were mixed in with the half marathoners and I was so thankful. It was amazing feeling the energy of the crowd at the start. It was so empowering choosing to turn right to go for 26.2 instead of left to the 13.1 finish. That race was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but also one of the best. The whole Shamrock experience is amazing from start to finish. The expo brings in top talent in the running world as speakers. The swag you get at the finish and the quality of the after party hasn't been matched by any other race I've attended.

Finally, have checked this local marathon off my list. (And my first FULL marathon! Yay)…read more I'm a huge fan of J&A and feel so lucky that we have such a vibrant and fun race community right here in my home town. I've completed the 8k and half marathon for Shamrock weekends in the past and, like others have noted, this one is a flat and easy course with a wonderful expo and packet pickup. This year, they didn't personalize the bibs so you all had to stand in a single really long line on Friday afternoon that snaked all the way around the convention center to pick up a bib and write your own name on it. Number was assigned when you checked in and they scanned it. Lines moved OK but I prefer the personal bib method with the numbers you line up with.... Expo was a bit lacking in variety this year but they had a wonderful selection of Shamrock-themed goodies and I spent way more than intended! The race was fabulous, the pacers were excellent, and the results and photos and after party and medals all made me a happy gal. I've run a ton of races and no one does it like J&A. Top notch all the way.

A lot of folks have no idea what the Virginia Pilot Association is. Well that is unless you are…read morefamiliar with Yelper Jim B. friend to many in the Hampton Roads area. Jim is a dispatcher that works out of the Shore Drive office. I may very well get some things wrong and if I do I suspect Jim will correct me and I will quickly edit. The opportunity to do a ride along on a Pilot Boat was beyond a thrill and I suspect a rare insight few would ever get. I have visited the Virginia Pilot Association twice, once with my daughter and another time with both children. The second time was the thrill of a lifetime to actually get out on a Virginia Pilot boat and connect with a 220,000 Break Bulk Cargo Ship. That is a cargo ship with containers, as opposed to liquid, coal, or grain. Our adventure started out with a message from Jim that it was a dead quiet night and a great opportunity to do a ride a long with a Pilot boat driver. Since we live minutes from the dock I got the kids over in time for a sunset cruise and was met by Jim dockside. We made it just in time before the boat departed with a driver and assistant to head out to the Chesapeake Bay. The boat was around 17 feet long and very roomy inside with a captains chair for the driver and three other captain seats in the middle. There were also two small window seats in the back. But that's not all, down in the hull was a place for the driver to sleep out on the water if necessary. We traveled at top speed of around 20 knots to a depth of around 60 feet on a smooth half foot chop, warm cloudy evening. As we approached our cargo ship to connect, we witnessed a nice view of Cape Henry on the Starboard side. Both light houses were spotted, but obviously the taller new Cape Henry Light House (Black & White) was more easily identifiable. My children...okay me too had a blast learning about the Pilot boat operators 30+ years experience on this water. Near misses with party boats that drove with no lights illuminated, boat operators that appeared impaired and dangerous to themselves and others on the bay. It seems like there has been no shortage of near misses over a lifetime on these waters. The Pilot boat operator can clearly see an obstacle on their GPS and they do what they can to avoid any type of collision. There is VB patrol on these waters, just the same as our road ways too. The office for the VB PD is around the corner from the Pilot Association at the Lynnhaven Boat Marina. After traveling 6-7 miles away from the Lesner Bridge we connected with our cargo ship by pulling up Port side. The assistant got out, tied us down and before my kids knew it they could see a young man with a Blue Oxford shirt wearing a neck tie exiting the ship and waving at them to their delight. A short trip down a ladder and in no time we had him on our boat ready to head back. We all had a really nice conversation with the Apprentic who is very close to be a full fledged Pilot Boat operator. So what was he doing on that cargo ship any way? Well the ship's Captain's check-in with dispatch prior to porting. These Captain's who are not as familiar with shallow waters where sand bars etc. may be present have the Pilot Boat drivers navigate for them. These are hard working young people who work shifts of 24 on for three days and on call as an apprentice. There are sleeping quarters and cars to check out for the drivers when they come back in. You may think that most of these drivers are former Navy, you would be wrong! Those that wish to train into these positions obviously undertake many hours of instruction and licenses to begin an apprenticeship in their specific state. Once you begin working in a specific state there is no transferring of credentials, you are in that state for life such as our driver for the night. The round trip took around 40 to 50 minutes and the sun had set at when approaching the dock. Jim was again there to greet us and graciously provide a short tour of the dispatch office. His position, similar to an Air Traffic Controller, except boats instead of planes is both cool, but stressful at times I'm sure. The main HQ for tracking maritime activity for our area is on Fort Story Base. Jim works a specific geography of the Chesapeake Bay and tracks location and status of boats. He is in constant communication with those at the FS office. He monitors all VA Pilot boats that are working too. Lots of cool monitors, that track the ships with GPS technology. Very important too is the equipment utilized to keep track of weather. If you ever want an accurate weather forecast it's Jim B. who may be the best to call. Let me finish up with this. A must for anyone, take the time to look at the 200+ photos Jim has posted the last several years on the Pilot Boat Association Yelp business page. His stunning pics bring life to what it is like to work feet from the water. Thank you for your years of service Jim and good luck in your future retirement endeavors.

Amazing Italian food! Great staff. By far our new favorite place to eat in Carrollton. The loaf of…read morebread is so good. I've had the veal on 3 different occasions and always the same...spectacular!!!

Hampton Carousel is hands down the best carousel experience I have ever had, and that goes the same…read morefor my parents who were with me. The gentlemen running it were incredibly nice and gave us an unforgettable tour of this classic piece of Americana. My parents and I had planned to make the Hampton Carousel a focal point of our recent visit to the area since my mother is a member of the National Carousel Association, and we were so glad we did. This was a gorgeous Sunday and despite that the area was relatively empty. We had very few other folks come by the carousel while we were there and so the two gentlemen running it gave us the grand tour, including of the central support pillar, the electronics adapted to assist the century-old organ, and the other historical artifacts lining the walls. They did so out of the kindness of their hearts and a genuine affection for the carousel and its history, which you just don't see in terms of commitment at most venues anymore. The price for all of this? $1 a ride. What a deal! The carousel ride itself was enjoyable, and it's very cool that they have so many tracks of the hit songs from each year the carousel has been open. You never know what you'll hear next! The pavilion containing the carousel is beautiful and sturdy, which is particularly important when it comes to protecting the carousel for the next century or so. This was a fun experience, and you can't beat the $1 ride price. Genuinely great fun for everyone, make sure you stop by if you're in the area! Overall: 5.0 stars ----- Pros: - Amazing staff who go out of their way to make your experience a special one. - $1 carousel rides? The price is right! - Beautiful pavilion in great shape. - Fun decor with a ton of history behind it. Cons: - None, even their hours are great. Make sure you stop by!

Hampton Carousel (HC) is ready for Halloween! I had read about HC from another Yelper and…read morebookmarked it for a day we found ourselves in Hampton and whaddya know, we found ourselves in Hampton last weekend, a lot sooner than I thought so this bookmark came in handy. Our kids love carousels so I knew this would be the perfect little pit stop before we made our way back to the other side. HC is located right next to the Virginia Air and Space Science Center. - Parking - There was not a dedicated parking lot for the HC that we could see, so luckily we found street parking nearby and it was free. - TLC - Two staff members were running the place. One by the admissions desk and one operating the carousel. The woman by the admissions started her spiel like a seasoned actress rehearsing her lines for the next blockbuster movie. She did not skip a beat. She told us that the HC turns 101 years old this year! Wow, pretty neat that they have kept this piece of history well maintained. - Pricing and Ride - The cost is one whole dollar. Cash only. And you get your dollar's worth too. The ride seemed quite long, like a good 5 minutes, but maybe that's just me. I was riding the sleigh (that doesn't even move!) and I was feeling a little queasy by the end LOL. Our kids on the other hand, couldn't get enough. HC was decorated for Halloween. The women encouraged the kids to make their way around the carousel to the different spooky and ghoulish figures to nab some candy before it spooked them. The kids had fun doing that! Well worth the visit to witness a bit of history and super cheap entertainment for the kids. Ride $1, smiles priceless. Stay safe, Friends!

Fort Nelson Park (FNP) is a very small park in Portsmouth, next to the Portsmouth Naval Hospital…read more(PNH), on the corner of Crawford and Effingham Streets. While it might be a little park (±3.36-acres), it does have some attributes such as a large, grassy field and many historical markers to peruse. There are benches throughout, but no picnic tables or restrooms. However, it is good place to walk the dogs. The historical markers are the most interesting thing about PNH; Fort Nelson was built at the site where the PNH stands. The fort was constructed in 1776, during the Revolutionary War. Three years later, the British destroyed most of it. At one time, Benedict Arnold occupied the fort and it was rebuilt; it was even used during the Civil War. If you are at the hospital and need a break outside, it's just a short walk to FNP. I recommend reading the historical marks and relaxing on a bench--just make sure you don't need a bathroom.

There are no bathrooms, no playground swing sets, this plot of land is more of a walkable history…read morelesson with a couple informative signs & a few Naval warship items throughout. You've got some massive screws (props, propellers = screws), a pretty cool desert sand painted gun that we would expect to see on a destroyer & nice, clean & wide pathways to walk or ride thru the park on. It's a nice, clean & quiet with a few park benches to relax on & watch the sun setting behind the Naval Hospital. If you have base access, there's a big field in the back beyond the gym that you can really get a great view of the setting sun from, but if not, Fort Nelson Park will do.

I absolutely love going to events at the Oceanfront so when I saw the Funk Fest was coming and…read moreCameo was going to be performing, I couldn't wait to go. The Funk Fest is set up right on the beach and General Admission is Free, so it brings out crowds of people. It took us over an hour to find parking and the traffic was ridiculous, that's the one downside going to Oceanfront events. Once we found parking, we grabbed our lawn chairs and walked to the beach. It was packed with people so we know once we found a seat, we didn't move lol. There were a few food vendors out there, most of them were selling seafood and wings, so my daughter ordered some Hot Honey Wings and a Crab Cake and it was absolutely amazing. We sat near one of the jumbo screens so we could see the artists and we had the best time. Cameo performed last but they did not disappoint. My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and we will definitely be back next year!

boardwalk smells and its dirty remove the porta johns…read more the benches are filthy clean them can't find a clean one to sit on stop having the porta john trucks drive on the concrete boardwalk in the morning when we're trying to watch the sunrise they stink and they drip shit