I've crossed Lions Bridge a few times and never knew a check-in until today. The bridge is at the…read moreentrance to the Mariners Museum and The Noland Trail. If you never seen Lions Bridge you may wonder where the name comes from. It will soon be obvious once you see the structure and huge concrete lion heads on the corners. The bridge is clean, well maintained and extremely utilized by pedestrians.

When I moved here was told that the Lions and the bridge were under construction and that they were…read morecovered and that it was going to be a while before you could actually see them while they are uncovered and it is such a peaceful area to just sit and relax

This is a cool lighthouse to see and you can actually walk up to the top of the oldest one. It is…read moremaybe about 100 steps or so and there are good views. You can also walk down the street some and go to an look out point over the ocean. There is also an old chapel there but it is currently under construction. What makes this lighthouse a pain to see is that it is located on a military base and it seems apparent that it is an inconvenience for them and thus they will make it so for you. Once you go through a TSA like process and show you ID 3-4 times, they take the ID for your ticket. Then you are shuttled in by a van. The driver was nice enough and they do come around often to take you back to get your idea. I do NOT recommend doing this if there is any line to get through. It is a slow process. There was no one else in the screening shed and it was SLOW. Plus it must be a hang out location as well because when we got back there were 4 people laid out in all the chairs in there just hanging around. Good lighthouse- unfortunate location

Whether you're a local or visiting, make sure to carve out 30 minutes to an hour to visit…read more Located on Fort Story - a military base, Cape Henry Lighthouse is a historical site with 191 steps leading to the top opening to beautiful views of the ocean and the newer Cape Henry lighthouse in the backdrop. IDs are required to enter base as well as proof of car insurance. Please refer to their website for more up to date info for entrance. If you are a civilian visiting you can still visit but must park to the left upon checking in at the gate. From there a tram will pick you up and drive to the lighthouse entrance. If you have military base access you can park right in the lot at the entrance of the lighthouse. I suggest purchasing tickets on groupon for the best prices. The only restrooms are port a potties to the left of the gift shop entrance. Check in is at the counter in the gift shop. One person from your group needs to sign in. As someone mentioned before, the wifi can be spotty so if you have a groupon or ticket on your phone, you might want to do a screenshot. There are a lot of steps to navigate once you exit the gift shop to the actual entrance of the lighthouse. There was a docent at the top of the stairs that automatically spouted out facts and history about the lighthouse. Although there are 191 steps it's manageable for most people even if you don't exercise on the daily and as long as you have ability to navigate stairs in general. There's one landing on the spiral staircase and a straight ladder to climb to get to the top. It can get hot up there. All three of us were sweating but it wasn't the hottest day either. Maybe roughly 5-10 people max can fit at the top. The views of the ocean are relaxing. We even had a sailboat peacefully sail by. I wouldn't wear a dress to the lighthouse if you're climbing up. If you decide to, wear shorts underneath. Probably not a long dress or skirt or flip flops either so you don't trip going up the ladder. If you have sandals with ankle straps you should be fine. There really isn't much else to see at the lighthouse though. At the base there are more scenic photo ops and a compass on the ground. The newer lighthouse isn't open to the public except on lighthouse day, August 7th, the main reason it's not open to the public the rest of the year is it's a working lighthouse.

Along Shore Drive heading east to west, you'll find this marker nearly among the brush beside the…read moreroad. Barely enough room to pull over (sorry, bicycle lane!), it reads: This park was developed by the National Park Service, Interior Department, through the Civilian Conservation Corps, in conjunction with the Virginia Conservation Commission. It covers 3400 acres and was opened, June 15, 1936. Two miles west is Lynnhaven Bay, in or near which there were naval actions in 1672 and 1700, and naval movements in 1781 and 1813.

Tell you the truth I don't really want to share my review but I absolutely love this location. This…read moreplace definitely deserves 5 stars and for locals only. I go there to work out, I go to the beach, I go there to take my bike, I go there to find my piece of mind. Easy to access, membership is not as expensive. If you love nature you should definitely come and visit!

Great family field trip. My daughter loved it. Clean public bathrooms. Took us a few turns on the…read morepath to find a water access but very beautiful. Lots of agates and little shells.

Great little beach and place to hang out at by the river. Typically pretty clean and not very…read morecrowded. Nice walking trails and some awesome historical information surrounding the location. Worthwhile, even if you're just needed a place to picnic or have lunch... there are picnic tables for this very reason.

What a beautiful tribute to the Veterans. My only draw back is that some of the bricks that are…read moreetched need some maintenace and upkeep. The water feature is wonderful. I love the seating area. Lets you take it all in and have a bit of time for reflection. My husband and I did not even know that was there. We were out for a bike ride and was looking at the new Art in the area and stumbled upon it. It was wonderful. I want to go back to spend a little more time reading everything. It is near the Convention Center

A small reflective memorial kinda tucked away off Jefferson St…read more The calm and crisp structure beckons your attention as you drive up on it. The calming waters of the fountain provide the perfect audio backdrop to take in the scenery of the memorial and a visit on Memorial Day weekend only seems appropriate!! As I stood here enjoy the wonders of the memorial, one thought rang true, to all who serve, served and yet to serve, thank you for your unflinching service!!!!

This monument park is at the 24th street intersection of Virginia Beach. There were several big…read morestatues dedicated to the Navy and the sailors. Each bases of the statues had plenty of details on war time battles and achievements of the US Navy. It was invaluable to learn a bit about the history of one of our military forces. I noticed most people treated this public park just as an entrance to the beach. A lot of homeless people built their tents in the corners of the park. But the statues and bases were mostly kept clean by the city staff.

You will find this awesome monument right off of the Virginia Beach Boardwalk near the 25th street…read moreentrance. This monument is somewhat large and borders the street and the boardwalk. There is metered street parking and a few commercial lots within walking distance that you can park at to visit here. The meters cost about $2/ hour and the lots vary in price depending on what is going on and the season. It is one of the larger monuments of the boardwalk and consists of three statues, and a bunch of plaques mounted on granite structure. It is all located in an amazing plaza area that has a few places for visitors to sit and take a load off. The monument was dedicated in 2006 by the Hampton Roads Squadron of the Naval Aviation Foundation Association with the intent of show three eras of naval aviation, beginning with the early 20th century, to World War II and then to modern times (as depicted by the 3 sculptures) The monument was funded by private donations. The price tag for the monument was $1.5 million. It was designed by Army National Guard veteran and sculptor Michael Maiden. Maiden's 3 sculptures are amazing in itself as stand-alone feature. One statue depicts Eugene Ely, the first aviator to fly off a ship's deck (successfully, at least). Another is a of a WWII pilot and his wingman as they are exiting a hatch, on their way to their aircraft. The third sculpture depicts a modern-day male pilot, a maintenance man, and a female pilot with her foot on an empty cart interacting together. There are also laser etched photos and details on the granite base that statue is on. The detail on these sculptures are amazing. Maiden is very talented. My favorite has the be the wingman and pilot walking out of the hatch. You will also find a bunch of laser-etched granite storyboards, dedications, and sponsor acknowledgments along with a tribute to aviators past and present here. There is also a monument that includes the names of maintenance personnel and aircraft carriers. This is a very nice monument. I wish that people would respect it better. For example, even with posted signs saying not to do it, people were still riding bikes and scooters through the monument area, which is very disrespectful. This is a must see if you are walking along the boardwalk. There are a few other monuments in the area that you can add to an itinerary with this, including the King Neptune statue, and the Norwegian Lady. The Navy SEAL memorial is a little stroll down the board walk, but not too bad.

I'm still not over the design of the new Lesner Bridge. I do like the walking paths on both sides…read moreof the bridge. I don't like the contemporary artwork they commissioned for such a historical area. I believe it's supposed to be an interpretation of canoes. But to me it has absolutely no meaning. I don't like the higher sides on the bridge. The view of the Chesapeake Bay beaches on the north & the Lynnhaven Inlet on the south are blocked except at entrance and exit points. I do like the decorative lighting under the bridge, which is beautiful if you're on the Ocean Park beaches. The colors can be changed for events & seasons. In my opinion the artwork that would have been best was one fitting the historical aspects of the location. The Revolutionary War Battle of the Virginia Capes was one between the French Admiral de Grasse and the British fleet. It preceded and was critical to General Cornwallis' ultimate defeat at the Battle of Yorktown. The French Navy prevented evacuation or resupply of his army during their siege of Yorktown. The Lynnhaven Inlet & River has a similar historical significance. The first Jamestown settlers landed at Cape Henry in 1607 before making the mistake of proceeding up the James River to settle at Jamestown Island. While in what would become Virginia Beach John Smith wrote of his exploration of the Lynnhaven River and the huge oysters and seafood they feasted on. The western branch of the Lynnhaven River was the location of the dunking of the only person in Virginia convicted of being a witch. The location of the first Lynnhaven Parish Church, which prosecuted her, was lost to the river's changed path due to an early hurricane. Many decades ago the early tombstones could still be felt under the water before eventually disappearing under the river's silt that covered them. The nooks & outlets of Lynnhaven Inlet were used as a hiding spot for the pirate Blackbeard when he preyed on Virginia shipping. It is said that he had a lookout at Cape Henry & relay stations to make sure the signals reached him at the distance he was located. He is thought to have frequented the Pleasure House, actually a tavern and bar rather than what its name implies in the 21st century. The current Pleasure House Road is named for it. Do I sound like a tourist guide? It's a mode I always enter when I drive visiting friends & relatives around our beautiful & historic city. So there now can be no doubt in your mind that I wanted the new Lesner Bridge to have historic artwork or statues instead of the modern art design chosen. The bridge crosses an area steeped in history, going back to the first English settlers of the New World. Close your eyes and feel the past envelop you.

Crosses the Lynnhaven inlet. The lights under the bridge is such a beautiful sight. The lights are…read moreprogrammable to change for different Holidays or in honor of certain current events. I cross the bridge quite often on my way to many different Doctors appointments.

A must read: The…read moreHampton Roads area is rich with battleground history (Civil War), and I try to learn as much as possible. Dr. Stewart and I did the Battle of Great Bridge museum tour this weekend and learned some interesting facts. One surprising fact was that enslaved people dug the dismal swamp out by hand. An awkward moment was when our docent (a white woman) expressed how she would "not even walk the dismal swamp today and how she can not imagine putting her hands in it to dig." Yes, that's what she said as she led a tour of all black patrons through this museum. There was a lot to learn about the history of the Great Bridge and how it came about. The information given will have you yearning for more. I actually came home and looked up more historical facts about this battleground, and I must say I had no clue how involved enslaved people were in the making of the Great Bridge!

Four stars for history where the British lost. Yay! This marker denotes a battle that occurred here…read morewhere the "Revolutionaries" won. There are markers on the north and south side of the bridge, but nowhere to really stop and read them. I left my car in the drug store parking lot to read the following: In this vicinity, in 1775, was the southern end of a causeway, with bridges, by which the swamp and stream were crossed. Here William Woodford's Virginia riflemen defended the passage. When Lord Dunmore's British regulars attempted to cross the swamp, on December 9, 1775, they were cut to pieces by the fire of the riflemen. This defeat forced Dunmore to evacuate Norfolk.