The area’s historical sites tie Virginia Beach to the first permanent English settlement of over 400 years ago. In fact, First Landing State Park is where John Smith alighted before he went on to Jamestown. They’ve got museums too, including the Virginia Marine Science Museum, voted on of the top ten marine science aquariums/museums in the US.

If you think Virginia Beach is only beach, you’re missing the boat. More than 106 square miles of wetlands and water, a 3,000-acre state park, and two wildlife refuges await. Amazingly, being this close to Virginia’s largest city, the natural ecological areas surrounding Virginia Beach are among the most pristine and undiscovered ecological areas along the mid-Atlantic. Even on a rainy day (and there aren’t many), the wildlife, including native birds, whales, and dolphins, are close enough for you to get a good look at them up close and personal.