Beach & Beyond

After the surf and sand...the choice is yours. Between history, art, music, theater, shopping or hundreds of other activities the choice is yours. The following pages offer a brief overview of the possibilities beyond the beach. When you need a break from the beach, take time to discover the rich culture, history, heritage and entertainment opportunities found throughout the Hampton Roads areas. All within an hour’s drive is more to do than any other region in the country. On the following pages you will find the region’s most popular attractions, museums, historical sites and entertainment venues. We begin the journey here in Virginia Beach where it began nearly 400 years ago with the first land of the Jamestown settlers, just a few miles north of the present day resort area.

American Rover Tall Ship Cruises

757-627-SAIL (7245)
www.americanrover.com

This large graceful sailing ship is the ideal way to get a Tall Ship Sailing Experience and to explore the history and sights of Norfolk's bustling Harbor. Smooth narrated harbor cruises depart from Waterside in Downtown Norfolk mid - April thru late October. Plenty of shade and comfortable seating topside with air-conditioned below deck lounges, snack bar and restrooms. 757-627-SAIL (7245). Celebrating 20 years of cruising. www.americanrover.com
Spring and Fall
3pm - Every Day But Monday (2 Hour)
6pm Sunset Cruise - Call for schedule (2 Hour)
Summer
11:30am Wed thru Sat. (1 1/2 Hours)
3pm - Every Day (2 Hour)
6:30pm Sunset Cruise - Call for Schedule
10:30pm Saturday Party Cruise (2 Hour) (Starting June 17)
1 1/2 Hour Cruise $12 Adults, $8 Children
2 Hour Cruise $16 Adults, $10 Children
3 Hour Cruise $22 Adults, $12 Children

Busch Gardens Williamsburg

800-343-7946
www.buschgardens.com

Voted the world's "Most Beautiful Theme Park" for 16 consecutive years, Busch Gardens Williamsburg offers 100 acres of fun-filled world exploration. Renowned for such roller coaster creations as Apollo's Chariot, Alpengeist, the double-looping Loch Ness Monster, and The Big Bad Wolf, Busch Gardens delivers pulse-pounding adventure with its newest ride, Curse of DarKastle.
Your European adventure begins in England. Enjoy royal treatment where unique shops, a bakery and replicas of Big Ben and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre reside. "R.L. Stine's Haunted Lighthouse," provides immersive adventure from the twisted mind of R.L. Stine, renowned children's author. From England, your tour proceeds through Scotland, home to Busch Gardens' infamous Loch Ness Monster roller coaster. Unlike the legendary Scottish beast, this "Nessie" is a double-looping steel marvel full of pulse-quickening excitement.
Busch Gardens Williamsburg captures the essence of Ireland, from warm-hearted people and lush landscapes to ancient castles and fine Waterford Crystal. Adventure abounds with Corkscrew Hill, a white-knuckle, 4-D mythical Celtic journey. The Williamsburg park is dedicated to conservation and preservation of wildlife through numerous educational programs. Discover how adventurous learning can be at Jack Hanna's Wild Reserve. This wildlife area offers a fascinating and up-close look at some amazing animal species. Your world adventure continues through the picturesque country of France. Le Scoot log flume delivers cool relief on a hot summer's day with its 50-foot vertical plunge.
In Germany, explore fine gift shops featuring M.I. Hummel collectibles, hand-painted beer steins and carved wooden cuckoo clocks. Germany also is home to many rides and attractions including Alpengeist, an awarding-winning inverted steel roller coaster, and Land of the Dragons, a magical play area for children. Busch Gardens' newest attraction, Curse of DarKastle, sends passengers aboard gravity-defying sleighs through the mysterious corridors of a castle frozen in time. The Big Bad Wolf, a suspended roller coaster, also resides in this charming country.
No European adventure would be complete without a trip to Italy. Busch Gardens' Italian village fuses world-class rides with romantic song and dance, master craftsmanship and authentic cuisine. Brave visitors may tour the ruins of Mt. Vesuvius on Escape from Pompeii, a thrilling water ride with special effects. Da Vinci's Garden of Inventions features rides for adults and children alike while "Holiday In Roma" fills the air with the wonderful music of Italy. The country's towering landmark is Apollo's Chariot, a high-speed hypercoaster. You and your family will not want to miss the park's "spooktacular" fall event, Howl-O-Scream. Busch Gardens transforms more than 100 acres of lush landscaping into a scream park full of spine-tingling thrills. For more information regarding Busch Gardens admission rates or park hours, call 800-343-7946 or visit online at www.buschgardens.com.

Chrysler Museum of Art

245 West Olney Road
757-664-6200
www.chrysler.org

Visitors can view the Museum's world-renowned Tiffany and contemporary glass, photography, Impressionist paintings, Art Nouveau furniture, works of art from Egyptian, African, and Pre-Columbian cultures, and an extensive European and American collection of paintings, sculpture and decorative arts. The Chrysler Museum of Art offers significant educational programs and has an encyclopedic collection of over 30,000 objects spanning 5,000 years of art history and cultural and art-travel programming including lectures, tours, and films. As well as a popular gift shop, Cuisine & Co. Restaurant offers visitors an opportunity to dine in the museum's architecturally acclaimed atmosphere and the 400-seat Theatre is host to many musical and theatrical performances, children's programs, and lectures. Located at 245 West Olney Road in the Ghent section of Norfolk. For weekly events information call: 757-664-6200 during business hours. www.chrysler.org

Colonial Williamsburg

757/393-6962 • 800/HISTORY
www.colonialwilliamsburg.com

America's oldest and largest live interpretive history experience, Colonial Williamsburg's 301-acre Historic Area brings Virginia's 18th-century capital city to life every day. Visit with patriots and loyalists, tradespeople and merchants, hardy farmers and enslaved Africans. Debate the "issues of the day" with a founding father, take a carriage ride, stroll the streets, visit the shops and taverns where Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, George Washington, and others conceived the ideals of liberty, independence, and personal freedom that influenced the founding of this nation.
Spend an afternoon in the Revolutionary City and live through critical moments that signify Williamsburg's role and relevance to the American Revolution. Beginning in Spring 2006, the streets of the east end of the Historic Area will come alive as the town's inhabitants move through the day; wagons arriving and being unloaded, food and wares being sold, and heated conversations over horse races and cockfights won and lost.
Discover the events that led to the collapse of the royal government one day, then explore the theme of revolutionary citizens at war. Join in the colonists' rage at Dunmore's Proclamation. Listen as the newly written Declaration of Independence is read to the citizens of Williamsburg. Experience life in a town occupied by British forces. March from the Capitol to the Courthouse as General Washington and his troops begin their journey toward Yorktown and victory.
Watch the kids drill with the militia, roll hoops, or discover how it felt to be locked in the stocks. You'll enjoy shopping and dining in surroundings familiar to the town's colonial residents. Evening entertainments range from 18th-century music, dance, and theater to critically acclaimed movies. And, save some time to explore our traditional indoor museums. Please check the weekly program guide to learn about activities, exhibitions, and programming during your visit.
Centered in the historic triangle, Williamsburg provides a perfect base for exploration. Guests of the official, on-site Colonial Williamsburg Hotels are mere steps away from a wealth of dining, shopping, and recreational options, such as the shops of Merchants Square and the award-winning courses at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club. Guests of Colonial Williamsburg Hotels enjoy exclusive privileges and the quickest access to the Historic Area. Hotels comprise the world-renowned Williamsburg Inn, Providence Hall, Colonial Houses-Historic Lodging, Williamsburg Lodge, Woodlands Hotel & Suites and Governor's Inn. Ten restaurants, including four Historic Dining Taverns, offer an array of delicious options; from classic casual selections to tavern fare, there is something to satisfy all appetites. Golfers take note, there are more than 17,000 golf courses in America and only eight have received golf's two highest awards-the Gold Medal from GOLF Magazine and "5 Stars" from Golf Digest. The Golden Horseshoe proudly holds both. The 26 shops of Colonial Williamsburg and 40 boutiques and stores of Merchants Square are a shopper's delight. Unique wares include handcrafted fine furnishings, jewelry, clothing, keepsakes, and more.

History comes alive in these Newport News Museums

www.warmuseum.org • www.endview.org • www.leehall.org • www.newsomehouse.org

Visitors to the Newport News' city-owned museums experience history through historic interpreters, artifact presentations and storytelling.

• The Virginia War Museum, originally established in 1923 as a depository for World War I artifacts, is dedicated to the preservation of U.S. military history since 1775.

• Endview Plantation, c. 1769, features reenactments and Civil War living history programs.

• Lee Hall Mansion, c. 1859, served as the headquarters for Confederate generals Magruder and Johnston in 1862.

• The Newsome House Museum & Cultural Center is the restored 1899 Victorian home of J. Thomas Newsome.

For more information, visit www.warmuseum.org, www.endview.org, www.leehall.org or www.newsomehouse.org.

Take flight or plunge in - a visit to Hampton has it all

Hampton Day Pass makes travel simple, affordable
757-727-1102
www.spiritelitecruises.com

Welcome to a region rich in beaches, theme parks, historic attractions and adventures! Complimenting historic sites and longtime favorites are new attractions, shops and restaurants in Hampton that have made a big splash on the regional scene and provided vacationers with even more reason to love this city.
A new arrival sure to take flight is the Adventures In Flight gallery at the Virginia Air & Space Center. The gallery features a full-size DC-9 aircraft and hands-on exhibits simulating the flight experience in a variety of aircraft. Interactive exhibits, such as "A Day in the Life of a Suitcase" and "Air Traffic Control Slang," reveal the sometimes-mysterious aspects of air travel. Catch a 3-D IMAX film in the center's five-story theater. The Power Plant of Hampton Roads is home to several new theme restaurants centered on a lakeside promenade. New restaurants include Saddle Ridge Rock-n-Country Saloon with Rascal's Comedy Club and McFadden's, among others. Choose from waterfront dining, dancing and live entertainment for an experience as romantic or raucous as you wish to make it! Next door, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World boasts interactive displays such as skeet and laser arcades, fly-casting and a rock-climbing wall. Divers demonstrate fish feeding in the 10,000-gallon fish tank several times a week.
Hampton History Museum and the Cousteau Society are new to Hampton's vibrant downtown. Four hundred years of legend and lore provide introduction to the lovely Hampton of today. Pick up brochures and a Hampton Value Card at the Hampton Visitor Center, adjacent to the museum. Along the waterfront, the Cousteau Society gallery showcases artifacts and photography from Jacques Cousteau's undersea expeditions. The three-hour Miss Hampton II harbor tour departs here.
There are more must-see Hampton sites. The Casemate Museum, with the cell in which Confederate President Jefferson Davis was imprisoned following the Civil War, is located within the historic moat-encircled walls of Fort Monroe. A Hampton University campus visit begins at the Hampton University Museum, with a collection of 9,000 multicultural artifacts and works of art. A campus tour will include six National Historic Landmarks. If decadence and a stage production of international acclaim is more your style, you'll enjoy Phoebus and The American Theatre.
An ideal way to experience much of the excitement Hampton offers is to purchase the Hampton Day Pass Attractions Ticket. It includes admission to the Virginia Air & Space Center, Riverside 3-D IMAX Theater, Hampton History Museum, the Miss Hampton II, a spin aboard the Hampton Carousel and the Bass Pro Shops rock-climbing wall for one low price. Purchase an Attractions Ticket at the Hampton Visitor Center, the Virginia Air & Space Center or the Downtown Hampton Development Partnership. Call 757-727-1102 for visitor infomation.

Hampton History Museum

757-727-1610 • 800-800-2202

Experience the historical excitement of "four centuries on the Chesapeake Bay - from the sea to the stars." Hampton's history is chronicled through galleries featuring Native Americans, the early colonists, a bustling port, and the infamous Blackbeard. The changing nature of Hampton with "Contrabands" during the Civil War, the rise of "Crabtown USA" and modern Hampton are also depicted. Guided tours of the museum's ten galleries are provided. Open Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm, Sundays 1-5 pm. Closed major holidays. Home of the Hampton Visitor Center and Museum Shop. Call 757-727-1610 or 800-800-2202. I-64, exit 267.

Hampton University Museum

100 Museum Dr. • Newport News, VA 23606-3759
757/596-2222
www.hamptonu/edu/museum

Established In 1868 Hampton University Museum is the oldest African American museum in the United States and one of the oldest museums in Virginia. With over 9,500 objects including traditional art from Africa, Native America, Asia and Oceania; African American fine arts; and objects relating to the history of the University, there is something for everyone. The museum is located on Hampton University's historic 233 acre campus by the scenic Hampton River. The campus is home to five national historic landmarks. Among them is "Emancipation Oak" where Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation was read to the citizens of Hampton, and the Booker T. Washington Memorial Garden, which features a statue of the university's most famous graduate. Call 757-727-5308 or visit www.hamptonu/edu/museum.

Hands-on Activities Entertain And Educate All Ages At Jamestown Settlement And Yorktown Victory Center

888-593-4682 toll-free • 757-253-4838
www.historyisfun.org

History is an adventure at Jamestown Settlement and the Yorktown Victory Center, Williamsburg-area museums of 17th- and 18th-century Virginia. Whether trying on armor or wandering through soldiers' tents, people of all ages will find the past coming to life as they encounter costumed historical interpreters demonstrating everyday life in re-created settings. At Jamestown Settlement, a museum depicting the early years of America's first permanent English colony, visitors can board replicas of the three ships - Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery - that arrived in Virginia in 1607. They may try steering with a whipstaff or tiller, and on the Susan Constant, largest of the ships, descend to the deck below, where the passengers lived. On the ships' pier, visitors can delve into the contents of a "see" chest and learn how ship's rigging is used to lift and lower cargo.
Back on shore in a re-created Powhatan Indian village, visitors can pound corn kernels into meal and help fashion plant fiber into cordage, as well as learn how the Powhatans fashioned tools from bone and stone and processed deerskin to make clothing and furnishings. Inside a re-created colonial fort, games of ninepins or quoits can be played. Adults and children alike can feel well protected as they try on metal armor and watch as a historical interpreter fires a matchlock musket. In a riverfront discovery area, visitors learn about the role of waterways in 17th-century travel, commerce and cultural exchange among the Powhatan, European and African cultures. Adults and children can use oyster shells to scrape out a tree trunk to learn how Powhatans made canoes, work at a carpenter's wood-shaving bench, try hoisting barrels, and handle examples of trade items. The Yorktown Victory Center, a museum of the American Revolution, also engages visitors in hands-on history.
Here, kids can try on 18th-century clothing in a mirrored corner of "A Children's Kaleidoscope" discovery room. They can also copy from a hornbook, make rubbings of woodcuts, play the African game mancala and explore mystery boxes containing objects known to a colonial child. In an adjacent resource room, equipped with computer monitors and printed materials, adults can explore topics and issues presented in the museum's exhibition galleries. Outdoors, a Continental Army encampment re-creates the daily activities of Revolutionary soldiers. Visitors can explore their living quarters and try on a uniform, visit the camp surgeon's tent to learn about 18th-century medical techniques, and observe meal preparation at a unique earthen "kitchen." At the re-created 1780s farm, visitors can try breaking flax, one of the steps in producing linen thread, and in the farm's gardens, lend a hand pulling weeds and watering plants with hollowed-out gourds.
Exhibition galleries at both museums engage visitors of all ages in learning about the nation's past through vivid graphics and displays of period artifacts. Display panels at a child's eye level are written specifically for young visitors, asking thought-provoking questions that help them compare their lives today with life during 1600s Virginia and the Revolutionary War era.
Jamestown Settlement and the Yorktown Victory Center, located 20 miles apart in Virginia's "Historic Triangle," are open daily year-round except Christmas and New Year's days. The museums are adjacent to and complement the experience at Colonial National Historical Park, which encompasses Historic Jamestowne, the original site of America's first permanent English settlement, and Yorktown Battlefield, site of the decisive engagement of the American Revolution.
For more information, call 888-593-4682 toll-free or 757-253-4838, or visit www.historyisfun.org.

The Mariners’ Museum

100 Museum Dr. • Newport News, VA 23606-3759
757/596-2222
www.mariner.org

The Mariners' Museum, one of the largest and most comprehensive maritime history museums in the world, houses a treasure trove of more than 35,000 items inspired by human experiences with the sea. For over 70 years, The Mariners' has illustrated the spirit of seafaring adventure through a strikingly diverse collection of maritime artifacts: figureheads, hand crafted ship models, decorative arts, and small craft from around the world.
In 1987, The Mariners' Museum was designated as the institution charged with preserving and interpreting the artifacts recovered from the legendary Civil War ironclad, the USS Monitor. On March 9, 2007, exactly 145 years after the historic clash between the USS Monitor and CSS Virginia, The Mariners' Museum and its partner, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will open the doors to one of the premier Civil War attractions across the nation-the USS Monitor Center. Come to the Museum now and view Monitor artifacts on display including the iconic revolving gun turret.
One of the nation's largest private urban parks, The Mariners' Museum Park features 550 acres of rolling woodland and fields, including the 167-acre Lake Maury and the five-mile Noland Trail. The Mariners' Museum is an official site on the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail, and visitors can take advantage of our interactive backpack program to learn about topics ranging from the history of the park, its plants, and animals to environmental concerns.

Nauticus, The National Maritime Center

757-664-1000
www.TheNMC.org

This 120,000-square-foot, maritime-themed science center features hands-on exhibits, theaters with live actors, touch tanks, digital hi-definition films, Battleship Wisconsin exhibits, national-caliber traveling exhibits and more. Offering a fun and exciting educational experience for visitors of all ages, Nauticus, The National Maritime Center, located on the downtown Norfolk waterfront, features exciting hands-on exhibits that explore the naval, economic, and natural power of the sea. Nauticus' uniqueness is evident throughout its 120,000-square foot building. Feel the unique texture of a nurse shark's skin, touch a tornado, design a battleship, or participate in a simulated naval battle aboard an Aegis-class destroyer. Plus, experience a main deck tour of the Battleship Wisconsin,one of the last and largest battleships built by the U.S. Navy. While on-site at Nauticus, be sure to visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Education Resource Center and check out some of NOAA's engaging exhibits including "Science on a Sphere" — a dynamic six foot globe that displays 3-D animated images of our oceans and atmosphere. The Hampton Roads Naval Museum, located on Nauticus' second floor, examines more than two centuries of naval activity in and around the Hampton Roads harbor. Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Battleship Wisconsin, the Naval Museum also presents a chronology of the ship's history in "Wisky Walk: Fifty Years of Service." Complementing the maritime experience is the Banana Pier Gift Shop and Iron Whale café on site. Call 757-664-1000 or visit www.TheNMC.org for hours and admission fees.

Spirit of Norfolk

Toll Free 866-211-3803
www.spiritofnorfolk.com

Norfolk is a city defined by its historic waterways, and there's no better way to experience the wonder of it all than aboard the city's premier harbor cruise ship, the Spirit of Norfolk. Each fun-filled cruise is a bargain that includes huge buffets, live shows, dancing, and unique sightseeing including a close-up look at the Navy's Atlantic Fleet. Lunch & dinner available year-round. Call or go online for tickets. Walk-ups welcome as space allows. Docked At The Waterside Festival Marketplace. Toll Free 866-211-3803 www.spiritofnorfolk.com

Victory Rover Naval Base Cruises

757-627-7406
www.navalbasecruises.com

Experience the fastest and most popular way to see the world's largest Naval Base and Norfolk's Harbor. Two-hour cruises depart from Nauticus, The National Maritime Center, home of the Battleship Wisconsin in Downtown Norfolk. Cruise past the vessels that ensure our freedom - destroyers, cruisers, submarines, aircraft carriers and more. A fascinating, fact and fun filled narration is provided. Call 757-627-7406. www.navalbasecruises.com

The Virginia Aquarium

757-425-FISH
www.VirginiaAquarium.com

It's A Life Experience

Explore over 700,000 gallons of the best aquariums and live animal habitats in the country! From the freshwater of a coastal river to the Chesapeake Bay, and finally into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, the journey through Virginia waters at the Bay & Ocean Pavilion introduces you to the many aquatic animals and plants that are native to the state. Watch in wonder as sharks, stingrays, and other ocean dwellers navigate Norfolk Canyon Aquarium. Gather at the touch pools for a more up-close-and-personal interaction with sea stars, stingrays and horseshoe crabs.
Enter the Marsh Pavilion and experience life in Owls Creek salt marsh, the waterway on which the Aquarium is located. See dozens of exhibits featuring river otters, seahorses, fiddler crabs and a bird aviary. Experience life on a larger scale in the Aquarium's own 3D IMAX® Theater, which showcases films from educational to Hollywood releases. Images jump out into the seats off a screen that's big enough to show a life-sized whale. Come aboard our boat trips for a unique and memorable exploration of Virginia's marine environment. Boat trip offerings include: Dolphin Watching and Cruise the Creek, May - October; and Whale Watching January - March. Reservations are required except for Cruise the Creek. Call 757-437-BOAT. Dolphin and whale sightings are not guaranteed.
From April through October Aquarium visitors can experience Harbor Seal Splash, a unique in-water, two-hour interactive educational opportunity. Reservations are required (costs $125). Special restrictions may apply. Open daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Memorial Day - Labor Day) Just one mile south of the resort beaches. 757-425-FISH www.VirginiaAquarium.com