Trash!
Written: Jun 30 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: activities galore
Cons: trashy!
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| SlenderG's Full Review: Virginia Beach |
My father has fond memories of going to Virginia Beach as a child, and recalls it as a quaint, relaxed place. Well, sorry, daddy, not any more!
First of all, the drive down is excrutiating if you have to go through the Hampton Roads Tunnel. The last time I went I was stuck in the tunnel for an hour and a half. If you go to Virginia Beach, the worst time is Friday afternoon, try to avoid it if at all possible. It would almost be worth it to wake up at the crack of dawn Saturday morning to drive down.
Second of all, the quality of Virginia Beach has deteriorated rapidly in the past two decades. The downtown area has turned into a depressing mass of high rise hotels with neon signs. The shopping district is full of cheap, overpriced junk, usually accompanied by rude teenage employees. A further detractor is the boardwalk: VA Beach's boardwalk is not bordered by shops, as most boardwalks are. You have to actually venture INTO the streets to find the shops.
Downtown, the beaches are always packed, and sometimes not with the nicest people. I have a clear memory of walking around once when I was 14, being hooted at by two rednecks in a rusty pickup truck with a Confederate flag in the window. "How 'bout tonight?" they screamed, laughing. I was humiliated, of course.
If you do go to Virginia Beach, I would recommend trying the Fort Story Beach off Ocean Blvd. It is a nice beach, very wide, and tends to be less crowded than the downtown area. It also offers a bit of seclusion. If this is not possible, try to find a parking space near some of the houses in the residential area (this is hard to manage during the weekend), where you will find a quieter atmosphere.
Clearly I am biased against the downtown area, which I consider a despicable, dirty area, but I have to admit that VA Beach has its advantages for some people:
1) You don't get bored like you do at some beaches -- there is a lot of stuff to do: water parks, mini golf, restaurants, movies. I recommend the Surf and Sand Cinema for movies, and Pochahantas Pancake House for breakfast (the best on the beach)
2) The surrounding area, Norfolk and Newport News, has some interesting stuff to do, such as museums and historical exhibits
3) The ocean water is usually warmer than the Delaware or New England beaches, making for more enjoyable swimming. Another plus to this: the dolphins! On any given day at VA Beach, you will see a group of dolphins swimming by, sometimes coming very close to the people. It's kind of a thrill.
I recommend this beach for those who need constant activity and enjoy "trashy boardwalks" a la Ocean City, but discourage it for people who are seeking a relaxing, isolated beach vacation.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
SlenderG
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Reviews written: 19
Trusted by: 3 members
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