Virginia Beach Virginia
The Virginia Beach Boardwalk is hands-down the most popular place in Virginia Beach and has been since the late 1800s. During the day it buzzes with the energy of families, sun-bathers, surfers, skaters, boat watchers and bicyclists. At night it's home to barhoppers, concertgoers, diners and leisurely walkers.
The original Virginia Beach Boardwalk was built in 1888. It consisted of a wooden promenade extending four blocks south from the Princess Anne Hotel. A fire that destroyed the hotel in 1907 also consumed most of the Boardwalk. Twenty years later, a $250,000 bond issue made it possible to rebuild a concrete walkway.
The walkway was lengthened in 1938 and 1939 and it currently extends three miles from Rudee Inlet to 40th Street. A new project to construct a seawall from Rudee Inlet to 58th Street includes a renovation of the Boardwalk in the years to come. The Boardwalk is a popular place for biking, skating and strolling. There's a separate path for cyclists. Nightly entertainment amuses people during the summer and on weekends during the spring and fall on three oceanfront stages.
The Boardwalk is also home to large festivals such as the Boardwalk Art Festival, held in June and one of the largest outdoor art festivals in the country. The Neptune Festival during the month of September is Virginia Beach's version of Mardi Gras celebrating the city's seafaring history with sporting events, music, fireworks, food, a parade and sand castle contests. The American Music Festival on Labor Day features a blockbuster lineup of national recording acts playing the nation's favorite sounds. There are more than 50 concerts on ten stages.
You will also come across many historic and current attractions along the Boardwalk such as the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum, the Old Coast Guard Station, the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier, the Norwegian Lady, the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia and the Tidewater Veterans Memorial.
The Boardwalk is home to many events and venues which makes it a favorite for all to enjoy.
So grab your family or friends and come to the Boardwalk for a day of fun. Don't forget your sunscreen and water though.