Photo by Nan Ryant
The beachfront at Delta Hotels by Marriott Virginia Beach Bayfront Suites in Virginia Beach
PHOTOS BY NAN RYANT
With COVID vaccines under our belt, we were ready to hit the road for a long awaited weekend getaway. Virginia Beach has long been our go-to beach for decades, however due to family obligations and the ongoing pandemic, we had not been to "the Beach” for several seasons. We were eager to explore the new “old” Virginia Beach.
Our “home away from home” was the new Delta Hotels by Marriott Virginia Beach Bayfront Suites located on Shore Drive, between the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and First Landing State Park. It is Virginia Beach’s only beachfront hotel on the Chesapeake Bay and is an ideal location if you’re looking for a quieter waterfront location away from the hubbub of the oceanfront. This area is commonly known as Chic’s Beach to locals. It’s also one of the only locations where you can watch both the sunrise and sunset over water.
As part of a new/old Virginia Beach theme we noticed, the hotel is on the site of the old Virginia Beach Resort Hotel and Conference Center. It had fallen into disrepair and desperately needed updating. The model of the current owners and management company is to go into a community and revitalize distressed properties. The property was purchased in 2018 and was taken down to the steel beams and rebuilt as a vital part of the local community. The hotel is conscious of its carbon footprint and incorporates sustainability practices throughout its operations. For example, they are setting up a beach toy exchange, where parents can rent toys for a week, then return them in exchange for popsicles at the end of their stay. Barely used plastic
Photo by Nan Ryant
A staircase at Delta Hotels by Marriott Virginia Beach Bayfront Suites carries out the hotel's seaside theme .
toys are kept out of landfills and kids get rewarded for recycling their beach toys. The hotel’s signature restaurant, The Tin Cup + Oyster Bar works with the Brock Environmental Center and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to recycle oyster shells, replenishing local oyster beds.
When you enter the new hotel, which just opened this spring, the lobby has a contemporary nautilus feel with a winding staircase leading to the second-floor hospitality area. Guests are offered a large living room area complete with sofas, fireplace, work tables and comfy arm chairs to relax in or work virtually. The second floor also houses a spacious fitness center, Seas the Day gift/rental shop, and the Tin Cup Kitchen + Oyster Bar restaurant.
The restaurant’s name is a nod to the heavy military presence in the Hampton Roads area. As the military expression goes…“Whiskey tastes better from a tin cup.” The restaurant features seafood and local oysters in a casual environment with indoor and outdoor seating available. We sampled a delicious unblended, low-sugar piña colada developed by the bar manager for his diabetic mother. Refreshing and unlike anything we’ve tasted! We also took the hotel staff’s recommendation and ordered the mussels and Caesar salad; both were excellent. Due to a few “glitches” in the kitchen, our main course was less than great, however we were compensated with two delectable desserts. We chalked up the restaurant misadventure to opening stumbles. I certainly would not write off this restaurant as a lost cause.
Photo by Nan Ryant
A view from a room at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Virginia Beach Bayfront Suites.
The hotel offers 295 one- and two-bedroom suites with separate living spaces with sofa beds, a mini refrigerator and microwave. There are a few kitchen suites which offer kitchenware, a full stovetop and refrigerator. Most suites offer at least partial bay views and furnished balconies. A nautical theme is carried out throughout the hotel décor, with hues of blue, gold and white and artwork referencing the presence of lighthouses and historical shipwrecks. We especially enjoyed sitting on the balcony of our one-bedroom suite watching the watermen at work with their crab pots and fishing nets, the kite and wind surfers off Chic’s Beach and the locals and tourists enjoying the beautiful sandy beach. All while drinking a glass of wine. Relaxation at its best!
The Chic’s Beach area features many local hotspots, among them Hot Tuna, Commonwealth Brewery, Mermaid Winery and Taste. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Brock Environmental Center is also near the hotel and is a model of one of the world’s greenest buildings. It is energy and water-independent, utilizes solar and wind power and recycles 100 percent of its rainwater and wastewater. It is currently closed to the public due to the pandemic, however it is worth checking out their website for further information.
Venturing out, we traveled east on Shore Drive from the hotel toward the oceanfront to Atlantic Avenue in North End Virginia Beach. This is a residential area with multimillion-dollar beach homes interspersed with quaint old beach cottages and quiet stretches of wide beaches. Beautiful and quiet! Even though finding a parking spot can be tricky, it is easy to get on to the beach via public access paths.
The Edgar Cayce Association for Research and Enlightenment, “A.R.E.”, located on Atlantic Avenue and 67th St in the North End, is the perfect example of "new and old Virginia Beach." The original Edgar Cayce Hospital for Research and Enlightenment was founded in 1928, closed during the Great Depression, was repurchased in 1954 and renovated in 2014. The A.R.E. campus houses its world headquarters, Atlantic University, Cayce/Reilly School of Massage, the A.R.E. Health Center and Spa and Cayce/Miller Café.
Photo by Nan Ryant
Walking the labyrinth at A.R.E. in Virginia Beach.
We met with the spa manager, Celeste, who had arranged for us to experience an AlphaSphere session. As stated in the spa’s press release: “Created in Austria, AlphaSphere is an ergonomically-designed lounger that envelopes the senses with soothing sound, color and vibration therapy to take you to your happy place, lowering your heart rate and high blood pressure and relieving muscle tension and stress. Color is a core therapy of the AlphaSphere experience, with four programs providing distinct benefits. Basic Blue brings calm and balance, Sensitive Pink is gently inspiring, Intense Red is strengthening and empowering while Energy Orange rejuvenates and revitalizes. This one of a kind experience simultaneously incorporates three Edgar Cayce recommended therapies. Enjoyed fully clothed, a 30 minute session costs $35.” I felt amazingly calm and focused after my Sensitive Pink session, and my husband was energized and raring to go after his Energy Orange session. The AlphaSphere treatment setup is the only one of its kind in the Western hemisphere, so we were excited to have been afforded the opportunity. Other services offered at the spa include massage therapy, bodywork, hydrotherapies, acupuncture, chiropractic and more.
Photo by Nan Ryant
The the ViBe section of Virginia Beach features amazing murals of all different styles.
While visiting the center, be sure to visit the Cayce/Miller Café featuring Graze Kitchen & Catering, under the direction of Chef Shelley Kilby, for delicious healthy food and beverages. We enjoyed our late lunch at the picnic tables overlooking the ocean, next to the labyrinth and adjacent meditation garden. It was such a beautiful day, so we lounged a bit soaking up some sun and relaxing for a wonderful afternoon at the A.R.E.
We awoke the next morning after a refreshing night’s sleep with the plan of visiting Mary’s Restaurant on 17th Street, an old favorite for breakfast, in the ViBe section of Virginia Beach. The ViBe section is truly “old” Virginia Beach that has been re-energized with many art galleries and artist’s studios. The area buildings are decorated with amazing murals of all different styles.
Unfortunately, Mary’s was closed for the week while we were visiting due to a shortage of help (like many restaurants these days), but they have incredible home-cooked food at very reasonable prices. Be sure to look them up if you’re in the area.
The resort area along Atlantic Avenue, anchored by the iconic three-mile-long oceanfront boardwalk, features block after block of hotels and resorts, museums and classic beach souvenir shops. Since our last beach trip, the amount of new construction underway is amazing. We decided to hit up a Virginia Beach staple, Waterman’s Surfside Grille at 4
Photo by Nan Ryant
Getting up close with a shark at the aquarium in Virginia Beach!
15 Atlantic Ave, for an oceanside brunch. Waterman’s Surfside Grille is known not only for its ocean-minded fare, it’s also synonymous with Virginia Beach’s favorite drink, The Orange Crush. Each year, Waterman’s bartenders serve over a half-million Orange Crush cocktails. We enjoyed a brunch of eggs Benedict with crab and since we had a trip to the Virginia Aquarium planned for the afternoon, we decided to forgo the Orange Crushes. Next time!
Continuing south on Atlantic Avenue at the end of the Oceanfront is Rudee Inlet, the hub of fishing charters, jet skiing and parasailing. There is also Grommet Park, the first
Photo by Nan Ryant
Turtles frolic in the water at the aquarium in Virginia Beach,
ocean-side beach playground in the country designed specifically for children and adults of ALL physical abilities. It is a remarkable park with 100 percent wheelchair access. Beach-accessible wheelchairs are available free of charge on a first-come, first-serve basis.
A few blocks farther south past the Rudee Inlet Bridge is the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center located at 717 General Booth Blvd. It is an impressive structure with thousands of animals representing over 300 species displayed in entertaining and educational exhibits of interest to all ages. The aquarium is not only an exciting tourist destination, it is also a serious participant in several marine science research projects.
Photo by Nan Ryant
Commune is a locally owned, made from scratch, farm to table restaurant offering up an eclectic menu in Virginia Beach.
We ended our beach trip with a delicious lunch at Commune, a locally owned, made-from-scratch, farm-to-table restaurant. This local delight located in the ViBe section and has an onsite bakery, locally brewed Kombucha and a broad menu of traditional, vegetarian and vegan offerings. Proving that it is truly a small world, we learned that one of the farmer-suppliers is an old friend of my husband’s, whom he has not seen in more than 30 years!
We are encouraged by the planning and forethought that Virginia Beach is taking with its development and revitalization plans. The attention paid to sustainability practices and accessibility for all is noteworthy. We look forward to our next trip to the Beach.
