Photo courtesy of Virginia Beach
Wide, clean beaches set the stage for a memorable getaway, and a host of new experiences and accommodations add to the allure of the seaside city.
Dive headfirst into vacation season at one of the nation’s “top 23 places to travel in 2023” according to Conde Nast Traveler magazine. Wide, clean beaches set the stage for a memorable getaway, and a host of new experiences and accommodations add to the legendary allure of the seaside city. Looking ahead, here’s what’s new in Virginia Beach:
NEW, FUN EXPERIENCES
Virginia MOCA exhibits: Kara Walker: Cut to the Quick and LaToya M. Hobbs: Flourish
Now – June 11
Home to ever-changing exhibits, the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art recently opened a pair of larger-than-life shows featuring powerful and provocative images. Walker’s recognizable large-scale silhouette cutouts offer a counterpoint to Hobbs’ oversized portraits of women from her community. Admission to the gallery spaces is free, and a collection of artist demos, workshops, lectures and more complements the displays throughout their exhibition.
Bulls & Barrels Beach Rodeo
April 15 - 16
Saddle up for fun when the new Bulls & Barrels Beach Rodeo rides into town this spring. The first-ever competition held on sand, it’s an official SEBRA rodeo circuit stop and features bull and mini bull riding and barrel racing for Best of the Beach buckles. Award-winning rodeo clowns and a Mutton Busting competition offer added fun for the kids.
Something on the Menu
April 23 - 30
Taking their cue from Something in the Water’s myriad of music styles and performances, the Virginia Beach Restaurant Association serves up a complimentary week-long dining event across the city. Participating restaurants offer a casual groove, cool vibe and great eats with daily menu specials created just for the music festival.
Something In The Water
April 28 - 30
The multi-day music festival led by Virginia Beach native Pharrell Williams returns home this spring with a just-announced, star-studded international lineup that floods three oceanfront stages. “Pharrell’s Phriends” and other top talent includes Wu-Tang Clan, The Kid Laroi, Maren Morris, Machine Gun Kelly, Mumford & Sons and so many more. The “out of this world” event also spotlights arts and culture through a series of performances, capsule events and community activities designed to highlight unity, celebrate diversity and empower all.
JACKALOPE Fest
June 2 – 4
High adrenaline action sports turn up the heat with three days of competition and demonstrations by world-renowned athletes including Tony Hawk, in skateboarding, BASE jumping, breakdancing and bouldering. This is the first year Virginia Beach hosts the free event, featuring a collection of oceanfront venues to catch all the thrilling action! Skateboarder Chad Caruso is on a quest to set a Guinness World Record for riding more than 3,000 miles across the country to open the inaugural event on the Virginia Beach shoreline.
Beach IT!
June 23-25
A brand-new country music fest Beach IT! makes its debut this summer headlined by national recording artists Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan and Thomas Rhett and more turning up the heat on two huge beach stages as concert-goers kick up some sand in flip flops or boots along an eight-block stretch.
Beyond Van Gogh – The Immersive Experience
July 6 – Sept. 2
Experience the art of Vincent Van Gogh in a whole new way when the nation’s largest touring exhibit opens at the Virginia Beach Convention Center for the summer. The immersive environment puts visitors in the heart of 300 of the master’s works shown across 30,000 sq.ft. of displays and complemented by a moving musical score.
NEW HOTELS
Embassy Suites Resort property now open
Completing the Cavalier Resort campus, the $47MM Embassy Suites by Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Resort is one of only a dozen in the nation to earn the “resort” designation, and offers 157 luxury hotel suites, 10,000 s.f. of meeting and event space and many other first-class amenities. Indoor and outdoor pools, a 24/7 fitness center and a pair of new eateries – Arbuckle’s Bar & Grill and beachfront dining at the Taco & Tequila Shack – make it a destination all its own at the northern end of the city’s famed oceanfront Boardwalk.
The Moxy at Virginia Beach
Slated for a June 1 opening, The Moxy at Virginia Beach is putting the finishing touches on its newest location. The seven-story property features 134 oceanfront rooms with playful animated style that breaks from the conventional hotel experience, starting with a check-in at the bar and an outdoor pool with a slide from the second floor. Small but smart bedrooms and vibrant social spaces entice travelers to this modern accommodation option, and pets are welcomed.
K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel
Pets also are welcome at the nation’s top-rated luxury pet boarding brand, K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel, now open in Virginia Beach. Pamper your pup with an all-inclusive stay in an executive board room or luxury suite, and be confident in his care from professional staff providing “housekeeping,” “room service” for meals and “turndown service” with bedtime treats, all located less than 10 minutes from the oceanfront.
NEW WAYS TO ACCESS THE BEACH
Ride Freebee throughout the resort area
All-electric Tesla Model X vehicles comprise the courtesy fleet of Freebee shuttles that deliver on-demand, complimentary transportation throughout the bustling Virginia Beach resort area. Up to five riders per car hail a ride via the “Ride Freebee” mobile app and enjoy free travel throughout the oceanfront district from 11 am to 11 pm daily in 100% electric vehicles.
