If your family is moving to the Hampton Roads area for the first time, you’re in for a treat! Hampton Roads, VA, covers multiple cities, earning itself the title The Seven Cities.
If you're wondering whether Hampton Roads is a good place for military families, the answer, in short, is yes. This region breeds endless opportunities to explore and play while stationed on the East Coast. Here's a list to begin your adventures.
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Virginia Beach Boardwalk
Iconic to the region, the boardwalk boasts traditional fun and fare, but has plenty of Virginia Beach specialties to make the location unique. If you’re a Virginia Beach local, you’ll be able to take advantage of the slower, more family-friendly weekdays in the summer and off-season when the boardwalk is less crowded. Tourists from around the world arrive on the weekends, so be prepared for Hampton Roads traffic and longer lines.
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
One of Virginia Beach’s biggest attractions is also one of its most kid-approved. The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center offers more than sharks, sea turtles, otters, stingrays, and hundreds of other marine species.
The glass tunnels that allow kids to get up close to animals are a unanimous favorite. For next-level fun, spot a dolphin in its natural habitat on one of the seasonal boat rides. Whether you need a rainy-day activity or an excuse to escape the summer heat, the aquarium makes for an easy day of family fun.
Chesapeake Planetarium
A fun education and an escape from the heat? Yes, please! The planetarium in Chesapeake is part of the local school system, but the public is welcome to take part in programming throughout the year. Astronomy programs include Sky Shows offered every other week and the Monthly Feature Shows on the last Saturday of each month. The planetarium also offers a handful of telescope programs to help you observe objects in the sky.
Virginia Air & Space Science Center
Plan a trip to the Virginia Air & Space Science Center in Hampton. As the NASA Langley Research Center visitor center, the museum combines history with hands-on fun. Interactive exhibits like the Space Gallery and Digital Airplane Studio encourage curious minds to experiment, explore, and learn about aviation and space travel.
Bluebird Gap Farm
Also in Hampton, Bluebird Gap Farm is a local favorite and one of the best free activities in Hampton Roads. The 60-acre farm is home to goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, peacocks, and other animals that children can visit up close. Several playgrounds and picnic areas make it an effortless outing.
Norfolk Zoo
You can’t claim a city as your own until you’ve toured the local zoo! Parents of smaller kids love the Norfolk Zoo's size and accessibility. The major animals kids love to see are on site: lions, giraffes, elephants, and farm animals. The giraffes and farm animals have interactive options to get up close and personal.
A kid-sized train runs the course of the zoo throughout the day, so everyone can take a rest and view the zoo grounds. Pack the swimsuits so the kids can enjoy cooling off in the splash garden at the front of the zoo.
Children’s Museum of Virginia–Portsmouth
Hands-on and designed for kids to poke and prod, the exhibits are entertaining and focused on topics they adore. There’s a room dedicated to trains, a grocery store, and a music store to play with instruments made from unusual household objects. Finally, there’s a bubble room where children create bubbles of all sizes, including their own!
Colonial Williamsburg
Decidedly the most touristy destination in Hampton Roads, VA, Williamsburg may seem run-of-the-mill at first glance, but each trip promises something different if you know where to look.
Newcomers focus on the grounds of Colonial Williamsburg, a live-action recreation of one of the nation’s first settlements. Repeat guests find new things to do during presentations, reenactments, and activities such as Hands-On: Spy Craft.
Water Country USA
If summertime is your kid’s favorite time, head to Water Country USA to keep cool and entertained. A lazy river and the Cutback Water Coaster are the very beginning of what’s beyond the gates at Water Country USA.
The park accommodates the smallest kids with shallow, heated splash pads and pint-sized water slides. Older kids have it even better, with more than a dozen water slides and rides. Parents, be sure to reserve a cabana as a central meeting place and a place to eat and take a breather from all of the fun.
Busch Gardens
You can’t come to Williamsburg without heading to Busch Gardens. But since you live in the Hampton Roads area, there’s no need to pack everything into one day, or even the summer season. Visiting Busch Gardens for the Halloween or Christmas events, instead of fighting the summer crowds, is a great way to take in another festive activity. Using your free entrance from the Waves of Honor program makes it more affordable to visit the park multiple times per year.
One of the best things about being a family in Hampton Roads is that there’s always something new to discover. Whether your gang prefers history, animals, beaches, outdoor adventures, or simply finding a favorite weekend tradition, there are so many kid-friendly things to do in Hampton Roads.
Wondering what else your family should know before moving to Hampton Roads? The Military Family Guide to Hampton Roads is a free guide packed with the details every newcomer needs, including information on weather, schools, and navigating Hampton Roads traffic.
