Crazy about food? In Virginia Beach you can really go coastal!

Dine like a local with fresh oysters, blue crab and to-die-for fish tacos from places like Big Sam’s Raw Bar (we recommend the hot blue crab dip) and The Back Deck, where fish tacos are just $2 on Tuesdays.

For a more elevated dining experience, check out The Tin Cup Kitchen + Oyster Bar, which features both an elegant dining room and a bayside deck. If you think you can’t possibly eat seafood for every meal, think again: local fried oysters feature on their breakfast menu as part of their Chesapeake Benedict — the perfect kickoff to a day of fun by the water.

Want to wine and dine? Check out the rotating wine list at Love Song, which specializes in biodynamic wines. Similar to organic farming, biodynamic farming views the vineyard as an entire ecosystem, and also takes into account things such as astrological influences and lunar cycles in the cultivation of grapes.

Whether you’re a beach bum, an outdoor thrill seeker or a foodie, round off your Virginia Beach trip with a stroll down the Boardwalk. Stretching nearly five kilometres along the oceanfront, there are separate paths for biking, blading and walking. In the summer, you’ll find live entertainment dotting the boardwalk, as well as at the four oceanfront stages — plus a plethora of outdoor oceanfront dining and bike rental places. Don’t miss the King Neptune statue, a seven-metre bronze statue that will make for an iconic photo opportunity.

Where to stay

There’s no shortage of waterfront, sunrise-view rooms to choose from in Virginia Beach, and you can’t go wrong with many lodging choices on the oceanfront. If you’d rather camp, there’s options for that too. And, if you want to get away from it all, check out the Sandbridge neighbourhood for cozy vacation home rentals on a secluded beach hideaway.

This article is sponsored by Virginia Beach. Start planning your adventure.