Summer is almost here, and you might be wondering how you’re going to keep your little ones amused while school is out. Don’t worry – I’ve got you covered. Here’s my guide to Fun for Kids in Virginia Beach.
Virginia Beach has something for everyone – especially kids and families. I’ve organized these ideas into categories: Sports, Parks, Museums, Food & Drink, Activities, Beaches. If I have left anything out, please let me know!
Activities
- iFLY – All the thrills of skydiving, with none of the risk! iFly is an indoor skydiving studio at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Their website says that they create a “simulation of true freefall conditions in a vertical wind tunnel.”
- Escape Room – Do your kids like puzzles? Then they’ll love Escape Room! It’s simple: a group has to work together to solve a puzzle to get out of a locked room. There’s also The Room VB.
- Laser Quest – Hide-and-seek, with laser guns. Fun for kids and adults.
- Paintball – Adults and kids alike will enjoy this 35 acre obstacle course designed for paintballing.
- Libraries – The Virginia Beach Public Library system offers all kinds of story times and classes throughout the summer. You could learn how to use Microsoft PowerPoint, or go to one of many story hours for small children. Teen events include anime and manga clubs, craft seminars and free language courses. And of course, you can join the summer reading challenge.
- Hunt Club Farm Petting Zoo – The only petting zoo in Virginia Beach! There are goats, llamas, ponies, chickens, pigs, sheep, turkeys, donkeys, peacocks… we could go on and on. Pony rides are usually available, and on hot summer days, they often turn on the sprinkler – for the kids, not the animals. Also the site of the famous Haunted Hunt Club.
- Iceland Ice Skating Center – Learn how to ice skate, join a hockey league, or just have fun during the free skate hours.
- Ocean Breeze Water Park – Virginia Beach’s most beloved water park! Wave pool, more than 30 rides and slides, shopping, dining, and more. Free sunscreen, free parking, and free inner tubes included.
- Motor World – Right next door to Ocean Breeze is Motor World, home of cart racing, bumper boats, paintball, mini golf, and the skycoaster. Motor World has lots to offer all ages, so check it out!
- Atlantic Fun Park – Our very own amusement park at the Oceanfront. The rides are similar to what you’d find at a travelling carnival, and include a ferris wheel, tilt-a-whirl, gravitron, and other familiar favorites.
- Haygood Roller Skating – The biggest indoor roller skating rink in the state of Virginia. And it has much more than roller skating, offering an arcade, pizzeria, playplace for wee ones, and bowling.
- Bowling – Bowling is still fun for kids in Virginia Beach! There are several bowling alleys in Virginia Beach, including Lynnhaven and Hilltop. The Hilltop facility even offers day care, youth bowling leagues, and party nights with karaoke.
- Horseback Riding at 31st Street – Take a horseback ride along the ocean! Rides are available from 31st Street south to the pier and back. You might get to ride the horse into the waves.
- SkyZone Trampoline Park – Play dodgeball, basketball, or just hop around, all on trampolines! Some of their programs even include pizza and a drink.
- Bounce House – An inflatable kids fun park! Slides, trampolines, climbing walls, tunnels and more. The current special is $10 for 5 five days of unlimited play (just $2/day!).
- Ynot Wednesdays – The summer concert series at Town Center. This free outdoor concert embraces several genres of music, including Motown, pop, country, reggae, 80s, etc. Listen to free music while you hang out at the fountain.
Sports
- Field House – This massive indoor sports facility has lots to choose from: either the Fun Zone indoor playground or one of their many summer camp opportunities.
- VB Rec Centers – Our Recreation Centers offer a summer camp service run by the city, with all kinds of amenities: pools, basketball courts, arcade games, and more. The Williams Farm facility even has an indoor water park and rock-climbing wall.
- YMCA – With locations at Princess Anne, Hilltop, Mt Trashmore, Indian River, and elsewhere, the YMCA is more accessible to Virginia Beach than ever before. Their summer programs include golfing, overnight camping trips, and day camps.
- Kayaking – rent a kayak and explore Munden Point or Stumpy Lake. You can paddleboard too! Rentals are available right there at the park.
- School-Based Summer Camps – Many Virginia Beach elementary schools and middle schools offer camps run by the VB Parks & Rec.
Parks
Our local parks are a great source of fun for kids in Virginia Beach. Not only do we have lots of neighborhood parks and playgrounds, we also have state and national parks filled with kid-friendly activities.
- Kids Cove & Mt Trashmore – Mt Trashmore has miles of walking trails, complemented by the massive playground at Kids Cove. You can also fly a kite on the mountaintop, play volleyball, have a picnic, check out FREE soccer balls or frisbees from the office, zoom around the skate park, or get a workout from their fitness stations.
- First Landing State Park – Legend has it that Blackbeard used the area as a hideout. Go fishing, rent a cabin, camp overnight, hike the trails, host a picnic, rent a canoe… the possibilities are endless.
- Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge – Back Bay, like First Landing, is a great place to go hiking or camping. This year they are also offering a Nature Camp and Back Bay Explorer Program. Activities include a re-creation of a sea turtle’s nest and various arts and crafts.
Museums
Think museums don’t offer any fun for kids in Virginia Beach? You might be pleasantly surprised:
- Virginia Aquarium – The Virginia Aquarium has all kinds of activities year-round. There are boat trips, nature play sessions, and summer camps. They also have IMAX movie nights every Saturday.
- Military Aviation Museum – MAM specializes in planes from World War I and WWII. There are several air shows this summer, or you can even sign up to ride in one of the planes!
- Cape Henry Lighthouse – Tour one of the oldest lighthouses in America. The view at the top is incredible!
- Francis Land House – You may have driven by Francis Land House before and wondered “What is that place?” Think of it as our own tiny piece of Colonial Williamsburg, but without the long drive up I-64. The Francis Land House offers tours by guides dressed in period costume. The house is old – from 1725 – and is a fun step back to the Colonial era.
- MOCA – Do you like art? The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art might be for you. They sometimes do a free Family Fest where your kids can make their own art or complete a scavenger hunt. There’s also a Summer Art Camp.
Food & Drink
- English Rose Tea Room – Have a tea party! This charming tea shop near the Francis Land House offers dozens of teas, yummy scones, and a delightful English grandmother atmosphere. Stay for a formal tea, or get a full lunch.
- Field House Grille – Remember the Field House up above? Well, they also have a restaurant. Relax with a hamburger and fresh beer on tap while your little ones play soccer.
- Ynot Pizza – Create some fun for kids in Virginia Beach with Italian food! At Ynot, your kids can play with the dough while they wait for their meal, or make their own pizza.
- Cinema Cafe – Eat your dinner while you watch the latest blockbuster. The kids can have nachos or hot dogs, while adults can enjoy margaritas and craft brews.
Beaches
Last but not least… what good is a Virginia Beach guide to fun without the beach?!
- Chick’s Beach – There’s lots to do in Chick’s Beach, whether it’s fishing, boating, golfing, having a good meal, or just enjoying the beach itself.
- Sandbridge Beach – The hidden locals beach, and Little Island Park, offer plenty of opportunities to while away the day.
- The Oceanfront – There’s so much to do at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, I wouldn’t even know where the start… go surfing, visit a Haunted House, get an antique picture taken, go shopping, rent a bike, try your hand at mini-golf, visit the Norwegian Lady, and much, much more.
- The Beach at First Landing – The beach itself is beautiful, but you could also visit the memorial to the First Landing of the Jamestown Colonists, count the barges coming through the Bay, or build a sandcastle.
So there you have it. This is my list of Fun for Kids in Virginia Beach – if you like it, maybe I’ll do a Fun for Kids in Chesapeake too! If I’ve left anything out, please let me know. I’m happy to make changes!