Virginia Beach

The heart of Virginia Beach—a stretch of the Atlantic shore from Cape Henry south to Rudee Inlet—has been a popular summertime destination for years. With 6 mi of public beach, high-rises, amusements, and a busy 40-block boardwalk, Virginia's most populated city is now a place for communion with nature. The boardwalk and Atlantic Avenue have an oceanfront park; an old-fashioned fishing pier ($7.50) with shops, a restaurant, and a bar; and a 3-mi bike trail. The farther north you go, the more beach you find in proportion to bars, T-shirt parlors, and video arcades. Most activities and events in town are oriented to families.