Archive for the ‘With The Kids’ Category
Friday, May 17th, 2013 by Guest Blogger
Editor’s Note: This week in The Beach Report, one of my colleagues takes the keyboard as a guest blogger on ShoreLines.
Jamie Mitchell, CMP, a Convention Sales Manager with the Virgina Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, works in Virginia Beach and lives with her family across the river in Portsmouth. The Mitchell Family enjoyed a fun “Mother’s Day staycation” last week at the Oceanfront. They had a ball! So much so, that I convinced Jamie to share the details so we could use her post as a refreshing reminder for those of us lucky enough to live in Hampton Roads – your best time this summer awaits you right here in Virginia Beach. Thanks for sharing, Jamie!
Note to those traveling to see us this weekend or are already here: You chose a FANTASTIC TIME TO VISIT!!!!!! Why, you ask? Where do we begin! How about………….AIRBIRDS! PIRATE PARTY! CLASSIC CARS! BEACH MUSIC! DOLPHINS! SUN! SAND! SURF!
Get the picture???!!
Have Fun!
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Meeting Planner by Day, Fun Loving Mom Always!
 The Mitchell's enjoy the VB Boardwalk by surrey Last weekend my family and I decided it was time for a little getaway. Luckily, we didn’t have to go far! We spent the weekend at the Virginia Beach oceanfront and had a blast! We did as much as we could do in less than 48 hours. We started off with a wonderful dinner at Waterman’s. Afterward we strolled the boardwalk to take in “Monsters on the Beach” (monster truck show). My 8 year-old son was fascinated and my 19 month-old loved all of the excitement. We settled in to our hotel, the newly renovated Sheraton, and my oldest insisted on pool time immediately. He made several new friends and had a great time before swiftly falling off to sleep once we returned to our room.
On Saturday morning we enjoyed the breakfast buffet at the hotel and then had more pool time as the day warmed up. We then hit the beach for some fun in the sun followed by a dip in the outdoor pool. Next we cruised the boardwalk on a family bike ride where we listened to the PANorama Caribbean Music Fest. After a delicious lunch at Dough Boys Pizza it was off to the Virginia Aquarium. The kids loved the exhibits and my husband (an avid fisherman) did too! We took a brief rest and then headed out to Rockafellers to enjoy a delicious meal on the deck. The weather was perfect for outside dining and the “local flavor” offerings were amazing. Back to the hotel for more swimming (my son LOVES to swim) before we all fell into a restful night’s sleep.
We ended our getaway with a delicious breakfast at local’s spot, Doc Taylor’s. Ray and the crew were in outstanding form even though both the house and the seaside lounge were near capacity. We had many more things on our “to do” list but unfortunately not enough time. Guess we’ll have to plan another staycation soon!
Tags: BeachEvents, free family fun, Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, Virginia Beach fun
Posted in Living the Life, The Beach Report, With The Kids
Thursday, May 16th, 2013 by Sherry Friel
Strawberries, strawberries, strawberries! It’s peak strawberry picking season in Virginia Beach, and the beautiful weather we’ve had recently has ensured the yield is indeed a bountiful and tasty one.
I just checked out the 2013 Virginia Beach Strawberry Guide to see which farms were ready to be harvested, and the selection was outstanding! A recent update on the Brookdale Farm Facebook page even offers quite a deal for Facebook fans, so it’s a good idea to check out the pages for all local strawberry producers before heading out. Wherever you end up, especially if you head out before the weekend, it’s likely you’ll encounter the following scenario mentioned on Brookdale’s page:
“We are now at the PEAK of the strawberry season and to say that our plants are hanging heavy with ripe berries that need picking NOW is a bit of an understatement, especially at our Pungo farm! Warmer weather the rest of this week means the berries will ripen faster.”
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Tags: buy fresh, buy local, fresh strawberries, strawberrry recipes
Posted in Culinary / Dining, Living the Life, With The Kids
Monday, October 22nd, 2012 by Katherine Jackson
 Yesterday, I took a short walk through a corn maze on Flanagan Farm at the corner of Princess Anne and North Muddy Creek Road. I had never walked through a corn maze before, or any maze for that matter, but after reading an article about the history of mazes and labyrinths, I wanted to try one. Although my sense of direction isn’t always the best, I only took two wrong turns, and since each of them led to a dead end, I had no trouble finding my way back to the right route. It was a pleasant, three-quarter mile stroll, with a brilliant blue sky above and the sound of corn stalks rustling all around. I found the exit within twenty minutes. After I left the corn maze, I wandered through the adjacent pumpkin patch.
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Tags: corn maze, fall outdoor activities, fruit & vegtable calendar, pumpkin patches in Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach farms
Posted in Living the Life, The Great Outdoors, With The Kids
Wednesday, September 19th, 2012 by Katherine Jackson
 Photo credit: Katherine Jackson A walk through the pine-scented air at Bayville Farms Park conclusively demonstrates why the Arbor Day Foundation has named Virginia Beach a “Tree City USA” since 1980. Although a portion of the park’s 68 acres are open fields, a significant amount of the park is populated by evergreen and deciduous trees. I’m talking huge trees. Giant pines, elderly hardwoods, and flowering crape myrtles. Nestled beneath the trees are the kinds of old-school amenities that people traditionally go to parks to enjoy: horseshoe pits, picnic shelters with grills, children’s playgrounds, and solitary benches where visitors can spend time in quiet reflection. In fact, there’s something for everyone: tennis, shuffleboard, basketball, badminton, corn hole, softball and volleyball. There’s a TRX Suspension Frame, an outdoor fitness system that provides resistance training using straps and the weight of your own body. There’s even a fishing pond. If you’re not in the habit of participating in these sports but want to give them a try, a variety of equipment can be rented from the park office.
 Photo credit: Katherine Jackson
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Tags: Bayville Farms Park, disc golf, free things to do in Virginia Beach, fun with the kids, open space in Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation
Posted in Living the Life, With The Kids
Monday, June 11th, 2012 by jsloggiepierce
 Stroller Striders working out on the beach What an especially great time of year to live in Virginia Beach. In one week, I’ve gotten a great workout, played in the sand, witnessed amazing aerial feats, started family traditions in the backyard, enjoyed me-time on the water, celebrated a love of running, and watched dozens of tall ships sail into the Chesapeake Bay. Here’s a recap of
“A Week in The Life” ~ The first Friday of June, I joined Stroller Strides for a workout at the Oceanfront. The pre- and post-natal fitness program, which allows moms to get a full-body workout while pushing their babies in strollers, originated in California 11 years ago, and there has been a chapter in Virginia Beach since 2003. After getting sweaty with a dozen of my mom friends, I changed into my swimsuit and took the kids down into the sand where we splashed in the surf and made sandcastles before being treated to a practice run of the Patriotic Festival’s Air Show. While thousands of people flocked to the Oceanfront over the weekend to see the Blue Angels and three nights of live concerts, locals and visitors who arrived in town early got to see some pretty cool aerial stunts without any crowds.
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Tags: Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, fun in Virginia Beach, living the life, summer fun in Virginia Beach
Posted in Events, Living the Life, With The Kids
Friday, June 1st, 2012 by Teresa Diaz
 Photo Credit: Brande Rumpf
I have to admit I’m feeling pretty spoiled these days. Not like “I won the lottery” spoiled or anything like that, but the little perks that come with my job make “Living the Life” in Virginia Beach all the better. Take my office location, for example. I’m situated about seven blocks from the Oceanfront. On any day I get the urge, I can just lace up my sneakers and hit the streets, finding myself at the boardwalk inside of just a few minutes. From there, it’s just a matter of whatever mood I’m in: south, toward the jetty to check out the surfers or the kids having a blast at Grommet Island, or north, toward the King. It’s perfect and I just love it!
 Photo Credit: Brande Rumpf
Today, my office location afforded me another convenient perk: a perfect stage to view a practice session of the fabulous air show which kicks off the 2012 Patriotic Festival. As I type this post, the world-famous and incredibly awesome Blue Angels flying team is buzzing the building every few minutes as the prep for the weekend. Twisting, turning and flying within inches of each other at crazy speeds, this is one show that never gets boring. It’s both exhillarating and nerve-wracking to watch this team perform aeronautical feats like the Diamond Roll, the Delta Roll, the Fleur De Lis and a litany of other death-defying moves. I’ve seen the Blue Angels dozens of times and I never get tired of their show. Catch them this weekend and you’ll see why!
The Patriotic Festival is one of our more popular events and we’re looking forward to hosting thousands this weekend for the air show, the concerts and two full days of family fun. The air show will be visible from a multitude of spots all up and down the resort area but your best bet is to claim a spot on the beach and settle in for a good time. To help ease traffic, the city has set up a satellite parking system so save your gas and time and catch a shuttle down to the Oceanfront. Have a blast, everyone, and see you on the sand!
Tags: Blue Angels, free things to do in Virginia Beach, Patriotic Festival 2012
Posted in Events, Living the Life, The Beach Report, With The Kids
Wednesday, May 30th, 2012 by Sherry Friel
 Nathaniel scaling the VB Rock Gym wall Photo credit: Jim Martin I can sit and watch the rain for hours relishing unexpected time to think and daydream. I like board games too-especially Scrabble-and my 9-year-old son Nathaniel and I have put many puzzles together when the weather didn’t cooperate with outdoor plans.
My husband Skip and I note that we rarely-if ever-use the word “bored” in our home. There is always something to do! And if our son utters that dreaded word, we quickly remind him of the many projects he has in the works and he gets busy. But some days, puzzles, board games and Lego projects just don’t fit the bill. Especially vacation days when we had eagerly anticipated warm sandy beaches, blue skies and sunshine. Those are the days when a backup plan is in order, and fortunately, Virginia Beach has much to offer all ages.
But it can be tricky planning rainy day activities for everyone, especially when families are vacationing together. Living the life in Virginia Beach means we frequently have family from New Jersey, New York or North Carolina visiting. Of course they love gathering at the beach, as it’s the perfect destination for children who want to play and adults who enjoy relaxing at the shore. But when it rains, we simply shift gears and turn to indoor fun. Here a just a few of the many indoor activities in Virginia Beach my family has enjoyed over the years. In fact, I can recall having so much fun that we barely noticed the temporary absence of the sun.
Virginia Beach Rock Gym- My son is a cub scout, and we are fortunate to be part of such an active local organization. Virginia Beach offers a wealth of outdoor activities for scouts, and some of our most precious memories include camping, fishing and hiking with our pack. Local indoor destinations are abundant as well, but there is one my son begs to visit over and over. It’s the Virginia Beach Rock Gym and we spent a recent rainy Sunday there with fellow cub scouts. Located on Southern Boulevard, it’s a fantastic workout for active kids and guaranteed fun!
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Tags: rainy day activities, Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, Virginia Beach Rock Gym
Posted in History and Museums, Living the Life, With The Kids
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