In and around Virginia Beach lie fascinating windows into America’s history. Read on for a historian’s take on which to visit.
Planning a trip to Virginia Beach? You’re probably looking forward to enjoying some sun, swimming in the sea, and saying hello to the famous statue of King Neptune. But did you know that there are also historical sites in and around the area, some of which go back hundreds of years? It’s true! As a historian, I’m always quick to recommend the Virginia Beach area as a top spot to explore American history.
But where to start? And if you’re already aware of some of the area’s history, do you know about all of it? Let’s have a look at some of the top spots to make a history-filled getaway to Virginia Beach and the area that surrounds it:
Explore multiple perspectives on Virginia history at First Landing State Park
As the name might suggest, First Landing State Park on Cape Henry in Virginia Beach is the site of the first European colonial landings in Virginia in 1607. But that’s far from the beginning of the history in the area. Today, First Landing State Park is a popular place for hiking, biking, and wildlife spotting (on rare occasions, you might even see a black bear), but it’s also a spot to learn about both Native American and European colonial history on Virginia’s shores.
Along the park’s Cape Henry Trail, you’ll find reconstructed Native American traditional structures, called Yihakan’s, of the type that would have been present in the seventeenth century. These were built by Lee Lockamy, a Nansemond tribal member. There’s also a memorial to 64 Native Americans who were reinterred in what was believed to be their original resting place in 1997, thanks to the work of Native activist and former Nansemond Chief Oliver Perry.
The European side of First Landing State Park’s history is also available at the park’s Chesapeake Bay Center. This is the main visitors’ center, where you can explore historical exhibits detailing the “landing” at the park and plan your trail through the park with maps featuring historically significant sites. You can also meet some local wildlife, like the turtles that live in terrariums at the center!
Wander through the past at the Thoroughgood House Museum
One of the oldest buildings in the Virginia Beach area, the Thoroughgood House Museum was originally built as a private home, with construction starting in the 1710s. Today, though, it’s a National Historic Landmark and a museum focusing on eighteenth-century life in and around Virginia Beach.
When you visit the Thoroughgood House Museum, you’ll be able to take a free tour of the house and grounds. Not only will you learn about the Thoroughgood family, and see the home’s famous architectural details, you’ll also have the chance to learn about the Native American Middle and Late Woodland village site that archaeologists have unearthed on the property, and which was part of why the site earned its status as a National Historic Landmark in 1960.
Learn about natural history and Virginia’s past at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens
While historians focus on the activities of humans, and natural history is actually a different discipline altogether, sometimes the two meet, and one place where they do is at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. Located just a short drive from Virginia Beach, the botanical gardens were initially constructed thanks to a Works Progress Administration (WPA) grant from the Roosevelt administration during the Great Depression. The site for the gardens was cleared by an all African American workforce, 90 percent of whom were women, and the layout was designed by noted horticulturist Frederick Huette and the then-City Manager of Norfolk, Thomas P. Thompson.
Today, when you visit the gardens, you’ll be able to explore more than 60 distinctive themed gardens over the property’s 175 acres. Be sure to check out the rose garden planted in honor of America’s bicentennial in 1976, the Virginia Native Plant Garden, and the Japanese-style garden, among others. Between June and September, you can also get up-close and personal with Virginia’s native butterflies in the Summer Butterfly House. And whenever you visit, stop by the WPA Memorial Garden, which pays tribute to the labor of the women and men who made that garden’s existence possible.
See the seaside past at the Virginia Beach Surf and Rescue Museum
It wouldn’t be a visit to Virginia Beach without the beach, would it? And who says the beach can’t have a history of its own? Well, a great way to combine surf, sand, and history in Virginia Beach is with a visit to the Virginia Beach Surf and Rescue Museum. This museum, which is literally on the boardwalk, is housed in the Seatack Station, built in 1903, and is filled with exhibits celebrating the coastal heritage of Virginia Beach. There are exhibits on the Coast Guard, Lifesaving Service, and more. The museum is open seasonally and hosts annual events such as the Norwegian Lady Ceremony, which honors over a century of camaraderie between Virginians and Norwegians, and the Pig and Oyster Fest, featuring all-you-can-eat oysters and pork barbecue.
Spend a night in presidential luxury at the Historic Cavalier Hotel
If you’re feeling tired at the end of a long day enjoying Virginia Beach’s history, it might be time to turn in—but only in proper historical fashion, of course. For a Virginia Beach trip that’s luxurious and historical in equal parts, consider checking into the Historic Cavalier Hotel and Beach Club, which has been part of Virginia Beach since 1927. When the hotel first opened, it was considered the height of modernity and sophistication, with extra taps in guest bathrooms to bathe in seawater and live updates from the New York Stock Exchange in the lobby.
Over the years, the hotel has hosted guests ranging from athletes like Muhammad Ali and entertainers like Bing Crosby to two US Presidents, Calvin Coolidge and Jimmy Carter. And now, you can stay there for yourself! A stay at the hotel also includes access to the resort’s many amenities, including pool and beach access, dance lessons and activities for kids, and even a history tour of the hotel and grounds.
While your Virginia Beach trip should definitely include plenty of fun and sun, it can be even better with a touch of history! There’s a reason people for centuries have called this part of the Old Dominion home—and now you can find out for yourself!
