Virginia Beach might not be what you picture as a "holiday in a city" with decorated department store windows and lights on buildings changing colors to the beat of music. However, those of us from Virginia Beach know that there are a few things that make the holidays almost as magical as NYC.
1. Lights on the boardwalk
It's a tradition for many people to drive their sleighs onto the boardwalk to view the lights. Snowflakes and nutcrackers are replaced by festive fish and jumping dolphins. This fanta-sea of lights twinkles on the waves, and it's a special sight you won't see in another major city.
2. Ice skating on the beach
While ice-skating in Rockefeller Center might be special with the giant Christmas tree, ice skating on a rink set up on the beach is a pretty unique opportunity too.
3. The weather
Baby, it's kind of cold outside. While it still snows a few times during the winter months in Virginia Beach, mother nature sneaks in a few warm days as well. Frosty the snowman melts pretty quickly, but then you can build him the next day when it snows again. You can never fully stash your fall clothes or completely break out your winter wardrobe.
4. Proximity to ski resorts
While the only skiing we do in Virginia Beach is water skiing, you can adjust your altitude by driving the few short hours to great ski resorts such as Snowshoe and Massanutten.
5. Hills for sledding
Wherever you go, you can always find a great hill for sledding.
6. Mom-and-pop shops to get gifts
Baby all I want for Christmas is... something special. If your gift of friendship isn't enough, a gift from Bloomingdales or Nordstrom might be the perfect gift for your friend. What's special about Virginia Beach is that there are dozens of mom-and-pop shops to get your city friend a unique gift that they have never seen before.
7. Proximity to Christmas Town at Busch Gardens
It's the most Christmassy town in Virginia and only a quick one-hour hop across the pond to the North Pole and Santa's Workshop. Other than Disney World, no one decorates their rides quite like Busch Gardens.
8. Santa on a surf board
When Santa Claus comes to town, he's surfing in a winter wonderland. Images of Santa throughout Virginia Beach show that he's traded out his sleigh for a surfboard. Maybe he would've caught that wave if he hadn't eaten all those cookies. There's no getting run over by reindeer here, but grandma might get run over by a surfboard.
9. Horses at Taste
You're already singing "Joy To The World" because it's the most wonderful time of the year when you get to eat a Taste Unlimited sandwich while home for the holidays. Then you see horses and carriages outside the Hilltop Taste location. How could you say "neigh" to a horse and carriage ride? It might not be Central Park, but a carriage ride around Hilltop Shopping Center is pretty cool too, right? It's always lovely weather for a carriage ride together.
10. The beach when it snows
Snow on the beach? What the hail? I'm dreaming of a white Christmas on the beach. Snow is beautiful until it gets trampled on and run over. However, snow on the beach stays beautiful. Until the sun finally comes out, the snow blankets the whole beach except for a few foot prints from excited residents, dogs, and a few stray snowmen.
We might not be rockin' around a giant tree in Rockefeller Center, but seeing Surfin Santa ride up to your house in a surfboard instead of fly in on his sleigh is a pretty cool sight to see too.
