If you’re like me and you live near a beach, your summer is going to be loads of fun. Believe me, I have nothing against other areas, but having the beach as your backyard comes in handy from time to time. Between the variety of food, somewhat decent surfing, and touristy attractions, Virginia Beach is the place to be in the summer. The beach is one of the main attractions always leaves a damper on the city that has so much more to offer.

You don’t really realize what your hometown has to offer until you’re away from it for a long period of time. I’ve come to miss the insanely bipolar weather and the all of my best memories have been made from doing spontaneous activities around the city.

Whether you just want to drive around blasting music with the windows down, or are ready to take on an adventure, Shore Drive is the place for you. The long road that’s prone to teenage speeding is the epitome of adventure. Follow it straight and it will lead you to the beach, take one of the many turns and it will take you to the entrance of the state park that happens to be another treasure for the city. If you want to go for a more local vibe, Chick’s Beach is the place to be. Fewer tourists, usually more dogs and tons of dolphin sightings right off the coast.

Personally, the real highlight of Virginia Beach is the food options. Want an artsy acai bowl? Zeke’s Beans and Bowls is for you. Want a quality sandwich named after places across the city? Taste is for you. The options are somewhat endless when it comes to food choices in Virginia Beach, but honestly, Taco Bell is still up there for me!

Think of all the activities that you could do on a beach, then add the pretty golden sunset in the background and that would basically sum up everything in Virginia Beach.

Paddleboarding, hanging out with King Neptune on 31ststreet, counting how many Sunsations stores you can find on the strip, going to the top of the Hilton for the Sky Bar, longboarding down the boardwalk, or watching the sunrise on the 1^st street jetty, are just a list of some of the activities that you could do in a day.

In all honesty, this is far from giving the city the justice that it deserves. Even though the water may not be the clearest and the traffic after 4 p.m. may be horrendous, Virginia Beach is the hidden treasure that you never knew you needed to find. The city has so much to offer and places that ensure so many memorable experiences.

No matter who you are, local or tourist, I highly recommend taking the time to visit one of the many places that I call home. Who knows, maybe you’ll love it so much that it might even become yours.