Virginia Beach Fun Blog

The Virginia Beach area is close to making a big splash in the cruise market. Norfolk is building a $36 million downtown cruise terminal, due to open in March. The Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center is designed to attract new cruise ships to the city, improve the passengers’ experience and provide a new, money making venue for banquets and other events.

Thanks to the new terminal, two cruise lines will have regular voyages leaving from the new terminal starting in April of 2007. Royal Caribbean International is offering 13 (mostly week-long) Bermuda trips, while Carnival Cruise Lines has planned two six-day Bahamas cruises and two two-day “cruises to nowhere.” Three other cruise ships will make day long stopovers. The first sailing from the terminal will be a Royal Caribbean cruise in April.

“As far as cruise terminals of its size, designed to handle one ship a day, I don’t think there’s anything in the industry that’s going to be more sophisticated,” said Skip Eliason, president of Cruise Holidays, a travel agency in Virginia Beach.

Source: The Virginian-Pilot

December 1, 2006 17:09 - Busch Garden, Williamsburg - Purchase Now and Save

Planning a trip to Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, next year? Now's the time to save.

Busch Gardens is offering a great deal: Purchase a 2007 Season Pass before December 31, 2006 and get 2006 pricing. (Yes, prices will be going up in 2007). Busch Gardens Europe Silver Passport will give you unlimited visits to Busch Gardens Europe for all of 2007, plus exclusive Passport Member Benefits. The 2006 price (for those ages 3+) is $109.95.

If you're not a solo traveler, the best value is to purchase a 4-Pack Busch Gardens Europe Silver Passport, which is a savings of over $27 per ticket.

For more information, go to Busch Gardens
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December 3, 2006 17:43 - Who killed Pocahontas? Mystery Solved?

As the 400th Anniversary of Jamestown approaches, new questions are being asked about Pocahontas' death.

Colonial Williamsburg's former chief archaeologist, Ivor Noël Hume, feels that the "penny-pinching" investors behind Jamestown may have killed the former Powhatan Indian. She moved to England with her husband, tobacco planter John Rolfe, in 1616.

Investors in the Virginia Company housed Pocahontas, Rolfe, and their son, for several months in the Belle Sauvage Inn, a cheap London hotel. Hume says the hotel was by a large, rancid ditch in a smoggy part of London.

Clearly, Pocahontas died from an illness in England in 1617, before she was able to return to Virginia. What she died of--some have suspected pneumonia or tuberculosis-- is unknown. But her poor living conditions certainly didn't help. The mystery continues...

Source: www.dailypress.com. For information on planning a trip to Jamestown, click here.

December 4, 2006 15:39 - GardenFest of Lights in Richmond, VA

The Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, VA, is hosting GardenFest of Lights from November 24 to January 14. More than half a million lights are on display in a fantasyland with forms of flowers, fairies and woodland creatures. Light form displays include majestic peacocks, "snow stars" illuminating the dome of the Conservatory, alligators, and a giant "green man" at the center of a puzzling maze.

Displays in the Conservatory include a model train display set in a miniature holiday village; a twenty-foot tall holiday tree; and vignettes about an enchanting story of "The Gingerbread Mouse" -- in addition to hundreds of brilliant poinsettias, white orchids, Christmas cacti, amaryllis, narcissus and cyclamen.

Admission is $10 for adults; $9 seniors (55+); $6 for children ages 3 - 12; under age 3 are free.

GardenFest tickets are on sale at the Garden; by phone (1-800-594-TIXX); and on-line. There is a small charge to order by phone or on-line.

(Go to URL)

December 5, 2006 11:53 - The Commodore Dinner Theater-- Don't Miss This Fantastic Norfolk Cinema Cafe

The Commodore Dinner Theater is our all-time favorite date place...anywhere! You don't just go to The Commodore for a movie...you go for the experience.

The Commodore Dinner Theater is the ultimate cinema cafe offering first run movies on a 41 foot screen with tempting food. No, it's not a 5-star menu...more like delicious comfort food--salads, pizza, sandwiches. Save room for their delicious cinnamon loaf (it's like having a huge Cinnabon).

Part of the fun is that you order your food by picking up your very own private phone on your marble-topped table. Cushy chairs complete your eating and viewing experience.

The food prices are very reasonable, and the movie tickets are only $6.00 each ($4.50 for seniors and kids 8-13; kids under 8 not admitted).

Located in historic Old Town Portsmouth, The Commodore Dinner Theater is on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register.

Location: 421 High Street - Portsmouth - 757-393-6962.

Want more details and the complete review? Click here. www.virginia-beach-family-fun.com

December 6, 2006 15:02 - Visit a Museum and Get "Paid" to Visit Others

Would you like to visit a local museum and "get paid" to visit others? Certain museum memberships reward you by allowing you to visit similar participating museums around the world for FREE. By doing so, you can easily save hundreds of dollars a year.

There are two types of museums that offer these programs: the ASTC Program (Association of Science - Technology Centers) and the ACM Reciprocal Program (Association of Children's Museums).

Say you buy a membership at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond, VA. You visit several times this year, enjoying unlimited admission and other member perks. Plus, you get in free to the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News, the Air & Space Museum in Hampton, and several other science museums in Virginia.

It gets better. Plan a visit to another state over winter break...let's say, Orlando. Thanks to your ASTC membership, you can get in free to the Orlando Science Center!

For more details on the ASTC Program and the ACM Reciprocal Program (plus a way to save even more), go to www.virginia-beach-family-fun.com

December 7, 2006 17:16 - Celebrate Holidays of the Past at Jamestown and Yorktown's "A Colonial Christmas"

Looking for a slightly different take on the holidays? Why not experience 17th- and 18th-century holiday traditions at Jamestown Settlement and the Yorktown Victory Center in Virginia's Historic Triangle? These living history museums are offering "A Colonial Christmas" December 16-31.

For two weeks, the museums will provide visitors with a peek into what the colonial holiday season was like, ranging from the hardships of Jamestown’s early colonists and Revolutionary War soldiers, to holiday preparations on a re-created 1780s Virginia farm.

Jamestown Settlement will show a short holiday film and special interpretive programs representing 17th century English Christmas customs. Many English towns of the time designated a Lord of Misrule, "grand captain of all mischief," who made his way through town during the Christmas holiday. Interpreters at the Settlement's recreated Fort will share the Lord of Misrule tradition with visitors during a special program daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Historical interpreters aboard a recreation of the colonist's ship, the Susan Constant, will discuss the first Christmas shared by the colonists after they set sail for America on December 20, 1606.

Similarly, the Yorktown Victory Center will give visitors a glimpse of winter camp life and share stories of how Christmas was celebrated during the war in the Continental Army encampment.

Jamestown Settlement and the Yorktown Victory Center are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily year-round. They are closed Christmas and New Year’s days. For admission information, go to Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown Victory Center.

For more information about planning a trip to Jamestown, go to Tips for Your Visit to Jamestown, VA

December 7, 2006 17:31 - Doumar's - Funky Nostalgia Plus Great Comfort Food in Norfolk VA

Looking for a fun place to eat in the Virginia Beach area without breaking the bank? Doumar's is a top stop for a little nostalgia and good comfort food.

When you first drive up, it's like... whoa...did I enter a 50's time warp? Nope. It's just Doumar's Drive-In. This fun and cheap Virginia Beach restaurant is a kitschy throw-back to a time long-gone.

Stay in your car and have the car hop bring your food to you! Or come on in to complete your time-warp experience... You'll see formica counters flanked by vinyl-topped swivel seats. Sure, it's not fancy, but that's not the point: it's the great food! True Americana.

A simple menu: burgers, malts, grilled cheese, pork barbeque, shakes and malts, limeade...fries...sandwiches wrapped in plastic. It's basic, delicious...and fun! (Tip: Bring old fashioned cash--they don't accept credit cards!)

Now for the big question: Did Doumar's really invent the ice cream cone? To get the scoop, as well as more details on Doumar's and other Virginia Beach restaurants, go to www.virginia-beach-family-fun.com

December 8, 2006 07:30 - Quick--Grab Tickets for Jamestown 400th Anniversary Celebration

Now's your chance to be part of one of the first great American moments of the 21st century.

Tickets are now on sale for the 400th anniversary of the founding of the first permanent English settlement in the Americas -- Jamestown, Virginia. The event will be held May 11-13, 2007.

Special events will include:

• Journey of Destiny, an original production using the words of John Smith and other people of the Jamestown story.


• A spectacular fireworks salute


• Admission to Anniversary Weekend’s three sites: Jamestown Settlement, Historic Jamestowne, Anniversary Park


• First-ever joint performance of the Richmond Symphony Orchestra and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra


• The Crafting of America: A special artisans’ village featuring authentic blacksmithing, pottery making, glass blowing and other crafts from the colonial period (plus a hands-on kid’s craft area)


• Military drills, cannon firings and dramatic readings of period materials


• Children’s theater Ba-baaah and the Windigo: A funny Jamestown story told through the experiences of a young Indian girl and larger-than-life characters

Tickets are $30 for adults, $15 for kids 6-12, free under 6. Only 90,000 tickets will be sold, so don't wait.

For more information, go to America's 400th Anniversary.

For information and tips on planning a trip to Jamestown, click here.

December 10, 2006 17:06 - New Replica of Smallest Jamestown Ship Launches

Thar she blows! A $1.7 million replica of the Discovery, the smallest of the three ships that brought the English colonists to Jamestown, will be launched Monday at the Boothbay Harbor Shipyard.

The 50-foot Discovery will sail next month to the Jamestown Settlement living history museum in Virginia. It will join replicas of the two other ships, the Godspeed and the Susan Constant. The three original ships brought 105 settlers to the first permanent English settlement in the New World. The new Discovery will be an important part of next year's Jamestown 400th Anniversary Celebration.

With no known illustrations or blueprints of Discovery or its sister ships to work with, researchers had to base the designs on those of ships from the early 17th century. As a result, they prefer to call them "representative vessels" or "recreations."

The new Discovery is Jamestown's third recreation to bear that name. This version has been built from tropical hardwoods that should resist deterioration in Virginia's varying climate.

David Stimson, general manager of Boothbay Harbor Shipyard, says that "This vessel should be fine as long as they take care of it. Fifty years from now, I suspect she'll still be in good shape."

Stimson will join a four- to eight-member crew that will sail the ship to Jamestown. One problem? The ship has no heat. However, Stimson says he's " got something up my sleeve"--a small coal burning stove for the six-day sail.

For more information about the new Discovery, go to the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation: Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation.

For tips on planning a trip to Jamestown, go to http://www.virginia-beach-family-fun.com.

Source: www.boston.com

December 11, 2006 10:52 - A Jamestown 400th Anniversary Souvenir That Will Last a Lifetime

Want a souvenir of Jamestown's 400th Anniversary that could last up to 250 years?

You can have a living remembrance of this once-in-a-lifetime event...in your own backyard.

The Virginia Department of Forestry is selling cherrybark oak seedlings grown from the acorns of huge trees on Jamestown Island.

The 18- to 40-inch seedlings can live for 250 years and reach heights of more than 100 feet. The seedlings, all from Jamestown Island acorns, were grown to commemorate the anniversary of Jamestown's establishment in 1607 as the first permanent English settlement in America.

Billy Apperson is the forester who researched the trees' connection with the 17th-century Jamestown settlement. Apparently, the settlement's first export to England was oak lumber, including boards that were 40 feet long and 4 feet wide.

Apperson concluded the boards must have come from the island's native cherrybark oaks.

"It's the highest quality red oak that grows in North America," Apperson says. "It produces the highest quality lumber."

To order a commemorative seedling, contact

Source: http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149192105597&path=%21news&s=1045855934842

December 11, 2006 18:36 - Colonial Williamsburg to Sell Historic James River Plantation

Carter's Grove, one of the historic plantations along the James River in Virginia, is up for sale. The Colonial Williamsburg (CW) foundation, which owns the 18th-century property, says it no longer fits into their mission, to "tell the story of citizenship and becoming America in the 18th century."

"This is best accomplished in the Historic Area, where we present and interpret Revolutionary War-era Williamsburg," says the foundation's president, Colin Campbell.

The James River Plantations, which also include Shirley, Berkeley, Westover, and Sherwood Forest, lie between the James River and Route 60 north of Williamsburg. All are popular tourist attractions. Until it closed several years ago due to financial pressures, Carter's Grove was a popular attraction there too.

Carter's Grove's treasures include remnants of a 17th-century English settlement called Wolstenholme Towne, an underground archaeology museum, a reconstructed 18th-century slave quarters, and a mansion that dates to the 1700s. The property's assessed value is more than $16.9 million.

The decision to sell the property is not without its critics. Ivor Noël Hume, CW's former chief archaeologist, says "It's a tragedy that we're losing a historical site that had a great deal of popular appeal. I deeply regret the decision. But I understand that they have to do what the have to do."

For information about planning a visit to the James River Plantations, go to www.virginia-beach-family-fun.com

Source: The Daily Press

December 11, 2006 18:52 - Planning Your Spring Break Overseas? Don't Make this Common Mistake

Making overseas spring break plans? Need vaccinations?

It's not too early to start making plans. Many travelers wait until the last minute to start getting their travel vaccinations. Big mistake.

Some vaccinations need to be ordered, and may not be available at the last minute. Or, you may have to pay extra to get a vaccine available pronto. Plus, some vaccinations require more than one shot, separated by weeks, to give you full immunity.

According to the Elson Student Health Center at the University of Virginia (UVA), it's best to start a full 3-6 months before your trip.

The Center also advises that you check with your insurance provider to see if they cover immunizations, whether routine or travel, and travel medications. Some insurances may have restrictions on medications needed for more than a one-month supply. This is especially important for prescriptions for anti-malaria medications, which need to be taken before, during and after being in a malaria-infested country.

Depending on where you're traveling, you should budget between $20 and $400 for vaccinations. The most expensive vaccines are yellow fever, meningococcal meningitis, Japanese encephalitis and rabies.

Going to a clinic that specializes in international travel is best. Be sure to make your appointment for travel counseling at least six to eight weeks prior to your departure date.

For more information on finding a travel clinic near you, go to Virginia Department of Health.

December 11, 2006 19:44 - Williamsburg Pottery: A Mecca for Serious Bargain Hunters

It ain't much to look at...but ohhh, the savings!

Williamsburg Pottery, a conglomeration of fairly ugly warehouses (200 acres worth), is actually one of Virginia's biggest tourist attractions.

People come from all over to this spot near Colonial Williamsburg for some serious bargain hunting and one-of-a-kind items.

Each building at the Williamsburg Pottery houses a different shopping "topic." A year-round Christmas store. "The Treasures of the Orient" store, specializing in yes, Oriental room screens, fans, etc. They even have an Indian Trading Post, selling Native American jewelry and gifts.

The Pottery thrives on the unique. Bring in a special piece from home-- Grandma's antique brass candlesticks, for example-- and their Lamp Workshop can turn it into lamp! They can make a lamp from just about anything. (Or repair that unrepairable family heirloom lamp in your attic.)

The Williamsburg Pottery also hosts a variety of factory-owned and operated shops and stores, including Oneida, Oriental Rug Mart, Christian Book Store, Pepperidge Farm, Pfaltzgraff, Easy Spirit, and Van Heusen.

The Pottery is famous for its salt glaze pottery (Williamsburg Pottery...get it?)-- you can actually take tours to see the pottery being made. The factory is open for tours Monday - Friday, 8-4:00 pm.

Summer through Fall, you can even take advantage of their campground, for a cheap family vacation getaway alternative to pricey Williamsburg hotels. They're within 10 miles of Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and Water Country USA.

For a more extensive review of the Pottery, go to www.virginia-beach-family-fun.com

www.williamsburgpottery.com

December 27, 2006 15:04 - Work at Paramount's Kings Dominion and Ride for Free

Are you a teen or adult age 15 or older? Looking for an exciting seasonal job where you can express your entertainment talents plus ride roller coasters for free?

Paramount's Kings Dominion will offer auditions and interviews for seasonal park workers on January 27 & 28 and February 3 & 4. They'll also be auditioning at select Virginia colleges and universities the week of January 29th.

Who are they looking for? Trained, talented, versatile and experienced musicians, actors, singers, dancers, variety artists, characters, theatre attendants, technicians, costumers, stage managers and supervisors for their 2007 entertainment program.

Send a resume with references to: Paramount's Kings Dominion, PO Box 2000, Doswell, VA 23047 Attn.: Entertainment Department. You can also fax it to 804-876-5232. Only qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.

For more information and directions please call the audition hotline at 804-876-5377.

Go to Paramount's Kings Dominion

For details on planning a trip to Paramount's Kings Dominion, go to www.virginia-beach-family-fun.com.

December 27, 2006 15:41 - The Queen is Coming...the Queen is Coming...Jamestown's 400th Anniversary

To paraphrase the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, "It was fifty years ago today...the Queen came to stay..."

Fifty years ago, in 1957, England's Queen Elizabeth II visited Jamestown to celebrate its 350th anniversary. In May, she'll do it again, this time celebrating the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, America's first permanent English settlement.

Exactly when she's coming is still a bit of a mystery, but the thought is enough to spark added interest in an event that travel giant Orbitz recently named one of the seven vacation hot spots for 2007.

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine went to London's Docklands Museum December 19 to commemorate the anniversary of the launch of the settlers' three ships bound for Virginia.

The Docklands Museum has opened an exhibit chronicling the original settlers' motivation and planning for their voyage. A recreation of the Discovery, the smallest of the settlers' three ships, is moored outside the museum, and will later tour Britain's coast.

For its part, America is planning an extensive list of Jamestown-related events the next few months. The major event, "America's Anniversary Weekend," will be held May 11-13 at Jamestown Settlement and Historic Jamestowne, the site of the settlers' original fort. The three-day event is expected to draw 90,000 people.

Single-day tickets ($30 for adults, $15 for children) can be purchased at Colonial Williamsburg's visitor center and online at Americas400thAnniversary.com.

For tips on planning a visit to Jamestown, go to www.virginia-beach-family-fun.com.

Source: The Associated Press.

December 29, 2006 17:13 - Will Yours Be the One-Millionth Vehicle on the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry?

Take the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry over the James River sometime December 30, and you might make history.

Since 1925, the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry has shuttled cars, trucks, motorcycles, and...oh yes, passengers on a 20-minute ride across the James River.

Come tomorrow morning, transportation officials expect to serve their one millionth vehicle. If it's yours, you'll receive a certificate, balloons and a variety of gifts from the Virginia Department of Transportation.

The free ferry runs from Scotland on the south bank, to within a stone's throw of Jamestown Settlement and Historic Jamestowne on the north bank. If you time it right, it can be a great time-saver.

But it's also a fun family vacation getaway experience. During tourist season, the ferry carries 3,000-4,000 people per day, many of whom hop on at Jamestown and ride the ferry round trip just for the fun. It's a great way to view the ships at Jamestown Settlement, watch the seagulls, feel the breeze in your hair, and imagine yourself as Captain John Smith sailing up the James for the first time.

The ferry operates 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, and runs every 30 minutes between 5 am and 8 pm, and hourly between 8 pm and 5 am. For more information, call 1-800-VA-FERRY.

For information about planning a trip to Jamestown, go to www.virginia-beach-family-fun.com.

Source: http://www.wric.com/global/story.asp?s=5867985