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What facts do you need to know about the city of Virginia Beach? Well, it really lives up to its motto "all kinds of fun." Few places on earth boast a better combination of beautiful beaches, stimulating attractions, adventures, and good old fun.
That's why it was recently rated "the second best place in the country to raise a family" (after Honolulu).
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| Photo by Eileen Mundok © 2010-2011 |
Already planning a visit? Here's your guide to all you need to know...important numbers and publications, and a list of the top speedtraps in Virginia Beach.
Don't miss the link below to a map of 20 new red-light cameras recently installed in the city!
Current Weather & Surf Cam
Warm to hot summers (daytime temps range from low 70's to mid-80's) make for perfect beach vacations. Cool evenings make for lovely, relaxing walks along the Boardwalk.
Though not as popular with tourists, off-season (especially fall and spring) can be a real treat. Lodging prices drop significantly, crowds decline, and cooler temperatures are just the ticket for golf and other outdoor activities.
The Least Stressful Metro Area in the U.S.
Don't you feel more relaxed just being near the ocean?
Fresh ocean air is just one of the reasons Website Bizjournals.com has ranked Virginia Beach-Norfolk as the least stressful metropolitan area among 50 U.S cities.
The cities were ranked on different criteria, including murder rate, commute time, housing costs, unemployment, and days of unhealthy air annually. The information was used to derive an overall stress index. Virginia Beach-Norfolk’s stress index was -8.98 (that's right, we have a negative stress index here), compared to 10+ for Detroit, 6.5 for Cleveland, and 3.6 for Los Angeles.
Virginia Beach-Norfolk consistently ranked lower than other major cities in virtually all areas. For example, it had zero days of unhealthy air per year, compared to 19 for Los Angeles, and over 28 for Riverside-San Bernardino, California.
Of course, none of this is any surprise to the locals. We already knew that this is a wonderful, relaxing place to live...and visit.
Visitor Information...Plus Tips for Avoiding VB Traffic Tickets!
For general information about tourism and travel about the city of Virginia Beach, contact:
Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau
I-264 & Parks Ave. - 757-437-4878 - 800-VA-BEACH
Chamber of Commerce222 Central Park Avenue, Suite 1010 - 757-664-2575
Crucial Tips for Avoiding VB Traffic Tickets!
Want to avoid a traffic or parking ticket? Good law enforcement is one of the things that makes the city of Virginia Beach such a great, safe place for a vacation. That's a good thing! But even good drivers occasionally, shall we say, make a "mistake." So if you want to keep your auto insurance rates low, pay special attention to obeying traffic rules here, and check out this valuable driving information.
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New! Virginia Beach Named One of the Top Ten Speed Traps in the U.S.
It's true. Take it easy on the pedal here. Virginia Beach was recently listed as one of the top ten speed traps in the nation, by the site SpeedTrap Exchange.
SpeedTrap Exchange defines spots as speedtraps if they have "arbitrarily low speed limits combined with heavy enforcement." One of the major offending areas in Virginia Beach is Shore Drive. According to SpeedTrap Exchange "Cops hide among the bushes at the eastern terminus of Shore Drive (aka Rte 60)...Speed drops quickly from 55 to 25. Cops on your left, on median. Be equally cautious when returning on Shore Drive from the beach; speed drops from 35 to 25 before zooming up to 55. Cops will pop you unless you do strictly the limit."
Other top speedtraps at the Beach include portions of Oceana Boulevard, Kempsville Road, and Lynnhaven Parkway. For more details, go to www.speedtrap.org.
Watch Out for These New Red-Light Camera Hotspots!
The city of Virginia Beach recently added 20 new red-light cameras at intersections. These are the cameras that take your picture whenever you run a red light (or don't come to a complete stop when making a right turn), then send you a lovely letter letting you know, yep, you were on Candid Camera and here's the ticket to prove it.
Intersections include: Virginia Beach Blvd at Great Neck Rd. General Booth at Dam Neck Rd., Holland Rd. and Rosemont Rd., Military Hwy. and Indian River Rd., Kempsville and Indian River Rd., and Independence and Va. Beach Blvd.
Two additional intersections -- the intersections of Princess Anne Road and Lynnhaven Pkwy, and Princess Anne Rd. and Dam Neck Rd.-- will be added by July.
Of course, the best thing is to never run a red light, or always stop before turning on red, but here's a link to a pdf of the camera locations just so you can be especially careful...
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| Don't get a ticket while you're at the beach! |
Be Careful with Street Parking
Last year, the city of Virginia Beach installed parking meters along the row of parking spaces between Atlantic and Pacific avenues (known as the 200 block). But instead of one parking meter per space, they're now governed by multi space meters in the middle of the street.
Many unsuspecting visitors have assumed that they can park for free...and end up with a ticket.
The new blue meters, on the 200 block from Rudee Loop to 40th Street, each handle multiple spaces. So here's what you do: 1) look for the meter; 2) figure out which space you parked in (spots have white numbers painted on the ground); 3) feed your number in the meter; and 4) pay.
Don't feed the right number in the meter and you'll pay for someone else's parking...and risk a ticket for your own.
Area Publications
Free Beach Guides
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Alex's first time at the beach! |
The city of Virginia Beach has a number of free visitor guides which you can pick up at stands, hotels, restaurants and attractions all over the area. All offer coupons, ranging from $1 off an all-you-can-eat buffet at Captain John's Crab House, to $7 a family bike rental at Charlie's Bicycle & Blade Rentals.
We like to pick up the Monster Guide Coupon Book, because it's chock full of coupons, includes a free Virginia Beach map, and fits easily into a pocket or purse.
Looking for cheap or free area attractions? Click here for insider secrets.
Want discount travel deals for the Virginia Beach area? Click here for money-saving tips.
Virginia Travel Guide
“Live passionately” is the slogan of the new guide, and it does its best to show you how. Published annually by the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the free four-color guide is chock-full of stunning photographs and descriptions of unique places to visit in the Old Dominion.
Copies of the guide are available at hotels, restaurants, rest stops, and tourist places throughout the state.
The Virginian-Pilot is THE Virginia Beach Newspaper
The Virginian-Pilot is a daily newspaper that covers the Hampton Roads area (Virginia Beach, Hampton, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Newport News, etc.) It's also the largest-circulation newspaper in the state of Virginia.
Contact: 757-446-2000 - http://www.hamptonroads.com/pilotonline
Catch the "Wave" - The City of Virginia Beach Trolley
Catch the VB "Wave"-- Taking the old-fashioned City of Virginia Beach Wave Trolley is a great way to see the highlights of Virginia Beach on your cheap family vacation. Of course, the kids will love going along just for the ride!
What's our fondest memory of the Wave? To learn that and other details about the Trolley, click here.
Virginia Beach Zip Code
Planning an extended stay in area? Want to know the city of Virginia Beach Zip Code? Get a pencil handy. There are 21 VB zip codes! Chances are, however, you'll stay near the beachfront. If so, you only need to know one: 23451.
Need a post office in the City of Virginia Beach? If you're at the beach, the closest are these two: 320 33rd Street, and 2400 Atlantic Avenue.
Education
The city of Virginia Beach is home to the Virginia Beach Public Schools, the second largest school system in Virginia. It's also among the 50 largest school divisions in the United States based on student enrollment.
Virginia Beach Public Schools currently serve 74,682 students, and includes 55 elementary schools, 15 middle schools, 11 high schools, and a variety of elementary, private and technological schools.
Virginia Beach Public Schools address: 2512 George Mason Drive, P.O. Box 6038, VA Beach, VA 23456-0038
Virginia Beach Public Schools phone number: 757-263-1000
Regent University, a private university founded by the Christian evangelist Pat Robertson, is based here. Other higher education spots in the area include Old Dominion University, and satellite campuses of both the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.
Regent University address: 2512 George Mason Drive, P.O. Box 6038, VA Beach, VA 23456-0038
Regent University phone number: 800.373.5504
Regent University website: http://www.regent.edu/
Regent University Google map
Virginia Beach Public Schools address: 2512 George Mason Drive, P.O. Box 6038, VA Beach, VA 23456-0038
Virginia Beach Public Schools phone number: 757-263-1000
Old Dominion University phone number: (757) 683-3685
Old Dominion University address: 108 Alfred B. Rollins Jr. Hall, Norfolk, VA 23529-0050
Old Dominion University website: http://www.odu.edu/
Old Dominion University Google map
University of Virginia-Hampton phone number: (757) 552-1890
University of Virginia-Hampton address: 291 Independence BlvdVA Beach, VA 23462
University of Virginia-Hampton website: http://www.virginia.edu/
University of Virginia-Hampton Google map
Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Center phone number: (757) 363-3930
Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Center address: 1444 Diamond Springs Road, VA Beach, VA 23455
Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Center website: www.hrc.vt.edu/
Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Center Google map
Virginia Beach Hospitals
If you unexpectedly have to make an ER visit on your city of Virginia Beach, here are two wonderful hospitals I recommend in southeastern Virginia: Obici Hospital in SuffolkM, and Children's Hospital of the Kings Daughters in Norfolk.
During two recent experiences in their emergency rooms, I found the most professional and NICEST staffs I have ever seen in a hospital (and as a former community relations manager for three hospitals, I am an expert!). The entire staff at Obici, in particular, were truly out of this world in terms of friendliness and caring.
Just one example: as we waited in the emergency room with a family member who was being checked out, a member of the housekeeping staff saw that my daughter was sitting in an uncomfortable chair and actually brought her a pillow! It was truly mind-boggling how helpful all the staff were.
There are only two problems with these hospitals. Obici is located in Suffolk--not exactly that close to the City of Virginia Beach and the oceanfront. And CHKD only services children.
But Obici is owned by the Sentara Health System, which runs several area hospitals, including Sentara Virgina Beach General Hospital, the one closest to the oceanfront area in the city of Virginia Beach. So while I haven't been there myself, there's a good chance it has the same caring emphasis and wonderful staff that Obici does.
Here are addresses, phone numbers, and maps for these hospitals:
Obici Hospital address: 2800 Godwin Boulevard, Suffolk, VA.
Obici Hospital phone number: (757) 934-4000.
Here's the Obici Hospital Google map.
Sentara Virgina Beach General Hospital address: 1060 First Colonial Road, VA Beach
Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital phone number: (757) 395-8000.
Here's the Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital Google map.
Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters address: 601 Children's Lane, Norfolk, VA.
Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters phone number: 757-668-7000.
Here's the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters Google map.
Other Important Numbers
Here are some important numbers you may need to know about the City of Virginia Beach.
VB Police
2405 Courthouse Drive - 757-427-5000
VB Library
They have 8 locations. The closest to the tourist area is the Oceanfront Area Library, located at 700 Virginia Beach Blvd., 757-385-2640. Hours are M-Th 9 am-10 pm, F-S 10 am-5 pm. Closed Sunday.
Click here for the Library's home page.
Looking for specific Virginia Beach facts? Use our Google Search!
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