Virginia Beach
By Anna Lynn Sibal
There are many reasons why tourists mark Virginia Beach as one of their favorite holiday destinations.
Probably chief of these reasons are:
1) Virginia Beach has a long and rich history;
2) Virginia Beach has a glorious line of beach. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Virginia Beach has the longest line of pleasure beach in the entire world.
One can say that Virginia Beach was meant to become a resort city. It certainly grew from being a small getaway in Princess Anne County in the Commonwealth of Virginia at the turn of the 19th century. Its further development was aided by the construction of the original Princess Anne Hotel, the advent of railway service and electricity in the community, and later on by the construction of the Virginia Beach Boulevard. Right now, Virginia Beach is one of the favorite tourist destinations on the east coast.
While the beach is certainly the main attraction that Virginia Beach has for tourists, there are a number of places that a visitor should not miss when going to Virginia Beach. These must-see places in Virginia Beach are:
1. Virginia Beach Boardwalk. The Boardwalk is a three-mile concrete promenade along the oceanfront of Virginia Beach. Every establishment that is considered essential to the comfort of tourists is there, from hotels to restaurants to shopping centers to watering holes. The Boardwalk also has a bike lane for cycling enthusiasts who would rather bike than walk.
2. The Adam Thoroughgood House. Adam Thoroughgood is a notable personage in the history of Virginia Beach. From being an indentured servant, he rose to become one of the leaders of the English settlement on Virginia Beach in the 1600s. His house is now a museum that gives a peek into the lifestyle of the settlers during Adam Thoroughgood’s time.
3. Mount Trashmore Park. Mount Trashmore used to be a landfill; now it is a 165-acre park with fishing lakes, basketball and volleyball facilities, picnic grounds, walking trail and skating grounds. Mount Trashmore Park is considered to be an excellent example of landfill reuse.
4. Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center attempts to replicate the marine life that is present in the waters of Virginia Beach. The Museum has 700,000 gallons of aquariums, an outdoor aviary, marshes, a nature trail and 300+ marine exhibits.
5. The Norwegian Lady Monument. The Norwegian Lady Monument is a replica of the figurehead of the Norwegian barque, the Dictator. The Dictator crashed on a sandbar just off Virginia Beach in 1891, and the residents were involved in rescuing its crew. The remains of the ship were salvaged and the figurehead was put up as a monument. In the 1950s, however, the figurehead was put into storage to prevent it from eroding and eventually went missing. She was replaced with a bronze replica, and a sister statue was installed in Moss, Norway, which was the home of the Dictator.
These are just five attractions, but there are certainly many others. They are reasons enough to return to Virginia Beach from time to time.
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