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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – State Parks – Virginia Beach offers more than 18,600 acres of state parks and wildlife refuges perfect for hiking, biking, canoeing and kayaking, including Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, First Landing State Park, False Cape State Park and the North Landing River Natural Area Preserve. A virtually undiscovered ecological treasure, Virginia Beach is one of the last great salt marsh habitats on the East Coast.
Biking – Over 100 miles of bike trails await in Virginia Beach ranging from state parks and a wildlife refuge to street paths and our world-famous boardwalk.
Kayaking – For a challenging aquatic adventure, kayak with dolphins off Sandbridge beach or the North end of the Virginia Beach oceanfront. For a list of kayak outfitters, visit http://www.vbfun.com/visitors/articles/kayaking.asp.
Surf Camps – Adults looking for an offbeat adventure can learn to surf at the home of the East Coast Surfing Championships – Virginia Beach, Virginia. Several of our outfitters offer surf camps geared specifically for adults (and kids) ranging from expert to those who are just beginning to ride the wave. For more information on surf camps, visit http://www.vbfun.com/visitors/theBeachLife/outdoors.asp.
Beach Volleyball – April through May, Tidewater Volleyball Association and the city set up more than a dozen nets for open play along the Virginia Beach shoreline from 2nd-6th Streets. Oceanfront tournaments thrive, including Virginia Beach Slam, Sand Spike and the Summer Freedom Fest.
Running – The cool breezes of the Atlantic make Virginia Beach the perfect destination for running enthusiasts. The resort city hosts several professional and amateur races, like Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon, that draws more than 20,000 athletes. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon features musical talent along every mile for both participants and spectators to enjoy. Virginia Beach also hosts the Shamrock Sportsfest Marathon, Half Marathon and 8K – another event where records are shattered.
Golf – With nine public courses in Virginia Beach and 20 in the surrounding region, players will experience intriguing, challenging greens for all handicaps, from beginner to novice to pro. Miles of bent Bermuda grasses, hardwood forests, and challenging layouts create the perfect setting for an incredible day on the links. With designs by Arnold Palmer, Rees Jones, Pete Dye, George Cobb, Gene Bates and others, golfers are certain to find a course to test their game. The quality of the city’s golf product is underscored by its endorsement from national publications like Golf magazine that have lauded courses, including Heron Ridge, Signature at West Neck and Hell’s Point Golf Club. The resort city’s mild weather permits play virtually year-round.
Healthy Dining
In Virginia Beach, Coastal Cuisine is our forte, a rich culinary style with fresh seafood from the Atlantic is mixed with organic produce straight from local Virginia Beach Farms. Which means, the city’s nearly 300 restaurants, many locally-owned and operated, are serving fresh ingredients that are indigenous to our region—produce grown from one of the resort city’s 20 farms, and seafood pulled from the Chesapeake Bay or Atlantic Ocean. The new Sensible Seafood Program was just recently started by the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center which is designed to help consumers make sustainable seafood choices when shopping and dining in stores and restaurants. Below are a few restaurants that stand out with their healthy dining choices.
Waterman’s Beachwood Grill – Enjoy fresh seafood straight out of Waterman’s legendary Hardwood Grill. Waterman’s Beachwood Grill is certified Virginia Green and offers a sustainable seafood round table meal where the chef will cook up all sustainable seafood for the guests, and then come talk about the program to the customers before they eat.
· Croc’s 19th Street Bistro – Croc’s is the first restaurant in Virginia to be certified Virginia Green. Enjoy one of their organic cocktails that pair well with sustainable organic and local menu items. Croc’s also offers green drinks: the “Green-tini,” or the “Org-a-Tini.”
Beaches
Lifeguards – Lifeguards are on duty from mid-May to late-September, between 1st through 41st Streets. From Memorial Day – Labor Day, their hours are 9:30 a.m. until dusk.
Beach cleaning – Beach cleaning starts in April or May depending on the weather and winds. An entire beach cleaning takes place at the beginning of the season, and then continues daily through October with cleaning staff working 7 days a week. Tractors are used to clean the sand. During October through March, repairs to the over 180 beach accesses are done, as well as dune grass planting.
Events, Festivals and Activities
Virginia Beach Farmer’s Market – Experience the rural side of Virginia Beach at the Farmers Market, a country-style, open-air market that features fresh, locally grown produce, dairy products, organic groceries, a meat market, home and garden gifts, jams, and a restaurant year-round. The Old Beach Farmers Market, open from Memorial Weekend through Labor Day Weekend, is located at the oceanfront, just a quick bike ride from the boardwalk and offers heirloom tomatoes, fresh herbs, wines and other fresh produce. Both events are free and special events are held each month.
Beach Street U.S.A. –The oceanfront comes alive with special themed entertainment along the sidewalks of Atlantic Avenue from 17th to 25th Streets nightly during the summer months. During Beach Street U.S.A., puppets, bands, jugglers, magicians and others entertain crowds right on the sidewalks. Free live concerts and theatrical productions take place seven nights a week along the oceanfront.
East Coast Surfing Championships: August 26-30 – Surfers are riding the curl in Virginia Beach. Held annually in Virginia Beach since 1963, the East Coast Surfing Championships (ECSC) is North America’s oldest running surfing competition and the second oldest continuously-run surfing contest in the world. More than 100 of the world’s top professional surfers and about 300 amateur surfers compete in the event. Throughout the weekend, ECSC will host skimboarding, volleyball, skateboarding, a swimsuit competition, an oceanfront 5K run, and live bands perform for free on an oceanfront stages. Visit www.surfecsc.com for more information.
Rock ‘N’ Roll Half Marathon: September 6 (Labor Day Weekend) – Virginia Beach has proven to be a favorite destination for runners. Runner’s World and Blue Ridge Outdoors magazines recognized Virginia Beach as a premier destination for half-marathons. During the annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon, approximately 20,000 runners and walkers from around the world test their strength and endurance as they strive for the oceanfront finish line. The race, known as a premier athletic competition, consists of a 13.1-mile oceanfront course. More than 20 local bands and 16 local high school cheerleading squads are spaced approximately every mile on 14 stages along the course to motivate the runners with sounds of classic rock, R&B, reggae and the ever-popular disco. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon has attracted some of the fastest runners in the world. Visit Elite Racing at www.RnRHalf.com for information.
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