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Family Travel Files Ezine Family Vacations Resource
Virginia: Virginia Beach, KOA - Banana Bikes, Ice Cream Socials and Campfire Nights.KOAVA289Pools Virginia Beach is a classic American family vacation destination defined by 28 miles of beautiful public beach and three miles of boardwalk, classic fishing piers, water parks and mini golf, oodles of eateries, remarkable museums, pristine natural areas, eclectic shops, innovative theatre and energizing music. Add sunshine and the marvelous Atlantic Ocean and you have the recipe for a perfect Virginia Beach camping vacation.

Location, location, location! The Virginia Beach KOA takes advantage of all that is great about the area. Located on the southern end of the city away from the crowds and traffic, it is a secret family vacation with oodles of benefits. While you cannot see the sea, the campground enjoys the benefits of the nurturing breezes. Getting a beach fix is easy because a city trolley makes scheduled runs stopping at the KOA campground and continuing on to the beach during the summer months. From the grounds it is easy to access the two-mile bike trail to the beach and head north to the Boardwalk. Other trails wind through backwater bays and marshes.

Fun stuff onsite. During the summertime enjoy ice cream socials, marshmallow roasts and flashlight candy hunts. Swim in the freshwater pool, play a game of mini-golf, ride banana bikes, make use of the playground and count the Navy fighter jets flying overhead.

Select your sleeping spot. Sleeping options include campsites under the pines, RV rentals and primitive cabins. New lodges have been added for 2008. Bonus points: Although camp rings are not provided, campfires are permitted and firewood is available onsite.

Make it happen. Virginia Beach KOA, 1240 General Booth Boulevard Virginia Beach, VA 23451 USA. Toll-free 1-800-562-4150 or 1 (757) 428-1444 or go to Virginia Beach KOA online.   KOAVABeach289Cabins

Fun stuff in the Virginia Beach area.

Pet a ray or search for dolphins. Families will get a front row seat at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Museum, one of the best in the in the country.  Its blockbuster attractions include more than 800,000 gallons of aquariums, an outdoor aviary, and river otter and seal habitats.  It is also home to the six story-high Fox Family Channel IMAX® theater, one of the nation’s first and the only one in the state.  The touch tanks make any visit awesome. Docents provide both encouragement and explanations about touch tank creatures making the activity truly memorable. Visitors may touch a sea star's bumpy limbs; feel a stingray's wet and slick body; hold a hermit crab claw or brush a horseshoe crab's legs. Bonus points: Virginia Beach is also the home of the mid-Atlantic’s largest population of bottlenose dolphins.  Each year, dolphins make Virginia Beach their summer residence and visitors can get up-close to them on dolphin watching boat excursions sponsored by the Virginia Marine Science Museum. Visitors observe the dolphins as they feed, dive, and leap from the water in acrobatic displays. For active families kayaking tours along the Atlantic shoreline or Chesapeake Bay waters are also options. (Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Museum. 717 General Booth Boulevard, 1 (757) 385-FISH (3474) or www.VMSM.com)

Being on vacation is a breeze. In Virginia Beach the vacation breeze may be found at Ocean Breeze Water Park and Motor World. It’s the place with water slides, go-carts, batting cages and a helicopter ride.  What more is there?  Four fun vacation options easily meet the needs of all family members. From the Wild Water Rapids, a water theme park with water flumes & speed slides to Shipwreck Golf, 36 holes of miniature golf it’s all for fun. Bonus points: Add practice at the Strike Zone - a spot with batting cages for all levels. (Ocean Breeze Water Park and Motor World. 849 General Booth Blvd. 23451. 1(757) 422-0718, 422-4444 or 1-800- 678-WILD or www.oceanbreezewaterpark.com)

Kayak the Back Bay. Encompassing more than 8,000 acres Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge supports a wide variety of plant and animal life. Marshlands cover about 75 percent of the refuge and water pathways weave throughout the area... The obvious advantage of navigating the Back Bay by kayak is the chance to move almost silently in the wilderness. In addition to enjoying the beautiful feeling of remoteness, the possibilities to observe wildlife are many. Stillwater kayaking offers all ages a chance to experience nature at its best without facing extreme challenges associated with whitewater or ocean waves. With young children it’s a way to create down time; share the quiet of nature; count turtles or bird nests and make memories. (Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4005 Sandpiper Road, 23456-4325. 1(757) 721-2412 or http://backbay.fws.gov)

Park the car and ride. The seasonal VB Wave Trolley has three useful routes providing freedom to vacationers.  It is often more efficient to use the trolley because they travel along dedicated lanes and avoid the traffic on Atlantic Ave. Expect to pay $1 for a single fare with multi-day vacation passes available. Purchase a one, three or five-day Discount Fare Card for $3, $5, and $8, respectively. Buy them at the automated blue-and-yellow dispensing machines at the designated trolley stops or at the transit kiosk on Atlantic Avenue at 24th Street.  Each card permits unlimited rides and small children (shorter than 38 inches tall), ride for free. The Red Route 30 provides service to the shops, restaurants and hotels along Atlantic Ave; the Yellow Route 31 Museum Express goes to the Marine Science Museum, Ocean Breeze Waterpark, KOA and other points south; the Blue Route 32 Shoppers Express goes to the Shops at Hilltop and Lynnhaven Mall. 

Skate or ride the boardwalk. Granted it’s no longer made of boards, but Virginia Beach’s 2.6-mile boardwalk can’t be beat for walking, biking, and roller skating. Even more fun for families is the chance to pedal a surrey along the bike path parallel to the Boardwalk. Well, maybe the fun depends on who actually does the pedaling. Bonus points: No need to bring your own wheels, rent surreys, bikes and roller blades at stands along the Boardwalk.
 
Want more? For fun, kid-friendly Virginia Beach Motels check out Uptake.com. They search 5000 travel sites...so you don't have to!

Content researched and created by Travel Communications. Images provided by KOA. Copyright 2008.
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