Renee Wright - Explorers Guide Virginia Beach, Richmond and Tidewater Virginia: Includes Williamsburg, Norfolk, and Jamestown: A Great Destination (Explorers Great Destinations)

EXPLORERS GUIDES

Virginia Beach,
Richmond &
Tidewater Virginia

Including Williamsburg,
Norfolk and Jamestown

A Great Destination

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Website URLs listed in this book were current at the time of publication. If you find information that has changed, let us know at and we will use that in preparing future editions.

Copyright 2010 by Renee Wright

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages.

Interior photographs by the author unless otherwise specified

Maps by Erin Greb Cartography, The Countryman Press

Book design by Joanna Bodenweber

Composition by PerfecType, Nashville, TN

Published by The Countryman Press, P.O. Box 748, Woodstock, VT 05091

Distributed by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110

Virginia Beach, Richmond, and Tidewater Virginia: A Great Destination

978-1-58157-106-6

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To my mom and dad,
who both contributed in their unique ways
to my love of history, books, and travel,
as well as to my deep roots in the South;

and to Kaylee, my sister,
companion on many adventures
and tap dancer extraordinaire.

The one hundred miles covered by this guidefrom the fall line at Richmond to the seawall where the Atlantic laps at the skirt of Virginia Beachhas a natural unity, based on history and industry, and reinforced by the road system. Many people who go to Richmond to see the Civil War battlefields and museums will also want to visit the Monitor museum in Newport News and tour the Navy Yard in Norfolk. Families who come to Williamsburg for history also want to spend time at Virginia Beach.

In this book, we set a southeasterly course through the region, basically following the route of I-64 from Richmond to the beach. Along the way, we suggest some side trips that will take you through towns forgotten by modern progress but alive with history.

Special chapters on the natural and cultural history of the region and the best ways to get there and get around are at the beginning. Toward the end, youll find lots of useful information, including local newspapers, television and radio stations, and recommended reading.

Watch for our Wright Choice selections throughout the book, marked with a special star, for the areas best bets for dining, lodging, attractions, and fun.

Wherever possible, weve included a Web site address for more information. We also list places with free Wi-Fi access where you can get connected.

Youll find lots of specific information for the major attractions in the region, and this information was checked as close to publication as possible. However, change is the one constant, so please use the phone numbers provided to check for current hours before you set out on a long trip to a particular place.

The accommodations and restaurants in this book represent a wide selection of price points. Rather than give specifics, we use categories based on a range of prices. This range is based on the nightly room rate for hotels and per unit for cottages or other rental units. For meals, the range reflects the typical price of a dinner entre, not including appetizer, dessert, drinks, tax, and tip.

In addition to the dining price ranges, the Where to Eat listings in each chapter include information on what meals are served, using the following abbreviations: