Virginia Beach, VA: Hotel & Motel Planning Guide

When to Visit

Late May to early September might be the peak tourist season, but experts insist there's no better time to visit Virginia Beach. It's worth braving the crowds and the higher hotel rates for the perfect beach weather and buzzing atmosphere. Annual events, including Beach Music Weekend in May, the Boardwalk Art Show & Festival in June, and the East Coast Surfing Championship in August, make the warm weather months extra appealing.

You can find bargain hotel prices during the colder months, but the weather can be so icy that the beaches are no fun. Many seaside attractions also shorten their hours during the low season, if they open at all. However, this is the ideal time to take in some of Virginia Beach's other attractions, including First Landing State Park and the historic Adam Thoroughgood House and the Lynnhaven House. There are also a few events during the colder months that might entice you to Virginia Beach, including the Craft Beer Festival in October, the Holiday Parade at the Beach in December, and the Polar Plunge in February.

Best Discounts

Several Virginia Beach hotels extend great discounts to particular groups, including the following establishments.

AAA and AARP members save every day of the week at Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront. The hotel offers discounts of up to 15 percent, depending on the season. Call 757-961-4763, or book via the specials page on the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront to receive the discount.

Holiday Inn Virginia Beach Norfolk Hotel & Conference Center acknowledges the selfless service of military and government personnel with significant discounts on all rooms. Eligible guests receive per diem rates including full breakfasts each day. The hotel also happily hosts military reunions with complimentary room hire, complimentary wine and cheese reception on arrival, and other extras.

Groups booking 10 or more hotel rooms can save big at Royal Clipper Inn & Suites. Speak to the hotel staff to negotiate a discounted rate for your corporate conference, wedding party, or sightseeing tour.

Best Value Options in Virginia Beach

Some of the best value options in Virginia Beach are those set a little further back from the beach.

Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront is farther up Atlantic Avenue than many of Virginia Beach's hotspots, but its location makes it a great value. There is a semi-private beach out front and an indoor pool for guests who prefer water without waves. Indulge in steaks or seafood at the Surf Club Ocean Grille, and work off the calories at the on-site fitness center. A free shuttle to the Boardwalk makes it easy for guests to access the most popular parts of Virginia Beach. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms is another great perk.

Virginia Beach Resort Hotel and Conference Center is on Shore Drive rather than Atlantic Avenue. It overlooks Chesapeake Bay, not the Atlantic Ocean, so the gentle water of its private beach is ideal for families with small children. If you are looking for waves, it's only a short drive to the main beach. Guests receive 90 minutes of free court time at the nearby Virginia Beach Tennis and Country Club for every night of their stay. On site, you'll find an indoor/outdoor pool, a health club, and bicycles for free. Locals love the tasty meals at TradeWinds Restaurant.

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Virginia Beach is a few blocks back from the beach, but the hotel offers a convenient beach shuttle service to take you to the sand. The warm, freshly baked chocolate chip and walnut cookies on arrival will help you feel right at home. The rooms are well-appointed, with premium bath products, large flat-screen HDTV sets, and Wi-Fi Internet access. Renovations in 2014 have given them a new lease on life. On-site facilities, such as a business center with free printing service, free parking, a fitness center, a heated indoor pool with an outdoor deck area, and Max & Erma's Restaurant also add value.

Rules for Virginia Beach Beaches

Virginia Beach's most popular tourist attractions are its sandy beaches. However, there are several rules that visitors should know about before they arrive.

Unaccompanied minors are not permitted in public places, including beaches, between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. Between these hours, make sure your kids are always with you.

Motor scooters and motorbikes are not allowed on Virginia Beach's beaches or Boardwalk, so make sure to park yours in designated areas. You're also not permitted to take open or unsealed alcoholic beverages on the beach or in other public spaces.

Pets usually cannot access the beaches between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend. However, you can take your dog to the northern end of Virginia Beach between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. in the summer months. Leashed pets can also travel on the Boardwalk between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. during this period.

Beach fishing can be great fun, but you can't cast a line between 42nd Street and the Rudee Inlet between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays and between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekends and public holidays. You also can't play Frisbee or other beach sports in this area between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

Surfing is permitted anywhere between September and May. During summer, you can only surf in designated areas at specified times.

Cursing is prohibited on the beach and other public spaces in Virginia Beach. Make sure to mind your manners for the comfort of all guests.

Heed the rules and do your research to find the best hotel to meet your needs, and you're bound to have a whale of a time in Virginia Beach.

Virginia Beach, VA in a nutshell

Virginia Beach has made it to Guinness Book of World Records as the globe's longest pleasure beach nut little the planet knows that everyday, it makes thousands of domestic and foreign tourists pack their and pay the fascinating city a visit. Another thing's for sure, it is not just beach bums as the town can offer more than their white sand, blue ocean, and scenic sunsets. The city is the place where history, fun and nature meet. The history of Virginia Beach started from 1600s and its heritage is evident in the surviving sites that have been witnessed to significant events. Be sure to pass by one of the town's colonial residences that still stand, the Adam Thoroughgood House, the 200-year old Francis Land House which was a plantation and two towers Cape Henry Lights and Cape Henry Light Station. Aside from the miles of beaches, the city has been surrounded by marvels of nature such as Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge which houses maritime forest and wildfowl. It has 210 parks as well that have features that will keep everyone entertained. Like other beach cities, Virginia Beach offer vibrant nightlife scene aside from its share of cool amenities. Prepare to have fun when you visit the town whether you are in your swimsuit or your party dress.

'I still recall my first surf here at the Sandbridge Beach. Truly awesome times. Just like our Cali waves, man!
Flea, superstar bassist of Red Hot Chili Peppers, noted his feelings about Virginia Beach in these words. Virginia Beach is the most populated city in the State of Virginia in the United States of America. It is primarily a small town that has, in due course of time, become large tourist community and a popular beach city along the Atlantic coast. Administratively speaking, Virginia Beach comes under the jurisdiction of Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. At present, the population of Virginia Beach hovers around half a million mark.

There seems to be a certain sort of disregard for other virtues of life than comfort and pleasure in beach cities around the world. However, Virginia Beach itself comes out to be a notable exception to this rule. Having assumed an important role in the history of America and civil war in particular, Virginia Beach has played its part in shaping the fabric of modern America.

Much of the revenue that the City of Virginia Beach generates in one year comes from tourism or other tourism related activities. Blessed with long stretches of pristine white sand beaches, Virginia Beach is among the most visited beach cities in America. It has also been recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the city with the longest stretch of pleasure beach at 7 km.

Cheap Accommodation in Virginia Beach

Being a beachfront city has allowed Virginia Beach to house more than 100 various kinds of hoteling establishments within its city limits. What this means is that tourists, regardless of the season, can expect Virginia Beach to provide accommodation that will be suitable to their requirements and availability of budget.

Cheap hotels in Virginia Beach, in that sense, are quite prevalent. Tourists, however, need to understand that staying at a cheap hotel can bring only so much of amenities and facilities your way. It would be quite unreasonable of tourists to expect world-class facilities at throwaway prices offered by cheap hotels. 

The Oceanfront Inn ranks high among the most popular budget hotels in Virginia Beach, thanks to its immaculately accessible location, great beachfront views and an overall sense of positive market reputation.

Among other hotel establishments that charge reasonably and fair prices to their guests, 19 Atlantic Hotel and Belvedere Beach Resort are also notable.

Lavish Stay in Virginia Beach 

Many tourists have a strangely deep rooted and extremely positive idea that lodging is as much a part of a tour as is sightseeing or any other tourism activity.

Typically speaking, such tourists are the ones who are more likely to indulge themselves with various luxury hotel and resort establishments. In particular for such tourists, Virginia Beach brings a host of luxury resorts that can make their trip worth remembering even years down the line.

Westin Virginia Beach Town Center is quite easily the finest among luxury Virginia Beach hotels. Located smack in the middle of the town center, Westin Virginia Beach Town Center provides unparalleled levels of comfort and style coupled with comfort and convenience.

Among other usual suspects that make it to this list are Hilton Virginia Beach and Four Seasons Virginia Beachfront. 

Things to Do and See in Virginia Beach 

Considering the vast cultural and historical background that this city has been blessed to have, it shouldn't come as a shock to many that a city like Virginia Beach is replete with a number of historical, social, natural and iconic sights that are going to keep tourists spellbound and rooted to the spot. 

The role that Virginia Beach played during the American civil was mentioned in quick passing in the previous point. Taking heart from that fact, it might seem, that American military and air force have commendably strong presence in Virginia Beach, with some sights like Hampton Roads Training Center allowing tourists a brief look into the inner workings of intricate military organizations. Military Aviation Museum marks the history of pride that American armed forces possess with celebratory events and regular exhibitions. 

First Landing State Park is a sprawling state park located at a short distance outside of Hampton Roads Metro Area boundaries. This particular state park is named after the city itself, Virginia Beach is often referred to as First Landing City of America. 

Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge is one impressively stretched out water body where regular shows and educational events are held in order to allow people a chance to teach themselves more about wildlife conservation. 

False Cape State Park provides another outdoor adventure opportunity to active tourists who are also too keen on learning more about the natural habitat of the places they travel to. 

Hotels Near Virginia Beach Airport 

Virginia Beach does not have an airport of its own and used exclusively for the traffic that is “ for most parts “ focussed directly on the city itself. The airport that is shared by Virginia Beach and Norfolk is the Norfolk International Airport that handles direct traffic to and from major European and North American cities, along with countless flights to and from various American cities. 

The approximate distance between the airport and the town center of Virginia Beach is 20 to 25 kilometres. Considering this long distance, it stands to reasons that tourists, rather than booking hotels in Virginia Beach itself, prefer to look for suitable hotel or motel establishments near the airport. 

Scheduling Your Trip to Virginia Beach 

The best way to schedule your trip to Virginia Beach is by noting down the best period of the year during which the weather is agreeable to the fullest and hotel prices hit the rock bottom. 

May to August marks the high time of summer months and the culture dominated by the sun, sand and waves is at its very best during these months. Of course, these months are also accompanied by high room tariffs applied by Virginia Beach hotels.  

The best way to tackle this situation would be to plan your trip in April, as the weather is still cool in April and hotel prices are at their par levels.