Located in downtown Norfolk, The Waterside spans several blocks down Waterside Dr. and is a short walk from McArthur Center, the shopping Mecca of Norfolk. But don't think that leave The Waterside out of the running. The Waterside has 12 unique shops including a Virginia themed gift shop and an art boutique. Find a unique gift for a friend or have your self portrait painted. The shopping experience is very distinctive at The Waterside in Norfolk.

There is nightlife at The Waterside in Norfolk as well. From Bar Norfolk, to Have a Nice Day Café, to BlackFinn, there are plenty of bars available at The Waterside to satisfy your dancing hunger. If top 40 favorites aren't your taste, Club Mojo offers the latest in urban dance music. There are a total of five nightclubs inside The Waterside.

For a delicious meal, visit any of The Waterside's eleven restaurants. Enjoy a succulent steak at Outback Steakhouse, or some oriental cooking at Thai Cuisine. For dessert, head over to Ben and Jerry's for an ice cream, or have a night cap at BlackFinn. Whatever your taste, you're sure to find it at The Norfolk Waterside.

If you don't want to stick to The Waterside Marketplace for your outing experience, you can head over to Harbor Park and catch a Norfolk Tides baseball game. Harbor Park is approximately five blocks away from The Waterside, and you can enjoy a hot dog and a cold one with friends and family. Close by as well is the Nauticus Maritime Museum and is just a short walk from The Waterside.

The drinks were brought promptly but the food took a good twenty-five minutes to arrive.

My companions both had the broccoli cheese soup. They said it was weak but fair and had a distinct onion flavor as well. Not bad but nothing special. It was served very hot!

I had the mahi mahi tacos. They were prepared well but not really blackened. I didn't care for the green chili sauce. You get two tacos, served in soft but slightly crisp flour tortillas, good guacamole and a small cup of black beans. Overall a solid four out of five for this dish!

My companions had the roast beef sandwich, (like a French dip but with American cheese), and the shrimp spaghetti, (lots of shrimp but the marinara sauce was not to our liking).

The total costs was $45 for three adults including one beer.

The restaurant was clean and had a unique appearance. The service was accurate but not too friendly and definitely not fast. A three out of five experience.

We had come here once before a few months ago and the food and service were terrible. But, we thought, let's give them one more try!

There was no one waiting to be seated when we arrived at 2PM for a late lunch, but there were several dinners at tables and booths. Still, we had to wait a few minutes for the waitress to seat us.

Then, although the restaurant wasn't really busy, we had to wait to give her are drink orders, which we had to repeat to her, then we waited for the drinks, waited to place our dinner orders and waited for the food.

The food itself looked good but was horrid. Overly spicy on everything! I wonder if this is done to cover up for using cheap or old food?

No offer of drink refills while we dined. When she brought the check at the end of the meal she said, “you pay me directly!”

With so many options just a few minutes down the road we will not be dining here again.

I had the lamb chops. They were dry, skimpy, and they didn't have any mint jelly! My companions each had the prime rib. No flavor, bland, lots of fat. The soup was barely warm and the calamari was rubbery. (Red Lobster had better calamari!)

I emailed the manager on the chance that maybe we just hit a bad night, but they didn't bother to return the email. I guess they just don't care.

Another good restaurant down the drain.

If you want a cheap stake, go to Lonestar. If you want a good steak, go to Outback.

If you are looking for a great steak dining experience in Fredericksburg, well, so am I...

Looking for a place to vacation that is all sun, fun and sand? Try Virginia Beach! This hip vacation spot is often looked over in vacation planning but with so much to see or do it’s a great place to visit!

Let’s start with hotels I mean after all you have to stay somewhere! Here are 2 of my favorite hotels but of course there are 100’s of hotels weather you want to stay on the beach or in downtown there is a hotel for you!

One of my favorites is the Courtyard by Marriott Oceanfront North hotel all 160 rooms have an oceanfront view with balcony. The rooms also have 2 phone lines, data-ports, refrigerator, coffee maker, work desk, cable TV and Nintendo. Free high speed internet access. Guest laundry facilities, free valet parking. Their pool features lights and waterfalls and slides and they are close to many of the attraction but they have less traffic passing then many of the hotels. Compare rates to find the best Courtyard Virginia Beach Oceanfront North deals at Trip Advisor.

The new 20-story Oceanfront Hilton hotel intends to raise the standard of excellence for hotels in Virginia Beach. It has 250 rooms that feature either standard view that face inland or ocean view that look over the water.  The Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront has a rooftop zero-edge pool and an indoor pool. A dedicated service desk will arrange beach amenities. Visit here to compare prices and find the best deals for the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel.

Now let’s talk about the beaches!

There is the main tourist beach along Atlantic Avenue that draws in the crowds. But if you want to have a little more peace and quiet here are a few alternatives.

Fort Story - 89th Street. Public beach open on weekends. Lots of sand and good surf, free parking and restrooms available.

North End - 42nd Street to 88th Street. Residential area with lesser crowds. Very limited parking, and don't park illegally or you will be towed.

Croatan - Croatan Road, off General Booth Blvd, south of Rudee Inlet. Public parking area and a designated surfing area.

Little Island Park - Sandbridge Beach, far south of the tourist beach. Amenities include public parking, basketball courts, concessions, fishing pier, picnic shelters, playground equipment, restrooms, surfing/swimming, tennis courts and volleyball courts.

False Cape State Park - In the extreme southeast corner of Virginia Beach. It has 6 miles of undeveloped beaches, 12 campsites, and 9 miles of hiking/biking trails. You can't get there by car; you have to hike, bike or boat in.

Now don’t forget about the many ships and small amusements along Atlantic Ave. The parking is $0.75 an hour and a max. Of $7 a day. But there are many shops and restaurants to walk through. Many small attractions and let’s not forget the beach and the boardwalk along the beach behind the hotels.

Virginia Beach has many attractions as well.

There is the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. This is the state’s largest aquarium and has over 800,000 gallons of aquariums and explore. Not to mention 100’s of hands on attractions for the kids!

There is also the Ocean Breeze Water park, and Motorworld amusement park. The water park features 16 slides and intertube course and a million gallon wave pool. The Motorworld features go karts and a 36-hole miniature golf course!

Take one of the Virginia Beach cruises. There's a boat to fit anyone's style -- dinner cruises, pirate boats, speed boats. Dolphin-watching and whale-watching cruises too.

Don’t forget to visit the First Landing State Park. This park is gorgeous and features over 19 miles of hiking trails threw out the park!

With so much to see and do there is something for everyone so give Virginia Beach a try on your next Vacation!

 

 

 

 

What is Hampton Roads? Hampton Roads is a group of cities that all run together. You cannot tell (other than the city limit signs) where one ends and the other begins. These cities are Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Chesapeake, Newport News, and Hampton.
While visiting there are many places to see and as a resident there are many things to occupy your weekends so let me start with the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. This gorgeous Botanical Garden is located next to the Norfolk International Airport. They are open daily 9-7 in spring and summer; 9-5 the rest of the year. This garden is 155 acres surrounded on three sides by Lake Whitehurst and they play up the water effect in this stunning garden. The admission is Members are free, Adults are $7.00, seniors and military are $6.00 children 3-18 are $5.00 and 2 and under are free with parents.

Next, stop by the Nauticus, this is the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. Here the USS Wisconsin is permanently stationed and opened as a museum. The complex also holds the Norfolk Cruise Terminal. This Museum has over 225 years of naval history to explore and an amazing gift shop for some amazing gifts!

There is also the Chrysler Museum of Art. This museum had over 30,000 objects that span over 5,000 years of world history.

This next one is mainly for the tourists as most families in Hampton Roads are Military Families and one point. You can tour Naval Station Norfolk. This is the largest US Naval Base. This bus tour drives past historic homes as well as, aircraft carriers, subs and many other ships stationed at NOB. They do daily tours but times change all the time so call and make your appt before you get here!

Make a stop at the Virginia Zoo! This zoo has over 400 animals on over 53 acres. It has all your favorites and a few unexpected animals too. The zoo also includes gardens and plenty of gift areas and kid friend play grounds to keep everyone entertained!

You have to stop at the MacArthur Mall. With over 140 stores and 17 places to eat it is the biggest in the area and features a great movie theater too. Great to find gifts to bring back for family and friends.

For a beautiful out door stroll stop by Historic Ghent. This area of Norfolk has a lot of history and some amazing homes to look at. There are also many cafes and shops and the area are just beautiful!

And last but not least take a trip over to Norfolk Waterside Festival Marketplace. This market place has dinning and shops along with several bars and clubs from Hooters and Have a Nice Day Café, to Bar Norfolk and the Southern Star. They also have many performances here and they are right on the water with amazing views of the Portsmouth skyline and the Naval Shipyards.
In Norfolk Virginia there is certainly something for everyone, whether you dig into the history of the country to the bar and club scene Norfolk has it all for you!

The Omni provides very easy accessibility to the Downtown Mall's west end. It is also only one mile from the Amtrak station

Another form of lodging you may wish to consider is The South Street Inn. The Inn is a couple blocks from the downtown mall. The Inn is comprised of two antebellum houses and provides a very traditional southern exterior. A gourmet-style continental breakfast is a bonus of your stay at The South Street Inn. There is also wine tasting and cheese sampling offered in the afternoon. The only stipulation is a two day minimum on weekends.

The town of Charlottesville is fairly easy to access. You may fly into Charlottesville at Albemarle Airport which is off Route 29 North of town or into Richmond International Airport. Charlottesville is approximately one hour away from the Richmond International Airport. So as you can see, reaching your weekend destination is easy as you have several options of which to select.

Now that we have demonstrated accessible routes as well as sleeping accommodations into the city, it is time to provide a rundown of many of the unique sites and shops in store for any weekend visitor to the city.

First it is important to note, the day to “weekend” shop in Charlottesville is on Saturday as on Sunday most of the unique and quaint shops where you want to visit are closed.

Initially you will want to begin your day with a great cup of “java.” Such a cup of brew may be readily attained at the Mudhouse conveniently located in the Downtown Mall's west end. The address of the establishment is 213 West Main Street. Remember to place it on your Saturday morning itinerary. Also, you might as well grab a muffin while you are visiting the Mudhouse location as a nice compliment to your coffee.

The next stop is Quince located just four blocks south of Mudhouse. There you are in store for a terrific selection of “Mitchell Gold” and “Bob Williams” fabrics and furniture. The preceding items may be ordered through the store. The shop also offers “Dransfield and Ross” pillows for the shopper who likes “plushy” comfort: You'll find pillows accessorized with fur buttons and decorative trim. All in all, the fine furnishings and accessories offered at Quince have a contemporary look and theme.

2 French Hens is decorated in revamped and revitalized 20th Century furniture. This is the charm of the store. Here you may find a delightful display of French-inspired antiquities and furnishings. In addition, there are 1920s and 30s inspired French fonts that may be used for the purpose of especially monogramming the store linens that you may purchase. You'll find the store located in a renovated warehouse at 310 Second Street Southeast. Also, before you take your trip to Charlottesville you may want to peruse their website.

Sun Bow Trading Company was established just a little over twenty-five years ago and offers Turkish and Asian Rugs and Fabrics. The items are hand selected from villages in Turkey and Asia. There are hand woven offerings as well as vegetable dyed floor coverings. The selection is unique as well as diverse and the visit is well worth it. You may find the shop conveniently located in Charlottesville at 110 South Street West.  

Artifacts, as the name suggests, provides the shopper with antique finds as well as out-of-the-ordinary accessories. The visit will serve to enhance your overall shopping experience. You may find them at 109 First Street South in Charlottesville.

Lushlife can be found while you are traveling on the east end of the Downtown Mall. There you will find the “Tricia Guild” line of home accessories and “Pine Cone Hills” vintage look linens for the bed. There are nine bedding lines offered at the shop including Anichini and Fig. In addition the location displays accent tableware and very “cool” pottery items. The address is located at 309 East Water Street.

The New Dominion Bookshop was established in 1924 and specializes in architectural books. There are also book signings by various authors. You may request a “signed copy” of John Grisham's latest novel as he lives just outside of Charlottesville. There are also many offerings of literature for the children in your life.  When visiting Charlottesville they are located at 404 East Main Street.

After shopping for awhile, you may enjoy some contemporary American fine dining at Hamiltons at First and Main. The crab cakes are highly recommended.

Rock Paper Scissors shows wares of stationery, gift wrap and desk accessories. You will not be disappointed with this visit. The establishment is located at 110 Second Street, N.E. 

If you happen to be a fashion-minded shopper then Elsie Garden is the place to visit for Women's clothing items and accessories. The shop displays items before most looks become fashionable. The address is: 219 West Main.

La Bastides is another retailer you may wish to consider when visiting Charlottesville. The shop is located at 2214 Ivy Road. Here you will find gifts not found anywhere else. Items include hand blown glass from Vermont's Simon Pearce and Scotland's Lindean Mill. There are also leather journals for travel and entertaining. 

Kenny Ball Antiques is a shopping choice of many D.C. and New York designers. The shop replaces European furnishings often as a result of frequent buying trips to the location by many well-known designers. The address of Kenny Ball Antiques is: 2125 Ivy Road.

And George follows an international theme. You will need to travel several miles west down Ivy Road in order to reach the retailer. The address is: 3465 Ivy Road. 

The Barn Swallow located at 5726 Ivy Rose Lane and is filled with accessories such as: pottery, blown glass, jewelry, primitive antiques and unusual furnishings. Check out their unique wares here.

Now it is time to head back downtown for cocktails-that is should you enjoy a before dinner cocktail. A great place to indulge in a libation or two is the Blue Light Grill and Raw Bar. The establishment is conveniently located at 120 East Main Street.

Dinner may be taken at C & O Restaurant located at 515 East Water Street. The brick façade is reminiscent of the building's railroad origins; however, a top-rate dining experience is to be found once inside.

Timberlake's Drug Store is another “historical type” site located in the downtown area. The Downtown pharmacy has a real lunch counter in the back.

If you are looking for the best local “dive,” then look no further than Riverside Lunch. Stop here if you have a “hankering” for burgers and beer.

The best place for vintage-type items in the area is Circa. The retail store offers a variety of antiques. The address is 1700 Allied Street in Charlottesville.

In conclusion, Charlottesville, with all of its charm, unique shops, restaurants and offerings is one weekend you will soon not forget.

Roanoke is fondly known as the "Star City of the South" because of the large star that sits atop Mill Mountain. The Mill Mountain star is lit at night and is rather large, measuring eighty-eight and a half feet tall. It uses 2000 feet of neon tubes and 17,500 watts of power to create its warm glow which can be seen all over the city at night. Its glowing mass of lights serves as a sort of beacon to welcome you to one of the friendliest cities around.

Here are some good reasons to live in Roanoke, Virginia:

1. It Exudes Friendliness

   Roanoke still retains the southern charm that many larger cities have lost. Roanokers are some of the friendliest folks you'll find and are always eager to help you out if you encounter a bad situation..

2. Good Selection of Restaurants

   Roanoke has the second highest density of restaurants per capita in the country with the exception of Portland, Maine. We have most of the popular chain restaurants plus a nice variety of independents. If you like Indian food, we have three of the best Indian restaurants around. Roanokers are foodies.

3. It Doesn't Cost a Fortune to Live Here

   Compared to the rest of the country, Roanoke's cost of living is 19.90% lower than the U.S. average. Our food and gas prices are still quite reasonable.

4. You Can Get a Nice House at an Inexpensive Price

   Roanoke has a nice selection of homes at all price levels. The median home price is around $140,000 which makes it affordable for most people. Plus, you can get a beautiful home with a lovely mountain view.

5. Lack of Traffic

   Roanoke is known for its lack of traffic jams. If you've ever lived in a larger metropolis, you know what a headache traffic can be.

6. Moderate Weather with Four Distinct Seasons

   In Roanoke, there are four distinct seasons, but an absence of extreme temperatures. Summers are very pleasant with their low humidity and moderate temperatures. Winters are mild with occasional light snow which rarely presents a driving hazard. Weather phenomena such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes are quite uncommon in the Roanoke, Virginia area.

7. Quick Access to the Blue Ridge Parkway

   If you're a hiker, camper, photographer or nature buff, you'll love the easy access to the Blue Ridge Parkway. You can be on a trail in a matter of minutes when you live in Roanoke.

8. Lots of Festivals

   In the summer, Roanoke has a variety of festivals in their downtown area ranging from musical festivals to art shows. Plus, there's easy access to our downtown due to the lack of traffic. Plus, they get a variety of good musical concerts at their civic center.If you're looking for a low hassle, fun place to live, you'll want to consider all that Roanoke, Virginia has to offer.