Beach. Pool. Amusement Park. Arcade. Repeat.
That's exactly what Aiden and I did when we took our vacation to Virginia Beach a few weeks ago. And it was glorious.
Last summer, we didn't get a chance to get out of town. Between working it on my day job as a school leader, adjunct professor-ing during the summer and fall semesters, and every thing else that I need to get done, I just couldn't swing it. Aiden was totally cool with it because I still made sure that he had a lot of cool things to do right here in NYC. And he did.
But, by the time the first month of the 2014-2015 school year rolled round, I knew that I needed to plan a few trips out of town in order to relax, rejuvenate, and refocus. And visiting Virginia Beach for five days was the perfect way to do that.
Where to Stay:
We stayed at the Alamar Resort Inn, which was two blocks away from the beach, across the street from the amusement park, and two blocks to where all the action and excitement is. It was close enough to everything so that we could walk, but still quiet and calm at night when we wanted to sleep in peace.
There are tons of hotels right along the beach and boardwalk, but I liked the idea of being away from all the action at night. (After all, once you hit 30 years old, you want to sleep at night. #ImJustSaying) I was also looking for something that was moderately priced, family-oriented (for when Aiden wanted to play in the pool for hours on end), and offered complimentary breakfast. The Alamar Resort Inn checked all those boxes for me.
The room, which was a bit dated, was clean and spacious. It featured two double beds, a full bathroom, a living room area, and a full-sized refrigerator. There was market nearby so Aiden and I stocked up on groceries and snacks for the week, which saved a bit of money.
What to Do:
It seemed that every morning, Aiden and I had one thing on our agenda: eat the free breakfast and then head to the beach for a few hours. It was 90-plus degrees and the ocean water felt really, really good. (When I wasn't in the ocean, I was sitting under an umbrella reading a book. Amazing!)
If you're not as into the beach -- or you've had enough of it (I don't even know how that would be possible) -- you can walk along the strip, where there are tons of things to do. From the Fun House to the Haunted House to the Indoor Arcade (read: air conditioning) to the Mirror Maze to Miniature Golf to fishing, if you're staying for a few days, you will surely be entertained!
We spent time in the Fun House and the Indoor Arcade, which was a nice escape from the Virginia heat.
There are also many shops, restaurants, and a few bars for your picking and choosing. But don't talk to strangers! I made the mistake of entertaining a conversation with an older man and he followed Aiden and me into a restaurant as we were about to eat lunch! Creepy! Then he proceeded to demand that we eat with him. Um... no! Of course I gave him the side-eye and was all like, "I don't know you mannn! Go that way!" (That was a Big Pun reference.)
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| A little Fun House action! |
Don't forget to have ice cream for dinner one day. With lots of different toppings. Because, vacation.
Getting Around:
Unless you're staying far away from the beach (but, like, why would you do that?!) or you're going to see something that's far away from the beach (but, again, why would you do that?!), walk. Seriously. You can walk up and down the boardwalk or up and down the strip in order to get to pretty much anything.
If your feet get tired, take a ride on the cute little trolly or rent a bike. It's a lot of fun, and if you're traveling with kids, they'll love it.
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| #AandA #BlessedDuo |
No schedules, no timeline, no pressure. It was a great reminder of how much fun we could have together when it's just us.
I can't wait for our next adventure!
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