From female surfing stars and oyster farms to colourful art districts and beachfront sunsets, Stylist’s Natalie Cooper discovers the best of Virginia Beach.
California might get all the attention when it comes to surf culture, but Virginia Beach deserves a place in the conversation. Thanks to years of listening to The Beach Boys’ Surfin’ USA, I’d always assumed the heart of American beach culture was on the West Coast. But over where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, Virginia Beach tells a different story.
The coastal city boasts 38 miles of shoreline, a thriving food scene, a growing arts community and a laid-back atmosphere that feels a world away from some of America’s more obvious beach destinations. It’s the kind of place where you can spend the morning watching surfers, the afternoon exploring colourful mural-lined streets and the evening discovering independent bars and restaurants filled with locals rather than tourists.
I arrived on a humid September evening, with temperatures hovering around the low 30s after a short 30-minute drive from Norfolk International Airport. I stayed at The Moxy Virginia Beach Oceanfront, which proved to be an ideal base for the weekend. From my balcony, I watched the sunrise over the Atlantic each morning as the beach gradually came to life with runners, surfers and early risers. The rooms felt perfectly in keeping with the destination too, with bright, playful interiors and a laid-back design that captured Virginia Beach’s coastal spirit.
My time in VB coincided with Super Girl Surf Pro festival, the world’s largest women’s surf competition, which over Labour Day weekend transforms the oceanfront into a celebration of female sport, music and creativity. More than 4,000 female athletes descend on the city, while surfers carve through the waves at 1st Street Jetty, crowds line the sand and music drifts across the shoreline from the festival stages.
Everywhere I looked, competitions were taking place, from beach volleyball and skateboarding to flag football, soccer and longboarding. Away from the sporting action, the programme featured 22 free concerts, with performances from Gym Class Heroes, B.o.B, Lupe Fiasco and Switchfoot, alongside free beach yoga, fitness and self-defence classes on the festival’s #Goals Stage. The beach was full of energy, and the crowds were cheering on their favourites everywhere you looked.
The first thing that struck me was the energy around the water. Crowds lined the shoreline from early morning, all watching the surfers and longboarders battle it out. I’ll admit I know very little about the technical side of surfing, but that didn’t seem to matter. Watching competitors wait patiently for the right wave before suddenly springing into action was surprisingly addictive, and each successful ride was met with cheers from the beach. However, what stayed with me most wasn’t just the competitive energy; it was watching the younger girls in the crowd. They weren’t just spectating; they were watching firsthand what could be possible for them too. Whether they were cheering on from the sideline or queuing to meet their favourite musician, there was a sense that Super Girl was more than just a weekend of sport; it was about making female ambition visible.
The appeal of Virginia Beach doesn’t end when the last surfer leaves
Credit: Natalie Cooper
One of the things I loved most was that the appeal of Virginia Beach doesn’t end when the last surfer leaves the water. Just a short walk from the oceanfront, the ViBe Creative District offers a completely different side to the city. Spread across 15 blocks, the neighbourhood is packed with colourful murals, independent businesses and creative spaces, making it easy to explore on foot. Here, graffiti is affectionately described as a ‘gift from the community’ – a fitting reflection of the district’s belief that art is for everyone. I loved spending the morning wandering around, stopping to admire the public art and see the city through the eyes of its creative community. It was wonderful to see creativity being celebrated not only at the festival but also in the local area, showing another side of Virginia Beach’s creative culture.
While wandering around the district, we stopped at Jars of Dust, a shop full of artisan ceramics; browsed the bohemian clothing and accessories at Gypsy Soul; and admired the handmade bags at North End Bag Co. One of the most memorable stops was to Igor’s Custom, where signmaker Igor creates hand-painted signs for local businesses and celebrities across the US. His collection of cheeky Christmas ornaments also provided plenty of entertainment for our group, so it’s well worth a visit.
Credit: Pleasure House Oysters
The district is also home to some of Virginia Beach’s best independent food and drink spots. I started one morning at Three Ships Coffee, which served what was probably the best coffee I had all weekend, before ending the day at Rosey’s HiFi, a chic restaurant-turned-listening-bar come 10pm, that felt effortlessly cool and a highlight of the weekend.
After a morning of exploring, I found myself out on the water with Pleasure House Oysters, one of Virginia Beach’s best-known oyster farms. Oysters are a speciality of the region, and the famous Lynnhaven oyster has been harvested here for centuries. Led by owner and oyster farmer Chris, the tour offered a fascinating insight into both his family business and the history of oyster farming in the area. Before long, he was standing knee-deep in the water, teaching us how the oysters are grown and harvested, before letting us taste the oysters fresh from the sea. Yum. Swapping waders for a bucket hat, I headed back to the festival a few hours later. It made for a very Virginia Beach kind of day: local oysters for lunch, then an afternoon spent watching some of the world’s best female surfers.
Later in the weekend, to explore more of the city, we swapped walking shoes for bikes and embarked on a cycling beer tour. It turned out to be one of the most enjoyable ways to get around, combining local history with stops at independent breweries along the way, including Aslin Beer Co and Smartmouth Brewing Co. I’m far from a craft beer expert, but even I found plenty to enjoy with a huge range of locally brewed options to choose from. Cruising between neighbourhoods gave me a better sense of Virginia Beach beyond the oceanfront and introduced me to corners of the city I might otherwise have missed.
So, if you’re looking for a reason to visit Virginia Beach, Super Girl is certainly one. But the real surprise is everything that happens beyond the shoreline. Between the independent cafés of the ViBe Creative District, fresh Lynnhaven oysters enjoyed straight from the source, local craft breweries and sunrise walks along the oceanfront, Virginia Beach feels like a destination that’s quietly coming into its own. For travellers seeking a coastal escape with personality, creativity and plenty to discover, now feels like the perfect time to visit.
For more information, go to visitvirginiabeach.com.
Hotel: Moxy Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel, starting from $109/night (£82) (plus taxes and fees), varying by season and availability
Images: Visit Virginia Beach, Pleasure Oyster Farm and Natalie Cooper’s own.