Hampton, Virginia sits on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula on the Atlantic coast at the Chesapeake Bay. Hampton is the oldest community in North America – it was settled in 1607 by a party led by Captain Christopher Newport and became a town in 1705. Top attractions in Hampton include Buckroe Beach and Park, Fort Monroe National Monument, the Virginia Air and Space Center, and the Casemate Museum of Fort Monroe. The list of things to do in Hampton Roads, Newport News, or the Norfolk area truly is endless. it is very well developed and the metropolitan cities are all great places to visit. Here are the Best Things to Do in Hampton, Virginia Before you can not go.
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View some war exhibits at the Virginia War Museum
Located in the Huntington Park area, this museum honors American military history from as back as 1775 till today. The main collection here focuses on artifacts and exhibits from the First and Second World Wars.
The museum is also well organized and arranged very well in a chronological manner starting from the American Revolutionary War, which then follows up to the American Civil War, followed by the Philippine American War, the World War One, the world war two, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and at last at the war in Afghanistan.
There are also various different galleries including a weapons gallery, poster gallery, and more. They also have a large collection of propellers which is a special kind of aircraft alongside many pieces of artillery. A small resource base libraries also available on site.
Sandy Bottom Nature Park
Sandy Bottom Nature Park is a 456-acre property containing a pond, twelve miles of nature trails, and a huge nature interpretative center. The reclaimed land now has wetlands, woodlands, and wildlife such as white-tailed deer, frogs, turtles, Mabee’s Salamander, and the endangered canebrake rattlesnake. The trails are well maintained and suitable for both hikers and cyclists.
The park has a children’s playground, two sets of restrooms, five picnic shelters available for rental, and other picnic tables set in shaded areas around the park. Fishermen can fish off the pier or rent a boat to go after largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, and bluegill. The water is so clear that you can see the fish and the bottom of the lake. It’s a great place for family outings, and it has an educational aspect to it that kids and parents can both appreciate.
See a show
The Ella Fitzgerald Theater, a 276-seat venue named for the “First Lady of Song” hosts a wide variety of shows throughout the year. It is part of the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center, a multi-purpose cultural space in southeast Newport News. The historic building was originally built as the Walter Reed School, and has been restored and is now owned and operated by the City of Newport News, Parks, Recreation, and Tourism department.
Go to the Casemate Museum of Fort Monroe
Focusing on the history of the magnificent fortress, it’s one of the most informational museums of this area. If you are a lover of history, and the military and also love visiting old buildings and getting lost in general, then this place is a definite visit and recommendation for you.
The artifacts and displays are very well kept from the ancient times. It is essentially a self-guided tour that trails through the museum, then out to the moat followed by a visit to the defensive walls and more. If you’re going in as a huge group of 10 people or more you can also opt for the guided tours.
Captain Hogg’s Charter Fishing
Visitors who would like to try their hand at Atlantic fishing need to look no further than Captain Chandler Hogg, his professional and helpful crew, and his forty-foot custom fishing boat the Smoking Gun. The boat, which carries up to 32 passengers, cruises lower the Chesapeake Bay to find the fish; Captain Hogg always knows where to look.
Potential catches include cobia, grey trout, striped bass, black drum, red drum, flounder, bluefish, sheepshead, tautog, Spanish mackerel, and spadefish. In order for visitors to spend less time traveling and more time fishing, the Smoking Gun cruises at a speedy 26 knots. Back at the shore, the crew will clean and filet your fish so that all you need to do at home is put it on the grill.
