Getaway: Spring Break for Grown-Ups in Virginia Beach

The Virginia Beach oceanfront / Photograph by Kyle Little/Getty Images

Lighthouse climbs, a vibrant art scene, and scads of fresh seafood — spring break, for grown-ups, awaits in Virginia Beach.

Day One

If you, like me, have a ritual when you’re headed down the Shore (mine: picking up fresh produce from Andy’s Countryside Farm Market on Route 50), then consider this your Virginia Beach version: tucking into a silky cup of she-crab soup at Chick’s Oyster Bar, a waterfront seafood shack you pass toward the end of your five-hour drive from Philly. You’ll need the fuel to climb 191 steps to the top of the circa-1792 Cape Henry Lighthouse, where you’ll be rewarded with sweeping bay and ocean views. Later, go drop your bags at the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront Resort (rooms from $225) — it’s perched right on the water and boasts two pools that offer beachside refreshment without the mess of the sand. For dinner, try the enchiladas de mole at Mi Vida (which just opened a Philly outpost) before finally settling in for the night, with the sound of waves lulling you to sleep.

Day Two

Nico Cathcart’s “Together We Can Go Far” mural / Photograph courtesy of ViBe Creative District

When was the last time you (intentionally) watched a sunrise? Grab a bike from the hotel lobby and pick a spot along the boardwalk to catch the sun coming up over the water. Caffeinate at Three Ships Coffee Roasters, then dive into a day of arts and culture. Wander the ViBe Creative District — a 20-block canvas of 100-plus murals, studios, and artisan shops. Duck into North End Bag Co. for handmade leather goods; pick up dreamy ceramics at Jars of Dust; and browse the neon signs, taxidermy, and tchotchkes packed into Igor’s Custom, a garage where owner and artist Igor Acord also paints vintage cars (and the occasional musical instrument for the likes of Shaboozey). Finish at the Pink Dinghy, where dishes like the French onion labne and lamb delight, the natural wine list is tightly curated, and the colorful decor is totally on theme.

Jars of Dust’s ceramics / Photograph courtesy of Jars of Dust

Day Three

Start your morning on a dolphin-watching cruise with Rudee Tours, where excursions are led by naturalists well-versed in the region’s coastal ecosystem. Next up: a lazy afternoon at the Virginia Aquarium and the teeny Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum. The latter is nestled in a cottage between towering hotels; it’s an unexpected gem showcasing Virginia Beach history and the work of local woodcarvers. (If you have time, a detour to the Military Aviation Museum is worth the trek to see one of the world’s largest collections of WWI and WWII aircraft.) For your last night, retreat to the Hunt Room at the Cavalier Hotel — the Marriott’s sister property across the street — for Southern-inspired cuisine (expect hearty dishes that you can easily split) and cocktails crafted with spirits from on-site Tarnished Truth Distilling, which you should absolutely tour before wrapping up your trip.

Belly Up

/ Photograph by Zoe Grant

At woman-owned Waterman Spirits — the country’s first coral-filtered vodka distillery — book an hour-long cocktail-making class. The small-batch vodka is crafted from organic corn and filtered through coral to raise the pH for a smooth finish. Grab a few bottles to take home — and let this recipe for a house favorite tide you over till your next visit.

Lavender Lemon Drop Martini

• 2 oz. Waterman Spirits organic vodka
• 0.5 oz. Waterman Spirits orange liqueur
• 0.5 oz. lavender simple syrup
• 1 butterfly pea flower tea bag (for color)
• Juice of 1 lemon, squeezed

Add the butterfly pea flower tea bag to one liter of Waterman Spirits organic vodka for lavender hue. Let sit for five minutes. Rim a martini glass with lemon juice and sugar. Add ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled. Pour and enjoy.

Published as “Escaping To Virginia Beach” in the April 2026 issue of Philadelphia magazine.