With Kids! 
When I was updating my accessible east coast beach list this summer, I discovered Grommet Island Park – the nation’s first 100% accessible oceanfront park. Needless to say, Virginia Beach is moving up on the list. With plenty of accessibility options on-shore and off, we thought this one deserved a Wonders Within Reach visit and review. Here’s your family friendly and wheelchair accessible travel guide!
When to Go
It’s the beach. Chances are you’re visiting in the summer. As you know, beginning and end of season are best for crowds. Might I also remind you that it gets really hot? Granted, we were traveling from up north, but just below 100 degrees was a little toasty – even for the beach. Because Virginia Beach’s attractions extend far beyond the typical beach-vibe boardwalk, there’s plenty to keep you occupied no matter when you visit.
Where to Stay
On the Beach
It’s a beautiful thing to wake up to the sun rising over the ocean, but is it worth it?
The beach always has an array of no-name hotel options. We had booked a three star hotel overlooking the water, and ended up walking out because it was so filthy. Naturally, you’re going to pay more even for a shoddy hotel if you’re looking for proximity. We ended up walking to a Hampton Inn and Suites because we’ve stayed with them many times and I know that I can rely on both their cleanliness and their customer service. The view was incredible. They have locations overlooking the beach on both the north and south ends.
If you opt for staying by the beach. I have two suggestions:
- Stay with someone you trust. The beach is rarely a good place to snag a deal. The pictures online are rarely like reality.
- Stay north. This was my first visit to Virginia Beach, so I didn’t know anything about the lay of the land. The northern end of the beach is a nicer area (both on the beach and in town) and has more to offer.
Hampton Inn and Suites has locations on both ends of the beach.
In Town
Because the attractions surrounding Virginia Beach are so spread out, staying in Virginia Beach Town Center actually turned out to be a great option.
A) It’s much more budget friendly, since you can’t walk to the sand; and
B) It’s central to everything you want to do. It’s about a 15 minute drive from the beach and it puts you right in between everything else: the aquarium, the botanical gardens, the outlets, the cruises, the Chesapeake Bay, Cape Henry, Virginia Air and Space Museum, yada yada, etc., etc..
We stayed at Hyatt Place Virginia Beach Town Center. In addition to meeting our standard of cleanliness, they gave us the best customer service that I have received in my entire life. We’ve stayed at a lot of hotels, so that’s saying something. We were not just received, we were welcomed. My children were not just tolerated, they were engaged and appreciated. The kids kept talking about their “friends” at the front desk – and that’s really how it felt!
The other big perk of the Hyatt was breakfast. They are the only hotel we’ve found that’s still including a hot breakfast – individually wrapped breakfast sandwiches and burritos. They also make espresso drinks to order. I’m not really sure how it could get any better.
Hyatt Place Virginia Beach Town Center is my top pick in the Virginia Beach area.
What to Do
The beach!
That could be all you do, and it would still be worth it. Beach wheelchairs are available at 2nd, 17th, and 24th. First come first serve. Details on pick-up here. Ramps up to the water’s edge are on 8th, 17th, 24th, and 30th. ADA restrooms at 2nd/boardwalk; 17th/boardwalk; 24th/Atlantic Ave; 31st/Atlantic Ave; and 25th street parking lot.
Grommet Island Park
Grommet Island is what we came for! I love the idea of an inclusive playground on the beach, and this is one of a kind. It’s a somewhat typical playground with diggers, a sway boat, and slides – but everything is ramped. There’s plenty of handicap parking by the park, and there are loaner beach wheelchairs here, so I would suggest basing yourself here for a beach day.
The Monuments
If you find yourself looking for more than sand at the seashore, you can wander the many monuments and sculptures. Virginia Beach is known for the giant sculpture of Neptune that welcomes you to the shore, but we also enjoyed the Naval Aviation Monument Park and the Law Enforcement Memorial Sculptures. They’re all just off the oceanfront on the northern end. You could cover them all in a long walk, or catch them on the way to somewhere else.
Air Power Park
Virginia is full of military history, which is the only reason I can come up with for why this gem isn’t better published. Air Power Park is a roadside park with actual jets, missiles, and rockets; flight memorabilia; hundreds of models; a playground; and a hiking trail! We were the only ones there and there was a museum curator who was happy to walk us through the museum and give us a one-on-one history of flight lesson. It was brilliant. It’s in the Hampton area, and worth the drive even if you’re not catching the other attractions out that way (which you should).
Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center
The aquarium is open and ready to show off! It’s a short drive from the beach. Make sure you purchase tickets in advance… because it’s 2020.
Art Museums
It seems these places are struggling post-covid, which means many art museums are offering free or discounted admission. You can visit the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, in the beach area, for free. Or take a short drive to check out the galleries at Peninsula Fine Arts Center in Newport News. The perk of the PFAC is their Hands On for Kids gallery. Admission is currently $1, but it’s never more than $2 with your disability ACCESS card.
Norfolk Botanical Garden
This one is a little bit farther, at about 50 minutes from the central shore. We did a couple of these drive-to activities because they gave the kids nap opportunities! The Norfolk Botanical Garden was beautiful and they run a tram tour so that you can see it all and hop off to focus on your favorites. Of course, there’s a children’s garden. There’s also a giant sand heap playground – if you’re up for more sand play! Admission is only $2 with your disability ACCESS card.
Cape Henry
You can check out where the first English colonists landed in April 1607 and visit the beautiful Cape Henry Lighthouse. If you’re physically able, you can purchase admission to climb the lighthouse tower.
More Planes… and Dinosaurs
There are several naval and aviation sites in the area. Because of the timing of our visit, a lot of attractions were closed. When we go back, we’ll visit the Virginia Air and Space Museum and the Military Aviation Museum. Just outside the Military Aviation Museum, you can even check out a collection of dinosaur sculptures at Jerrassic Park.
Free Fun
We didn’t have time to cover it all, but you can check out more free fun here!
Where to Eat
This is why we travel, right?? Wait, no. But it certainly is a big perk!
We love brunch… which makes Virginia Beach a new favorite because there is plenty of brunch to be found – on any day of the week. Here’r what we loved most:
Pocahontas Pancakes
There’s a reason this place was voted in the top ten places to eat in Virginia by Southern Living. They bring typical diner food to a new level of delicious. The tepee is a fun touch, since you’re in Pocahontas’s corner of the world. We tried a bit of everything, and nothing disappointed. The staff also went above and beyond in connecting with and entertaining the kids while we waited.
Java Surf Cafe and Espresso Bar
The best orange juice I’ve ever had. Need I say more? They can put that orange juice in a mimosa. Now do I need to say more? How about deliciously healthy sandwiches, salads, and smoothies? Oh, yeah, they also have good kid options – like peanut butter and jelly croissants.
Citrus
Sadly, we didn’t actually make it to this one. I’m including it here because I use my own blog guides when we travel, and this is at the top of my list for our next visit! They were featured in Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, they have great reviews, and the menu puts a unique twist on all the brunch staples.
Sunnyside Cafe
Typical diner food in a typical diner setting. I’d put it at the bottom of our list of favorites, but I’m including it because it’s the best on the south end, in case you want something near Grommet Island!
Getting Around
Your handicap placard gets you free parking at any metered spot for up to four hours. That means even if you can’t find a handicap designated space, you can still park for free. Because we took advantage of that (as opposed to a paid lot), we just drove ourselves to each destination.
The VB Wave offers an accessible shuttle along the beachfront and to other attractions, including many of the top places I listed in things to do.
If you’re looking for other accessible beach options, check out the full list here!