A better beach alternative?
Hampton is just thirty minutes north of Virginia Beach. Not only does it boast the same sands and seas, but it also keeps up on the dining and fun fronts. There is plenty of wheelchair accessible family fun to be had – but without the crowds of Virginia’s namesake beach.
Check out all that we loved in the area!
Buckroe Beach and Park
We don’t typically try anything other than mainstream beaches, because those are more likely to have beach wheelchairs and amenities we need. Buckroe Beach made our radar because the owner at Casa de Grandview had gone out of her way to research wheelchair accessibility for us.
They have surf chairs! Have you seen these? They’re like beach wheelchairs – with the big wheels that can push over sand – but better. These can go right in the water. You cannot manage a chair on your own as a wheelchair user, but if you have help it’s a great way to be able to get in the water! Handling the chair on my own for my six year old was fine, but I imagine that if her were an adult I would need someone else on standby to make sure he didn’t float away.
You can pick this beach wheelchair up at the office, located directly behind the playground. The door says “Employees Only,” but just knock and they’ll be happy to help you get your chair. It seems not many people know the beach wheelchairs are there, so we didn’t have to worry about there not being one available. (I don’t this article is going to ruin that.)
If going in the water is not your thing, there’s also a paved boardwalk for an easy beach stroll!
Unfortunately, there wasn’t much for our wheelchair user to do at the playground, but there were accessible restrooms available and we had an excellent beach day!
Virginia Air and Space Science Center
The Virginia Air and Space Science Center, or the NASA Langley Visitor Center, is a big win for all ages. I loved seeing Apollo XII and other space craft and tools in real life. The kids loved all the simulators and play areas. We all enjoyed the IMAX feature on the Spirit Bear. It’s the kind of place worth traveling for.
Tickets are $22.50 for adults and $19.00 for children, which makes it high-end for a large family. It was worth it as our big event of the weekend, and it filled a full day… or as full as we can do with two six year olds! Check out the website before you go for any specials. This Saturday, for example, the first 200 visitors are free for a special STEM event!
The museum was fully wheelchair accessible. Enter the IMAX theater from the second floor for wheelchair seating.
Explore the Waterfront
You can take in the views from the observation deck at the Virginia Air and Space Science Center, but I always enjoy getting in some time by the water. Life is always better by the water, right? There’s an easy, accessible path along the Hampton River and you can stop at Bull Island Brewing for craft beers and delicious eats right on the water’s edge. Take the path around the corner and the kids can run off some steam at Mill Point Park. There’s no playground, but the stage has a ramp and my trio enjoyed performing a full rendition of The Princess Bride.
Shop and Snack Downtown
After the park, just keep walking back via Queen Street and you’ll pass the historic post office and then enter into one of the cutest downtown areas you’ve ever seen. Thanks to construction, it was pedestrian only during our visit… but that only added to the charm. The sidewalks had curb cuts and the whole stroll from the science center, around the river, and through town was easy to navigate. Even the shops were mostly street-level.
We had just filled up at the brewery, so we didn’t get to try out any of the restaurants, cafes, or trendy coffee shops. The antique shops and local artisan stores were fun to explore, but I’d love to go back for some Fika Coffee.
Keep your eyes open for street art as you walk. There are some obvious ones along the way, but we missed a huge mural by not turning around on the main street!
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.
Norfolk Botanical Garden
This one is not technically in Hampton – it’s about a 30 minute drive. We had done this when we were in Virginia Beach, but it’s positioned in between the two.
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.
Stay
While Grandview Nature Preserve wasn’t as easy for accessibility, staying just outside of the preserve at Casa de Grandview seemed to give us access to much of the wildlife! We loved the location for peaceful nature views and the frequent deer visits.
Casa de Grandview is not fully ADA, but it’s perfect for a family like ours with mobility needs. The entrance is ramped (but steeper than ADA), and there’s a chair lift just inside the door. The master bathroom, bedrooms, and main living areas were all fully accessible. The owner is constantly working to make the space more inclusive, so just reach out if you have any questions. Proceeds from your stay help provide gifted retreats for soldiers struggling with PTSD.
If you need something a little more standard, there are several chain hotels in the area. We’ve had good luck with Hampton Inn in the past and Springhill Suites is our favorite for having enough family space.
