Most people naturally come to Virginia Beach to enjoy the outdoors….on or near the beach! Rain, however, can put a real damper (pun intended) on enjoying all the terrific things there are to do outdoors in Virginia Beach. But what many visitors may not know is how many terrific things there are to do indoors in Virginia Beach.
Read below for some ideas about what you and your family can do when Mother Nature decides to literally rain on your vacation plans.
Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center
First on the list should be a visit to the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. The aquarium offers 800,000 gallons of aquarium as well as live animal habitats. Many people consider this aquarium to be among the best in the nation. You and your rainy-day mates can explore a nature trail, marshlands (wear a slicker) and an outdoor aviary. You also can enjoy the many hands-on exhibits as well as a 3D IMAX® Theater.
Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum
Head over to the Virginia Beach waterfront and visit the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum. This museum displays art as well as artifacts that document the migratory wildfowl that fly through Eastern Virginia. An added bonus: the museum is located in Witt Cottage, a historic building built-in 1895. This museum offers opportunities to see traditional decoys as well as contemporary lifelike carvings.
iFLY Indoor Skydiving
Also near the Virginia Beach waterfront is the iFLY experience. Have you ever skydived inside? Here is your chance! iFLY Virginia Beach offers the amazing opportunity to safely experience thrilling skydiving sessions. This is a fun activity for people of all ages. The oldest flyer at iFLY is 103 years old! No experience is necessary for this awesome activity.
Lynnhaven Mall
If you’re looking to get some shopping in on vacation to make the most of a rainy day, you’ll love Lynnhaven Mall! If it’s been awhile since you’ve last visited Lynnhaven Mall, you may be in for a pleasant surprise! There has been a nice size addition to the mall. This means plenty more stores to enjoy! To get an idea of the stores at Lynnhaven Mall, here’s a quick list: Barnes and Noble, Aldo, Build A Bear Workshop, Dillards, Crazy 8, EXPRESS, Dick’s Sporting Goods, H & M, Hollister, LL Bean, LOFT, Michael Kors, Sephora, TORRID, White House Black Market, and more!
Dave & Buster’s
Also located at Lynnhaven Mall is an awesome arcade that is enjoyed by family members of all ages. If you’ve not been to Dave & Buster’s yet, you can think of it like Chuck E Cheese on steroids. There are a ton of games to play like Giant Connect Four, Dance Dance Revolution, Pac Man, Skee Ball, Shooting Basketball Hoops, Candy Crush arcade game, and countless other games! If you’re the kind of person to sit back and relax, you’ll love Dave & Buster’s too! There is a chill area to grab a drink and some food and watch some sports.
Sky Zone Trampoline Park
Evidently, there is a ton of fun at Lynnhaven Mall! Sky Zone, like Dave & Buster’s, is also located in Lynnhaven Mall. This indoor trampoline park allows you to join in and participate in their dedicated areas to your choice of either Ultimate Dodgeball, Freestyle Jump, Foam Zone, SkySlam, and Speed Zone.
- Ultimate Dodgeball is a fun game of dodgeball, with some added air!
- Freestyle Jump area invites you to jump however you’d like, even on the wall!
- Foam Zone area allows you to jump into pits of soft foam for a safe landing.
- SkySlam is for the basketball lovers. This area will have you slam dunking the ball like a pro!
- Speed Zone tests your skill of how fast you can throw a dodgeball… so bring your A game!
Bowling at Pinboy’s
Take the family out for a fun trip to Pinboy’s in Virginia Beach! This bowling alley offers a family friendly atmosphere which makes it a great activity during rain or shine! If the bowling mood strikes you later in the evening, you’re in luck! Pinboy’s is open til midnight most nights and til 1:00 am on Friday and Saturday.
The Virginia Living Museum
The Virginia Living Museum in Newport News definitely is worth a visit any day, rain or shine. This museum provides guests with the chance to get to know more than 250 living species native to Virginia via discovery centers, hands-on exhibits and more. You can touch spider crabs and see fish with no eyes. See some endangered red wolves. Take a close look (but not too close) at some moon jellies.
Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art
Another great venue to visit when the weather is dreary is the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art. Exhibits include such art works as paintings, photography, glass, video, sculptures, and other visual media. Featured works include those created by internationally renowned, as well as national and regional artists. You can view the gallery exhibitions, take classes, and more.
Other Easy Ideas…
Other rainy day ideas include taking in a movie or two in one of several cinemas in and near Virginia Beach. Napping after reading a good book. Deciding that the day will be filled with fine dining from breakfast through dinner, and then topped off with live music at one (or more) of the area’s musical venues.
