Virginia Beach, Virginia is a family vacation destination where Mom, Dad, and the kids can relax on the beach, go shopping and enjoy the Mid-Atlantic cuisine. The resort city has much to offer, especially for nature lovers. When visiting the area, visitors can find many things to see and do outdoors.

Parks
Aside from approximately 250 parks and park facilities, there are many sports and nature activities to keep visitors and residents enjoying nature and the outdoors.

Sports
This city has a sportsplex that offers plenty of soccer fields for tournaments. There are also 3 municipal golf courses and several private ones. Although the region including and surrounding Virginia Beach does not have any professional major league sports teams, it does have minor league teams.

Fishing
Surf fishing is allowed in certain posted areas of the oceanfront. There are 3 main fishing piers that offer visitors a chance to go fishing, enjoy the scenery and take deep breaths of salty fresh air.

Hiking
First Landing State Park has 19 miles of trails that wind throughout the park. There are 9 main trails to accommodate hiking and bicycles. Picnic facilities and a trail center with a meeting room are also available.

Boardwalk
The Virginia Beach boardwalk offers 3 miles of concrete boardwalk along the sandy oceanfront. A separate bike path runs beside it, with bicycle rentals available during the warm season.

Charters
Excursions are available for those interested in sightseeing, whale watching or dolphin watching on the Atlantic Ocean. Charter boat trips are available for small and large groups to experience deep sea fishing, as well.

Horses
Horseback riding is a popular pastime, with local private horse farms offering lessons and guided trail rides in the rural parts of Virginia Beach. For those who have horses with them while in Virginia for equestrian events, there are several horse trails in Virginia Beach as well.

Beach
One of the most popular ways to spend time in Virginia Beach vacations is relaxing on the beach, playing in the sand or wading in the surf. Family fun oceanfront activities include flying kites, playing squash, beach volleyball, fishing, sunbathing, building sand castles and swimming. Many Virginia Beach hotels offer private access to the beach.

Birdwatching
Virginia Beach is a popular destination for birdwatchers. With 35 miles of beaches, there are plenty of vantages where one can watch osprey, kingfishers, sea gulls, and other water fowl frequent the ocean and bay areas. Birding enthusiasts should bring binoculars to spend time on the beach and at the state and local parks to view the many usual birds indigenous to the area. The lucky ones may see one of the 63 bald and golden eagles that are tracked in the Chesapeake Bay region of Virginia.

By Christine M Harrell

Author writes about a variety of topics. If you would like to learn more about Virginia Beach hotel packages, visit http://www.virginiabeachresort.com/.