13 Amazing Experiences In Chesapeake, Virginia For The Outdoor Enthusiast

Chesapeake, Virginia, affords the proper hub with spokes for the holiday of your desires simply 20 minutes from Norfolk Airport or Virginia Seaside. However centralize your wheel so it facilities squarely on Chesapeake herself, and also you’ll discover simply what number of locations the spokes attain inside the area. Experience watersports, hike and bike to your coronary heart’s want, spend an evening stargazing, or camp beneath the celebrities. All choices can be found in Chesapeake.

They don’t name it Wanderlust right here, they name it WanderLove. Love focuses your journey on reconnecting with your self, associates, and household via shared actions that make for an itinerary as packed as you’d like, and reminiscences sure to be treasured for years to return. Discover the outside as you probably did as a toddler. Get pleasure from seasonal harvests for the freshest meals and glorious eating places that put together them in previous and new methods. Prime it off with a cease at an old style sweet manufacturing facility three generations within the making, and you could resolve you’ll wish to keep for longer than a go to.

Put on your bug repellent, hat, and sunscreen, and put together for an incredible experience. And don’t neglect to test town’s website for frequent group celebrations.

We visited Chesapeake, Virginia on a press journey and loved extra actions than I may’ve ever anticipated. All opinions contained herein are my very own.

It’s no shock that water could be a prime focus of exercise in Chesapeake. In spite of everything, you’ll discover Chesapeake at Virginia Mile Marker 12 on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the three,000-mile waterway alongside the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the Japanese United States. What might shock you’re the many kinds of waterways that exist. This distinctive ecosystem contains the Intracoastal, rivers, streams, and lakes (pure and artifical), the place salt water from the Elizabeth River and recent water from the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal combine because the lock system does its job propelling vessels to their subsequent location.

1. Paddle For The Border

For a 3-hour paddle journey from North Carolina to Chesapeake, Virginia, select your paddle — kayak, canoe, stand-up paddle board, shell — all are allowed. Go along with your loved ones or associates to hitch 300 vessels that launch into the 7.5-mile journey via Dismal Swamp Canal every spring.

The occasion begins with a conventional pre-launch breakfast. One insider took a separate kayak from her husband, having fun with a leisurely experience with a buddy as he sped forward and was one of many first to complete. Paddle via Atlantic white cypress-lined banks that when hid escaping slaves alongside the Underground Railroad. When you’re fortunate, you’ll be joined by river otters sliding via the water or hopping to shore. Black bears have been noticed, however not as usually because the birds migrating north for summer time.

Afterward, partake in a festive, enjoyable, and pleasant pancake breakfast with the early arrivers welcome to nap till the remainder of their group catches as much as them.

Professional Tip: Registration for Paddle For The Border — formally restricted to the primary 300 purposes — begins in January and fills quick, so enroll early.

2. Kayak From A Pontoon Boat

It’s possible you’ll be accustomed to touring to a location to kayak, however how’s this for a twist? Journey to the dock with a pontoon boat with connected kayaks, and it’ll take you to totally different places based mostly in your curiosity. Flora? They’ve obtained it. Fauna? In abundance. Specify your want, and River Dogs Kayaking gladly shares data and websites earlier than your journey via the locks.

Nice information for the much less lively members of your celebration: Anybody who can’t kayak can sit on the pontoon and benefit from the views.

While you go, be sure you take a look at the Metropolis of Chesapeake’s web site for ongoing occasions. Adventure Kayak & SUP Tours affords “Paddle In Trash Out” occasions in addition to “Paddle Beneath the Stars” and “Full Moon” paddles.

Professional Tip: At all times put on a life vest when engaged in any water exercise.

3. KayaXpedition

Every June, be part of KayaXpedition at 65-acre Oak Grove, Lake Park’s household festival the place you may be taught to kayak or observe canoeing throughout the lake with music, meals vans, and even a 1.5-mile path while you’re able to stretch your legs. What a good way to spend high quality time with household and meet new associates.

4. Fishing

Fish from shore or from your personal (or rented) boat alongside the Elizabeth River or Albemarle Sound. Anglers inform me that the 763-acre Northwest River Park is one of the best place to catch winter striper and yellow perch. Within the winter, anticipate finding catfish. In spring, flounder. And in summer time, spadefish, striped bass, and cobia.

In want of provides? Try Gail’s Bait & Tackle (sadly, no relation) for gear, and know you’re hitting autumn’s prime time in Chesapeake with the Urban Trout Fishing Program. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries shares greater than 2,500 brown and rainbow trout in Northwest River Park’s Lake Lesa every fall. The season is from November 1 via April 30, so make sure to have each trout and freshwater fishing licenses earlier than you attain the lake.

Some kayak corporations supply kayak fishing. When you’re a assured kayaker, attempt it your self.

Hike, Bike, Skate, Run, Or Stroll

A outstanding factor about Chesapeake is that most of the locations out there for climbing are additionally amenable to biking and even skating. This makes many accessible for individuals in wheelchairs or who use walkers.

5. South Norfolk Jordan Bridge

This scenic South Norfolk Jordan Bridge, a mile-long toll bridge, at 169 toes over the water, connects Chesapeake to Portsmouth and offers beautiful views of the Elizabeth River Park. Pedestrian visitors has an 8-foot-wide, 5 p.c grade, ADA-compliant path open throughout daytime. When you’re on foot, plan for about an hour.

Professional Tip: Locals assume this is among the greatest locations for selfies.

6. The Nice Bridge Guard Lock

The Nice Bridge and her lock create “The Liquid Freeway,” a central function of the city. With a beautiful park beneath laced with blue heron statues, an anchor, and probably the most unbelievable Revolutionary War Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways Museum, it’s a must-do throughout your journey to Chesapeake.

The lock is a feat in each architectural and ecological phrases. It permits auto visitors above, and on the prime of the hour, opens for 10 minutes to permit boat visitors to go beneath.

As an out of doors fanatic, you may cross the Nice Bridge bridge and lock by land or sea vessel, on foot, by bike, or by skating. Whereas horses are allowed at Dismal Swamp, we didn’t see any horses on the Nice Bridge throughout our go to.

7. Hike Or Run Dismal Swamp

Dismal Swamp Canal Park and The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge include among the purest water on this planet surrounded by bald cypress timber however it’s unattainable to disregard the area’s historic significance. There’s nothing dismal about this area George Washington as soon as surveyed. Impartial Virginia’s first governor, Patrick Henry, urged the creation of the canal to attach the Chesapeake Bay and North Carolina’s Albemarle Sound. It took 12 years of backbreaking human (employed) labor to finish the 22-mile border, which continues because the nation’s oldest frequently working man-made canal.

Begin your hike of the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail on the northern trailhead on the statue of Chessie the Bear (aka Ches A. Peake). Whereas bears are sighted (steer clear of them), birds, white-tailed deer, and flora can preserve your eyes engaged all the journey. The Chesapeake Arboretum on the American Camellia Path is one of the best place to see a selected floral species.

8. Dismal Swamp Stomp

The annual April Dismal Swamp Stomp half marathon and Youngsters’s Cub Run are entertaining methods to welcome spring. Temperatures vary from 54 to 70 Fahrenheit, very snug for operating.

Land Actions

9. Golf

When you’re a lover of hyperlinks, each the Chesapeake Golf Club and the Battlefield Golf Club have 18-hole programs really useful by the native customer heart. There are a lot of mini-golf programs out there and even a disc golf course.

10. Paintball

If paintball is your sport, Chesapeake Paintball ought to be in your to-do checklist. With 40 acres of woods, you may paint your opponents as you try to keep away from welts.

11. Produce Choosing

My first journey to Chesapeake occurred throughout strawberry season in Might. Contemporary strawberries made their manner into most of the foodie scene choices, true to their farm-to-table roots. In summer time, peaches take the forefront. And within the fall, apples, pumpkins, and corn collaborate with the riot of autumnal colours to rejoice your group spending a number of hours selecting your personal produce of the season.

12. Birding

Be part of birders with sightings of 213 species of birds together with the elusive Swainson’s warbler and the nice blue heron. You’ll really feel doubly blessed on this unspoiled nature for those who take the chance to go to the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail.

13. Tenting

Although I’ll admit I actually loved our keep at Marriott’s Delta Hotel, for those who’re up for extra rugged adventures sleeping beneath the celebrities, take a look at the campgrounds and watch town web site for stargazing occasions.

When your candy tooth begins to beckon, the greater than 100-year-old H.E. Williams Candy Company is a brief drive away.

Chesapeake, Virginia, is a good place to work and dwell and go to, and “with a lot to search out right here, you could simply lose your self…”