9 Fun Things To Do in Hampton, Virginia On a Weekend Trip
Our love for visiting historic small towns is endless and Hampton is no exception. Aside from being a historically significant part of American history, Hampton, Virginia is also quite fun to spend a weekend in exploring the wide variety of restaurants, bars, parks, beaches, museums, and historical sites.
If we could think of one word to describe Hampton, Virginia it would be “diverse”. Diversity exists everywhere in Hampton – in the culture, the food, the attractions and even the history. From a French-creole restaurant to a carousel built in 1922 to a decommissioned military fort, Hampton is truly a cultural melting pot.
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Where to Stay in Hampton, Virginia
Hampton is divided into several separate areas including Downtown Hampton, Hampton Convention/Coliseum area, and Phoebus. Here are a few of our favorite places to stay in each area.
Downtown Hampton
Hampton Marina Hotel is located on the waterfront in Downtown Hampton. It’s a great location close to the Hampton Carousel, Virginia Air and Space Center, Bull River Brewing, and many restaurants are within walking distance.
It’s always fun when you’re in a historic place, to stay somewhere historic. This Queen Anne style Victorian bed and breakfast was built in the 1880s for pilot and businessman William Walker Scott. The Magnolia House Inn is centrally located to many Downtown Hampton attractions.
Hampton Coliseum Area
All of the below hotels are located near the Hampton Coliseum and Hampton Convention Center. There are also some great restaurants in the area including Park Lane Tavern which has a London pub flair and Cypress Grille located inside the Embassy Suites with award winning chef Kyle Fowlkes.
Best Western Hampton Coliseum Inn
Phoebus
Each 900 sq ft suite offers two bedrooms with queen size beds, a kitchen, bathroom, dining room and living room. Daily breakfast from Mango Mangeaux (located across the street) is also provided.
How to Get to Hampton, Virginia
Hampton, Virginia is located only a short distance from Norfolk International Airport and Norfolk Amtrak Train Station. All major airlines fly into Norfolk International including Southwest.
If you’re driving, Hampton is conveniently located right off I-64. If you prefer to take the train or fly, Norfolk Amtrak station is located 25 minutes from Downtown Hampton and Norfolk International Airport about 20 minutes away from Downtown Hampton.
Tips for Visiting Hampton, Virginia
- Hampton is an extremely budget friendly destination, in fact, a lot of their attractions are free or low cost!
- Purchase a “Sea to Stars” ticket for $39 for adults and $25 for kids and receive a 3 hour boat tour on the Miss Hampton II, entry into the Virginia Air and Space Center and IMAX Theater, a ride on the Hampton Carousel, and a visit to the Hampton History Museum.
- Parking is FREE in Downtown Hampton (when was the last time you went to any downtown area and didn’t have to pay for parking?!)
- Be sure to stay on a Saturday night, from May to August there is a block party in Downtown Hampton featuring different bands every week.
- The best time to visit Hampton, VA is May-September for warm weather and little rain.
- Hampton has many festivals throughout the year including the Blackbeard Pirate Festival in June, Fourth at the Fort in July and Crabtown Seafood Festival in August so before you plan your trip, visit www.visithampton.com and try to plan your stay around one of these fun festivals!
So, what about those fun things to do??
Take a Ride on the Hampton Carousel
Hampton Carousel, also known as the Buckroe Beach Carousel, was built in 1920 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. It was part of the Buckroe Beach Amusement Park until the mid-1980s when the amusement park closed. Shortly thereafter, it was fully restored by Hampton and now sits in Downtown Hampton in Carousel Park. Rides on the Carousel cost $1 and last about five minutes. Only 70 of these antique carousels are left.
As we were riding on the carousel, my mind slipped away to a time, maybe around the 1940s, when this carousel sat near Buckroe Beach with its songs playing, horses gliding up and down, and both children and adults laughing while they spun around and around. It was fun a simpler time and we both enjoyed “gliding” back into time on our carousel horses.
Visit a Distillery, Brewery or Cidery
If craft spirits, beers, or ciders are up your alley, Hampton has them all covered! Vanguard Brewpub and Distillery in Downtown Hampton features unique craft brews and a tasting room for their liquors which are distilled in house. Bull Island Brewery is located on the waterfront and also features a wide variety of craft brews also made right on site.
Oozlefinch Brewery is located on Fort Monroe and aside from their craft brews, they also have a great patio where you can find people playing cornhole and listening to the band playing. Sly Clyde Cidery is located in Phoebus in an old Victorian house and features such flavors as Ginger Lemon and Rosemary Haberno.
Visit a Museum
Virginia Air and Space Center and Hampton History Museum are located within walking distance of each other in Downtown Hampton. The Virginia Air and Space Center was really neat in the fact that it had many hands-on interactive displays that weren’t just for kids. There was a flight simulator, the opportunity to pilot a space shuttle, and learning how to land a plane.
We’re history nerds so we really enjoyed the Hampton History Museum. It was a very well-done museum that took you through the beginnings with the Kecoughton Chiefdom to when Christopher Newport arrived in 1606 to the role it played in the Civil War all the way to present day.
Lastly, a short drive from Downtown Hampton, is Hampton University Museum, the oldest African American museum in the United States. While visiting the Hampton University Museum, be sure to take a trip to see the Emancipation Oak. The large sprawling oak tree located at the entrance to the campus is where the Emancipation Proclamation was read to the area’s black community in 1863.
Take a Cruise
One of the most fun things we did in Hampton was to take a 3 hour long cruise on the Miss Hampton II. The cruise, which seats about 100 people, travels past the Naval Dockyard and onto Fort Wool. Fort Wool, which was decommissioned in 1957, is only accessible by boat. Fort Wool was built directly across from Fort Monroe in order to protect the entrance to the harbor. During the Battle of Ironclads in 1862, between the USS Monitor and CSS Virginia, a long range cannon on Fort Wool fired at the CSS Virginia but did little damage.
Dine Out
Remember how we said Hampton was diverse? Their food scene is no different! During our weekend trip, we got to try a lot of awesome restaurants and we wish we could have tried more! Below are some of our favorites.
Brown Chicken Brown Cow
Located in Downtown Hampton, Brown Chicken Brown Cow specializes in grass fed beef. We tried both the beef brisket with collards and the “Wild Whiskey Burger” – bacon bourbon jam, Gorgonzola, mushrooms and onions.
Venture Kitchen and Bar
Also located in Downtown Hampton, the Venture Kitchen and Bar menu is both extensive and eclectic. Be sure to visit after 4pm to take advantage of their Tapas menu for experience things like pork confit taquitos, curried beef short rib lettuce cups and coconut calamari.
Mango Mangeaux
Located in Phoebus, we visited Mango Mangeaux for breakfast. We started off with the delicious mango lemonade (and coffee of course) and both ordered eggs, bacon, andouille sausage and fruit with mango fruit dip. We agreed that we could both eat a bowl of the mango fruit dip on its own! On our next trip we would like to visit for dinner to experience their French-creole inspired menu items like magnolia shrimp & grits, salmon lafayette, and gumbo gumbeaux gumbeaux.
Park Lane Tavern
Located in the Hampton Coliseum area, Park Lane Tavern is your quintessential European tavern that combines both American and European items on its menu. From the traditional fish ‘n chips to the corned beef sandwich, you will definitely find some awesome pub fare here.
Baked Bistro
Baked Bistro opened in May 2019 in Downtown Hampton and is sure to be a fast favorite. Not many places exist in Downtown Hampton to have a nice sit-down breakfast so this was a much needed addition to the breakfast scene. We each got a frittata with guacamole, black beans, and salsa.
Explore Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe, which was decommissioned in 2011, is now completely open to the public. Fortifications were originally started in 1609 but the stone fort as we know it today was not completed until 1834 (and it has a moat, how neat is that?) An interesting fact about Fort Monroe is even though Virginia joined the Confederate States during the Civil War, Fort Monroe remained in Union control and it would become a refuge for former slaves.
While on the fort, we visited Casemate Museum which in and of itself, holds a lot of history. Among other things, tt was here that Jefferson Davis was held prisoner after his capture by the Union. There is also a walking tour of the entirety of Fort Monroe which takes about 90 minutes to complete.
Visit a Beach
Hampton, Virginia features multiple beaches including Outlook Beach, Paradise Ocean Club beach, Buckroe Beach, and Grandview Nature Preserve. All of the beaches have gorgeous views of the Chesapeake Bay.
Outlook Beach and Paradise Ocean Club are both located within Fort Monroe. Outlook Beach is free and features coves which are perfect to wade into. Paradise Ocean Club is located just north of Outlook Beach. For $10 for adults and $5 for children, you can get all day access to the beach, beach chair, pool, restaurant, and tiki bar on the beach. Paradise Ocean Club also features great entertainment from local bands on the weekends.
Buckroe Beach and Grandview Nature Preserve are located further north from Fort Monroe Beach and Paradise Ocean Club. Buckroe Beach has everything you would ever need from a beach trip – skis, jetskis and paddleboards are available to rent, bathroom and outdoor showers are available, there are several pavilions with grills, and even a concession stand with hot food to go, cold beverages, ice cream, snacks, and bags of ice.
If you’re looking for something a little less commercialized, the Grandview Nature Preserve is 500 acres must be entered on foot. Once you park, there is a 1/2 mile gravel road that will lead you to the beach. The Preserve is a great place for a hike along the beach, viewing the migratory birds, or just reconnecting with nature in this serene setting.
Drink Coffee in a Firehouse circa 1881
Located on Fort Monroe, Firehouse Coffee opened in 2017 in a firehouse built in 1881. They serve fresh-brewed coffee, espresso-based specialty beverages, teas, and smoothies as well as baked goods and ice cream (which was delicious!) We enjoyed grabbing a coffee and some ice cream and sitting in the old firehouse after our trip to Casemate Museum.
Go Fishing
There’s plenty of places to go fishing in Hampton but one of the best is the James T. Wilson fishing pier at Buckroe Beach. If you don’t have a fishing license, no worries! The pier charges $8 for adults and $6 for kids for a license to fish off the pier. We got there around 7:30am on a Saturday morning and it was already pretty crowded so make sure to arrive early!
