Hotel at a Glance: The Barclay Towers Resort Hotel

The Barclay Towers Resort Hotel puts you within steps of Virginia Beach’s namesake attraction: the beach. Though it may be too cold to play in the waves, you’ll still have a picturesque view from your oceanfront suite’s balcony. Between November 21 and January 3, you’ll be treated to another beautiful sight: during Holiday Lights at the Beach, the boardwalk lights up with ornate light displays, complete with Santa, elves, and a 40-foot-tall Christmas tree.

• Take a dip in the heated indoor pool, or take in ocean views while relaxing in the whirlpool hot tub.
• Whip up a meal in your spacious suite’s kitchen, which is outfitted with an oven, a refrigerator, cookware, and place settings for four.
• Fresh local fare: Grab oysters, surf-and-turf tacos, and Atlantic salmon at Chix Sea Grill and Bar, or head to Waterman’s Surfside Grille for lump crab cakes and key-lime pie; both are just a short walk away.
• Hit the boardwalk for shopping. Don’t miss the 24-foot-tall bronze King Neptune statue, which stands guard at Neptune Park’s gateway.
• Cultural activities: Climb to the top of the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse for a bird’s-eye view of the cape, bay, and ocean. At the nearby Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, you can spot sea turtles, watch a 3D IMAX film, or explore the Owl Creek salt marsh.

Virginia Beach, Virginia: Award-Winning Boardwalk and Seaside Museums

English settlers from the Virginia Company of London first stepped foot onto American soil in what is now Virginia Beach, Virginia. They would go on to found Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement, along the James River. But before they left the shoreline, they erected a cross on the spot where they had disembarked. Today, the First Landing Cross commemorates this momentous event.

Needless to say, a lot has changed in Virginia Beach since the 1600s. The seaside town has become a family-friendly destination known for supersize beaches and a 3-mile-long boardwalk dubbed one of America’s best by Travel + Leisure. Though you could spend a whole vacation soaking up rays and sampling fresh seafood from the many restaurants along the esplanade, Virginia Beach boasts a number of cultural attractions that might draw your attention away from the beach for a while. There’s the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, as well as the Military Aviation Museum, which features a B-17 Flying Fortress and a Spitfire fighter plane from World War II. In the cooler winter months, you can schedule a whale-watching trip to scout humpback and fin whales traveling through nearby waters from late December through mid-March.

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