Things to Do, Places to Go
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One thing’s for sure, there’s no shortage of things to do in Hampton Roads, except anything that involves a downhill. Ready to slide into that snakeskin and push up the cleavage? Club Soda was chosen as the ideal hub for rubbing elbows with the in-crowd. Tink, tink.
Our cultural nod for favorite museum goes appropriately to the Chrysler Museum of Art for the second year in a row. Anyone who stopped in the dimly-lit room for the exhibit of William Morris’ Cinerary Urns understands why.
You said you can’t beat a night at the NorVa when it comes to listening to the musical sounds of live music. Maybe it was the hip tones coming from the acoustic guitar of surfer/filmmaker Jack Johnson. Maybe it was the indie-rock noise of Superchunk. Or the emo core drone of the Get Up Kids.
And for the gearheads who are at the gym at 6 in the morning and spend thousands of dollars on gear and pedal-powered wheels (not to mention your Mercedes G-Class), you voted the Virginia Beach Boardwalk and the 25 miles of trails at Seashore State Park as tops for sweat and fresh air.
Best live music venue
1. The NorVa, 317 Monticello Ave., Norfolk, 627-4547
2. The NTELOS Pavilion at Harbor Center, 901 Crawford St., Portsmouth, 393-8181
3. Jewish Mother, 3108 Pacific Ave., Virginia Beach, 422-5430
Best nightclub for dancing
1. Bar Norfolk, 333 Waterside Dr., Norfolk, 627-2800
2. Peabody’s Nightclub, 209 21st St., Virginia Beach, 422-6212
3. Have A Nice Day Cafe, 333 Waterside Dr., Norfolk, 627-2270
Best night spot to be seen in
1. Club Soda, 1423 N. Great Neck Rd., Virginia Beach, 412-0669, 111 Tazewell Street, Norfolk
2. Mahi-Mah’s, 615 Atlantic Ave., Virginia Beach, 437-8030
3. Roger Brown’s Restaurant & Sports Bar, 316 High St., Portsmouth, 399-5377
Best local place for a romantic overnight stay
1. Smithfield Inn, 112 Main St., Smithfield, 357-1752
2. Williamsburg Inn, 136 E. Francis St., Williamsburg, 229-1000
3. An oceanfront hotel
Best local performing venue
1. Chrysler Hall, 209 E. City Hall Ave., Norfolk, 622-0288
2. Wells Theatre, 110 E. Tazewell St., Norfolk, 627-6988
3. The NorVa, 317 Monticello Ave., Norfolk, 627-4547
Best place for a business function
1. Chesapeake Conference Center, 900 Greenbrier Cir., Norfolk, 382-2500
2. Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel, 425 Water St., Portsmouth, 673-3000
3. TIE
Airport Hilton, 1500 N. Military Hwy., Norfolk, 466-8000
Norfolk Waterside Mariott, 235 E. Main St., Norfolk, 627-4200
Best museum
1. Chrysler Museum of Art, 245 W. Olney Rd., Norfolk, 664-6200
2. Mariners’ Museum, 100 Museum Dr., Newport News, 596-2222
3. Virginia Marine Science Museum, 717 General Booth Blvd., Virginia Beach, 425-FISH
Best annual festival
1. Neptune Festival
2. Harborfest
3. Newport News Fall Festival
Best local art gallery
1. d’Art Center, 125 College Place, Norfolk, 625-4211
2. Chrysler Museum of Art, 245 W. Olney Rd., Norfolk, 664-6200
3. TIE
Kane Marie Fine Arts, 2865 Lynnhaven Dr., Virginia Beach, 496-5567
Hudson Bay Gallery, La Promenade Shoppes, Virginia Beach, 437-9010
Best place to show out-of-towners
1. Colonial Williamsburg, 1-800 HISTORY
2. The beach
3. Nauticus: The National Maritime Center, One Waterside Dr., Norfolk, 664-1000
Best place to take the kids
1. Busch Gardens, One Busch Gardens Blvd., Williamsburg, 800 343-7946
2. Virginia Marine Science Museum, 717 General Booth Blvd., Virginia Beach, 425-FISH
3. Children’s Museum of Virginia, 221 High St., Portsmouth, 393-5258
Best charity event
1. Zoo To Do
2. March of Dimes Walk A Thon
3. Holly Ball
Best holiday tradition
1. Grand Illumination, Williamsburg
2. Virginia Beach boardwalk holiday lights
3. Norfolk Christmas parade
Best bike trail/place to ride
1. Seashore State Park
2. Colonial Williamsburg
3. Boardwalk
Best retirement community/neighborhood
1. Atlantic Shores Retirement Community, 1398 Gibraltar Ct., Virginia Beach, 426-0000
2. Williamsburg Landing, 5700 Williamsburg Landing Dr., Williamsburg, 565-6505
3. Westminster Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay, 3100 Shore Dr., Virginia Beach, 496-1785
Best place to people-watch
1. Virginia Beach Boardwalk
2. MacArthur Center, 300 Monticello Ave., Norfolk, 314-4413
3. Waterside Marketplace, 333 Waterside Dr., Norfolk, 627-3300
