The Beauty Around Us

We have been on vacation since Thursday, September 3. On Thursday afternoon we drove from Warren, PA, to Stephens City, VA. We spent the night in Stephens City. On Friday we drove from Stephens City to Williamsburg, VA. We are spending 4 nights in Williamsburg. We visited Colonial Williamsburg on Friday afternoon and on Saturday morning. Today, we visited friends in Virginia Beach, VA.

We left Williamsburg at 7:45AM and drove to Al and Denise’s house, arriving there about an hour later. We ate breakfast together at Knuckleheads Roadhouse, which was located next to Southside Harley Davidson. Knuckleheads appears to be a great place for hanging out with friends, food, music and beer. The bar/restaurant was spacious. We sat in front of a large stage and dance area; there was a bar behind us. Breakfast, which is served only on Saturday and Sunday mornings, was good.

Al at Knuckleheads Roadhouse

After breakfast, Al and Denise showed us around Virginia Beach. We went to the Oceanfront, where we walked the Boardwalk from 25th Street to the King Neptune Statue at 31st Street. From 31st Street we walked to the pier between 15th and 14th Street. We returned to the car, which was parked on 25th Street, via “the Strip”. We walked approximately 2.5 miles in 2 1/2 hours. Obviously we made several stops along the way.

Al, Denise, Bob and I at the King Neptune Statue

Denise and I on the Boardwalk

“The Strip”

The Old Coast Guard Station

Our next destination was Fort Story, at the northern tip of Virginia Beach. Besides being our first visit to Fort Story, it was Al and Denise’s first visit as well. According to its website, Fort Story “is a sub-installation of Fort Eustis, home of the U.S. Army’s Transportation Corps. Together, Fort Story and Fort Eustis provide the U.S. Army’s unique training specializing in land and sea transportation. Fort Story … is the Army’s only training facility for logistics-over-the-shore operations to train troops on amphibious equipment and to practice the transfer of military cargo from ship to shore.” Fort Story is also home to two lighthouses, the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse and the New Cape Henry Lighthouse. Fort Story is noted, too, as being the place where English colonists first landed in America. To visit the lighthouses, we had to pass through the security gates of Fort Story. The security personnel asked for Al’s drivers license, which he provided them. The security personnel also examined our car before we were permitted to enter the military base. The security guards were courteous and efficient.

Old Cape Henry Lighthouse

New Cape Henry Lighthouse

Cape Henry Memorial Cross

The inscription reads: “Here at Cape Henry first landed in America, upon 26 April 1607, those English colonists who, upon 13 May 1607, established at Jamestown Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in America.”

Bob and Al, with Cape Henry landmarks behind them

Al, Denise, Bob and me at Cape Henry

Cape Henry
Looking towards the Chesapeake Bay Bridge

After visiting Fort Story, we went to Mount Trashmore. Mount Trashmore is a city park, which was converted from an abandoned landfill into a park. The park spans 165 acres with hills over 60 feet high and over 800 feet long. Facilities include several picnic shelters, playground areas, a basketball court, four volleyball areas, parking, vending machines and restrooms. Mount Trashmore Park also has multiple walking trails and features two lakes where fishing is permitted.

Mount Trashmore, with Seal of the City

Seal of the City

Denise and I climbed up Mount Trashmore.  We saw two lakes.

Our final destination was Big Sam’s Inlet Cafe, where we ate dinner with Al, Denise and their son Eric. Big Sam’s is where the locals go. The food was good, and we enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere.

Big Sam’s Inlet Cafe

Eric and Al at Big Sam’s

Big Sam’s is located on Rudee Inlet.
This was the view from our table.

After dinner we drove back to Al and Denise’s house. We said our goodbyes and were on our way back to Williamsburg by 7:45PM, arriving at our hotel about an hour later.

We had a wonderful day in Virginia Beach with Al and Denise. It was an enjoyable, memorable visit for each of us. Thank you Al and Denise for showing us around Virginia Beach!