Virginia’s top beach destination has plenty of exciting new openings and events to tempt more visitors in 2025.
Virginia Beach, a coastal city in the southeastern part of the state that is home to 35 miles of sandy beaches, is getting ready to welcome a new surf park, refurbished hotels and an enhanced calendar of festivals and cultural events.
For those looking for an adrenaline filled adventure, this spring the city will unveil a £248 million surfing attraction called Atlantic Park.
Backed by singer, producer, and Virginia Beach native Pharrell Williams, the facility features a 2.6-acre surf lagoon powered by Wavegarden, a global leader in surf technology.
Billed as the first facility of its kind in the U.S. and set within an urban environment near the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic Park will cater to everyone from first-time surfers to elite competitors.
Virginia Beach already has a reputation as the U.S. East Coast’s surfing capital.
Opening alongside Atlantic Park, the new The Dome will host year-round events, including live music and comedy, and a line-up of new restaurants, bars, and boutiques.
Running until May 4 is a new family experience at the Virginia Aquarium and Science Center called “Emotions at Play”. Based around hands-on experience and digital displays that illustrate how emotions shape our world and relationships, visitors of all ages are invited to explore the five core emotions: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear.
And Virginia Beach’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival is scheduled for late March.
The festival celebrates the beauty and cultural significance of cherry blossoms, highlighted by the 150 Yoshino cherry trees in peak bloom within the park. The striking trees were gifted to Virginia Beach in 2005 by its International Sister City, Miyazaki City, Japan.
Visitors will enjoy a line-up of traditional Japanese performances, family-friendly activities, and cuisine while exploring the park’s enhanced walking trails, athletic facilities, scenic picnic areas and serene gardens.
