Virginia Beach is an excellent eco tourism spot and has several outdoor tour options available. Many of the popular outdoor tours go through the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. In the winter, we are often visited by migrating humpback whales. The rest of the year you can take a Dolphin watching trip and see our playful bottlenose dolphins as they play and jump in the bow wave of your tour boat. If you want to get a little closer, you might try a sea kayak trip where the dolphins will often come right up to your kayak to say hi. It seems that they are as curious about us as we are about them. You can’t be that close to one of those beautiful animals without being deeply affected by the experience. We are also a nesting spot for sea turtles and many rare species of birds are known to stop in Virginia Beach on their migratory paths.

Horseback riding on the beach has become a very popular new activity during the off-season months. Stroll along the shoreline with your trusty steed and soak in the peaceful beach before the summer chaos begins.

During the warmer months, zipline parks have become a popular activity for those of you who want a little bit of a challenge and an adrenaline rush.

If you are a “do-it-yourselfer”, you can always head up to 64th Street and immerse yourself in a long nature walk through First Landing State Park