A Guide to Staying in Pleasant Virginia Beach

An important occasion such as the turning of a new year calls for many changes, and for some that time specifically calls for a change in scenery. So, if you’re looking for a fantastic location in which you can set your sights on something familiar, new, profound, and simple, then look no further than Virginia Beach, Virginia’s largest coastal city, as outlined in this travel guide from the state’s own travel blog.

As the state of Virginia is one of the original Thirteen Colonies, there lies a lot of history, sentiment, and spectacle in the state, its wilderness, waters, and cities. Specifically, the town of Virginia Beach, which is the most populous city in the state, is located on the Atlantic Ocean right at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, and it’s known as a resort city with miles of beaches, hotels, oceanfront restaurants, shops, and much more, thus making it the perfect location for your next trip. As collected from Virginia’s Travel Blog’s suggested Weekend Vacation Guide to Virginia Beach, the following suggestions all come well-reviewed and in good faith.

Though, it should be noted that recent COVID-19 surges may have caused new government restrictions, rules, and safety measures to have been set. Because of this, it’s always suggested that those who wish to travel check local guidelines, consult CDC recommendations, and take personal health conditions into account before traveling. This way you’re more prepared to enjoy your trip while remaining as safe and responsible as possible in these unprecedented times.

Where to Stay

Many, many of Virginia Beach’s hotels and rental properties are oceanside or located directly on the beach itself, but one of the most astounding and luxurious places that you can book is the award-winning Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel. The hotel itself offers many deluxe rooms and suites to its patrons who often like to partake in the many amenities offered on behalf of the hotel. One such amenity is the rooftop infinity pool that guests can swim in, making their experience all the more spectacular. Located literally next door to Neptune’s Park, beside the Virginia Beach Boardwalk, ten minutes away from the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, and less than four miles away from Ocean Breeze Waterpark, this hotel can stand proudly as the perfect epicenter of your vacation.

What to Experience

One of the best experiences you can have in Virginia Beach is to find yourself in nature. Thus, one of the best spots for admiring the foliage, wildlife, and majesty of one of America’s oldest wonders is by visiting First Landing State Park. This park is named for the very first colonial settlers that stepped on the shores of Virginia hundreds of years ago, and after walking its over 20 miles of walking trails (such as the Cape Henry Trail), it’ll be easy to see why they planned to stay in the area. Furthermore, First Landing State Park borders the Chesapeake Bay, so there are over 200 beachfront campsites and fully furnished cabins that are available to be booked, giving you a unique perspective on a scenic destination.

As visiting a State Park is typically an all-day event, set aside some leisure time on your other days to visit the astounding ViBe Creative District to inundate yourself with the cultural and artistic scene of Virginia Beach. There are many art shops, storefronts, and the like in this neighborhood to check out such as Prosperity Kitchen & Pantry, North End Bag Company, Igor’s Custom, and Commune. Each of these shops located in the ViBe Creative District will give you specific insight into the sustainable arts scene of Virginia Beach and (of course) will serve as a nice change of pace to those recovering from a day of hiking.

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LSU Students Create a Beach Wheelchair

An article recently published on 4WWL explores the amazing beach wheelchair design of LSU students. On April 30, Cheslyn Simpson was officially able to visit the beach with her family with help from nine Louisiana State University engineering students.

The group of dedicated students designed and built a motorized wheelchair so that the 23-year-old from Plaquemine, La can comfortably visit the beach with her family on their annual beach vacation trip. The Simpson family would usually use a regular wheelchair, but beaches are not wheelchair accessible in terms of travel. Recreational wheelchairs are extremely uncommon.

The initial plans for the wheelchair were created by seniors in the class 2018, who were not able to take the next step toward building and testing the wheelchair. They did, however, leave their plans with the hopes of the next graduating class finishing the project and gifting it to Simpson.

Simpson has Friedreich’s Ataxia, a rare genetic disease that causes progressive damage to the nervous system and movement problems. The disorder normally displays symptoms between 10 and 15 years old. The disorder causes impaired speech, a loss of sensation in the arms and legs, and difficulty walking. In 2017, Simpson’s speech therapists urged her to write as essay asking for help visiting the beach with her family to the LSU Senior Capstone Design Program.

The wheelchair has three fat wheels for navigation, a cup holder, a cooler, and a Bluetooth speaker to play music. The students also included headlights, umbrella holders, and lights on the underside of the wheelchair that change colors. The group also consulted with Simpson on the design of the wheelchair as she chose the colors and the upholstery.

The initial group that began the project received a donation of $3,000 from the LSU Foundation. This year’s group created a GoFundMe that doubled the amount. Local businesses donated the welding and the frame. A company in New Zealand donated the motors. The students had every intention of purchasing all of the materials they needed but, thanks to generous donors, they didn’t have to.

To prevent the Simpson family from spending an unimaginable amount of money on a special wheelchair charger, the students made the new chair compatible with the one the family used for Cheslyn’s everyday chair.

This year there were 46 teams for the Senior Capstone Design Program. Each team was assigned a project and, this year, the projects varied immensely. There was a portable wheelchair for a child with cerebral palsy, a neighborhood surveillance system, a smart WiFi router system, and even a system to test the resistance of various sugarcane chopper blades to wear and tear.

The students participating in the Senior Capstone Design Program are all electrical and/or mechanical engineering majors at the university. This program is a way for them to take what they learned and put it to the test. It is safe to say that this project is one that most of them will not forget.

For more education related information, click here.