Chesapeake Bay's Hampton, Virginia, Offers Southern Charm, Festivals, History and Children's Festival in April

BY RACHEL ROME

VISIT HAMPTON, VIRGINIA FOR HISTORY, Museums, CHILDREN’S FESTIVALS, CHESAPEAKE Bay’s delights, SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY – Fleeing the winter weather for a sunny clime? Head to Hampton, Virginia. At a recent Travel Writer’s Showcase I attended in California, I chatted with Ryan La Fata, Hampton Convention and Visitors Bureau Media Manager, who gave me terrific tips for visitors. Enjoy these getaway ideas for now, or stash them for later. visithampton.com

It’s never too early to plan the next trip. In April a Children’s Festival features history, fun and surprises. In June, the Convention and Visitors Center will host the Democratic Staate Convention. The glistening waterfront, the modern Virginia Air & Space Center, the eclectic shops of Phoebus, downtown and Coliseum Central, the history of Fort Monroe and Hampton University and the crystalline beauty of the Chesapeake Bay set Hampton apart.

Recent additions include the Virginia Air & Space Center’s $10-million expansion, the NASCAR Sports Grille, opening spring 2008. The themed restaurant will include state-of-the-art audio/visual attractions and booth-sized interactive, high-definition plasma screens, museum quality NASCAR memorabilia and art work.

"Where the Chesapeake Bay meets one of the nation’s busiest harbors sits Hampton, Virginia. Centered between the cities of Williamsburg and Virginia Beach, the city is best known for its location and endless activity. From the first settlers who landed here in 1607, to America’s first astronauts -- the Mercury Seven, who trained here at NASA Langley Research Center in 1959 - the city’s rich history and vital past is clearly visible by exploring our destination,” explained Ryan LaFata, Hampton Convention and Visitors Bureau Media Manager.

The Hampton Roads Convention Center will host the Virginia Democratic Convention in June 2008. The Power Plant of Hampton Roads retail and entertainment complex, developed by the Cordish Company, is now open and ready for business. McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon and Saddle Ridge Rock N’ Country Saloon are lively spots to relax. In spring 2008, the complex will welcome NASCAR Sports Grille, the third of its kind in the country.

The Cousteau Society made Hampton its U.S. Headquarters, opening an attraction featuring a display of Cousteau Society photography, models of the Alcyone and the Calypso, artifacts of their underwater marine exploration programs and gift shop.

Hampton’s remarkable heritage as the nation’s oldest continuous English-speaking settlement is showcased in the Hampton History Museum. Explorer Captain John Smith, Blackbeard the pirate, Booker T. Washington and America’s first astronauts, the Mercury Seven, have all played integral parts in a distinctive Hampton timeline to be displayed in ten permanent galleries. For pirate wannabees, The Hampton Blackbeard Festival takes place every June and promises to entice kids and adults.

The Virginia Air & Space Center recently opened the first phase of a new gallery, Space Quest: Exploring the Moon, Mars & Beyond! The gallery will open in three phases with the final phase opening in November 2008.
The Space Quest: Exploring the Moon, Mars & Beyond is a perfect compliment to the center’s Adventures In Flight Gallery, which opened in November 2003. This gallery highlights the story of the Wright Brothers told through interactive exhibits.

One of Hampton’s hidden gems is the Aberdeen Gardens Historic Museum. The museum interprets the history of the Aberdeen Gardens neighborhood, designed and constructed in 1935 as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal Settlement to provide African American shipping workers with modern homes.

Hampton University, founded in 1868, is a short walk from the downtown area. Hampton University Museum maintains a collection of more than 1,200 cultural artifacts and traditional and contemporary works of art. Visitors can enjoy six National Historic Landmarks by self-guided walking tour, including Emancipation Oak, under whose limbs the Emancipation Proclamation was first read to Hampton citizens.

Its specialty shops and restaurants define Phoebus, a small village within the city of Hampton. Here, the American Theatre, a restored vaudeville house dating to 1908, provides an impressive menu of performing artists the entire family may enjoy.

Explore Civil War history at the Casemate Museum on Fort Monroe. Located within the fortress walls, the Casemate Museum traces Fort Monroe’s history in Hampton Roads. The attraction is free and the view of the harbor is spectacular.

On April 19, bring the family to the International Children’s Festival, taking place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Mill Point Park in downtown Hampton. Featuring over 25 countries, this popular event allows a unique opportunity for children of all ages to experience the sights, sounds, and tastes of cultures from across the globe.

For a free Hampton visitor guide, special event information, and assistance in planning your Hampton getaway, go to www.visithampton.com or call 800-800-2202.