With plenty of sun, sand, surf, entertainment and outdoor adventure, Virginia Beach is an ideal vacation destination for kids of any age, making it easy for the whole family to “Live the Life.” This year, the coastal city offers even more ways for visitors to have fun in and out of the sun with the brand-new treetop Adventure Park at the Virginia Aquarium and a state-of-the-art Indoor Sky Diving complex, as well as the upcoming opening of JT's Camp Grom, opening later this year. Virginia Beach also offers the first beach playground in the country designed specifically for children and adults of all physical capabilities, JT's Grommet Island Beach Park & Playground for EveryBODY. Located at the beginning of the Virginia Beach boardwalk at 2nd Street; the park is 100 percent wheelchair accessible.

THREE BEACHES

Virginia Beach offers more than 35 miles of beach for families to discover, complete with an abundance of activities to keep kids entertained.

At the Oceanfront Resort Area, from First to 40th Streets, families can enjoy a stroll along the three-mile oceanfront boardwalk, lined with hotels, museums and more. Take a surrey ride along the separate bike path that lines the boardwalk, or simply build sandcastles in the sand. Every night, from Memorial to Labor Day, families can experience events hosted by Beach Street U.S.A. Additionally, live concerts and theatrical productions take place seven nights a week during the summer on various stages along the beach.

Visitors with young children may opt for the calmer waves and shallow waters of Chesapeake Bay Beach, which edges the Chesapeake Bay and is also known for its many dockside restaurants, located directly on the Bay. For those looking to get away from it all, Sandbridge Beach provides a serene sanctuary. The strip of beach is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the East and by the protected marshes of the Back Bay Wildlife Sanctuary to the South and West. With no hotels, only beautiful rental homes, the beach's biggest draw is its island-like appeal that leaves visitors feeling a world away, though they're only a 20-minute drive from the bustling boardwalk.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

Although Virginia Beach beckons sunbathers and sandcastle-builders, the resort city is also a wonderland for outdoor activities that are perfect for families. Explore First Landing State Park, the most visited state park in Virginia, and witness one of the most endangered habitat types in the world, the maritime forest. Take a guided kayak tour through the calm waters of Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge or learn to shred the waves during a surfing lesson with the entire family.

OTHER FAMILY-FRIENDLY ATTRACTIONS

Indoor Sky Diving – iFly VA Beach, the city's first indoor skydiving complex, opened last fall in the heart of the oceanfront resort area. The $49-million project includes an iFly wind tunnel that provides a safe and protected way for individuals to experience the same thing as a free-falling skydiver.

The Adventure Park at the Virginia Aquarium – Recently opened in May 2014, the Adventure Park is the largest of its kind in Virginia and features multiple zip lines and aerial ropes challenge courses, perfect for thrill-seekers ages five and up.

 JT's Camp Grom – Once built, Camp Grom will be the only camp of its kind on the East Coast. This amazing 20-acre, beach-style adventure camp is designed to welcome everyone from wounded veterans to children with disabilities or special needs. The camp will offer rope courses, lakeside trails, physical fitness activities and putt-putt, in addition to serving as a place to grow, offering personal development activities, educational programs and social gatherings. Campers will go home with a new sense of self-discovery, independence and confidence.

Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center – Explore the ocean depths at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, Virginia's largest aquarium and one of the most visited in the nation. The Virginia Aquarium chronicles the state's various aquatic and marine environments throughout time and features more than 800,000 gallons of aquariums and live animal habitats, as well as a National Geographic 3D Movie Theater, outdoor nature trail and aviary. View more than 300 species of animals, including Komodo dragons, exotic cobras, the endangered Tomistoma freshwater crocodile, spotted eagle rays and many more.

Oceanfront Resort Area – Virginia Beach's oceanfront resort area is where visitors can find the city's iconic boardwalk and a plethora of nostalgic family-friendly attractions that are reminiscent of a simpler time. Families can take a surrey ride along the oceanfront or peddle beach cruisers to

Atlantic Fun Park, a permanent free-admission carnival, before munching on Jody's Popcorn's or sampling old- fashioned saltwater taffy at Forbes Candies, a boardwalk staple since 1930. Kids will also get a thrill out of the area arcades, fun houses, such as the 3D Mirror Maze, Haunted Fun House and Rockin' Rosie's Fun House, or putting around one of the miniature golf courses, such as Jungle Golf.

Whale-Watching Boat Trips – Hop aboard the Rudee Flipper and take a Winter Wildlife Boat Trip during the winter months for a chance to see dolphins and humpback and fin whales off the Atlantic.

Ocean Breeze Waterpark - Ocean Breeze Waterpark is a 19-acre water park that recently completed a $5-million renovation. The renovation included a 3.5-acre expansion included the addition of Adventure River, a lazy river with waves and numerous interactive elements, along with a new restaurant, deck area, cabanas and restrooms. A Caribbean-themed family destination, Ocean Breeze also boasts exhilarating slides like Jungle Falls, The Coconut Drops, Pirate's Plummet and The Hurricane, as well as a million-gallon wave pool offering a “no sand, no sharks, no jellyfish” ocean experience.

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