Opening Weekend Winter Wonderland in Portsmouth

November 26 - 28

Friday-Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. and
Sunday: 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Following tradition, the official opening celebration for Winter Wonderland: The Coleman Collection begins the day after Thanksgiving. Singing Santa will return to delight audiences with seasonal songs. The weekend is packed with special activities and performances including A Southern Christmas Carol, a musical play produced and written by Portsmouth native Robert Lauer. Face-painting, balloons, magic, pony rides and much, much more are in store for the opening weekend.

Contributed by R.A. Henriquez

Despite the frantic weather changes we've experienced as of late-I wore a jacket this morning and now I'm sweating-it's still fall all around. And it's the best time of year to go outside and admire the colorful foliage throughout Hampton Roads.

Contributed by R.A. Henriquez

Despite the frantic weather changes we've experienced as of late-I wore a jacket this morning and now I'm sweating-it's still fall all around. And it's the best time of year to go outside and admire the colorful foliage throughout Hampton Roads.

Take a cruise of the Hampton Harbor before the season ends!

Now through October 31st! 10:00 am Tuesday thru Saturday

Take a relaxing, scenic tour of the Hampton Roads Harbor via the Miss Hampton II, a very unique and exciting nautical experience. This 2 1/2 to 3-hour Harbor Tour departs from the Historic Downtown Hampton waterfront and proceeds out the Hampton River, passing Hampton University and Blackbeard's Point, where the notorious pirate's head was displayed on a pike after his capture off the coast of the Outer Banks.

• Sail the waters of Captain John Smith and the First Settlers.
• See historic Fort Monroe and the Old Point Comfort Lighthouse, the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in America.
• Enjoy a 30-minute guided walking tour of the Civil War Island Fortress of Fort Wool.
• Experience the massive warships at the Norfolk Naval Base, home to aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered submarines, and various types of support ships.

The return trip to Hampton features a captivating narrative of the famous Battle of the Ironclads: the Monitor and the Merrimac!

Contributed by Debra Blackburn

If you're looking for something to do on a crisp fall day or for that matter any day of the year, then let me recommend Old Cape Henry Lighthouse. It is one of Virginia’s historic sites and our nation's first federal building. At the top of Old Cape Henry Lighthouse is what I consider to be one of the best views Virginia Beach has to offer. On a clear day you can see the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Cape Charles Lighthouse across the bay, the Virginia Beach strip of hotels, and in the morning and afternoon dolphins that like to play and feed in the bay. You can also see the 1^st order fersnel lens that is original to New Cape Henry lighthouse located just across the street from the old tower. The new lighthouse was built to replace the old one in 1881 and the only place in United States were you will find 2 lighthouses across the street from each other. The location of the lighthouses is vary strategic to this area of the bay. Cape Henry and Cape Charles lighthouses let mariners know they are leaving the Atlantic ocean and entering the Chesapeake Bay or visa versa depending on the direction of their voyage.

Visit Virginia Beach in the Fall

Fall Migration Bird Watching Package at Barclay Cottage Bed & Breakfast

October 3rd thru December 21st 2010

Stay 3 nights Sun.-Thurs. at Barclay Cottage Bed and Breakfast and save 20%!

Work on your Life List without traveling all over the East Coast. Short drives to prime resting areas on the Atlantic Flyway from this beautiful Victorian Inn - Back Bay National Wildlife refuge; False Cape State Park; First Landing/Seashore State Park; Great Dismal Swamp; Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel islands and Fisherman''s Island. Binoculars and birding reference books available. Virginia Marine Science Museum Aviary and Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum nearby.