Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Virginia Beach is a fantastic Virginia destination frequented by visitors from all along the eastern seaboard during summer months. Each weekend from May through September, artists stage free performances along the beach's three-mile boardwalk or at one of the area's two stages - 17th Street Stage Park or 24th Street Stage Park. Past free music events include Latin Fest, PANorama Caribbean Music Fest, and the Verizon Wireless American Music Festival. Sunbathe, take a dip in the water or enjoy other area attractions like the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, which provides excellent bird watching and five miles of pristine beach, or the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, where guests can enjoy a hands-on experience learning about the humpback whales that frequent Virginia Beach. Mel's Place and the Krossroads Cafe and Tavern serve up good food and karaoke. Plenty of hotels, cabins and bed and breakfasts are located throughout the Virginia Beach area, making it easy to enjoy a mini-vacation there.
Consider a trip to the Natural Bridge area of Virginia and enjoy a Natural Bridge Thanksgiving Buffet package. The package includes a night's stay at the Natural Bridge Hotel and a scrumptious Thanksgiving buffet for two that serves up roasted Shenandoah turkey, prime rib, fried catfish, mashed potatoes, salads, country ham, and many desserts and sides. It also includes admission to the Natural Bridge and Cedar Creek Trail, where visitors can stroll through the Monacan Indian Village, reflect beside the Lost River and Lace Falls, and enjoy a free play called Drama of Creation. The package also includes admission to the Natural Bridge Caverns, where visitors can walk through a naturally-formed rock bridge at the southern end of the Shenandoah Valley, at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Guests can also peruse a wax museum and toy museum as part of the package. As of November 2010, the package rate is $149 for two people. A similar package called the Escape, which includes everything except the Thanksgiving buffet, is available year-round starting at $81.
Located in Williamsburg, Virginia, Colonial Williamsburg and the Jamestown Settlement offer guests an opportunity to step into the past and see how Americans lived just before the turn of the 18th century. The areas are open year-round. On the weekend of Thanksgiving, Jamestown offers an opportunity to explore the culinary practices of 17th century Virginia. For three days beginning on Thanksgiving Day, visitors can learn how colonists and Indians gathered food and then prepared and served it. Wineries, hotels, museums and shopping centers are all located nearby, making Williamsburg an ideal destination for a mini-vacation in Virginia.