Battlefield Park
Chesapeake is home to Battlefield Park, which pays to tribute to the history of the Battle of Great Bridge. Dock your boat at the pier and have a seat on the large stone monument that commemorates the Patriot soldiers. The Daughters of the American Revolution erected the monument, which is visible from Battlefield Boulevard. Walk along the interpretive Historic Pathway to learn more about the history of the area. Be sure to pack a picnic and relax at the Family Picnic Area. You’ll also find an outdoor auditorium where events are held throughout the year.
Fun Forest – City Park
Kids can use their imaginations and energy to take over a forest-themed playground at Fun Forest, inside Chesapeake City Park. Sprawling over 3 acres, nearly 2,000 volunteers built this magical wonderland, designed to help kids develop motor skills and coordination through interactive play. Kids can imagine they are paleontologists as they burrow through the Fossil Dig sand pit, or use the underground telephone as secret agents. A shaking bridge and dolphin slide are ready adventure, as are the swings and slides.
Great Bridge Lock Park
The lock where the Chesapeake Canal and the Elizabeth River meet was strategically placed to keep the fresh water and salt water of the two waterways separated. The Great Bridge Lock Park now stretches over a 19 acre peninsula with the river on one side and the canal on the other. Bring your boat to launch at one of the ramps, because fishing and crabbing are popular here. Pack a picnic and enjoy the views after hiking one of the trails that run along the shorelines or through the woods on the western side of the park.
Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel
Turn on your music and take a drive through the engineering marvel that is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. The tunnel connects the eastern shore with the mainland at Virginia Beach in Norfolk. Stop and learn about the site’s history at the Virginia Beach Visitor Information Center at One Island on the Bay, or at the Eastern Shore Welcome Center, inside the North Toll Plaza Rest Area on the eastern shore.
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
The vast Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge sprawls over 112,684 acres of forested wetlands and is a favorite of anyone who loves the outdoors. Lake Drummond, a 3,100 acre lake, sits at the center of the swamp, and a feeder ditch connects it to the Dismal Swamp Canal on the east. The refuge is open to hunters on select dates in October and November, while bird watchers can look for more than 220 species of birds in April and May. May also brings the three-day annual festival celebrating Migratory Bird Day, where visitors can join guided tours and take part in workshops.
Explore all that Chesapeake has to offer and you’ll be hard-pressed to find yourself bored.
Image via Pixabay
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