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Artsy, buzzy vibe with ocean sounds
Oceanfront is a surfer haven with a famous boardwalk, an excellent school district and a walkable creative arts section where a new food scene has sprouted. Its people are a mix of surfer patriots, beach-loving retirees, and saltwater-loving families. It may be fair to associate Oceanfront with hotels and restaurants, but locals know there’s much more beyond the boardwalk. Nobody knows whether the city started giving out subsidies to artsy residents with creative business ideas or whether the artsy residents started creative businesses and the city stepped in to lend a hand. Either way, the ViBe Creative District is one of the coolest places in Virginia Beach. In 13 square blocks, a walkable, mural-filled Oceanfront sub-neighborhood has grown.
Surfboards, art and slow food
The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art anchors this creative scene. The Wave Riding Vehicles flagship store has a surfboard—or stick—for every age and skill level. Across the street, skaters ride wooden ramps in all seasons. Next door, Pink Dinghy and Three Ships Coffee Roasters serve locals slow food and drink after they stock up at the Old Beach Farmers Market. In back, leather smiths and potters work in studios. A walk away, Commune creates New American dishes with locally sourced meat and produce, Zero’s Subs fills up with city workers at lunchtime, and there’s been a line at Lolly’s Creamery all summer season-long since it opened in 2019. There are bespoke egg dishes and Bloody Marys on Doc Taylor’s tables all summer, and Tautog’s Restaurant is known for its she-crab soup. Harris Teeter supermarket keeps ample hours and a huge selection. Even the Oceanfront Area Library feels beachy.
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