Francis Land House
Francis Land House is a attraction in Hilltop, Virginia Beach, best for colonial and plantation history, a free indoor stop, families.
Built around 1805 for Francis Land VI, a wealthy Princess Anne County landowner, this Georgian plantation home with Federal-style interiors is furnished to its 1805-1819 heyday and layers in the property's later chapters too, including its Prohibition and World War II-era history. Tours cover plantation life and the roles of the people who lived and worked there, both free and enslaved, alongside the architectural details of the house itself, and augmented-reality interactives help bring the rooms to life for visitors who want more than a period-furniture walkthrough. Admission is free, with reservations encouraged but not required. Open Thursday-Saturday 10am-4pm and Sunday 1-5pm; closed on city holidays.
Amenities
- Guided tours
- Augmented reality interactives
- Gift shop
- Period furnishings (1805-1819)
Know Before You Go
- Best for: colonial and plantation history, a free indoor stop, families
- Parking: On-site parking off Virginia Beach Boulevard.
- Accessibility: Historic c.1805 house museum; contact Virginia Beach History Museums at (757) 385-5100 for accessibility details.
- Dogs: not allowed
- Location: 3131 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23452, Virginia Beach, VA
Last verified 2026-07-10.
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While You're in the Area
Aldo's Ristorante
Hilltop's white-tablecloth Italian standby since 1988 — seasonal pastas, an award-winning wine list, and indoor-outdoor dining at La Promenade.
- Date Night
- Outdoor Seating
Aloha Snacks
A tiki-themed Laskin Road counter serving Hawaiian poke bowls, Loco Moco, and a Banh Mi smash burger.
Another Broken Egg Cafe
Hilltop breakfast-and-brunch cafe open daily 7am-2pm, with a pet-friendly patio and a full bar for spiked cold brews and mimosas.
- Dog Friendly
- Outdoor Seating
- Family Friendly
- Brunch
Atkinson Realty Vacations
A Virginia Beach vacation rental manager operating since 1943, with properties spanning North End, the Boardwalk, Chic's Beach, and Croatan.
Bangkok Garden — Hilltop
Hilltop's First Colonial Road location of the Bangkok Garden Thai chain, with online ordering for pickup.
Chesapeake Bay Diving & Aquatic Center
Hilltop Plaza's scuba training center since 1986 — certification courses, snorkeling and freediving instruction, dive-gear rental, and an infant-through-adult swim program.
Upcoming Events Nearby
Virginia Beach Restaurant Week
January 15, 2027 – January 24, 2027 · annual
The Virginia Beach Restaurant Association's flagship dining event fills each January with prix-fixe menus at roughly five dozen restaurants citywide, from Laskin Road institutions to Oceanfront hotel dining rooms. The 2026 edition ran the theme 'Tastes & Traditions, A Culinary Celebration by Land and by Sea,' spotlighting Chesapeake staples like crab, oysters, ham, and peanuts alongside modern reinterpretations. A companion Dine & Stay program bundles discounted rates at more than a dozen partner hotels, making it as much a slow-season visitor draw as a locals' night out. The VBRA runs the event out of its Laskin Road office in Hilltop, the city's densest cluster of independent kitchens.
Neptune Festival Boardwalk Weekend
September 25, 2026 – September 27, 2026 · annual
Virginia Beach's signature festival closes out September with its 52nd Boardwalk Weekend, spreading across the Oceanfront between 1st and 35th Streets. The headline draw is Neptune's International Sandsculpting Championship — 22 large-scale works by sculptors from around the world — alongside an art and craft show with more than 200 artisans, twenty-plus musical acts across festival stages, the Grand Parade, Neptune's 8K, and a surfing competition at the jetty. Most of it is free to attend, and it reliably fills the resort area for one last big weekend of the season.
Virginia MOCA Boardwalk Art Show
October 9, 2026 – October 11, 2026 · annual
One of the longest-running outdoor art shows on the East Coast marks its 70th year along the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. Produced by the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, the juried show brings artists from across the country to sell painting, sculpture, photography, glass, and fine craft directly to visitors with the Atlantic as the backdrop. Hours run 10am–6pm Friday, 10am–5pm Saturday, and 10am–4pm Sunday, and October's thinner crowds make it an easy, walkable browse.