Lynnhaven House
Lynnhaven House is a attraction in Bayside, Virginia Beach, best for colonial architecture fans, a behind-the-scenes restoration tour, history buffs willing to plan around a monthly schedule.
Built around 1725 by Francis Thelaball, a plantation owner and ship's carpenter, the Lynnhaven House is one of the best-preserved examples of early Virginia vernacular architecture anywhere — brick jack arches, a closed-spindle staircase, and ship's-lap flooring all survive intact, alongside furnishings recreating the household of the Thelaballs, their five sons, an apprentice, and the enslaved people who also lived and worked there. The house itself is currently closed for restoration, but the on-site Lynnhaven Colonial Education Center stays open for select programs, and free 30-minute preservation tours run at noon on the third Thursday of each month, walking visitors through the restoration work in progress. Advance registration is required; space is limited.
- Free
- Hidden Gem
Amenities
- Monthly free preservation tours (third Thursday, registration required)
- Lynnhaven Colonial Education Center (open for select programs)
Know Before You Go
- Best for: colonial architecture fans, a behind-the-scenes restoration tour, history buffs willing to plan around a monthly schedule
- Parking: On-site parking off Wishart Road.
- Accessibility: House currently closed for restoration; contact (757) 385-5100 for current accessibility and tour details.
- Dogs: not allowed
- Location: 4409 Wishart Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, Virginia Beach, VA
Last verified 2026-07-10.
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Upcoming Events Nearby
Lynnhaven River NOW Oyster Roast
May 1, 2027 · annual (first Saturday in May)
Lynnhaven River NOW's signature fundraiser turns the waterfront lawn at the Brock Environmental Center into an all-you-can-eat oyster roast, marking the nonprofit's multi-decade push to bring the Lynnhaven's namesake oyster back from near-collapse. Roasted and raw oysters pulled from the restoration reefs anchor the spread, backed by barbecue, local beer and spirits, live music, and a shucking contest, with proceeds funding the group's oyster-reef and water-quality restoration work. It's a rare chance to eat Lynnhaven oysters within sight of the reefs that grew them, at a bayfront green building a few minutes off Shore Drive.
Town Center Summer Fest Music Series
May 22, 2026 – September 7, 2026 · seasonal (nightly concerts, late May-early September)
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