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.
More Attractions Nearby
Ferry Plantation House
Tucked into a residential cul-de-sac on the Lynnhaven River, Ferry Plantation House is an 1830 Federal-style brick farmhouse built from the salvaged bricks of…
- Hidden Gem
Thoroughgood House
Likely built in 1719 by Argall Thorowgood II — who died during construction, leaving his wife Susannah to finish it — the Thoroughgood House is one of the…
- Free
- Family Friendly
Francis Land House
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…
- Free
- Family Friendly
Norwegian Lady Statue
The nine-foot bronze woman gazing out to sea at 25th Street has an identical twin 4,000 miles away in Moss, Norway — Virginia Beach's sister city. Both were…
- Free
While You're in the Area
1608 Crafthouse
Chef-driven farm-to-table gastropub in Bayside with local craft taps, small-batch bourbon, and a dog-friendly patio known for housemade pork rinds.
- Dog Friendly
- Outdoor Seating
- Hidden Gem
Aberdeen Barn Steak House
Bayside steakhouse since 1966 serving in-house aged USDA Angus beef, seafood, and Sunday brunch.
- Date Night
American Brew
Bayside's coffee-and-whiskey cafe on East Stratford Road, serving 100-plus drink options, acai bowls, and a signature Brewrito wrap since 2016.
Bay Local Eatery — Shore Drive
Daytime seafood-and-brunch spot on Shore Drive making everything in-house from locally sourced ingredients, with dog-welcoming outdoor tables.
- Dog Friendly
- Outdoor Seating
- Family Friendly
Bayside Bar & Grill
Shore Drive hole-in-the-wall running happy-hour drink pricing every day, with a rotating weekly food calendar and weekend DJ nights.
- Happy Hour
- Hidden Gem
- Live Music
Bayville Farms Dog Park
The best-equipped of Virginia Beach's five free public dog parks: Bayville Farms offers three separate fenced areas so small and large dogs can be split up,…
- Dog Friendly
- Free
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)
The Central Business District Association's free concert series takes over Town Center's Fountain Plaza most nights from late May through early September, with cover bands, tribute acts, and local musicians playing against the backdrop of the plaza's high-rises. Restaurants ringing the plaza put out sidewalk seating within earshot of the stage, turning a weeknight downtown into an impromptu outdoor show. It's the closest thing Virginia Beach's inland downtown has to the Oceanfront's summer concert culture -- free, walkable, and parked in the Town Center garages rather than beach lots.
Autumn in the Air
November 7, 2026 · annual
A newer addition to the city's Parks & Recreation calendar, this single-day fall festival takes over Mount Trashmore Park with folk, americana, and rock bands on an outdoor stage, food and drink for purchase, and activities scattered across the lakefront lawn. Now in its third year, it's grown into the city's answer to a proper autumn street festival without the Oceanfront crowds -- bring a lawn chair or blanket, since tents and large coolers aren't allowed in the event area. Free admission and parking make it an easy afternoon add for anyone already in Kempsville.