Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is a attraction in Red Mill & General Booth, Virginia Beach, best for families, rainy days, marine-life lovers, winter visits.
The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is Virginia Beach's single biggest indoor attraction — a two-building campus on the banks of Owl Creek, just off General Booth Boulevard between the Oceanfront and Sandbridge. More than 800,000 gallons of habitats hold thousands of animals across hundreds of species: loggerhead sea turtles that average around 250 pounds, harbor seals, sharks, rays, river otters, and Komodo dragons, with the renovated South Building adding touch pools and a working veterinary care center that visitors can watch in action. Rotating changing exhibits (a Wildlife Rescue exhibit featuring a leatherback sea turtle, bald eagle, and red panda is a recent example) keep repeat visits fresh — check the current calendar before you go. Beyond the tanks, the aquarium runs behind-the-scenes tours, virtual reality pods, and seasonal boat trips onto the water in search of dolphins and other marine wildlife. It is open daily 9am–5pm, closing only for Thanksgiving and Christmas, which makes it the city's default rainy-day and winter answer as well as a full summer day out. The Adventure Park aerial ropes course shares the South Building campus if the kids still have energy left.
- Family Friendly
Amenities
- Touch pools
- Observable veterinary care center
- Behind-the-scenes tours
- Seasonal wildlife boat trips
- Virtual reality pods
Know Before You Go
- Best for: families, rainy days, marine-life lovers, winter visits
- Parking: On-site lot at the General Booth Boulevard campus.
- Accessibility: Indoor, multi-level facility; the aquarium publishes a dedicated accessibility guide on its official site — check it for current accommodations.
- Dogs: not allowed
- Location: 717 General Booth Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23451, Virginia Beach, VA
Last verified 2026-07-10.
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While You're in the Area
Angelo's Italian Restaurant
Family-run mom-and-pop Italian kitchen on General Booth Boulevard — handmade pizzas, calzones, garlic knots, and baked ziti for the southern beaches.
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Beach Vodka
Female-owned General Booth-corridor distillery pouring corn-based vodka and the Butterfly Lemon Spritz, with distillery tours and infusion workshops.
Blue Seafood & Spirits
Chef-owned, 60-seat seafood dining room in Red Mill Commons focused on locally sourced catch, dinner only, no reservations.
El Azteca Mexican Restaurant
Locally owned Mexican kitchen on Nimmo Parkway since the 1990s, serving carne asada tacos and handcrafted margaritas built on family recipes.
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Gran Rodeo Mexican Bar & Grill
Family-owned Mexican bar and grill on Landstown Centre Way near Red Mill, known for its margarita selection and affordable classics.
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Jake's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que
General Booth Boulevard smokehouse run by the Gettier family since 1999 — traditional low-and-slow brisket, pulled pork, and St. Louis ribs.
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Upcoming Events Nearby
Cherry Blossom Festival
March 26, 2027 – March 28, 2027 · annual
Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation's spring showcase fills Red Wing Park's cherry tree grove with live cultural performances, martial arts demonstrations, and hands-on crafts timed to peak bloom in late March. The 2026 edition added a first-ever Nighttime Hanami, lighting the blossoms after dark on opening evening before the daytime festival took over the weekend. Admission and parking are free, with an overflow grass field opening for weekend crowds -- a genuinely photogenic, low-key alternative to the Oceanfront festival circuit, along General Booth Boulevard.
Sandbridge Pig Pickin'
September 12, 2026 · annual
The Sandbridge Volunteer Rescue Squad's all-you-can-eat pig roast at Little Island Park has been the neighborhood's signature fundraiser for more than four decades, paying for the advanced life-saving equipment behind the squad's 1,000-plus annual emergency calls. Barbecue, beer and wine, live music, local art vendors, and a bounce house for kids fill the park for an afternoon, with free admission for children under 10. It's Sandbridge at its most neighborly -- a beach-community fundraiser rather than a tourist draw, held at the same park that anchors the south end of the beach.
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.