Going to Suffolk/ Va Beach area for 1 wk

[Lunker]

I'll be spending next week, working of course, down in the Suffolk and Va Beach area. Any good suggestions as to where a reefer should visit, such as an Aquarium or good LFS?

 

Thanks

[MisterTang]

DO NOT go to the crab place in Norfolk that locals will recommend. It blows. We waited half an hour and no one even came to take a drink order.

 

There is a neat free display along the main drag, but it's a trap - if you're over 27, they will try to sell you a timeshare. Luckily, I fall well below that, so I pretty much just poked around with the fish for a bit.

 

There is an aquarium with a sea turtle exhibit. If you pick up one of the local guides in the "FREE TAKE ONE" dispensers, you can get the address.

 

Ocean31 is an awesome five-star place to eat, and during the off-season, they will discount your meal 50% if you go Mon-Thurs. My wife and I got world-class fish entrees (I got the bronzed Swordfish, she got the Tilapia), calamari, and drinks for under $30 total, and at a five-star, that's not too shabby.

 

Steer clear of the hotel restaurants along the boardwalk (except Ocean31 above, it's in a Marriott or some other nice hotel). They suck big time - talk about greasy! I've had better quality food at a Taco Bell.

 

Go out on the beach in the early morning. On the recommendation of Ray at AquaCo, I ventured out right when the sun came up and saw some neat fish, including a pipefish (which I thought were tropical or something). The sand will be ICE FREAKING COLD, so don't go barefoot.

 

All-you-can-eat seafood buffet on 32nd or 35th or something like that. It has a big yellow sign. Good if you want to try a bunch of crap in one sitting.

 

Frozen custard place on 12th or something like that has GOOOOOD peanut butter custard.

Edited December 4, 2008 by MisterTang

[Brian Ward]

The Virginia Marine Science Museum is pretty nice. It's on General Booth Blvd. and pretty easy to find on the internet. I'd check that out. As far as stores, you can check out Animal Jungle - near I-264 and Independence Blvd. Also has a website. That store is pretty big. The only other store worth going to is Fish Safari. It's not far from Animal Jungle. The staff is more knowledgeable at Fish Safari but the stock is more interesting at Animal Jungle.

[sportzfish]

There is a neat little store in Va. Beach called the Reef Chief.

 

 

http://www.reefchief.us/

[Jon Lazar]

Second on the Reef Chief. I was down there in September and picked up a frag of ponape birdsnest and an acan morph that I've never seen before.

 

Jon

 

 

There is a neat little store in Va. Beach called the Reef Chief.

 

 

http://www.reefchief.us/

[Lunker]

I appreciate the suggestions on both were to keep myself assumed as well as where to eat and not to eat.

 

Thanks

[gmubeach]

I don't know if you can even get crabs this late in the season?

[six-line]

There is a neat little store in Va. Beach called the Reef Chief.

 

 

http://www.reefchief.us/

Second Reef Chief, He has driven up for the Southern Maryland Clubs big event the last two years with some really nice stuff. I got a orange mouth plate coral frag from him two years ago and its grown into a beautiful coral. I got some really nice frags from him this year as well. .

[jimbosgumbos]

Atlantic Sea Farms is in Chesapeake its in the middle between Suffolk and Virginia Beach. Look them up at http://www.atlanticseafarms.net