Every so often, a national ranking comes along that simply confirms what people who live here already know. This is one of those times. WalletHub's 2026 report on the Best Cities to Raise a Family placed Chesapeake at No. 31 out of more than 180 cities nationwide a top-tier finish that puts the city in rare company among America's most family-friendly places to call home. How the Ranking Works WalletHub didn't just ask people how they feel about their city, the personal finan

There's a new reason to slow down on Shore Drive. Foodies The Local Market, the Virginia Beach market known for gourmet sandwiches, made-from-scratch meals, and a genuine devotion to local farmers and makers, has officially opened its second location at 2973 Shore Dr, Unit 113. A Sneak Peek Before the Doors Opened We got an early look at this location before it opened to the public. Foodies hosted a "Foodies After Dark" preview event ahead of the grand opening, and the evenin

Virginia Beach is officially on the world's radar. The New York Times named our coastal city one of its "52 Places to Go in 2026," landing at No. 50 on a list that otherwise reads like a passport's wish list — Warsaw, the Seychelles, Iceland, Bangkok. For a city best known to outsiders as a summer beach town, it's a different kind of recognition: proof that Virginia Beach has become a place people plan a trip around, not just a stop on the way to somewhere else. Why did the T

If you haven't wandered into the little charcuterie shop tucked into Hilltop West yet, consider this your official sign. Coastal Charcuterie has quietly become one of those only-in-Hampton-Roads finds. The kind of shop that starts as a college side hustle and ends up as a neighborhood staple. Founder Caroline, a Virginia Beach native and Virginia Tech graduate, launched the business four years ago in the middle of college and the pandemic, never expecting it to grow into the

Virginia just made it a whole lot easier to build a backyard cottage, an in-law suite, or a rental unit on your own property, and if you own a home in Hampton Roads, this law is worth knowing about. Governor Abigail Spanberger signed Senate Bill 531 into law in April 2026, and it's one of the most significant shifts in residential zoning Virginia has seen in years. The law grants homeowners the right to build Accessory Dwelling Units, better known as ADUs, on their property b

Virginia Beach City Council made it official: large-scale data centers are not welcome here. After months of packed meetings and passionate public pushback, the council voted unanimously to reject future hyperscale data center development in the city. If you've been following the conversation in the 757, you already know this has been a hot-button issue for a while. Residents have shown up in force to city meetings, speaking loud and clear about what they don't want built in

If you haven't made it to RoJo Coffee Co. yet, it's time to fix that. Tucked into a familiar spot at 388 S. Battlefield Blvd. in Chesapeake, RoJo has quietly become one of Great Bridge's most-loved morning stops and once you visit, it's easy to see why. A Coffee Shop Built on Local Roots RoJo was opened by Carly Smittle and her brother-in-law Logan Harrelson, two Great Bridge natives who grew up just minutes from where the shop now sits. The name "RoJo" is a nod to Logan's da

For years, the building at 941 Laskin Road has just kind of sat there. First it was the Surf 'n Sand Motel, back when the Oceanfront looked completely different. Then it became the Beach Cinema Alehouse, recliner seats, in-theater dining, the whole dine-in-movie concept that was supposed to be the future of going to the movies. It closed last year. And since then, the building has done what a lot of buildings near the Oceanfront do when nobody's quite sure what to do with the

Virginia Beach just got a new kind of shopping trip, and it doesn't look like anything else in Hampton Roads. Elden Preloved Market opened its doors at 4712 Princess Anne Rd with a concept that's part boutique, part treasure hunt, part small business incubator, all under one roof. A Store That's Never the Same Store Twice Here's the idea: instead of one shop with one buyer picking the inventory, Elden rents out individual booths to local sellers, and each one styles their own

There's a new heavyweight on the Historic Triangle's map, and it's not wearing a tricorn hat. The Greater Williamsburg Sports & Events Center officially threw open its doors on June 24, 2026, and it's already reshaping how we think about this corner of Hampton Roads. Forget "just a history town." Williamsburg is now a full-blown sports and events destination and the ripple effects are going to reach a lot further than the box score. So What Actually Is This Place? Picture 200

You've probably driven past 1296 South Battlefield Boulevard a hundred times without a second look. It's tucked into a shopping center in Chesapeake, next to the usual mix of retail and takeout spots. But behind that door is one of the more interesting nights out in Hampton Roads, and almost nobody's talking about it. It's not a restaurant. It's not a bar. It's Untamed Chef, a full-blown, hands-on cooking studio where you're the one cooking, not watching someone else do it. N

If you've driven past Level Green Boulevard in Virginia Beach lately, you may have noticed something different. After more than a year behind construction fencing, Level Green Park is finally open again and it's not the same park longtime neighbors remember. The park, tucked into a residential pocket of the city, closed in the summer of 2024 for a multi-million-dollar renovation. Now it's back, and it's bringing some genuinely exciting upgrades with it, including the city's v

If you've walked the boardwalk between 28th and 29th Streets lately, you've probably passed the Ramada Plaza without giving it much thought. That's about to change. Virginia Beach City Council just gave the green light to a $19 million project that will transform the aging budget hotel into a Hotel Indigo and it's the kind of Oceanfront upgrade that tends to ripple out into everything around it, from foot traffic to property values. What's Happening The project sits at 2809 A

Big changes are coming to Norfolk International Airport, and they're the kind of changes that make you actually excited to fly out of town for once. As part of a nearly $1 billion transformation, ORF is expanding its food options, upgrading its amenities, and working toward fairer pricing for travelers. One of the biggest updates? Food and drink prices will be capped at no more than 10% above what you'd pay at the same spot off-property. What's Actually Changing This isn't ju

If you've been looking for a workout that actually fits your life in the 757, HOTWORX Virginia Beach Hilltop might be exactly what you've been waiting for. Tucked inside Hilltop Plaza at 535 Hilltop Plaza #7A right next to Navy Federal Credit Union and just a short walk from Trader Joe's. HOTWORX Virginia Beach is bringing something the area hasn't seen quite like this before: a 24-hour infrared fitness studio where every single workout happens inside a heated sauna. Yes, you

One of Hampton Roads' most beloved public golf courses is at a crossroads and the proposal on the table could transform it into something the 757 hasn't seen before. Virginia Beach National Golf Club, the 350-acre Pete Dye designed course tucked off Princess Anne Road north of the Municipal Center, has been a staple for local golfers since it opened in 1999. But after two decades of gradual decline including eroding shorelines, deteriorating cart paths, and aging infrastructu

The 757 is about to get its most talked-about new restaurant, and the timing couldn't be more perfect. If you've spent any time scrolling food and travel content over the last few years, you've probably seen The Hampton Social pop up on your feed, the iconic "Rosé All Day" neon sign, the airy nautical interiors, the lobster rolls and frozés that make every table look like a magazine shoot. What started as a Chicago concept by Parker Hospitality has quietly become one of the m

MacArthur Center is closing its doors. Here's what's replacing it, and what it means for downtown Norfolk real estate. If you grew up in Hampton Roads, MacArthur Center was a rite of passage — first trips to the Regal Cinema, weekend loops past Dillard's, food court lunches on a Saturday. After 27 years as a downtown Norfolk landmark, that chapter is officially closing. And what's coming next could reshape the city's core for a generation. What's Happening, Exactly? The City

Most Hampton Roads homeowners have no idea this is even happening, but it's about to affect every utility bill in the 757. NextEra Energy, the largest electric utility in the S&P 500, just announced a $67 billion all-stock deal to acquire Dominion Energy, the company powering your home right now. If it clears regulatory approval, the combined company would become the largest regulated electric utility in the world, serving roughly 10 million customer accounts across Virginia,

If you've been house hunting in Virginia Beach and your agent mentions the ITA, here's everything you need to know, and why it actually matters more than you'd think. Most buyers hear "Interfacility Traffic Area," and their eyes glaze over. It sounds bureaucratic. It sounds like fine print. But if you're serious about buying in the southern half of Virginia Beach, understanding the ITA isn't optional — it's the key to understanding one of the most unique and honestly underapp