Life In Hampton Roads

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

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

If you've lived in the 757 long enough, you know the usual Friday night script. But Rose's just rewrote it. Tucked at 325 Virginia Beach Blvd, just a short drive from the oceanfront. Rose's is Hampton Roads' first hi-fi bar and restaurant, and it is doing something genuinely new in a market that doesn't always reward bold swings. It's not a club. It's not a quiet dinner spot. It's something in between, and that's exactly the point. Since opening, it's already become the kind

If you're searching for the most indulgent luxury dessert experience at Virginia Beach's hottest new development, there's only one answer: The Sweet Spot at Atlantic Park. The Sweet Spot has been a Virginia Beach institution since 2020. But its newest outpost is inside Atlantic Park, the $350 million mixed use surf and entertainment district between 18th and 20th Streets, which takes the brand to an entirely new level. Sitting at 324 20th Street inside The Wave building at th

If you've driven to the south end of Atlantic Avenue lately, you already know what Rudee Loop looks like: a sea of hot asphalt, parking spaces, and missed potential. That's about to change in a big way. After decades of debate and thousands of community voices shaping the vision, the Virginia Beach City Council officially gave the green light in August 2025 to transform Rudee Loop into Rudee Park — a full eight-acre public park at one of the most sought-after pieces of land o

If you've been following Virginia Beach real estate news, this one stopped a lot of people in their tracks. The Historic Cavalier Hotel, the grand, Y-shaped landmark that has anchored the Virginia Beach Oceanfront since 1927, may soon be changing hands. The historic hotel, along with two neighboring Oceanfront hotels, could be sold to Wheelock Street Capital, a Greenwich, Connecticut-based real estate investment firm. The proposed deal would transfer one of Hampton Roads' mos

Whether you're celebrating an anniversary, planning a first date worth remembering, or just need a night out that genuinely feels special, Virginia Beach delivers. The city has quietly built one of the most impressive romantic dining scenes on the East Coast, from sky-high rooftops overlooking the Atlantic to old-money waterfront institutions that have been setting the mood since 1939. These six restaurants get it right. Orion's Roof is Virginia Beach's most dramatic dining r

If you've been asking where to find the best coffee shop in Virginia Beach, locals will tell you: it's Colattao. Colattao Coffee House is a cozy haven in Virginia Beach where a passion for quality coffee meets community spirit. Tucked into a small shopping center at the corner of Independence Boulevard and Haygood Road, beside YNot Pizza, this boho inspired spot has quietly become one of the most talked-about local businesses in the 757. It holds a stellar 4.8-star rating fro

If you've been watching what's happening at the old Pembroke Mall site in Virginia Beach, the short answer is: a lot. The former Pembroke Mall, a 54-acre property that anchored the heart of Virginia Beach since 1966, is being completely transformed into Pembroke Square. This $200 million mixed-use redevelopment is one of the largest private investments Hampton Roads has seen in years. The indoor mall closed in 2022, but rather than sitting vacant, the site is actively rising

If you’ve been asking where to find the most exciting new restaurant in Virginia Beach, the answer is right on the Bayfront: it’s Chic’s Laundry. Chic’s Laundry is a modern Mid-Atlantic restaurant that opened earlier this year at 4497 Lookout Road in Chic’s Beach, and it’s already become one of the most talked about new dining spots in the 757. Tucked into the former site of beloved Italian restaurant Zia Marie, at the corner of Lookout Road and Seaview Avenue, this Bayfront

If you've been watching Norfolk's East Ocean View slowly transform over the past decade, the latest chapter at East Beach Square is the most exciting one yet. East Beach Square, the shopping center anchored at the corner of Shore Drive and Pleasant Avenue, is undergoing a $1.3 million renovation and bringing in a wave of local businesses that will fundamentally change how residents experience this stretch of the 757. A local developer called EF Capital purchased what was then

If you've been searching for that NYC coffee shop energy without leaving Virginia Beach, locals will point you straight to Bodega Cafe 757. Bodega Cafe is a cozy, character-packed coffee shop tucked into a small shopping center at 3574 Holland Rd, Suite 102, in the Pecan Gardens area of Virginia Beach. With exposed brick walls, vibrant décor, and a menu full of Latin-inspired espresso drinks and freshly baked pastries, this spot has quietly earned its place as one of the 757'

If you've been watching the Virginia Beach oceanfront evolve, The Sitio is the moment everything started to feel different. Tucked inside Atlantic Park is the 10.2-acre mixed-use development that brought North America's first Wave garden, Cove surf lagoon, to the 757. The Sitio opened its doors in March 2026 as a 20-room boutique hotel unlike anything the Hampton Roads hotel landscape has seen before. It's already being covered by Travel + Leisure. It's already drawing surfer