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Hidden gems of Hampton Roads: Fun, affordable options in the 757

Amy Avery

HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) — If you’re skipping the big vacation this summer due to high costs, don’t fret. There are more than a few hidden gems right here in Hampton Roads for fun things to do. There’s also a woman who started a website to feature fun, low cost things to do with your kids in the 757.

The first, free attraction that comes to mind is the sandy slice of heaven along the coast, but with little kids, it could be a tough trek, especially by yourself.


“I’m three-on-one with three kids five and under, so things like the beach aren’t a great option for us just in this stage of life with safety, but things like the Fun Forest here in Chesapeake, or we like City View Park, which is just down the street and has some shaded areas too,” said local mom Melyssa Hensler.

Hensler said they pick and choose a few memberships like the Virginia Zoo and Norfolk Botanical Garden, but there are so many free parks in our area that are fun to explore.

“Whenever I can find spaces that allow me to be obviously vigilant, but a little more hands off, giving them places to explore that are safe, outdoors in ways that’s going to get their bodies moving, I think that’s always a plus,” Hensler said.

Fellow Hampton Roads mom Charlotte Moore knows the park scene all too well.

She’s a Navy wife who moved to the area when her kids were young and her husband had just deployed. She said she kept finding out about events after the fact, and wished there was a resource where she could find them ahead of time.

“I got frustrated and I decided to make a website that had all of them in one place so that it would be easier for everyone,” Moore said.

MyActiveChild.com features blog posts like Free Swimming Days in Hampton or info about local museum admission and membership discounts.

“I try to share everything that I would want to know as a mom that’s happening in the area, so low cost, special events, big events, festivals and smaller things too, like dance classes and martial arts,” Moore said. “We have seasonal lists where I break down all the different things by summer reading program, which one is closest to you, and by where you can go and find free activities and local scavenger hunts and things like that.”

Moore said even when they were given orders to go to another city, she still maintained the site because she wanted to keep it updated for local families.

“When I started it up, I knew that we would end up being stationed somewhere else eventually,” Moore said. “I just didn’t expect it to happen so quickly, so we’ve actually been out of the area for years and we just recently moved back in the last year, and it’s exciting to be back.”

Bergey’s Barnyard

The site is broken down by city, and further broken down by interest, like seasonal farm activities. That’s where you can find Bergey’s Barnyard in Chesapeake.

For $5, you can “hop” into their petting zoo filled with tons of animals, like bunnies, piglets, goats — and even kittens.

Bergey’s Dairy Farm opened up in the early 1930s and was in operation for about 75 years before closing down and opening back up in the early 2000s as a shop and petting zoo.

“It’s a bit of a nostalgic thing for me,” said Bergey’s Barnyard founder Joel Bergey. I grew up on the farm and loved to walk around and play with the animals, so when I see a 6-year-old kid, 10-year-old kid playing with the animals, it’s a special thing for me because I can relate to it.”

About a decade ago, Bergey started adding some animals to the farm behind his family’s store, Bergey’s Breadbasket, and it’s become a big hit.

“Just slowly got more and more animals and people started helping me and eventually it turned into a viable business,” Joel Bergey said.

And anyone can relate to some great ice cream.

“It’s made right here,” Harold Bergey said. “In fact, Jay is our main ice cream maker, very innovative.”

Harold Bergey and three other family members have part ownership in the store, Bergey’s Breadbasket.

From butter pecan to cookies and cream, strawberry, and coconut, one scoop just isn’t enough.

In addition to the ice cream, you can grab lunch at Bergey’s Breadbasket or pick up one of their wonderful pies too.

Hampton Carousel

But if you’d rather opt for an indoor activity, for $1, you can go round and round the historic carousel in downtown Hampton.

The Hampton Carousel was built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1920. It was originally installed at Buckroe Beach and was a prime attraction at the park in the 1950s and 1960s. That’s where it stayed until the amusement park shut down.

“When it closed there, it was put in storage until we could restore it and since the early 1990s it has been in operation here in downtown Hampton,” said Allen Hoilman, deputy director of historic assets for Hampton. “We just restored it again. We’ve just given it an overhaul and it is up and going and ready for the public.”

Not only do kids love it, but adults who remember it from Buckroe Beach enjoy it too.

“They get to relive their childhood and they get to give their kids and grandkids a taste of it as well,” Hoilman said.

And if you aren’t feeling up for the merry-go-round, you can soar high in the sky down the street for a free trip to Air Power Park.

“We have a collection of military aircraft and NASA space craft that are on exhibit outdoors,” Hoilman said. “We have a museum there, so if you want to get out of the heat, you can go inside and see a collection of plastic airplanes and learn more about the stuff that is outside.

And if you want to see it all, the Hampton Visitors Bureau has a Sea to Stars pass.

“From Fort Monroe to our beaches to our African American History, Hampton is just known for being one of those places that just brings people in and just offers so much,” said Mahogany Waldon, a team member with the Hampton Convention and Visitor Bureau.

You can get a ride on the carousel and the Hampton Queen, along with admission to Fort Monroe, the Hampton History Museum and the Virginia Air and Space Science Center. There, you can build, climb, or just take in the historic air and space craft from the ceiling down to the floor.

“There’s something for everyone from the young to the old,” Waldon said. “We have a lot of new facilities like the Hampton Aquaplex, so there’s something for everyone in Hampton.”

And speaking of old, a free day trip to Jerrassic Park to see the big dinosaurs at the Military Aviation Museum in Pungo, in the southern part of Virginia Beach, would also be pretty dino-mite!

You can walk past the giant raptors and T-Rex that tower over their visitors, and even see some baby dinos busting out of their shells.

This just scratches the surface of all the great things to do here in Hampton Roads. Here’s a few other options to check out in the 757, below.

Ideas from MyActiveChild.com