Memorial Day 2018: VA Beach, Ocean City Events

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA—Ask most any resident of most any beach town to name the first day of summer, and you'll almost always get the same response. Summer begins on Memorial Day, or the Memorial Day weekend. Never mind that summer actually begins June 21. Nope, the long Memorial Day weekend is the one that opens the floodgates for tourists eager to get their beach fix and merchants eager to get accept their money.

Virginia Beach and Ocean City certainly are no different, and the beach playgrounds of choice for many folks in Maryland, DC and Virginia kicks off their 2018 season in earnest this weekend. Here are some highlights for Memorial Day weekend, courtesy of the city websites:

VIRGINIA BEACH

Friday-Sunday, May 25-27:

Salute to Summer, Oceanfront, 24th Street Park and 31st Street Park. Kick off the summer season in true Virginia Beach fashion with three days of free live music by local and regional bands, honoring the men and women of the military at Live! on Atlantic's Salute to Summer. A “Heroes Walk’ display will stretch from 16th Street to 32nd Street with original essays from local high school students honoring these service men and women.

35th Annual Pungo Strawberry Festival, 1776 Princess Anne Road (intersection of Indian River Road and Princess Anne). Our favorite local crop is celebrated annually during the 35th Annual Pungo Strawberry Festival, a three-day strawberry-centric event with over 50 strawberry delicacies - like strawberry pie, chocolate covered strawberries, and even strawberry tacos, all made with fresh Pungo Strawberries - family activities, live entertainment, a parade, carnival, and much more. The festival, which started in 1983, is held over Memorial Day Weekend every year and is a favorite of locals and visitors alike.

OCEAN CITY

Friday, May 25:

• Beach Lights will begin Memorial Day weekend and run nightly through Labor Day from 9pm to 11pm at North Division Street Beach. Special 3-minute displays at 9:00pm, 9:20pm, 9:40pm, 10:00pm, 10:20pm, 10:40pm, and 11:00pm. This lighting attraction features high-powered searchlights that accent the sky and surrounding area around N. Division Street and the Boardwalk. Searchlights move and sway, creating a dance of light to musical selections played through boardwalk speakers. The lights change into a variety of colors, bathing the surrounding beachscape and boardwalk in vibrant colors.

Saturday, May 26:

• LULAROE AND VENDOR SHOW. Ocean City Convention Center, 4001 Coastal Highway. Come shop from 14 LuLaRoe inventories, tons of crafters and other vendors like Thirty-One, Pure Romance, Paparazzi, and so much more! Saturday: 12pm to 6pm Sunday: 11am to 4pm Free admission.

Sunday, May 27:

• ESA SUMMER SURF SERIES. 30th Street.

And here's more information that may come in handy if you're headed to Virginia Beach or Ocean City anytime this summer:

Things to do in Virginia Beach:

1) Bike down the boardwalk. Opt for a ride with the whole family on a classic beach surry or go with one of the local favorite’s - a beach cruiser. Visitors can even enjoy the leisure bike tour along the 3-mile boardwalk or the brunch and bike tour from Beach Bike Tours.

2) Visit Sandbridge beach. Pungo (see above) is located a short distance from Sandbridge, a secluded beach hideaway, so be sure to make stop before or after the festival to cool off.

3) Visit the Virginia Aviation Museum. Head to the Military Aviation Museum. It holds the largest private collection of 65 planes from the first 50 years of military aviation, and most of the aircraft have amazingly been restored to their original flying condition. Don’t leave Pungo without picking some fresh wildflowers.

4) Outdoor fun for adults. The Shack on 8th and Ocean 27 are both fully open air bars at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, stocked with lawn games like corn hole, bocce ball, and giant beer pong, making them the perfect place to enjoy a few Orange Crushes, a signature Va Beach summer cocktail, on a nice day.

5) Get to Terrapin. For the past decade, Chef Rodney Einhorn has helmed this James Beard-recognized, AAA Four-Diamond restaurant, serving contemporary American Cuisine with a creative use of locally sourced, seasonal farm-fresh ingredients at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Terrapin Restaurant, which has been credited for launching the farm-to-table movement in Virginia Beach, offers a warm, elegant dining room with an open view into the kitchen, giving visitors a glimpse of how the culinary magic comes to life. Local's tip: we recommend starting off with the beet salad, a signature dish commonly known to the staff as a "salad of love" - an homage to the Chef's very own love story with his wife, Amanda.

6) Cape Henry Lighthouse. Located on the active Fort Story Military Base, the Cape Henry Lighthouse is a pillar of our local and national history which you can explore first-hand. Climb to the top of the lighthouse (which was the first federal construction project under the new government after the Revolutionary War) and take in an unimpeded view of where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean.

7) Kayak with the Dolphins. Dolphins are frequent visitors to the calmer inland waterways off of the Chesapeake Bay, making for a perfect opportunity to kayak alongside some of our favorite locals. Get into the water with Tula Adventure Sports, located in the Chesapeake Bay District.

8) First Landing State Park. Head down Shore Drive, in the Chesapeake Bay District, to First Landing State Park (formerly Seashore State Park) for a morning hike through preserved marshland dotted with towering Bald Cypress Trees adorned with Spanish moss. Opt for the Bald Cypress Trail, a 1.5 mile through and around the cypress swamps. There are many boardwalks and overlooks that offer unbeatable views of the enchanting swampland.

9) Zipline at Adventure Park. Take your holiday weekend to new heights with a highflying endurance test at the Adventure Park at the Virginia Aquarium. With 15 different treetop obstacle courses, at varying degrees of difficulty, this is no walk in the park. Somewhere among the nighttime climbs up in the illuminated trees, zip-lines across Owl’s Creek and the resolve-testing leaps of faith from what seems like a mile up, you’ll forget that you’re at sea level.

Things to do in Ocean City:

1) Hit the boardwalk. At just under three miles, the Ocean City, Maryland, boardwalk is a perfect family bike ride, an invigorating walk or run, or a relaxing tram ride. At night, the boardwalk comes to life with rides, arcades, performers and much more.

2) Indulge in culinary delights. Ocean City restaurants serve up fresh seafood, boardwalk fries, Maryland crab cakes, hot, fresh pizza, juicy Delmarva fried chicken, sweet saltwater taffy and some of the finest dining in the Mid-Atlantic.

3) Catch the sun's ups and downs. Sunsets are spectacular on the bay as the sun sinks down along the western side of the island. And a glorious sunrise on the Ocean City beach is worth getting up early for.

4) Go back in time. Explore Ocean City, Maryland's colorful history at the Life-Saving Station Museum, or take a walking tour of our historic downtown area.

5) Check out Assateague's wild ponies. The famous ponies are just 9 miles from Ocean City, along with nature trails, deer, foxes and thousands of birds.

6) Do some serious shopping. Hit the outlets, the boardwalk, Gold Coast Mall, boutiques or do some antiquing in nearby Snow Hill and Berlin.

7) Enjoy nights of free family fun. In the summer, there is a free family event almost every night of the week. Some of the events include:

• 100 Nights of Lights every night along the boardwalk Memorial Day thru Labor Day.
• Sundaes in the Park on Sundays at Northside Park with free concert, fireworks and ice cream.
• OC Beach Dance Party on Tuesdays at the Caroline Street Stage.
• Movies on the Beach on Mondays and Fridays at 27th Street and Wednesdays at 118th Street.
• Family Beach Olympics on Tuesdays.
• Sunset Park Party Nights on Thursdays.
• Beach Fireworks on Mondays and Tuesdays.
• OC Museum Programs every day at the OC Life-Saving Station Museum on the boardwalk.

8) Explore the beauty of Northside Park. This 58-acre complex is Ocean City's largest and most popular park facility. Athletic fields.

Northside Park is also home to playgrounds, a gazebo and walking paths.

9) Fore! Ocean City is home to some of the most scenic and challenging golf courses in the Mid-Atlantic region. Or if miniature golf is more your speed, you will find a number of fun courses in town.

Photo of Virginia Beach: Skip Wood; photo of Ocean City, MD, beach courtesy of city website