India Fest Weekend: The Best of Virginia BeachCome for India Fest, then stay the whole weekend for all that Virginia Beach has to offer. Spend a day soaking up the festival’s music, dance, food and culture at the Convention Center, and fill the rest of your trip with bayside hikes, a morning paddle, mural-lined streets and a stroll along the boardwalk.Authorsjjyosh
DestinationsVirginia BeachItinerary

Friday

Moxy Virginia Beach Oceanfront
Moxy Virginia Beach Oceanfront brings a sleek, modern look to the oceanfront, with an open lobby facing the water and centered on Bar Moxy and a state-of-the-art video wall. Upstairs, rooms show off bold, funky designs and clever use of space, and the heated outdoor pool sits right by the beach.
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First Landing State Park
Shake off the flight with an evening hike at First Landing, Virginia’s most-visited state park and the spot where English colonists first came ashore on the Chesapeake Bay. The park’s most popular route, the roughly 1.5-mile Bald Cypress Trail, crosses boardwalks right over dark swamp waters and makes an easy first outing before dinner.
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Love Song
Grab a seat at Love Song, where dinner comes as shareable small plates mixing Spanish, French and American flavors. The menu changes often, and the wine list rotates too, with a focus on natural wines. Loved this place!
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Saturday

Three Ships Coffee Roasters
Kick off day two at Three Ships Coffee Roasters in the ViBe Creative District, a local favorite for carefully sourced beans roasted in a light, fruity style. Order a pour-over to taste them at their best, or go for the Pungo Latte, sweetened with fruit from farms in nearby Pungo.
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Owl Creek Landing
Fueled up and ready to go, head to Owl Creek and paddle a kayak or board through the calm waters out toward Rudee Inlet. Watch the surface closely, since dolphins are frequent visitors to these protected channels and could surface right alongside you!
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Milk & Honey Southern Inspired Kitchen
Head to Milk & Honey for breakfast, where the Southern-inspired brunch menu includes chicken and Biscoff waffles, cheesecake pancakes and pan-seared salmon with grits. Then it’s on to the main event, India Fest at the Virginia Beach Convention Center!
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Virginia Beach Convention Center
India Fest fills the Virginia Beach Convention Center with the sights, sounds and flavors of India, with dance and cultural performances on stage all day long alongside live music. Come hungry for dishes from local Indian restaurants, then browse the vendor booths at this lively celebration hosted by Hampton Roads’ Indian American community.
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Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Wind down after the festival at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, where raised boardwalks cross freshwater marsh and dunes on the way to a quiet stretch of Atlantic beach. Bring binoculars for the Wildlife Viewing Window, a one-way-glass blind about a mile from the visitor center, and plan to head out by dusk, when the refuge closes.
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Waterman's Surfside Grille
Back at the Oceanfront for dinner, grab a patio table at Waterman’s Surfside Grille on the boardwalk at 5th Street, where the same family has been serving fresh seafood, steaks and slow-roasted ribs for three generations. Pair your meal with an Orange Crush made with fresh-squeezed orange juice, the signature drink of this self-proclaimed “Original Crush House.”
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ViBe Creative District
More than 70 murals cover the ViBe Creative District, a 15-block neighborhood a short ride from the Oceanfront that makes for an easy evening walk. Even the crosswalks and parking meters get the paint treatment, and a block-long fence on 18th Street serves as an open-air gallery.
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Sunday

VLOVE COFFEE HOUSE
VLOVE Coffee House pours lattes in flavors like tiramisu, lavender and vanilla, hot or iced, from its spot on Atlantic Avenue near 26th Street. Take one to go for a Sunday morning stroll, since the boardwalk is just a short walk away.
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Virginia Beach Oceanfront Boardwalk
A 12-ton bronze King Neptune rises over the boardwalk at 31st Street, trident in hand and a loggerhead turtle at his side. He’s the star of a three-mile oceanfront promenade with a separate bike lane, so walkers can take their time.
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Other Activities

Astonishing Scavenger Hunt: Surf, Sand and Sculptures!
Part trivia game and part sightseeing outing, this two-hour scavenger hunt runs on an app and leads your group to landmarks and lesser-known finds with a surf, sand and sculptures theme.
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Small Group Dolphin Kayak Eco-Tour
Atlantic bottlenose dolphins are the main attraction on this two-hour, small-group kayak tour on the Chesapeake Bay, where guides help you launch and paddle along the coast for a close look at them in the wild. Little to no experience is needed for the sit-on-top kayaks.
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Jet Ski Rental
Virginia Beach Watersports rents jet skis for 40-minute rides, with a safety briefing before you go. Beginners and experienced riders alike can choose a relaxed cruise or a faster spin.
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