Saturday, May 5, 2007

City Focus : Virginia Beach

Virginia’s largest city, Virginia Beach is the perfect getaway for a group of any size that wants to enjoy the luxury of the beach and city while taking in significant historical sights along with both natural and technological marvels. Virginia Beach offers limitless relaxation and fun, with over 12 miles of public beach and three miles of boardwalk. The city also is seeped in historical significance and offers many ways to learn about history and science, making Virginia Beach the perfect place to revitalize your spirit and invigorate your mind.

A new exhibit at the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia (CAC) will showcase the Magna Carta along with the Emancipation Proclamation, an early broadside of the Declaration of Independence and original notes from the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.The exhibit is in celebration of the 400- year anniversary of the first permanent settlers landing on what is now called Cape Henry in Virginia Beach, and honors the principles of a constitutional government which were first laid down in the Magna Carta in 1215. The exhibit runs from March 30-June 18, 2007, and is the first time that a version of each of the above documents will be shown in the same place. In April there will be an anniversary celebration, which includes a reenactment of the first landing, a concert series and a boardwalk history festival.

During the warmer months,the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center invites guests to step into the watery world of harbor seals.The Harbor Seal Splash program allows visitors to climb into the seals’ aquarium with a trainer to interact and train with the animals while learning about the natural history and conservation efforts that surround harbor seals. Due to the popularity of the Harbor Seal Splash program, the Virginia Aquarium has developed a new seal experience to accommodate a wider range of guests called, “Seals Behind the Scenes.” This one-hour program allows guests to venture into the restricted Harbor Seal holding building to meet educators, professional animal training staff, and of course a seal or two.

The charming Founders Inn has just opened a newly developed Flowering Almond Spa which offers a wide variety of services including aromatherapy massage,reflexology, European facials, Dead Sea Mineral Masque, Lavender Dreams Body Ritual, Caviar facials and much more. The 10,000-square-foot facility offers six treatment rooms, a private conservatory for relaxation and meditation,personal care stations, expanded fitness center and heated indoor pool.

In 2007, the Town Center of Virginia Beach, which spans over 17 city blocks providing a mix of upscale retail, luxury residential, a business-class hotel and an array of restaurants, will feature the new Sandler Center for Performing Arts.The center is said to become the cultural centerpiece of the city, containing 1,200 comfortable seats, an outdoor plaza and other spaces for community functions and artistic events.

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