1. Fun Forest
City: Chesapeake, VA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (757) 312-0243
Address: 900 Greenbrier Parkway
Description: This was Chesapeake’s answer to Kids Cove and was built entirely by volunteers. An arsonist destroyed much of the wooden play area, but the community rallied and was in the process of rebuilding an even bigger and better facility when this book went to press.
2. Chesapeake Skatepark
City: Chesapeake, VA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (757) 382-8878
Address: 900 Greenbrier Parkway
Description: No BMX bikes are allowed at this park within City Park, it’s strictly for skating. It includes a spine ramp, a hit ramp, and a three-quarter pipe, as well as a street-skating area with smaller ramps, boxed platforms and other movable obstacles. You have to get an annual skate park pass or buy a guest pass here. You can’t get them at the skate park itself, but they are sold at any community center or at the Ranger Station in City Park. Any child under 10 will need to be accompanied by an adult with a community center card. The annual youth membership is $7 for Chesapeake residents, $25 for non residents; $20 for Chesapeake adults and $40 for non-resident adults. A one-visit guest pass is $5.
3. A Place For Girls
City: Chesapeake, VA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (757) 547-4405
Address: 912 Cedar Rd.
Description: The Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast, which includes 16,000 girls and 6,000 adult volunteers, turned their headquarters into a destination location—a place for girls. Adults will enjoy it as well because there is a wonderful boardwalk that meanders above a pristine set of wetlands off Bells Mill Creek. You can see native plants and animals and so many bird species it’s a stop on the Virginia Birding Trail. There are picnic pavilions that can be reserved and an observation tower to give you a bird’s eye view over the creek. There is also a health and fitness trail here with stations to help you stretch and work out all your muscle groups.
4. Triple R Ranch
City: Chesapeake, VA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (757) 421-4177
Address: 3531 Bunch Walnut Rd.
Description: This is a 370-acre working ranch in southern Chesapeake that opened in 1960 as a place where kids could come and learn to ride. They still have horsemanship programs and a special equestrian program for handicapped riders. You can also come for a trail ride or hayrides year round. The ranch offers Christian summer camping experiences, an adventure retreat for 8- to 12-year-olds featuring archery, canoeing, a climbing wall, and horseback riding. There are family retreats complete with a campfire and day camps for 7- to 10-year-olds. Specialty camps for teens include a Surf Camp and a high ropes challenge course with a zip line.
City: Chesapeake, VA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 312 Cedar Rd.
6. Chilled Ponds Ice Skating Rink
City: Chesapeake, VA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (757) 420-4488
Address: 1416 Stephanie Way
Description: Here, you’ll find an NHL-sized skating rink where the Norfolk Admirals practice. They have three levels of adult hockey here year-round and lessons for skating and sport. There are plenty of public skating sessions here as well.
7. Greenbrier Family Skating Center
City: Chesapeake, VA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (757) 420-0258
Address: 1409 Stephanie Way
Description: You can roll to Christian music here on Tues and Thurs 10 to 2 p.m., and enjoy unlimited pizza on Wed and Thurs night. Wed is family night, and Thurs is Christian music night. And on both nights the cost is $5 for skaters and $3 for non skaters.