Virginia International Tattoo

Arrive in Norfolk today and transfer to your hotel. Tonight, meet your tour manager at 6:00 p.m. for a welcome dinner. Meal: D

The day starts at the Military Aviation Museum, home to one of the world’s largest private collection of vintage WWI and WWII military aircraft. Each have been beautifully restored to their original condition and many are still flown during flight demonstrations. Then, stop at the Virginia Beach Farmers Market for a “Taste of the Market” tour. Learn the story of agriculture in Virginia Beach while visiting and sampling delights with the local merchants. In the afternoon, stop at the Virginia Beach Surf and Rescue Museum and learn about the area’s maritime history, superstorms, shipwrecks and much more. Be sure to explore the Virginia Beach Boardwalk and say hello to the King Neptune statue watching over the sea. Meals: B, L

This morning, take the memorable drive across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to Virginia’s Eastern Shore. At the Barrier Islands Center you will learn the history of the area through the stories of the watermen, artisans, farmers and innovators who worked and played on the Barrier Islands. Lunch is at the Island House Restaurant featuring fresh local seafood. Later, stop at Chatham Vineyards on Church Creek to sample some of their fine wines and enjoy some sweet treats. Then, enjoy free time for shopping and time to explore on your own in the historic village of Cape Charles before returning to Virginia Beach, the state’s largest city which boasts the world’s longest boardwalk flanking miles of pristine, sandy beaches. Meals: B, L

After breakfast spend the morning with the creatures at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Center, along with the over 350 hands-on exhibits. Afterward, enjoy a Dolphin Watching cruise to see the largest population of bottlenose dolphins on the East Coast. In the afternoon visit the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum, located in the historic 1895 DeWitt Cottage. Watch the volunteer carver create waterfowl artwork right before your eyes. The day comes to an end with a Virginia style barbeque dinner served at Beach Bully’s BBQ, a family-run restaurant since 1986. Enjoy slow roasted beef and pork, hush puppies, local vegetables, mac & cheese and plenty of local beers. Meals: B, D

We begin the day at the Norfolk Botanical Garden and climb aboard the tram for a narrated tour of Coastal Virginia’s premier horticultural attraction. After an included lunch, the General Douglas MacArthur Memorial tells the story of the man and also pays tribute to the many men and women who served with him. Attend the “Hullabaloo,” a pre-Tattoo event with tasty foods, craft beers, music, dance and drill performances, photo-ops and an audience-judged piping competition. Tonight, we have reserved seats to the Virginia International Tattoo. This awe-inspiring musical spectacle is part parade, part theatre and sometimes, part circus. It is highly regarded as one of the world’s great tattoos. Meals: B, L

Begin the day at Nauticus, a premier maritime science museum to learn about undersea life and ocean exploration. You can also take a self-guided tour of the battleship Wisconsin, the largest and last battleship built by the U.S. Navy. Walk the huge, expansive main deck and explore the second deck to see the berthing units, post office and dental office. Just steps away from Nauticus are our reserved seats for the Norfolk NATO Parade of Nations. This annual event features high school bands, U.S. and international military bands and colorful floats which represent each of the 28 NATO Member nations. This afternoon, we board the Victory Rover for a Norfolk Harbor cruise which is your front row seat to the naval fleet! See destroyers, submarines, and other vessels while taking in the sights of the harbor. Tonight, gather for a farewell dinner with your traveling companions at Captain George’s, home of the legendary seafood buffet. Meals: B, D

After breakfast a group transfer takes you to the Norfolk International Airport for flights out after 12:00 p.m. Meal: B