I recently visited Hampton, Virginia, and had an incredible time! Hampton is a vibrant city located in the Coastal Virginia region. It’s a fantastic destination for all kinds of travelers, from families to solo adventurers.
Located at the southernmost tip of the Chesapeake Bay, Hampton is a city with significant history, warm hospitality, beautiful beaches, a vibrant arts scene, and much more. Hampton is great to visit any time of year, but I highly recommend checking it out during the spring or summer months. The weather is perfect and there are a variety of activities and festivals to enjoy!
This lively city is located about 5 ½ hours from Philly, 1 hour from Richmond, and about 4 hours from DC.
If you’re in need of a fun weekend escape, add Hampton to your list and keep reading for my top recommendations.
Thanks, Visit Hampton for hosting me!
Where to Stay
The Landing at Hampton Marina
The Landing is part of Hilton’s upscale Tapestry Collection. This gorgeous, waterfront hotel is a fantastic place to stay during a trip to Hampton. It features an elegant design, modern rooms, and amazing amenities. Not to mention, incredible views of the marina. Amenities at The Landing include an on-site restaurant (Copper Barley), rooftop bar and lounge (Monroe Rooftop), outdoor pool, fitness center, and business center.
The Landing is located in Downtown Hampton. The location is absolutely perfect, as it’s less than a mile from Hampton University, Virginia Air & Space Center, and many other popular sites and restaurants.
At The Landing, a variety of room types and suites are available. Our room was comfortable and spacious and included everything we needed for an enjoyable stay.
What to See and Do
Hampton features a variety of exciting attractions, museums, and events that will allow you to experience the city like a local. No matter your interests, there’s truly something for everyone. Here are some places I recommend visiting during your time there.
Hampton History Museum
Hampton is a city with a profound history and one way to learn about it is by visiting Hampton History Museum. As a history nerd and museum lover, I just knew I had to make a stop here. The museum is dedicated to preserving Hampton’s history and educating the public through exhibitions, lectures, cultural presentations, educational workshops, and more. Through these captivating exhibits, I learned so much about the Indigenous population that inhabited the land (the Kecoughtan tribe), the 1619 landing of the first enslaved Africans in English North America, Hampton’s crabbing and seafood industry, and how the prohibition era impacted Hampton.
Fort Monroe
Known as the “Gibraltar of the Chesapeake,” Fort Monroe has a diverse history that spans over 400 years. Nicknamed “Freedom’s Fortress,” it’s regarded as the largest stone fort ever built in the United States. From the American Indian presence to the first landing of enslaved Africans in English North America, there’s so much to learn and explore at Fort Monroe.
Today, Fort Monroe is a National Historic Landmark, but in the past, it served as a safe haven for freedom seekers during the Civil War and as a military base from 1781 to 2011.
A special thank you to Phyllis Terrell, Director of Communications at Fort Monroe, who graciously gave us an in-depth tour and explained Fort Monroe’s history in a thorough and interesting way.
We started our tour in the Visitor & Education Center, which features many fascinating exhibits about American Indian presence, slavery, and the Jim Crow era. We then toured the grounds which include the First Africans in Virginia Historical Marker, Engineer Wharf, Old Point Comfort Lighthouse, Casemate Museum, and more notable sites. A walking tour guide can be found here.
I totally recommend adding Fort Monroe to your itinerary and giving yourself a few hours to explore the site in-depth. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes as well. Click here to visit their website.
Art Central
If you’re looking for a cool place to view and purchase local artwork, check out Art Central, located in Hampton’s Phoebus community. This Black-owned gallery is owned by local artist, Everna Lee Taylor and includes a variety of unique folk art. We enjoyed speaking with Everna and his staff and learning more about his background and passion for art.
Virginia Air and Space Science Center
Here’s a fun fact: Hampton is the birthplace of America’s space program! The Virginia Air and Space Center features interactive exhibits and galleries where you can learn about innovations in aviation and space technology. In addition, the Center is home to the Apollo 12 Command Module and the Orion PA-1 Test Vehicle. As a traveler, I was inspired by the aviation exhibitions and enjoyed seeing the larger-than-life aircraft. Check out their website for more information.
For additional places to visit in Hampton, check out the Visit Hampton website here.
Where to Eat
In Hampton, there’s no shortage of delicious cuisine to try. No matter what kind of food you’re craving, Hampton has it all! Here are some of the eateries I enjoyed.
Copper Barley – Copper Barley is the on-site restaurant located at The Landing Hotel. The service here is excellent and I recommend ordering the wonton nachos, chicken Caesar salad, and copper barley burger.
Scratch Bakery – This Black-owned bakery serves up delicious sweet treats, including cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more. Their cakes are superb! I definitely recommend trying the banana caramel, triple strawberry, oreo, chocolate, and red velvet cake. I truly enjoyed speaking with the owners and look forward to visiting again soon.
The Baker’s Wife Bistro & Bar – The Baker’s Wife is an upscale restaurant in downtown Phoebus serving French and American-style cuisine. We loved the ratatouille, truffle fries, and pan-seared salmon (seafood special). I also ordered the blood orange cocktail, which was delicious. If you’re looking for an elegant dinner in downtown Hampton, add this restaurant to your list!
Mango Mangeaux – Located in Phoebus, Mango Mangeaux is a stylish restaurant serving a unique fusion of French, Creole, and NeoSoul cuisine. The founders were featured on Shark Tank with their famous mango preserves. While they didn’t land a deal, they achieved great success and used their earnings to give back to their Hampton community. Their dishes are tastefully crafted and many are made with their gourmet mango preserves. My favorites here were the quiche florentine and mango lemonade. Mango Mangeaux serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. For more information, click here.
Glazed – Glazed Doughnuts is home to the most delicious donuts in the city. Their glazed twists are the best I’ve tried! They have such a fun and creative mix of freshly made treats (everything is made from scratch). Be sure to arrive early, because they sell out of donuts quickly. Also, check out their sister restaurant, Baked Bistro & Pizza, a local favorite.
Fika Coffeehouse and Cafe – Fika is an approachable, cozy cafe located in Downtown Hampton. It’s a great place to meet up with friends and grab coffee, breakfast, or lunch. They have an extensive menu of delicious options for all dietary choices. We tried the vegan wrap, mozzarella caprese panini, pear apricot smoothie, and salted caramel frappe. Everything was fantastic!
Firehouse Coffee 1881 – Located at Fort Monroe, Firehouse Coffee 1881 is a quaint coffee shop located in the oldest Army firehouse. It was the perfect stop after a morning of touring Fort Monroe. Their chicken salad sandwich is absolutely delicious!
Artwork and Sculptures around Hampton
Lastly, be sure to check out all of the unique artwork around the city!
I hope this post has inspired your first (or next) visit to Hampton, Virginia. For more trip-planning resources and guides, head to VisitHampton.com. Be sure to pin this post for later!
