Boo Williams Sportsplex – Experiences

Nearly 19 million tourists visit Virginia every year, and of those, around 900,000 are headed to Hampton. Some, like you, are going to the Boo Williams Sportsplex to attend a sporting event.

While you’re in Hampton, make the most of your time traveling by exploring the city. Being one of the oldest communities in North America, Hampton is home to many historical attractions and landmarks. However, there are also plenty of more modern activities in the area too. Below is an itinerary for a full day in Hampton near the Boo Williams Sportsplex filled with fun activities and learning experiences.

 

Morning

Noon

Night

 

Morning

A good day needs to start with a hearty breakfast, so head on over to Sweet Beans Coffee Shop. The Boo Williams Sportsplex is a nine-minute drive away from Sweet Beans. This is a new small business in Hampton that is women- and veteran-owned.

When you stop in for breakfast, try one of their freshly baked pastries. They sell muffins, cookies, and scones. Grab a coffee as well to get energized. Their coffee is provided by the local Norfolk Coffee and Tea Co.

After breakfast, you’ll head to the Virginia Living Museum. It is the farthest you will be from the Boo Williams Sportsplex all day, but it is just a 17-minute drive from Sweet Beans. This museum features hands-on exhibits and over 250 animals and plants throughout the indoor exhibits and nature trails.

Boo Williams SportsplexThe Virginia Living Museum aims to encourage the understanding and protection of the natural world, so they want their visitors to get up close and personal with wildlife. Walk the outdoor boardwalk that crosses Deer Park Lake into the woods and wetlands where you will see native animals in naturalized habitats.

Make your way to the indoor exhibits and see the 30,000-gallon Noland Chesapeake Bay Aquarium filled with sea creatures. Inside you will also find the Piedmont and Mountains Gallery, displaying animals such as turtles, birds, and chipmunks. Make time to view Virginia’s Underground Gallery and Appalachian Cove and Cypress Swamp exhibits. Interactive Discovery Centers can be found inside too.

The natural world is home to more than just animals, however. While you’re at the museum, you can stop in the Abbitt Observatory to learn more about astronomy. Head to the greenhouse to get a deep dive into plant life and what it means to live “green.”

There’s a trip to the past as well with the Dinosaur Discovery Trail. This trail is an outdoor exhibit that features lifelike dinosaurs. It has been around for over 25 years. The trail includes fossil stations and dig pits. If you’re visiting with younger children, there is a children’s play area too.

 

Noon

When you leave the Virginia Living Museum, you’ll be heading back toward the Boo Williams Sportsplex, stopping at the Bluebird Gap Farm. This is a 15-minute drive from the Virginia Living Museum.

Bluebird Gap Farm is a 60-acre farm that’s home to roughly 150 animals, both domestic and wild. Some of the domestic animals you will see include horses, cows, pigs, goats, and chickens. There are machines filled with animal feed on site, which allow guests the opportunity to interact with the animals, so bring quarters with you. You may also find whitetail deer, llamas, alpacas, peacocks, rabbits, and various bird of prey.

Besides the animals, you can walk around and gaze at the Hampton Master Gardeners’ Display Garden and Arboretum. This is a great spot for nature photography. There is also the Azalea Trail, which is a nature path with beautiful views of Newmarket Creek. If you want to take a break from nature, stop in the barn. Inside the barn, guests can view antique pieces from the last few centuries. The best part is that admission for the entire farm is free, so don’t hesitate to experience this lovely escape from the city.

If you want to do something different from being outdoors and seeing more animals, you can stop by the Hampton History Museum instead. This museum is just over four miles from the Boo Williams Sportsplex. To get here from the Virginia Living Museum, it will be a 16-minute drive.

Visiting the Hampton History Museum will give you insight into the city of Hampton and American history. Being one of the oldest settlements in America, Hampton has had many developments and contributions for you to discover.

There are nine permanent galleries that span 400 years of Hampton’s history. Galleries are split up chronologically, taking visitors through the 17th century to modern Hampton. You can learn about how Hampton took part in first interactions with Native Americans, how the city fared through the Civil War, how it became a center of air and space research, and much more.

Once you finish at the Bluebird Gap Farm or the Hampton History Museum, get lunch at Anna’s Italian Pizza. This eatery is about a mile from the Boo Williams Sportsplex.

Boo Williams SportsplexAnna’s Italian Pizza brings family recipes for homemade pizza and pasta to Hampton. The founder of Anna’s, Cristoforo Russo, grew up in Sicily and immigrated to New York in 1956. It didn’t take long for him to open his first pizzeria in New York. When he moved to Virginia with his wife, he continued following his culinary passion and opened restaurants there as well.

He started Anna’s Pizza in 1970 and expanded to a few locations in Virginia. These locations are family-run and continue to generate loyalty with locals thanks to the quality of their food and their friendly atmosphere.

Anna’s specializes in homemade pizza, so you can’t go wrong with ordering a pie. Pick a specialty pizza or make your own. You can also order pasta instead. Select the type of pasta and the sauce and toppings you want to pair with it.

After lunch, you will be driving past the Boo Williams Sportsplex to get to the Peninsula Town Center to wind down with a bit of shopping. The drive there from Anna’s Italian Pizza will take about eight minutes.

Peninsula Town Center is the main hub for shopping in Hampton. You’ll find many major retailers here, including Barnes & Noble, Bath & Body Works, Chico’s, Forever 21, H&M, JCPenny, Lane Bryant, Sephora, Target, Talbots, Victoria’s Secret, and more. In between your shopping, stop at Town Square and Mary’s Park. They are great spots to take a rest and enjoy gorgeous landscapes.

 

Night

Once you’ve had your fill of shopping, take a six-minute drive over to Sparetimes, which is just under two miles from the Boo Williams Sportsplex. This is your first fun-filled stop of the night.

Boo Williams SportsplexSparetimes is an independently-owned and -operated bowling center with plenty to offer. Whether you’re stopping in with friends or on your own, you’re bound to have a great time throwing a few strikes. This bowling center has 32 well-maintained lanes and a pro bowling shop.

If bowling isn’t your strong suit, they also have some pool tables and a game room with various arcade games. In between games, stop by the bar for some pre-dinner drinks.

After a game or two of bowling, there are two options for dinner. The first is Tide Mill Cafe, which is a stone’s throw from the Boo Williams Sportsplex. This is a popular dive bar in Hampton, and it will particularly appeal to those of you who enjoy watching sports with a cold beer in hand. When there’s a big game happening, this is the place to be to watch it because they have televisions on nearly every wall.

Tide Mill Cafe is also a great stop for those of you who enjoy Eastern cuisine since they serve up large portions of dishes like lo mein, fried rice, and chap chae bap. If you aren’t feeling Asian food, they also serve classic bar fare, such as burgers and BLTs.

The second option is Park Lane Tavern. This bar is a little bit farther from the Boo Williams Sportsplex but only a six-minute drive from Sparetimes. Park Lane Tavern is an American pub with influence from European taverns in terms of decor and spirits.

The menu at this cheery eatery is filled with American and European fare. There are classic pub favorites like wings, club sandwiches, and burgers. You’ll also have the option of some traditional European dishes, such as shepherd’s pie, corned beef and cabbage, bangers and mash, and jagerschnitzel, which is a traditional German dish consisting of fried pork loin smothered in onion and mushroom gravy.

The drink list at Park Lane Tavern is just as impressive as the menu. On tap, patrons can choose from 24 draughts. There are even more bottled beers to try, including ales, stouts, lagers, and porters. In addition to beer, there is a large list of scotches and wines also available. But, before you go, you have to try one of their cocktails inspired by cultures around the world.

No matter which bar you decide to visit you’ll definitely have a wonderful night with delicious food, creative drinks, and good company. Ending your night at either Tide Mill Cafe or Park Lane Tavern will help you relax after a busy day of sightseeing around Hampton. You’ll also be wrapping up close to the Boo Williams Sportsplex, so getting back to your hotel should be a breeze.