Life with Kelso

A couple of weekends ago, I traveled to Virginia Beach for the first time with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law to see Pitbull in concert. It ended up being such a fun girls’ weekend, and I feel like we had just the right amount of time to experience Virginia Beach for my first visit.

We spent a long weekend there, from Thursday through Sunday, and visiting in August ended up being the perfect time for us. The crowds weren’t too bad, and the weather was beautiful—although I will say, the humidity and muggy air were definitely no joke!

Since our main plans were seeing the concert and spending the weekend exploring, we decided to rent an Airbnb just off 27th Street. Our location couldn’t have been more convenient. We were only about three short blocks from the beach, a few blocks from a grocery store, and had a 7-Eleven right around the corner. We could easily walk to coffee shops, restaurants, stores, the beach, and plenty of other activities, which made it the perfect spot for a long weekend.

Thursday was mostly a travel and relaxing day. We flew nonstop from Columbus to Norfolk, which took just about an hour. We arrived in Virginia Beach around 2:00 p.m., picked up our rental car, and headed to the grocery store to grab a few things for breakfast and snacks for the weekend.

Once we checked into our Airbnb, we unpacked, put away the groceries, and took some time to figure out what we wanted to do next. Since we were only going for a long weekend, we decided to pack everything into a single personal item rather than bringing a carry-on. I used my BÉIS Weekender Bag, and it ended up being the perfect size for the trip—although I definitely had it packed to the brim!

It was nice not having a ton of luggage to worry about, especially since we were only going to be there for a few days. With everything unpacked and settled in, we were ready to officially start our Virginia Beach weekend.

Thursday evening, we decided to walk along the boardwalk and find somewhere to grab dinner. As we were walking, though, we quickly realized a storm was rolling in. The sky over the ocean had turned almost completely black, and it looked like we were about to get caught in the rain!

We decided to make a change of plans and head over to Esoteric, a local spot known for its craft beer, fun cocktails, and eclectic dishes. We stopped in during Happy Hour, enjoyed a couple of drinks, and shared a few small plates.

Exterior of ESOTERIC, 501 Virginia Beach BLVD, Ste A, Virginia Beach, VA, 23451.

The vibe at Esoteric was right up our alley—modern, but with an artsy, eclectic twist. It felt like a fun little spot to escape the storm and enjoy some good food and drinks before continuing our evening.

Esoteric is a little more upscale when it comes to pricing, especially since they have a smaller, more curated menu of food and drinks. I would give it $$ on the price scale. That said, there’s no need to dress up! Jeans and a cute top are totally fine here, so you can keep things casual while still enjoying the more elevated atmosphere.

Their Happy Hour runs Tuesday through Friday from 4–6 p.m. and includes both food and drink specials. We decided to take advantage of Happy Hour and order several small plates to share. We tried the wings, fried shrimp, duck tacos, pimento with crackers, and a full order of their fried mushroom bites.

From left to right: fried shrimp, pimento with crackers (top left), wings (top center), duck tacos (bottom center), and fried mushroom bites.

All of the food was delicious, but my overall favorite was the fried mushroom bites, which honestly surprised me! They were coated in a spicy, tangy sauce that gave them just the right amount of kick.

Even if you’re not a fan of mushrooms, I would still recommend giving these a try. If I didn’t already know they were mushrooms, I would have had no idea! The texture and flavor reminded me more of fried tofu or even chicken. Definitely not what I expected, but such a fun surprise!

For cocktails, their menu changes every so often, so unfortunately, I don’t remember the names of the drinks we ordered. But I do remember that they were SO good! I know the one on the left was a margarita, but I can’t remember the names of the other two. I’m so sorry! If you’re visiting, I’d definitely recommend checking out their current cocktail menu because they have some really fun and unique options.

After waiting out the storm at Esoteric, we decided to make our way back to the Airbnb. But on the way, we stumbled across a dive bar—and if there’s one thing you should know about me and my friends, it’s that we LOVE a good dive bar! Naturally, we had to stop in for a drink.

We stopped in at Duck Dive Tavern, another local spot that seemed to be more of a hidden gem that tourists hadn’t quite discovered yet. We grabbed a drink, chatted for a bit, and enjoyed the laid-back dive bar atmosphere.

Eventually, we decided it was time to head to our next stop. It was getting later in the evening, and the bar was getting a little too loud for us to actually have a conversation. Am I getting old?!

Exterior of Duck Dive Tavern, 404 Laskin Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

After Duck Dive Tavern, we ventured over to Calypso Bar & Grill after noticing they had karaoke! Of course, we had to stop in. We had a few drinks, sang along to way too many songs, and had a blast before finally deciding it was time to call it a night.

The only picture I managed to get at Calypso was of the cocktails we ordered—the Lavender Skies. They were SO delicious and went down way too smoothly! Definitely one of those drinks that tastes innocent but sneaks up on you.

Of course, while we were singing karaoke, we had to dedicate “Pink Pony Club” to Christian since it’s his favorite! It only felt right!

Friday was concert day! Since we had Pitbull that evening, we decided to keep the day pretty relaxed. We spent the morning at the beach, grabbed a quick bite for a late lunch/early dinner, and then headed back to the Airbnb for a much-needed nap before getting ready for the concert!

It was the perfect way to spend the day before a big night out!

Friday morning, my sister-in-law, Aubree and I decided to check out one of the coffee shops near our Airbnb. We walked just two blocks to VLOVE Coffee House, which was the perfect little morning walk.

The coffee shop had a bright, airy atmosphere with those perfect beachy vibes. It felt like such a cute and relaxing spot to start our morning!

They had a few small breakfast sandwich options, pastries, and, of course, plenty of coffee! It was a cute spot to grab a quick breakfast and start our day before heading to the beach.

I went with their iced matcha and a bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich, while Aubree tried the iced tiramisu latte and the veggie breakfast sandwich.

Bottom: Iced matcha and bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. Top: Iced tiramisu latte and veggie sandwich.

As for the food and drinks, this spot was a bit of a mixed bag for us. The iced matcha wasn’t anything too special. To be honest, it tasted more like milk than matcha, as it was pretty much just matcha and milk. Usually, matcha lattes have some type of sweetener added to them, but I guess not here! It definitely could have used a little something extra. Aubree felt the same way about the iced tiramisu latte, which she thought was pretty subpar.

The breakfast sandwiches were a little more hit-or-miss. My bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich was good, although it had a little too much aioli for my liking. The veggie sandwich, however, was a disappointment. It seemed to have more mixed greens than anything else, which made it feel a little underwhelming.

Overall, Aubree and I both felt like VLOVE was a bit overhyped and not quite worth the prices. That said, the location is definitely convenient—it’s just one block from the beach, making it an easy option if you’re in a pinch or don’t want to travel far for breakfast or coffee.

For us, though, it felt like more of a tourist spot than a local favorite. If you’re staying nearby and want something quick and convenient, it’s worth trying, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit.

After coffee, we headed back to the Airbnb to get ready for the beach! It was a little windy when we got there, but honestly, we didn’t mind. We decided to rent lounge chairs on the beach, and I highly recommend it! In my opinion, they were totally worth it.

We spent the afternoon lounging, reading our books, taking a few naps, and just enjoying some much-needed relaxation. The sun eventually came out, and we all got a little color—although I definitely got more sun than the others!

If you’re planning a beach day, make sure you put on sunscreen! I did, and somehow still managed to get burned. So, take it from me and reapply, reapply, reapply!

My beach day essentials: purse with money, sunglasses, book and water! (not pictured: towel and sunscreen)

Before heading back to the Airbnb, we stopped for a late lunch/early dinner at Gran Patron Mexican Bar & Grill. It’s located right off the beach along the boardwalk, tucked underneath an apartment building. We decided to sit outside on the patio and enjoy our meal while taking in the beach atmosphere.

I ordered the taco salad, while my mother-in-law, Liz, and Aubree got a burrito and enchiladas. Overall, the food wasn’t bad, but I will say I’ve definitely had better Mexican food. My taco salad had a lot of cheese on it. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t something I’d order again if I went back.

I’d say Gran Patron is more of a convenient beachside option if you’re looking for something quick and casual rather than somewhere I’d go specifically for the food.

Once we got back to the Airbnb, we all showered off the beach and took a quick nap to recharge for the long night ahead. Then it was time to get ready for the Pitbull concert and head out!

Pitbull was performing at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, and we decided to get there early to beat the traffic and crowds. We also purchased the Fast Pass, which allowed us to enter the venue right after the doors opened and skip the long lines. Totally worth it!

While everyone else was still waiting to get inside, we had already made our way to the merch tent, grabbed our drinks, and were ready to enjoy the concert. Getting in early made the whole experience so much easier and less stressful!

Strawberry Vodka Lemonade in Pitbull souvenir shaker cups

After getting our first round of drinks, we ordered the Strawberry Vodka Lemonades in the Pitbull souvenir shaker cups. These were SO good! You could hardly taste the alcohol, although, if I’m being honest, they were probably more lemonade than vodka. Either way, they were the perfect concert drink!

We then headed over to the lawn to claim our spot since we had purchased general lawn tickets rather than assigned seats. Honestly, I really enjoyed having the extra space to hang out and dance!

While we were waiting for the concert to start, a DJ named DJ Kaz came up to us and asked if he could buy each of us a drink in exchange for taking videos while he was performing and sending them to him afterward. Of course, we agreed!

Naturally, I had to ask if he could get us closer seats. He laughed and said he didn’t have that kind of pull, but he did offer to give my mother-in-law, Liz, a special shout out for her birthday when he went on stage. I’d say that was a pretty good deal!

Us with DJ Kaz (Instagram: @djka5)! And please ignore my crooked glasses I put them on SO quickly!

We had SO much fun at the concert! Lil Jon was Pitbull’s opener, which was such a nostalgic throwback. We danced, sang our hearts out, and had an absolute blast all night long!

The only downside of the night was trying to leave the parking lot. It was SO congested and backed up that we sat in completely non-moving traffic for almost 30 minutes after the concert ended.

So, if you’re planning to attend a concert at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, definitely be prepared for some traffic afterward. In my opinion, the parking lot situation is not very well planned out, and getting out of the venue can be a bit of a nightmare. Just plan to be patient and expect to sit in traffic for a while!

Saturday was a heavily relaxing day! Aubree and I ventured out again to try another coffee shop. This time we tried Daybreak Coffee, which is a small coffee shop that is women owned and supports women surfers and skaters. They have a small select coffee menu to choose from.

Exterior Daybreak Coffee Shop: 204 23rd St, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

I tried the iced Brown Sugar Cinnamon Latte, while Aubree went with the iced Tiramisu Latte. My latte was good, but it didn’t have as much flavor as I was expecting. The Brown Sugar Cinnamon flavor was pretty subtle.

According to Aubree, the Tiramisu Latte was better than the one she had at VLOVE, but it was still a little underwhelming. Overall, the drinks were decent, but neither one really stood out to us.

Right: iced brown sugar cinnamon latte; Left: iced tiramisu latte

After coffee, we headed back to the Airbnb and relaxed for a bit before venturing out for lunch. We decided to try a local sushi spot called Nara Sushi. It’s located a little farther inland, so you’ll need to drive there, but it was a cute little spot that felt more local and tucked away from the busier beach area.

We all ordered several rolls to share so we could try a little bit of everything. We got the Fried Tofu, Mt. Trashmore, Rainbow Roll, Spicy Salmon, Jazz Roll, and I believe we also ordered a Dynamite Roll. There’s nothing better than ordering a bunch of different rolls and sharing them so everyone gets to try a little of everything!

Rainbow roll, Jazz roll, Spicy Salmon roll and Dynamite Roll (I think).

Fried tofu – crispy on the outside, but soft on the inside, so hard to eat with chopsticks as it kept falling apart.

Mt. Trashmore roll

After our bellies were full from sushi, we headed back to the Airbnb and all took a much-needed nap. We were still feeling the effects of our late night at the concert!

After our naps, we took a stroll along the boardwalk for a bit before heading back to the Airbnb to watch a movie and wind down for the night. We knew we had an early wake-up call the next morning to head to the airport, so it was an early night for us!

Overall, it was the perfect long weekend in Virginia Beach. I feel like we had just the right amount of time to explore, relax, eat some good food, and enjoy the beach. Virginia Beach is definitely a place I would visit again, and I’m already looking forward to my next trip!