DailyDiversion To Annual Abandonment

The Coliseum hosts a variety of programs, such as rock concerts, circuses and sports events.

Water, water everywhere and plenty of space to play. An ocean, a bay, a lake or a river can be just outside your door or a few minutes walk or drive away. Our temperate climate makes the water an inviting treat almost year-round.

Our waters are brimming with sailboats and motorboats. All cities and counties boast of boatlaunching facilities. The Downtown Hampton public piers are just one mile from the Intracoastal Waterway. The Windward Towers in Newport News is near the launching facilities by the James River Bridge.

What is under our water is often just as inviting. Fisherman can pack poles, bait and snacks and head for piers, the surf or put out their boats on a host of lakes, rivers, the Chesapeake Bay and, of course, the Atlantic Ocean.

Another popular sport is golf.

The passion for swinging the sticks has helped the Peninsula support the annual Anheuser-Busch Golf Classic broadcast nationally each summer from James City County. The course draws Professional Golf Association members from around the world.

Peninsula residents have a choice of professional quality courses to play almost year-round. Courses such as Kingsmill, Ford’s Colony, the Golden Horseshoe, Kiln Creek Golf & Country Club and

Cypress Creek in Smithfield provide luxurious courses and amenities. Patrons can play in private groups and take part in course-sponsored competitions.

Public courses are available in many of the cities and counties. The Woodlands and The Hamptons in Hampton and the Newport News Golf Club offer quality courses at affordable prices.

Golf will continue to burgeon on the Peninsula. Golf-course developers say the Peninsula — particularly the area surrounding Williamsburg in James City County — is on its way to becoming a premier East Coast golf destination.

One of the Peninsula’s most popular attractions is Busch Gardens – The Old Country, which is just three miles east of Williamsburg. Busch Gardens is part of a nationwide network of theme parks sponsored by Anheuser-Busch. The 360-acre park is based on replicas of nine 17th-century European hamlets featuring rides, entertainment, shops and restaurants.

Nearby is Water Country USA, which opened its 40 acres in the early 1980s with a host of wateroriented rides and water fun.

The Coliseum is the Peninsula’s premier entertainment facility for a variety of performers, including pop music groups, circuses and ice shows. The 11,500-seat facility opened in 1969 as the Peninsula’s only large capacity entertainment facility. Performers such as Luther Vandross and Garth Brooks as well as the Ringling Bros & Barnum & Bailey Circus have performed there. In June, the annual Hampton Jazz Festival draws nationally-known performers. William and Mary Hall at the College of William and Mary also is a popular location for entertainment programs.

Peninsula theater, dance and music lovers are enjoying the restored American Theater in Hampton and Christopher Newport University’s Performing Arts Center in Newport News.

All of the cities and counties host festivals which draw both local and national performers and artists. Newport News’ July 4th Beach Blast celebration and Hampton’s Bay Days in late summer are just two good examples of the community celebrations. These programs have featured national artists such as Bruce Hornsby and Gloria Estefan and a variety of local artists, crafts people and performers.

In addition, our communities host numerous neighborhood festivals and special events. For example, Bluebird Gap Farm in Hampton celebrates its animal exhibits and country living with a feature called Country Comebacks. Newport News showcases one of its unique neighborhoods, Denbigh, with a parade and festivities on Denbigh Day in September.

Each of the cities and counties tout parks and beachfronts for enthusiasts who want to soak up the sun, wade in the waters and enjoy long walks. For example, the Colonial National Park, the York River State Park in James City County and Newport News Park provide fishing, hiking, boating and horseback activities. Buckroe Beach in Hampton was recently re-sanded, providing a welcome atmosphere for enjoying activities on the Chesapeake Bay.

Hampton’s “Miss Hampton II” Harbor Tour features a visit to historic Fort Wool and an up close and personal view of the ships and submarines at the Norfolk Naval Base.

The year round Harbor Link Pa ssenger Ferry provides a relaxing and scenic trip between Norfolk and Hampton with treat views of the Naval Base, the Battleship Wisconsin, Nauticus and the Virginia Air and Space Center.

The Virginia Air and Space Center and Hampton Roads History Center in Downtown Hampton chronicle aviation and aerospace research and development, much of which was done in Hampton Roads. It reflects the cooperative work of Hampton, other Hampton Roads cities, the Smithsonian Institution, NASA – via the NASA Langley Research Center – and the USAir Force. Next door is Hampton’s Carousel Park featuring a restored 1920 carousel.

Sports enthusiasts can enjoy semi-pro hockey, football and baseball teams. The Peninsula and the Southside are unified in their enthusiastic support for the Hampton Roads Admirals, one of the leading teams in the East Coast Hockey League. The team plays at Scope in Norfolk, about a 30 to 60 minute drive through the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. The NorfolkTides play baseball in the newly built Harbor Park near Waterside in Norfolk. The Peninsula Poseidons provide football thrills at their home in Todd Field in Newport News.

The College of William and Mary, Hampton University, Christopher Newport University and the Newport News Apprentice School on the Peninsula and Old Dominion University, Virginia Wesleyan College and Norfolk State University – among others –on the Southside play a variety of sports, such as football and basketball, in games that are open to the public.

Sports enthusiasts can select from a host of programs at area recreation centers, YMCAs, YWCAs and community centers. For example, runners and bicyclists can join community groups to take part in races and trips.

The Peninsula is within a day’s drive of several resorts in the middle and western part of the state. The resorts are open yearround and feature facilities for winter sports.

The following is a sample of the recreation and sports programs available on the Peninsula. For more information, consult city and county recreation programs.

M Recreation Programs

KEY: Hampton (H): 727-6197 Newport News (NN): 926-8451

Williamsburg (W): 220-6170

James City County (JC): 220-4700

Poquoson (P): 868-3581

York County (Y): 890-3500

Gloucester County (G): (804) 693-2355 Isle of Wight County (IW): 357-2291

Attractions

Riverfront, Suffolk

Air Power Park (H) 727-1163

Bluebird Gap Farm (H) 727-6739

Busch Gardens (JC) 253-3350

Colonial Williamsburg (W) 229-1000

Hampton Carousel Park (H) 727-0900

“Miss Hampton II” Harbor Cruises (H) (Nov-Mar) 727-1102 (Apr-Oct) 727-9102

Virginia Air &Space Center & HamptonRoads History Center (H) 727-0900

Water Country USA (Y) 229-9300

Golf

Cheatham Annex Naval Station Public Golf Course (Y) 887-7108 Colonial (JC) 566-1600 Cypress Creek (IW) 365-4774 Ford’s Colony (JC) 258-4130

The Hamptons (H) 766-9148

Kiln Creek Golf & Country Club (NN) 874-2600

Williamsburg National Golf Club (JC) 258-9642

Outdoors

Little Creek Reservoir (JC) 566-1702

Newport News Park (NN&Y) 886-7911

Sandy Bottom Nature Park (H) 825-4657

Waller Mill Park (Y) 220-6178

York River State Park (JC)566-3036

Fishing

Buckroe Beach Pier (H) 851-9146

Grandview Pier (H) 851-2811

James River Bridge Pier (NN) 247-0364

Venture Inn Charters (H) 850-8960

Sports

The College of William andMary, Hampton University, Christopher Newport University, Newport News Apprentice School, Old Dominion University, Virginia Wesleyan College andNorfolk State University, field football, ba seball, basketball and soccer teams, with games open to the public during their seasons. For more information consult local newspapers or call recreation departments.

Norfolk Admirals Pro Ice Hockey (N) 640-1212

HamptonRoads Mariners Pro Soccer (VB) 430-8873

Langley Speedway Auto Racing (H) 865-1100

Norfolk Tides Baseball (N) 622-2222

Peninsula Pilots Baseball (H) 245-2222

Peninsula Track Club Running (NN) 566-8345

Resorts

These resorts are in the Central and Western areas of Virginia. They are open year round and feature winter sports.

Bryce Ski Resorts(540) 856-2121

Homestead(540) 839-5500

Massanutten Village(540) 289-9441

Wintergreen(434) 325-7669