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This friendly town on the Chesapeake Bay feels a bit like Mayberry. Here on the southern end of Virginia's Eastern Shore, kids shuffle down the pier with fishing poles and Cokes, wispy-haired men swap stories outside the hardware store, and the whole place seems to tuck in for the night not long after the sun goes down. But Cape Charles is decidedly more cosmopolitan than Andy Griffith's stomping grounds. The town is known for its 1828 lighthouse, fishing industry, and fresh seafood. It's also worth visiting for its range of activities, from browsing the walkable shopping district to exploring its unspoiled waters.

Once the economic hub of the Eastern Shore, Cape Charles settled into a sleepier routine with the decline of the railroad industry and the opening of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. But more than 50 years later, the salty little hamlet has officially made a comeback, holding tight to its small-town character even as it welcomes a new and growing crowd of beach lovers. Cape Charles has fewer crowds in the off-season, so visiting during late spring or early fall is the best way to enjoy all the town's scenery and activities. The town's public beach is often less crowded during this time as well. Now meet the folks ushering Cape Charles into its most exciting chapter yet, and find out things to do on your visit.

The 20 Most Beautiful Places In Virginia, According To A Local

Where To Eat

Swing by family-owned Mason Avenue Bakery for warm pastries and picnic-perfect sandwiches. Bakers use local ingredients and traditional methods to make artisan breads and handcrafted pastries. Order a sandwich on a fresh-baked baguette and head to the beach. Indulge in a cookie or brownie to finish it off.

masonavenuebakery.com, 236 Mason Avenue, Cape Charles, VA 23310

Settle into Ambrogia Caffe & Enoteca for homemade pasta, fresh seafood, and beautiful desserts. The restaurant focuses on local foods and slow, family-style dining. Start with small plates or a charcuterie board, featuring Italian cheeses, vegetables, and cured meats.

ambrogiacc.com, 321 Mason Avenue, Cape Charles, VA 23310

Slurp local oysters and catch the sunset from the deck at Shanty restaurant. Committed to sustainable seafood and the community, the waterfront restaurant has a loyal local following, as well as beautiful views. Clams, mussels, and lobster rolls will satisfy your seafood craving. The menu also offers tacos, burgers, and salads.

shantyseafood.com, 33 Marina Road, Cape Charles, VA 23310

PHOTO: Robbie Caponetto PHOTO: Robbie Caponetto

The Brown Dog Ice Cream owner, Miriam Wagner, never planned to have a scoop shop. While visiting Virginia Beach, she found Cape Charles, a quiet bayside haven. Smitten with this place, she and her then-husband closed on a house just 15 days later—something Miriam says is not altogether unusual for the area. "That's the story of so many people who live here," she says. "They come, they fall in love with it, and they buy something."

In 2012, she opened something a beach town really needs—Brown Dog Ice Cream, where the tasty flavors are determined by what's in season and available just down the road. "The old adage, 'A rising tide lifts all boats,' is very true here," says Miriam. "To make our coffee ice cream, we source from the local roaster. All the farmers come and bring me the produce that is freshest to use. If I find myself needing more peaches, they will let me go pick them."

While the menu (which features coffee and doughnuts in addition to its inventive ice creams) changes daily, the welcoming atmosphere at the shop and across Cape Charles, in general, remains a constant. "There is a sense of community here, even if you're just visiting this area," says Miriam. "People will come and stay for a week. By the second day, we've talked to them and know who they are. And by the end of the week, they will come in and tell us, 'We're really sorry that it's our last day, but we'll be back next year.' "

browndogicecream.com, 203 Mason Avenue, Cape Charles, VA 23310

Drunken Clams, a special menu item at Cape Charles Brewing Company. PHOTO: Robbie Caponetto PHOTO: Robbie Caponetto

Where To Drink

"We wanted to create a true destination: a place where you could have a great craft beer, eat good food, and listen to music," says Mark Marshall, co-owner of Cape Charles Brewing Company with his brother Chris Marshall.

For Chris, the proof that they had done just that was parked right outside. He pulled into the brewery parking lot one day to find license plates from all over: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. "You have this pristine piece of geography here," says Mark. "It's a little slice of paradise that everybody is finding out about and coming down to discover."

capecharlesbrewing.com, 2198 Stone Road, Cape Charles, VA 23310

Where To Stay

Just east of the hardware store is Hotel Cape Charles, a sleek boutique stay that offers complimentary beach cruisers for guests. Hotel Cape Charles makes sunny days out on the sand a breeze. Guests at this hotel can help themselves to complimentary bicycles, beach chairs, and towels. Vrbo and Airbnb also have plenty of good options for visitors who want a little more space.

hotelcapecharles.com, 235 Mason Avenue, Cape Charles, VA 23310

These tiny homes may be small in size, but they’re big on comfort. The restored 1930s homes once made up the Esso Park Auto Court. Now a colorful tiny house hotel, each one offers the comforts of home to Cape Charles visitors. Inside, guests will find a queen-size bed, kitchenette, and private bath. The front porch is the perfect spot to see the sunrise.

capecharlestinylivin.com, 22102 South Bayside Road, Cape Charles, VA 23310

What To Do

Families will love Cape Charles Beach, as the waters of the Chesapeake Bay are calm and shallow at this vast public stretch of shoreline. Rental company Southeast Expeditions offers stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, and guided excursions. Paddle to a wine tasting on their Chatham Vineyards tour.

southeastexpeditions.com, 7 Strawberry Street, Cape Charles, VA 23310

The Cape Charles Natural Area Preserve covers 29 acres of forested natural communities. Stroll two boardwalks along freshwater wetlands and a rare maritime dune woodland. The trail ends with views from a bluff overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. The preserve is a habitat for the northeastern beach tiger beetle, a federally threatened species. It’s also a good place for birding year-round and more than 240 species of birds have been observed there, including migratory birds and waterfowl.

dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/natural-area-preserves/capecharles, 301 Patrick Henry Avenue, Cape Charles, VA 23310

Shop the length of Mason Avenue for unique souvenirs. Pop into Moonrise Jewelry for accessories crafted from fish leather—eco-friendly leather made from byproducts of the Icelandic fishing industry—or stop by Gull Hummock Gourmet Market to sample local wines and snacks.

moonrisejewelry.com, 325 Mason Avenue, Cape Charles, VA 23310

facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057602201149, 115 Mason Avenue, Cape Charles, VA 23310

The Sabo sisters, Carol and Beth Ann, are not very good at retirement. They already had second jobs (Beth Ann trains dogs, and Carol owns Machipongo Trading Company up the road) when they retired from full-time careers and needed something to fill the time. They did that with coffee, bagels, and gently used books.

In November 2018, they opened Peach Street Books in a light-filled 1930s building that had been a Pure Oil station and then a garage. "We knew from the plans what it would look like but not what it would feel like—welcoming and cheery. It has historic angles but is still modern, which is very much like Cape Charles itself," says Beth Ann. For the sisters, the bookstore is a means of connecting with everyone who meanders to this Eastern Shore. "When you go into a town and see that there are other people who love books and reading or writing, it just gives you a good feeling of community," she says.

machipongotradingcompany.com, 13037 Lankford Highway, Machipongo, VA 23405

peachstreetbooks.com, 401 Mason Avenue, Cape Charles, VA 23310

Frequently Asked Questions

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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Pembroke Square redevelopment project is making progress, developers say.

Watch: Flythrough of Pembroke Square redevelopment

Details have been shared with News 3 about the new amenities that will be built at the site of the former Pembroke Mall:

Watch related coverage: Parking garages with $22M price tag proposed in VB's Pembroke Square development

“These additions further our goal of developing a new vision for the former Pembroke Mall while preserving its legacy,” said Ramsay Smith, president of Pembroke Realty Group and asset manager of Pembroke Square. “We remain committed to bringing new and rewarding opportunities to the community and transforming Pembroke Square into a vibrant, central lifestyle destination.”

The $200 million redevelopment project for Pembroke Square first started in Nov. 2021.

In some of the renderings, there's a pedestrian bridge attached to the hotel. It would provide a safe travel option over Virginia Beach Boulevard; however, Smith said that has not been decided.

"We still hope that that makes sense to the city, but we don’t exactly know where the funding is coming from and whether the city will do that or not," Smith stated.

The president of Landmark Hotel Group described Tempo by Hilton as an upscale, boutique-style hotel. Akhil Jain says it will have an open-air courtyard, restaurants, and a robust fitness center as well as another unique amenity. "Rooms with Peloton bikes in the rooms, so you don’t have to come to the fitness center to get your workout in. You can do it right from your own room," Jain described.

Tempo will be located just across the entrance to Pembroke Square, near Fogo de Chao.

"It's a very popular destination for both leisure travelers coming to the beach that want to stay off the beach, but also business travelers, military travelers. It’s really at the heart of, between Virginia Beach and Norfolk. It’s a great, central location with a lot of amenities," Jain commented.

Crews are expected to break ground on the hotel in 30-45 days.

Fogo de Chao is expected to be open by the end of May. The new 6,590-square-foot restaurant will be the fourth Fogo de Chão to open in Virginia, joining locations in Richmond, Tysons, and Reston.

Funny Bone is expected to open in October at its new location in Pembroke Square, along with DraftCade.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A potential boat tax proposed by Virginia Beach city leaders is being met with criticism by many boat owners.

At Wednesday’s city council meeting, about a dozen speakers voiced concerns about the boat tax included in the city’s proposed budget for FY 2025-26.

The proposed boat tax entails imposing a $1.50 per $100 assessed value on “privately owned pleasure boats” 18 feet and above. The rate is the same boat tax city leaders eliminated in FY 2001-02, except back then, it applied to all boats regardless of size.

The proposal is a sharp increase from the current boat tax rate of $0.000001 per $100 of assessed value. Many boat owners at Wednesday's meeting said the proposed tax coupled with the costs of maintaining a boat isn't a reality for them financially.

The tax at $1.50 amounts to an approximate 149 million percent increase. Practically, that means an owner with a boat valued at $100,000 who currently pays less than 1 cent would now pay $1,500.

"My boat's over 20 years old. Maintaining it fuel repairs cost me plenty already. I don't store it off site. It's on a lift above the water at my place, a $15,000 assessment," Virginia Beach resident Ryan Davidson said at the meeting. "This new $1.50 per 100 boat tax means a $225 bill. That's steep when I'm barely keeping it afloat financially. I know the city wants revenue, but this tax punishes boat ownership."

One speaker highlighted the potential economic impact if the tax drives people to move their boats out of Virginia Beach to neighboring cities with lower tax rates.

"Hampton has [the boat tax rate] you currently have now, which is basically nil... Chesapeake, they're at $0.09. Portsmouth, they're at $0.50," said resident Russ Kostinas. "If these boats leave, the marina operators are certainly going to have empty slips... The folks that leave are not going to eat at your restaurants. Their friends aren't going to come into here at the city, and then all the related boat activities."

The boat tax revenue would generate about $4.3 million, the proposal says. The revenue would support the Coastal section of the city’s Capital Improvement Projects (CIP). These projects include dredging both the Western and Eastern branches of the Lynnhaven River, as well as another project that aims to support dredge maintenance and equipment.

The proposal explains why the tax would apply to boats 18 feet and over, saying, “Larger boats typically draw more water driving more of the necessity for frequent dredgings to maintain navigable waterways.”

The proposed budget will not be finalized until May 13. However, during Tuesday's informal session, city leaders said they were already aware of backlash from the community, and indicated that they may be looking at alternative ways to support the Coastal CIP.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Connor Land, the man who previously admitted to giving a young girl an AirTag at a Wegmans checkout, made a court appearance Monday to face new stalking charges.

Watch previous coverage: New law designed to protect people with autism used for man who gave child AirTag

Land was arrested back in July 2023 for giving a 7-year-old girl an AirTag as she left the Wegmans in Virginia Beach. At the time, he was working there as a cashier. During his trial, he testified that he was interested in the girl’s mother romantically, and wanted to find out where they lived.

Watch previous coverage: No jail time for VB Wegman's cashier who gave girl AirTag in stickers

His defense attorney was successful in arguing that his actions were a result of his autism and he got a deferred hearing — meaning that he was placed on probation throughout the year and checked in with the judge five times. His attorney cited a new law aimed at helping people with autism. He ultimately had that charge dismissed based on good behavior.

The victim in a recent case told WTKR News 3 Investigator Margaret Kavanagh that Land allegedly followed her into a Dollar General and then went to her house on two separate occasions last Wednesday, saying he wanted to be friends and wouldn’t leave. She said she was terrified.

Police were called twice that night, and a protective order was issued.

During Monday’s initial hearing, Land said he hired the same attorney he had last time and asked the judge if alternative sentencing would be available again — which the judge indicated would probably not be. Last time, the judge allowed alternative sentencing based on the new autism law.

He’s currently being held without bond. His trial date is scheduled for July 10.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The demand for foster care in Virginia Beach is outpacing the availability of foster homes, leaving many children in need of safe and loving environments.

The reasons a child may enter the foster care system vary, but the primary goal remains the same: to ensure every child has a supportive home.

Local couple Tammy and Alexandre Stridiron decided to start their foster care journey during the pandemic after learning about the urgent need for homes.

"We really liked what we heard and we understood there was a need, so we went ahead and started our foster care journey," Tammy said.

Their journey began when they welcomed 2-year-old Avyon, who was just 10 days old at the time.

"In March of 2024, we were asked if we wanted to adopt him, and of course, it was a yes for us," she added.

Laurie Huresky with Virginia Beach Human Services emphasized the challenges faced by the foster care system in Virginia Beach.

Currently, there are 70 approved foster homes in the city, while the average number of children in foster care hovers around 200.

"In just one month, we had 29 children enter into foster care," Huresky noted.

The increasing number of children entering foster care creates a heightened demand for homes.

When local resources are insufficient, the city is forced to contract with private agencies, sometimes resulting in children being placed outside of Virginia Beach.

"When we don’t have enough homes within the city, we have to outsource, which can mean a child from Virginia Beach may have to leave Virginia Beach," Huresky explained.

Families like the Stridirons hope to inspire others to consider fostering.

"I would say it’s worth it," Tammy said. "There are more joys and positives that come out of it than any negatives."

For those interested in learning more about fostering, an event called Foster Care Frenzy will be held Saturday at Spring Branch Church from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.