I lived there while I was in the Navy (at the Regional Medical Center). I moved off base to the "Aspen Racquet Club" in Va Beach.
That's also where I had my one-and-only car accident. There was a formation of 'Copters flying overhead, I was watching it, I slid into the back of a Sr. Cheif's big ol' pickup truck - bent the snoot of my car (old Buick Catalina - the one with the cow catcher on the front) - did nothing to the truck .... so he waved it off and warned me to pay closer attention.
I liked the area. While there, they had two votes to repeal the Blue Laws, and failed to repeal both times....struck me as strange for a tourist area.
The only free stuff I remember in the area was going to Norfolk's Naval Base (NOB Norfolk, whatever) to the Destroyer and Submarine Pier (D&S Pier) on Sundays: they (used to?) open up a ship for public tour every Sunday.
We used to hang around the Air Station and watch the fighters practice carrier landings (they have a runway with a capture wire).
There used to be a really nice (read: Not Cheap) restaraunt in VaB ~37th or 39th street called "The Iron Gate House"), and another nice restaraunt on the waterfront near the Naval Hospital .
SO, I dunno ... watch the military stuff or go to the beach...
It's been a long time.
FWIW
Scott