Great Neck Park & Indoor Pavilion

If you want a low-key afternoon where the kids can run around and you can actually relax, this is the spot. The playground is geared toward younger kids — think 2 to 10 — and there’s enough shade from the trees that you’re not baking in the Virginia Beach summer heat. Lynnhaven Bay is right there in the background, and the walking path takes you close enough to enjoy it without it feeling like a hike. There are covered picnic areas that fill up on weekends, so get there early if you’re planning a family lunch. It’s the kind of park where the neighborhood locals keep coming back because it just works — clean, calm, and easy.