Virginia Beach
- The Courtyard by Marriott Oceanfront South, Virginia Beach (757.491.6222; www.marriott.com) just completed an extensive renovation of its lobby and restaurant area in time for the summer season. The hotel features 113 guest rooms and 28 suites, all recently renovated. The units boast oceanfront views and balconies. The property also offers a 950-square-foot meeting room. Crestline Hotels & Resorts Inc. also announced the appointment of Edward J. Rapp as general manager of the property.
- From May 26 to Aug. 19, the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) (757.425.0000; www.virginiamoca.org) will spotlight Andy Warhol: Portraits, showcasing more than 200 original works from The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. The exhibition will feature portraits of the enigmatic artist in his youth, a reproduction of Warhol’s first celebrity autograph (from Shirley Temple in 1941), early portrait drawings from the 1940s, samples of Warhol’s commercial work from the 1950s, movie star portraits from the 1960s and more than 100 portrait paintings from the 1970s and 1980s.
Norfolk
- The Tide (757.222.6100; www.gohrt.com) is a new $338 million, 7.4-mile light rail system launched in Norfolk in 2011 that runs between Newtown Road and Eastern Virginia Medical Center. Included are 11 stations, five in downtown Norfolk, at destinations like Norfolk State University, Harbor Park, City Hall and MacArthur Center.
Williamsburg
- The Williamsburg Hotel & Conference Center (877.817.0157; www.thewilliamsburghotelcc.com) reopened in a former Marriott location. The 295-room property boasts three dining venues, an indoor pool with a connecting outdoor pool, a fitness center, tennis and basketball courts, and a full-service business center. The hotel’s 45,000 square feet of event space includes 41 meeting rooms, a 714-seat auditorium and the President’s Ballroom.
Portsmouth
- The Children’s Museum of Virginia (757.393.5258; www.childrensmuseumva.com) in Portsmouth recently completed a major renovation and expansion. The venue, which is popular for private events of up to 1,000 guests, received new exhibits and educational elements as well as 12,000 additional square feet of space.