Virginia Living Museum - Newport News

Steve’s take

Part zoo, part aquarium, part planetarium, all Virginia. The outdoor boardwalk takes you past native animals — foxes, bobcats, otters — in habitats along the James River. The indoor aquarium has Chesapeake Bay species and a touch tank where your kids can hold a horseshoe crab and make that face that says 'I'm brave but also this is gross.' Right off I-64 in Newport News. A solid two-hour stop that covers science, nature, and enough animal encounters to drain some back-seat energy.