Family Time, Feast, & Jet Engines: Our Coastal Reunion

There’s nothing quite like gathering the family together, even if our logistics were a bit of a mixed bag this time around! Mitch’s family set up camp at a lovely seaside Airbnb, while we checked in about 25 minutes down the road at a local KOA—literally the best of limited options.

Once we got settled, our first order of business was stretching our legs at a nearby park. Since our bikes had been sitting idle for a few months, it felt amazing to finally dust off the wheels, put pedal to the metal, and take in the fresh air.

The Great Crab Hunt 🦀

Of course, a coastal trip isn’t complete without seafood, so the real mission of the week was finding the absolute best local crab spots.

• Stop 1: Blue Pete’s — We headed out early to beat the rush, but as it turned out, everyone else had the exact same brilliant idea! Despite the crowd, the vibe was wonderfully family-friendly, complete with outdoor picnic tables and yard games to keep everyone entertained. The food was delicious, and we capped off the night back at the Airbnb with a lively game of dominoes.
• Stop 2: Margie & Ray’s Crab House — Round two brought us to another local favorite. A crowd was lingering all around the building, so when our name was called after just a 15-minute wait, it felt like a major win. Mitch’s sister and brother ordered half a plate of crabs, and when that platter hit the table, every single jaw dropped at the size of it! They happily cracked open and savored every last leg—even if the rest of us were already moving on to dessert by the time they finished!

Beach Days & Game Nights

Beyond the seafood, the week was filled with simple, restorative pleasures. There is truly nothing better than parking yourself on the sand with a good book—a treat I hadn’t indulged in for way too long. While I relaxed, Mitch was eager to jump into the ocean waves and make the swim out to the pier.

Every evening meant gathering around the table for dinner and rotating through different games. Dominoes was great, but we officially crowned a new family favorite this trip: Rummikub!

Last but not least, we visiting the Virginia Beach boardwalk. We strolled the promeade with the usual sights of a boardwalk and the highlight was meeting Zeus. The statue was impressive but everyone was eager to get to the ice cream shop and get their favorite falvor..

The One “Debbie-Downer” ✈️

While the quality time with family was priceless, our campsite came with an unexpected soundtrack. Our KOA happened to be situated right near the local naval base. The sheer noise of the Navy fighter jets flying overhead was like nails on a chalkboard—loud, frequent, and relentless!

To give you an idea of what we were up against, Mitch filmed eight continuous minutes of their aerial exercises and edited it down to a two-minute clip below. Trust me, you have to hear it to believe it!

Looking Ahead

Despite the jet engine serenades, the trip was a total success filled with good food, great laughs, and precious memories. After lots of warm hugs and fond goodbyes, we’ve already started brainstorming and planning for our 2027 reunion!

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