Autumn is a beautiful time of year when leaves change to hues of red, yellow and orange, sunsets display majestic shades of blue, purple and pink, and the excitement of the season brings family events and great weather for enjoying the outdoors. With average highs of 72°F in October – and the water temperature averaging 67°F – fall is the perfect season for a Virginia Beach getaway vacation. Stroll along serene beaches, kayak through the waves alongside bottlenose dolphins, enjoy fun festivals, or experience a food tour throughout the region. The following story ideas are centered on Virginia Beach’s fall attractions, events and travel options. For additional information and images, visit www.VisitVirginiaBeach.com/pressroom. To speak with a PR representative or request a Virginia Beach press visit, please contact Kari Journigan at kjournigan@boomyourbrand.com. 

Virginia Aquarium Debuts New “Megalodon: Largest Shark that Ever Lived” Exhibit – The Virginia Aquarium is gearing up for its newest exhibit, “Megalodon: Largest Shark that Ever Lived.” It will include a walk-through replica of the extinct Megalodon, which at 60 feet long, could be called the mother of all sharks. The exhibit dispels myths, confirms facts, examines its culture and inspires lessons for science and shark conservation today. The national traveling exhibition, produced by the Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, with support from the National Science Foundation, opens at the Virginia Aquarium November 10 and runs through February 17, 2013. Visit www.virginiaaquarium.com for more information.  

Savor Delicious Foods Paired With Wine and Craft Beers During the Virginia Beach Wine & Craft Beer Week: Join over 60 of Virginia Beach’s finest restaurants from October 22 – 28 as area chefs create amazing dishes and serve them paired with wine and craft beer during Virginia Beach’s Wine & Craft Beer Week. A few participating restaurants include: Waterman’s Surfside Grill, Lynnhaven Fish House, Rudee’s on the Inlet, Coastal Grill, 501 City Grill, Fire and Vine and many more. Prices are per person and are $12, $22 or $29. For a complete list of restaurants, visit www.dineinvb.com.                                                
Fall is the Perfect Time for Birding in Virginia Beach: For those that enjoy birding, Virginia Beach offers exceptional opportunities year-round and with pleasant temperatures during the fall, it is a particularly good time. Virginia Beach is home to 18,600 acres of natural areas in First Landing State Park, Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park. These include ecosystems such as untouched barrier islands, cypress swamps, pine forests and bayside salt marshes, a variety perfect for the nearly 300 types of songbirds and waterfowl that spend time in the area.  During the autumn months, birds are fattening up for migration and with leaves falling from the trees, observers can see the birds better in the treetop perches. When going birding in Virginia Beach, early morning is always best as birds are more active from sunrise until around 10 a.m. For more information on birding in Virginia Beach, visit www.VisitVirginiaBeach.com.     

Enjoy a Haunting Good Time at Virginia Beach’s Fall Festivals: Despite the closing of the summer months, the resort city still offers many festivals and events perfect for visitors and locals of every age. Monster trucks and freestyle motocross will battle for ultimate sand domination at the Halloween Mah-nsters Beach Bash on October 26-28. Halloween lovers can enjoy the Virginia Beach Town Center’s Town & Treat on October 27 or check out the Hunt Club Farm Haunted Halloween Fest from September 28 – October 31 where you can purchase pumpkins as well as enjoy entertainment, food, and their popular Haunted Hayride, Village of the Dead and Field of Screams. For more information on events this fall and throughout the year in Virginia Beach, visit www.visitvirginiabeach.com/visitors/events-and-entertainment/.    

Golfers Find Paradise with Comfortable Temperatures in Virginia Beach: Virginia Beach offers miles of bent and bermuda grasses, hardwood forests and impeccably kept greens – which makes the coastal area a wonderland for golf enthusiasts. The Virginia Beach area features nine top-rate golf courses designed by such world-famous architects as Fred Couples, Arnold Palmer, Jack  Nicklaus and the legendary Pete Dye. Try a round at The Signature at West Neck, located just 20 minutes from the Virginia Beach oceanfront. Sporting smooth, A-4 bent grass greens, expertly-maintained Tifsport Bermuda fairways and tees along with 13 lakes and picturesque natural wetlands, the course is a beautifully landscaped terrain perfect for any fall day on the greens. Or, check out Virginia Beach National, designed by Pete Dye. This 18-hole championship layout is surrounded by hardwood forests and rolling meadows and was designed for the purpose of tournament play. Reaching an intimidating 7,432 yards from the back tees, the course can satisfy the desires of the world’s top players, while five other sets of tees ensure an enjoyable round for golfers of all skill levels. Visit www.VisitVirginiaBeach.com for more information.  

Virginia Beach entices visitors to “Live the Life” year-round! Located in the southeastern corner of the state in the Coastal Virginia region, Virginia Beach is four hours southeast of D.C. by car and within a day’s drive or less from two-thirds of the U.S. population. For visitor information, call 1-800-VA-BEACH (800/822-3224) or visit www.VisitVirginiaBeach.com for online trip planning. For media information and digital images, click on www.VisitVirginiaBeach.com/pressroom. Please follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/vabeachcvb and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Virginia-Beach-Live-The-Life.