Go Out, Have Fun & Enjoy Newport News in a Sober-Friendly Environment
There is plenty of fun to be had in recovery. Some of these activities can be enjoyed for free, but make sure to look for discounts and coupons to save money for those that come with a price! Here is a list of sober-friendly things to do in Newport News. Click on the links below for more details and let us know if there is an alcohol-free option we should add to the list.
Adventure
- Zenith VR + Escape: Putting together virtual reality and escape rooms, Zenith brings guests into a new gaming experience.
- Tilt Studio: Located in the Patrick Henry Mall, Tilt Studio offers plenty of fun games, activities, and events!
- Stick It Axe Throwing: Try the exciting new sport of axe throwing with the help of a friendly axe coach who will teach you proper throwing techniques and organize fun games.
- Surge Adventure Park: Co-founded by the famous football player Drew Brees, Surge Adventure Park has a wide variety of games and attractions for the whole family. These activities include laser tag, bowling, climbing and ziplining, a trampoline park, dodgeball, arcades, and more! They also serve delicious food.
- Play A Round Family Fun Center: Compete with a game of mini golf, challenge your friends to laser tag, or zip around in go karts at Play A Round Family Fun Center. They also have an arcade with a range of games, and they are available to host events.
Arts & Music
- Mary M. Torggler Fine Arts Center: Cultivating extraordinary encounters with the visual arts, this arts center houses exhibits, classes, lectures, an auditorium, and art galleries.
- Ferguson Center for the Arts: Enjoy a wide array of live performances from musicals, plays, comedy shows, symphony orchestras, and concerts.
- Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center: This multi-purpose cultural space houses the Ella Fitzgerald Theater, a 276-seat venue where all kinds of musical and theatrical performances take place. They also have multiple event spaces and art several exhibits, including the Anderson Johnson Gallery.
Food, Markets & Restaurants
- **Harpoon Larrys: Harpoon Larry’s Fish House & Oyster Bar is a family owned and operated restaurant that specializes in fresh, local seafood.
- Dean & Don’s Farm Market: Dean & Don’s Farm Market has been family owned and operated since 1967, offering guests the best quality fresh produce, baked goods, sweet treats, jams, jellies, and more. They also sell beautiful flowers and plants at their garden center.
- **Smoke BBQ Restaurant & Bar: This family-owned restaurant uses fresh, local, natural ingredients with hardwood smoked meats to make their services the best. They offer dine-in, takeout, and catering services.
- **Second Street American Bistro: Their menu offers a wide variety of dishes from sandwiches, wraps, salads, seafood, beef, and lamb. They also offer mocktails and NA beer options.
- Pho 79 Vietnamese Restaurant: Enjoy some delicious Vietnamese cuisine and one of their fun, fruity alcohol-free drink options.
Museums
- Virginia Living Museum: The Virginia Living Museum combines the elements of a native wildlife park, science museum, aquarium, botanical preserve, and planetarium. The exhibits showcase all the state’s regions and feature more than 245 animal species.
- The Mariner’s Museum and Park: Admission to the museum is only $1 per person and they have many galleries featuring maritime art, culture, science, and history. The Mariners’ Park is 550 acres with stunning lakes views and an array of recreational activities including the five-mile Noland Trail.
- Virginia War Museum: Learn about the history of the American military and war with collections of artifacts, weapons, vehicles, uniforms, and posters that trace the development of the US military from 1775 to present.
- Newsome House Museum & Cultural Center: The Newsome House Museum & Cultural Center is the restored 1899 home of prominent African American attorney and advocate J. Thomas Newsome and his wife Mary Winfield Newsome. Today, the home serves as a venue for exhibitions, special events, and community functions.
- U.S. Army Transportation Museum: Tells the story of the U.S. Army’s Transportation Corps, from horse-drawn wagons of the Revolutionary War to armored vehicles being used today. This story is told through exhibits, artifacts, models, and dioramas.
- Lee Hall Mansion: This Italianate residence was built in 1859 by prominent planter Richard Decatur Lee, for his family. Three years after, the family fled the home as the Civil War started. This mansion served as the Confederate headquarters for two Confederate generals in April and May of 1862.
Parks & Recreation
- Sandy Bottom Nature Park: This 456-acre environmental education and wildlife facility is home to the Sandy Bottom Lake, where many different living organisms reside in the lake’s wetlands and marshes. Explore the nature center, go kayaking, walk along one of the trails, and more.
- Huntington Park: Huntington Park is a 60-acre park that offers a public beach with lifeguards fronting the James River along with concession stands, a public boat ramp, a rose garden, tennis courts, and more.
- Victory Landing Park: Victory Landing Park is in downtown Newport News and gives a beautiful view of the James River. It is 5.4-acres and is adjacent to the Virginia Advanced Shipbuilding and Carrier Integration Center.
- Buckroe Beach and Park: This beautiful beach and park borders the Chesapeake Bay and offers three picnic shelters, an observation pier, a stage for entertainment and events, a playground for children, and more.
- Newport News Park: This nearly 8,000-acre park offers a wide variety of activities, including, hiking, biking, mountain biking, picnicking, paddle boating, canoeing, archery, and freshwater fishing. Year-round camping is also available, with 188 campsites.
BrightView wants to help connect people in recovery and help them enjoy life without drugs and alcohol. Contact us at 833.510.HELP for more information.
