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Good Morning Virginia Beach!

This week, we’re talking big crowds at the Oceanfront, a new ranking that gives Virginia something to smile about, and a major Hampton Roads attraction getting a very impressive upgrade. Add in local events, community happenings and a few fun things worth knowing, and there’s plenty to catch up on.

A few of these might surprise you.

— Kim Checcio

Virginia has landed among the happiest states in the country, ranking No. 16 in a new WalletHub study comparing all 50 states.

The study looked at 30 different measures tied to overall well-being, from physical and emotional health to work conditions, income, unemployment, community factors and more.

Virginia’s strongest showing came in emotional and physical well-being, where it ranked No. 10 nationally. The Commonwealth came in No. 31 for work environment and No. 32 for community and environment.

Hawaii took the top spot overall, while West Virginia ranked last. And while happiness is obviously personal, it’s a nice little win for those of us calling Virginia home.

👉🏼 Click Here: See how Virginia compares with the rest of the country

An estimated 30,000 people turned out for the first day of Virginia Beach’s inaugural Super Girl Surf Festival, giving the new Oceanfront event a pretty impressive debut.

And surfing was only part of it. The free three-day festival brought together 14 different sports, including flag football, soccer, women’s skateboarding and beach volleyball, along with live music, local vendors and even a temporary roller-skating rink near the beach.

The bigger takeaway for Virginia Beach? This wasn’t planned as a one-and-done event. Super Girl, which has been held in San Diego for two decades, has selected Virginia Beach as a recurring host city for the next four years.

👉🏼 Click Here: See how Super Girl’s first Virginia Beach weekend came together

Norfolk Botanical Garden is about to unveil a major new reason to visit.

The $50 million Garden of Tomorrow opens to the public Sept. 14, bringing a 26,000-square-foot greenhouse with desert and tropical biomes, a canopy skywalk, a new visitor center, rooftop garden, cafe and striking Dale Chihuly glass installations.

Inside the greenhouse are 450 plant species, including some that are extremely rare. One, the Vulcan Palm from Hawaii, is believed to be extinct in the wild. The desert biome also includes Saguaro cacti rescued from development in Arizona.

Garden members get early access Sept. 11-13, including a weekend festival with vendors, music and glass blowing.

👉🏼 Click Here: Get a first look inside the Garden of Tomorrow

Lush has opened its first store in Virginia Beach and is now open at Lynnhaven Mall. Lush makes their own products and fragrances by hand using little or no preservatives or packaging. They make effective products from fresh organic fruit and vegetables, the finest essential oils, and safe synthetics.

Abercrombie & Fitch has arrived at Town Center of Virginia Beach. The doors are officially open just in time for fall fashion. Discover the latest collections, effortless essentials, and new-season styles.

Kura Revolving Sushi Bar is coming to the Pembroke area soon. We’ll keep you posted on the launch of VB’s first revolving sushi bar!

Dinner with strangers is more fun than it sounds. Meeting new people as an adult does not have to mean awkward networking or forced introductions.

The Hampton Roads Dinner Club makes it a lot more fun. You take a quick matching quiz, reserve your seat and get paired with five other locals for dinner at a surprise Virginia Beach restaurant.

The next dinner is Wednesday, September 16 at 6:30pm, and the restaurant stays under wraps until closer to the event.

Six people. One table. Good food. New connections. That’s it.

👉🏼 Click Here: Take the quiz and join the next Hampton Roads Dinner Club.