Story & Photos by Beth Hester
The Road Trippers
Bob McKenna, President & CEO, Virginia Peninsula Chamber
Caroline Branch, Marketing Manager, Virginia Peninsula Chamber
Beth Hester, Managing Editor, CoVaBIZ
Leona Baker, Editor-in-Chief, Coastal Virginia Magazine & CoVaBIZ
Stephanie Heinatz, Founder, Consociate Media
If you detected the strong scent of burning rubber on May 19, 2025, you weren’t experiencing an olfactory hallucination.
It was coming from the smokin’ hot tires of Bob McKenna’s white SUV as our merry band of road trippers sped from one amazing Peninsula destination to another over the course of a 12-hour, whirlwind tour. It was like an educationally-oriented, mini family daycation—only without the whining, back seat bickering and Jolly Rancher throwing.
This highly-curated, rapid-fire experience took place on a lovely, yet oppressively warm day. In the hands of a less capable strategist, the trip could have easily devolved into a logistical nightmare. But Bob, who was our ringleader—um, sorry,—our tour guide, runs a tight ship and itinerary. Such meticulous scheduling and door-to-door white glove service empowered the five of us to visit 11 distinguished Peninsula targets across the cities of Newport News and Hampton over the course of a single day without succumbing to heat stroke, dehydration or shin splints.
There is a backstory to this tour. In November 2024, I attended the Virginia Peninsula Chamber’s State of the Federal Labs Conference, which focused on the current state of federal research in the areas of science, technology and innovation at NASA Langley Research Center and the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. Toward the end of the conference, Bob spontaneously delivered the line: “The Peninsula is cooler than you think.”
So I reached out to Bob to explore how I could obtain a broader view of the Peninsula’s world-class assets and prominent destinations in the realms of science, research and economic development. He responded by proposing the road trip that you’re reading about right now.
So here’s a brief overview of our trip and the destinations we visited, followed by the first in a series of editorial stories focused on each of the 11 destinations. In this issue, writer Barrett Baker shares his take on the Virginia Air & Space Science Center. Subsequent stories will appear in our online incarnation.
We thank everyone who hosted us at their facility for the warm welcome we received, and to Bob McKenna and his staff for making this enlightening and convivial experience possible.
The Virginia Peninsula Chamber Office - 7:30 a.m.
Stephanie, Leona and I met under the green awnings of the Chamber’s tree-shaded offices on Merchant Walk in Newport News, and were welcomed by President & CEO Bob McKenna and Caroline Branch, the Chamber’s marketing manager. The City Center location has a small town, walkable community vibe which feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle of Newport News’ busier thoroughfares. Bonus: it’s conveniently adjacent to a number of restaurants (there’s something for everyone), shops, banks, beverage establishments and ample parking. Plus—there are fountains! I made a mental note to revisit the Center’s charms on a crisp and leisurely fall day.
After double-checking our totes and backpacks for water, sunglasses, notepads, phones and snacks, we piled into Bob’s SUV and headed out to our first destination.
virginiapeninsulachamber.com
The Virginia Air & Space Science Center – 8:30 a.m.
This is, simply put, a WOW destination that puts the universe within reach, metaphorically speaking. It’s the official Visitor Center for NASA’s Langley Research Center, and it’s one of 15 NASA visitors centers in the United States. It features interactive aviation exhibits spanning 100 years of flight, more than 30 historic aircraft, a hands-on space exploration gallery, unique space flight artifacts, IMAX Theater, and more. The Center is also home to the Apollo 12 Command Module, Mercury and Gemini capsules and the Orion PA-1 Test Vehicle.
Upon entering the Center, it’s hard not to be emotionally and visually overwhelmed—but in a good way—as the Center serves as a kind of secular cathedral for American aviation and spaceflight, and like any great cathedral’s design, the Center’s architecture compels its visitors to keep looking up…and around. There are gigantic replicas of planetary bodies and all manner of aircraft suspended from the hangar-like ceiling, and there are superbly crafted educational displays and stunning, interactive and immersive experiences around every corner. A huge video of the sun’s dynamic surface, complete with sound effects, and a moving tribute to Bessie Coleman, the first female pilot of African American and Native American descent, were just a few of the highlights.
vasc.org
Hampton Virginia Aquaplex – 9:05 a.m.
If this had been a real vacation, we would have availed ourselves of the Aquaplex’s colorful and festive Playschool-esque outdoor splash park complete with spraying water jets, 4-foot playpool, driftable lazy river feature, and in-water basketball hoops. The Aquaplex even has a snack bar. But the real showpiece is the facility’s 8-lane, 50-meter competition pool and adjacent 25-yard warm-up pool. Aside from being a vibrant regional asset that’s membership-based and open to the public, the Aquaplex is a regional economic and sports tourism driver, hosting out of towners for high-profile swimming and diving competitions. The facility offers traditional swimming lessons, as well as special needs adaptive swim programs. Looking to make a bigger splash? This is the place.
http://www.hamptonaquaplex.com
Hampton University Proton Cancer Institute & Research Center – 9:40 a.m.
Arriving at the Institute, we were given a warm welcome by Hampton University President, Darrell K. Williams and other dignitaries. Tiffany Rodgers, director of marketing, was our official tour guide and she kept us to our timetable without making us feel rushed. As we passed through the building’s warm and calming lobby, we felt a vibe that was at once solemn and celebratory as we were drawn to the famed, ceremonial brass bell that’s rung by patients to mark the end of their therapy.
One of the benefits of this ever evolving form of cancer treatment is its ability to precisely target tumors while minimizing damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. The complex and larger-than-life infrastructure that makes this kind of precise targeting possible is mind-boggling, and the Gantry treatment rooms resemble something out of 2001: A Space Odyssey. The Institute is currently the largest free-standing proton therapy center in the world.
hamptonproton.org
Joint Base Langley | Eustis – 10:25 a.m.
As we rolled up to the security gates at Langley AFB, we were greeted by a big blue LED sign welcoming us to the base. We could see the imposing control tower in the distance. Our hosts and media escorts were gracious and chipper, in that characteristically upbeat way often found among military personnel. We were super excited to discover that we’d be able to take in the expansive views from the tower’s exterior observation platforms and experience the distinctive, powerful roar of the jets departing and arriving. I asked one of the airmen if he enjoyed his job and he broke into a huge grin.
Langley Air Force Base is among the oldest continuously active air bases in the United States, and it’s home to the 1st Fighter Wing which maintains and operates approximately half of the F-22s in the United States inventory. Langley Air Force Base and Fort Eustis merged back in 2010 and it can be a bit confusing because while it’s technically a joint base, the entities aren’t contiguous—Langley is in Hampton, while Eustis is in Newport News. News flash: There may be some changes ahead for the Army Training and Doctrine Command located at the base as part of an Army asset reorganization effort.
http://www.jble.af.mil
NASA Langley Research Center – 11:00 a.m.
Langley Research Center’s tagline is “Our Wonder Changes the World.” And it’s true. Langley has world-class capabilities, expertise and state-of-the-art facilities in the service of “revolutionizing aviation, expanding our understanding of the Earth’s atmosphere, and developing innovative technology for space exploration.” The Center is comprised of nearly 200 facilities located on 764 acres in Hampton, employing approximately 3,400 civil servants and contractors. It’s a powerful regional economic driver.
We were given an engaging bus tour of the facility accompanied by Acting Director, Dr. Trina Marsh Dyal. From the riveting, giant vacuum spheres at the Hypersonic Complex, to the new Flight Dynamics Research facility under construction, we came away from the experience entertained, inspired and wanting more.
A highlight was seeing the Katherine G. Johnson Computational Research Facility, which was named for Ms. Johnson, whose mathematical prowess helped advance the nation’s space program in the 1960s. She was featured in the book and film Hidden Figures.
http://www.nasa.gov/langley
REaKTOR Technology Innovation Center – 11:37 a.m.
There are numerous entrepreneurial and innovation-centric support organizations in and around the Coastal Virginia region, yet somehow REaKTOR flew under our radar, and we were curious to find out about the kinds of entrepreneurs, researchers and scientists that are currently using the facility’s myriad resources to grow their companies and advance their technologies. Director Tim Ryan shepherded our hungry—it was getting’ on time for lunch—band of travelers through the Center, introducing us to companies like Pancopia, which is a fascinating environmental engineering firm focused on innovation in the wastewater and nutrient management space. Another company, PSIONIC, is engineering GPS-alternative navigation technologies applicable to space operations, commercial and military ops, commercial ground and defense.
reaktor757.org
Lunch – 12:00 Noon – Harpoon Larry’s
We pulled into the lot and managed to find a decent parking space. Visions of oysters, cold beverages (non-alcoholic since we had to keep our wits about us), and other iterations of fresh seafood were dancing in our heads. The service was speedy and the atmosphere was friendly and laid back. We ordered briny, freshly-shucked oysters to share as a starter. This was a great opportunity to review the first half of our trip, luxuriate in the air conditioned space, and get to know one another better. Good thing we made such a companionable group, as halfway through the meal I managed to knock over an entire glass of ice water, sending a cascade of refreshing liquid across the table and right into Bob’s lap. Good times.
harpoonlarrys.com
Christopher Newport University – 1:35 p.m.
Known for its rigorous academics, leadership orientation, small class size and civic engagement emphasis, CNU takes the liberal arts seriously, and the numbers speak for themselves. Admirably, 96% of the Christopher Newport Class of 2023 is employed, enrolled in graduate school or pursuing military or service careers. CNU also happens to be Caroline Branch’s alma mater. The layout of the campus and the lovely traditional architecture gave me that nostalgic back-to-school feeling, and I visualized myself strolling across the grounds in autumn, wearing my brand new Shetland sweater, equipped with a backpack full of new books and supplies, ready for anything. But enough daydreaming.
CNU is home to the stunning Mary M. Torggler Fine Arts Center, with its distinctive domed atrium and arched passageways. The Center seeks to “enrich the cultural landscape of the commonwealth of Virginia by presenting exceptional visual arts programming that empowers creative expression, critical thinking, lifelong learning and cultural dialogue.”
cnu.edu
The Mariners’ Museum & Park – 2:05 p.m.
If you think you know what the Mariner’s Museum is all about, think again. If you haven’t visited in a while, what’s stopping you? Think like a tourist and make it a day trip destination. Admission to the museum is a mere $1 per person for an entire day of marvelous maritime goodness and adventure that won’t break the bank. Aside from entrance’s iconic 34-ton propellor from the USS United States, there’s beautifully curated galleries featuring watercraft of all shapes and sizes, in-gallery activities for kids, and the USS Monitor’s 115-ton revolving gun turret which is currently being restored along with other significant, and sometimes hauntingly personal Civil War artifacts recovered from the vessel.
But not all of the exploration takes place intdoors. During our visit we re-acquainted ourselves with the park’s relaxing and award-winning Noland Trail which is free and open to the public. Don’t miss the adjacent Mariners’ Lake and boathouse where kayaks and rowboats can be rented for a reasonable fee.
Speaking of all things maritime, while at the venue, we were treated to a presentation about Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) which is a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries. NNS is one of the region’s major employers, and is the nation’s sole designer, builder, and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers for the U.S. Navy, and is and one of only two shipyards capable of designing and building nuclear-powered submarines.
marinersmuseum.org
hii.com
Virginia Living Museum (VLM)– 3:15 p.m.
By now, we were feeling more like road warriors than road trippers, but we still had plenty of gas left in our collective adventure tanks, and we caught up with the museum’s gracious Executive Director, Rebecca Kleinhample, who is clearly passionate about the mission with which the organization is charged. During our tour, she emphasized that the calling to connect people with nature is more relevant today than when the Museum was created back in 1966 when it was originally established as the Junior Nature Museum and Planetarium, supported by the Warwick Rotary Club and Junior League of Hampton Roads. For anyone passionate about wildlife and conservation, the VLM is a must-see destination featuring a range of indoor and outdoor experiences for visitors. We loved the VLM’s Wild Care Center veterinary and nutrition facility where visitors can observe animal care professionals at work. One imagines how inspiring this is for young visitors who may be considering a career in veterinary science, biology or wildlife conservation.
The VLM is home to more than 250 species of animals and plants found throughout Virginia including reptiles, mammals, birds and fish, they have one of the largest displays of native plants in the Commonwealth, and they house a native plant nursery and propagation conservatory. Since there are experiences that change with the seasons, there’s always something new to see and do.
thevlm.org
Jefferson Lab | Tech Center - 3:50 p.m.
Okay, I’ll admit it. I am an unabashed “JLab” fan, and I tend to want to make converts out of everyone. Visiting the facility tends to bring out my inner Sheldon. Jefferson Lab is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, a world-leading nuclear physics research institution with a multi-faceted mission that includes operating CEBAF, which is a fancy acronym for the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility. It’s a powerful tool for studying the structure of atomic nuclei and for gaining a better understanding of matter, energy and the universe.
JLab is also one or Hampton Roads’ largest high-tech employers, supporting thousands of jobs and generating hundreds of millions in regional and national economic output, and they have the largest community of nuclear physicists in the world. JLab personnel are enthusiastic about educational outreach and community engagement. Gauging by the numbers of people who brought their children to JLab’s open house in June 2024, their educational outreach initiatives are working.
While we didn’t visit the actual JLab facility on this road trip, we received an interesting presentation focused on JLab’s research programs and initiatives hosted at the innovative Tech Center Research Park in Newport News.
jlab.org
innovateattechcenterva.com
Day’s End – Who Knows?
After a very full and fulfilling 12-plus hours of intellectual stimulation, we headed back to the Chamber’s offices to decompress and gather up some Peninsula-centric brochures and swag to add to our hauls before going our separate ways. Because Leona and I felt so stimulated, we decided to “decompress” and savor life’s rich pageant over craft brews and small plates at The Cove Tavern at City Center-Oyster Point.
covetavern.com
