By Mitzi Radziwell

On certain summer evenings, it seems like Virginia Beach is one big party. The clubs and restaurants are jumping, couples stroll along the fabulous boardwalk, and judging from the sounds blasting from the video arcades, someone has just declared World War III. You can do almost anything you want in Virginia Beach, from para-sailing to having that very special body part pierced. Best of all, you don't have to do it alone. This is a primo meeting-and-greeting place, and the fabulous new face you say "lo" to could be the motivation behind your brand new tattoo tomorrow.

But don't misunderstand. Virginia Beach is more than a playground for hard-partying twenty-somethings. It's great for families, too. The beach is wide and beautiful, and very user-friendly, and there are all kinds of things to see and do there. The recently renovated three-mile boardwalk is perfect for walking, jogging, and in-line skating. There's also a two-mile-long bike trail. But if you aren't feeling physical, Virginia Beach will still find a way to win your heart.

The Convention and Visitors Bureau (800-VA-BEACH) reports there are 11,000 rooms in town (5,000 of them on the oceanfront), so you can count on finding accommodations to fit almost any budget. And while the city is a complete beach resort that offers sailing, sport fishing and many other aquatic activities, there's lots to do that doesn't require getting wet.

One of the best things to do is eat. Virginia Beach is known for fresh seafood. Even restaurants that don't specialize in serving fish will have one or more signature dishes. At 501 City Grill (501 N. Birdneck, 757-425-7195) it's jumbo prawns stuffed with lumps of crabmeat. The Lighthouse (1st St and Atlantic Ave., 757-428-7974) serves up everything from Maine lobster to Chesapeake Bay-style crab cakes. For an exceptional fisherman's chowder that contains shrimp and crabmeat, you'll want to try the Duck-In Restaurant & Gazebo (3324 Shore Drive, 757-481-0201). Alexander's an the Bay (4536 Ocean View Ave., 757-464-4999) and Orion's (42nd St and Atlantic Ave., 757-425-8555) are also good choices.

To see how the other half lives, stop by the Marine Science Museum. There's a kind of finny petting zoo where children can touch sea creatures like crabs and skates. You can step inside a submersible set inside a huge open ocean aquarium and go eyeball-to-eyeball with sharks, or watch as giant loggerhead turtles swim by with a baleful glare. The Owls Creek Marsh Pavilion is a great place to observe river otters in their natural habitat, and there's also an outdoor aviary where you can watch egrets, herons, terns and other birds stalk about with elegant disdain.

Not far away from Virginia Beach lies the forbidding wilderness of the Great Dismal Swamp - a name that reminds me of how my head feels after a really happening party. Today, the area is a 106,000-acre National Wildlife Refuge, and home to black bears, bobcats, 150 varieties of birds and more reptiles than I care to think about.

Another scenic outdoor area is the First Landing/Seashore State Park at Cape Henry, just north of Virginia Beach. This is where the English gentlemen adventurers, as they called themselves, first landed in 1609, before sailing on to the site that became the colony of Jamestown. Here you'll find miles of breathtaking seashore, picnicking and camping areas, and one of the most beautiful bike trails on the East Coast.

But after you've seen and done it all, there's no getting away from the fact that Virginia Beach is just one fabulous place to party. There must be a ton of restaurants and clubs where gentlemen - and lady adventurers - go to meet and mingle. You can walk from one to the other along the boardwalk, enjoying the ocean breeze. Try visiting on one of the summer weekends when a beachfront sporting event is going on. Maybe someone will invite you to play.

PLAYING IN VIRGINIA BEACH

June 6-7 5th Annual North American Sand Soccer Championships. Talk about getting sand in your shorts. The country's largest sand tournament will be held between 3rd and 6th streets on the strand in Virginia Beach. Youth and adult divisions. For information: Hampton Roads Soccer Council (757) 456-0578

June 18-21 43rd Annual Boardwalk Art Show and Festival. Nearly 400 artists and craftspeople are expected to show (and sell) their wares, accompanied with entertainment from world-class contemporary performing artists. Paintings, ceramics fine crafts, sculpture and photography will be on display. For information: Contemporary Art Center of Virginia Beach (757) 425-0000.

June 20-21 Cuervo Gold Amateur Beach Volleyball Tournament. Shooters, setters and diggers. This nationally-promoted amateur series will take place on the sand at 2nd Street. For Information: (800) 532-8507.

July 3-5 British Invasion. Stand by to repel boarders. This musical weekend will feature top British musicians and entertainment. Past performers have included Spencer Davis, Eric Burdon and others. For information: Beachevents (757) 491-SUNN.

July 26-August 8 XXXII AAU Junior Olympic Games. Buff bods galore. This is the largest national annual multi-sport event conducted for amateur athletes in the U.S., with 24 events scheduled this year.

August 15-16 Bud Light Volleyball Tournament. More buffs, more bods. A nationally televised event with cash prize for men's and women's open divisions (played on Saturday). For information: (561) 241-3801.

August 20-23 35th Annual East Coast Surfing Championships. Over 100 professional and 400 amateur board-bangers will hang as many as they can manage in North America's oldest surfing contest. For information: Virginia Beach Jaycees, (757) 499-8822.

NOTE: ABOVE '98 EXTRACT SHOWN ONLY FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES