Virginia Beach is a resort destination in the old-style sense, when resort referred to an entire area, not an exclusive tract of land developed by a corporation. Vacationers come for the sandy Atlantic beaches, boardwalk, and for shopping and dining in the establishments that line Atlantic Avenue. Behind these attractions is the rest of Virginia Beach, a city that has developed into an important economic and population center of Virginia. Virginia Beach is part of a greater group of area cities known as Hampton Roads, which refers to a waterway, not a road network. Nevertheless, it's a useful term for the general area, which can be said to include as many as 13 distinct sections that stretch up the bay waterways. In the Virginia Beach area, Norfolk is nearby with historic attractions.