Norfolk Convention and Visitors Bureau
232 E. Main Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
(757) 664-6620
(757) 622-3663 (fax)
Population
261229
Time Zone
Eastern
Latitude/Longitude
36.84° /-76.26°
Today's Forecast
 |
HIGH: 68
LOW: 49
|
|
|
|
For nearly 400 years Norfolk has been a port city and the commercial and cultural center of Virginia's Waterfront. As a result, visitors who are interested in sailing and cultural activities, harbor tours, fine art, museums, beaches, historic homes, restaurants, the United States Navy, and shopping will find it all here.
| Attractions |
|
On the southern side of Hampton Roads in the Virgina Tidewater region, Norfolk occupies a peninsula between Chesapeake Bay on the east and the James and Elizabeth rivers on the north and west. Blessed with one of the best natural harbors in the world, the city is home to Naval Station Norfolk, home port for more than 60 ships of the U.S. Navy's Atlantic Fleet. Navy personnel conduct 45-minute base tours daily.
Downtown, on the Elizabeth River waterfront, you'll find Nauticus, one part of the National Maritime Center. This spectacular showplace for maritime technology is packed with interative exhibits and simulators that let visitors get a feel for navigation, weather forecasting, carrier landings, and other aspects of life at sea. The National Maritime Center is also the home of Battleship Wisconsin, a veteran of World War II and other conflicts that offers topside tours daily and has more interactive exhibits, and the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, which features art, artifacts, model ships, and history exhibits. Norfolk's military legacy is also remembered at the Douglas MacArthur Memorial. Housed in the former city hall building, the memorial contains exhibits outlining the general's life and career as well as the tomb of MacArthur and his wife.
For high culture, visit the Chrysler Museum of Art; its thousands of treasures include European and American paintings, decorative arts, and works by major photographers. More art is on display at the Hermitage Foundation Museum, which houses 15 galleries of works collected by the Sloane family in a 42-room, arts-and-crafts style mansion on the riverside.
The city's historic homes along Freemason Avenue are also well worth a visit. The Moses Myers House, an early Federal brick townhouse with most of its original furnishings, provides a unique view into the life and traditions of a Jewish family in 18th-century America. The Hunter House Victorian Museum has a large collection of Victorian furnishings and art, including a period children's nursery. The refurbished Willoughby-Baylor House (ca. 1797) contains the Norfolk History Museum and its interesting exhibits on the city's life as an international port-of-call.
Norfolk Botanical Garden offers 12 miles of trails through 155 acres of azaleas, roses, rhododendrons, and wildflowers. Guided tours via foot, tram or boat are available year-round.
The Virginia Symphony and touring Broadway productions may be seen at Chrysler Hall. The nearby Scope Arena hosts minor league ice hockey (the AHL Admirals) and indoor auto racing, pop music concerts and family entertainments. Baseball fans head to Harbor Park, home to the Norfolk Tides, the International League AAA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.
For shopping, try the Waterside Festival Marketplace. It offers over 100 shops, restaurants and nightclubs. North of downtown, the historic Ghent neighborhood is packed with boutiques, restaurants and smaller shops amid pleasant, early 20th-century residential surroundings.
|
Explore another city in Virginia
|
|
Weather © 2009 AccuWeather, Inc. All rights reserved.
|
