CITY SPOTLIGHT:

YOUR GUIDE TO Norfolk, Virginia

battleship in Norfolk, VA

Know Before You Go: About Norfolk

Get ready to have fun, relax, and explore this city along the Eastern Seaboard.

This Virginia town is well-known for Naval Station Norfolk, yet it also features several private businesses and tourist attractions that are perfect for family leisure time. A huge part of its appeal is its close proximity to the ocean. So get ready to have fun, relax, and explore new places while getting together with friends and family! Your Norfolk getaway awaits!

A Coastal Climate

Weather in Norfolk is not unlike that of its Eastern Seaboard cousins: The year-round rain never truly makes for a dry season. Temperatures rise and fall with the seasons, peaking in the high 80s on summer days and freezing at night during the colder months. There's also a good chance that you’ll see some snow in the winter. If visiting during the summer, dress in comfortable, breathable layers—this oceanside location stays quite humid.

A Whale of a Tail

Visiting in the spring? Grab some binoculars and head for the beach. The gray whales are back in town and you'll see them splashing about offshore, migrating to Alaska from Baja California with their babies in tow. Sign on with a whale-watching tour for a closer look, or learn more about whales and the other animals along the coast at the Coastal Interpretive Center. Need to work off some energy? Head for Pacific Paradise, a family-friendly park that features miniature golf, bumper boats and an arcade.

Full Speed Ahead

You can't leave Norfolk without stepping onto the deck of a historic vessel. Tour the USS Wisconsin—the massive battleship that saw action from World War II though Operation Desert Storm—and round out your military history experience with a bevy of wartime artifacts at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. To see the sweeter side of this defense hub, visit the animals at the Virginia Zoological Park or wander through the year-round Japanese garden at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. Take your time to appreciate the stunning exhibits at the Chrysler Museum of Art, and maybe even pick up a new skill at the facility's glassblowing classes.

Shipping and Fighting

The majority of Norfolk jobs are in the defense and shipping sectors. The Norfolk International Terminals connect commercial ships to a vast web of rail and trucking lines used to distribute goods through Virginia and beyond. Defense and shipping meet in the middle at Maersk Line Limited, headquartered in Norfolk, which specializes in transporting “mission critical cargo” to hotspots around the globe. Naval Station Norfolk, the biggest naval complex on Earth, houses the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and the most expansive supply center in the Defense Department.

Double-Dare Bridges

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel on U.S. Route 13 is an exhilarating way to get from point A to B. This lengthy bridge will connect you to the Virginia coastline through its underwater tunnel. You can also take the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel for an alternative route that connects Norfolk and Hampton across Interstate 64. If bridges aren’t your preferred way of traveling, avoid them entirely with a flight into the Norfolk International Airport. The Hampton Roads Transit system is equipped with a light rail and plenty of buses to make getting around town a breeze.

Ready to travel? Find hotels in Norfolk.

Things to Do in Norfolk

Sitting on 7 miles of Chesapeake Bay beachfront, Norfolk's deep-water port is home to the largest naval base in the world.