Norfolk (Virginia)

Norfolk is in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. It is a port city with a large Navy and shipping presence. But it is also known as a major cultural center, with world-class museums, opera, symphony, ballet and a vibrant arts community. The downtown area has experienced a major resurgence, with gourmet restaurants, shopping and attractions. Norfolk is one of the top cruise ports in the country.

Understand

Norfolk has always been a Navy town, home to the world's largest naval base.

Town Point Park is a waterfront park area right downtown that hosts several festivals and events throughout the year.

Granby Street is the main downtown thoroughfare, lined with restaurants and bars.

Ghent is a historic district adjacent to downtown. Filled with historic homes, tree-lined streets and beautiful old churches, it is a good mix of residential and business. Colley Avenue and 21st Street are the main shopping and dining areas, with dozens of locally-owned boutiques, shops, antique stores, restaurants and bars. The Naro theater on Colley Avenue is the region's sole movie theater with indie flicks.

Ocean View is Norfolk's beach community, and features relatively uncrowded beaches on the Chesapeake Bay. During the 1950s and 1960s, Ocean View was in its prime and was a major beach destination for families and sailors. During the following decades, the beach community fell into a bit of a slump, succumbing to crime. The city has been turning things around and now Ocean View is on its way to becoming one of the region's most sought-after neighborhoods.

Neighboring cities are Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Portsmouth.

Norfolk (Virginia)
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Tourist information

Get in

By plane

By car

Hampton Roads is only second in the state to the suburbs of Washington, D.C. for horrendous traffic, especially during the summer season when many tourists throughout the United States and Canada flock to the beaches of Virginia Beach and the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Be aware of the alternative of I-664/Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel instead of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, where back ups of more than 40-50 minutes usually occur, long before rush hour even begins.

Route 460 is an alternative to the heavily used I-64 route. 460 extends from Petersburg, VA (just south of Richmond, VA) to Chesapeake (a suburb city to the Hampton Roads area) and you can easily connect from 460 onto the major beltway at the I-664 and I-64 interchange.

Interstate 64 will bring you to Norfolk from points west.

By train

Amtrak runs one daily passenger train into the 🌍 Norfolk train station via the Northeast Regional route. An alternative way into Norfolk is another spur of the Northeast Regional route which terminates at Newport News. Amtrak runs Thruway buses from the Newport News train station to Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

By bus

Greyhound runs many buses through Norfolk daily. The 🌍 Greyhound Bus Stop is in downtown Norfolk.

In addition, there are Chinatown buses that run through Norfolk. These buses come from New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C., and other locations in the Northeastern USA.

By boat

Norfolk is accessible by private boats via the Intracoastal Waterway, from the Elizabeth River and the Chesapeake Bay. Overnight docking is available at 🌍 Waterside Marina in downtown Norfolk.

Get around

By bus

Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) operates the bus service in Norfolk. There are many routes in Norfolk, and the service can get you to almost any spot in Norfolk. Most buses run seven days a week early morning to late evening, and are relatively reliable. The fare is $2.00 for a single trip. $4.50 will get you an all-day pass which is usable on most buses, the ferry, and Tide Light Rail. Certain express buses cost more ($4.00 single, $2.00 supplement on a regular all-day pass, $7.50 for an all-day express pass). Bus drivers do not carry cash, so be sure to bring the exact fare for each rider.

By boat

Hampton Roads Transit runs a passenger ferry from Portsmouth. Service is seven days a week and runs every half hour with more frequent service during rush hours. The fare is $2.00 one way, and $4.50 for an all-day pass. The ferry's crew does not carry cash, so be sure to bring the exact fare for each rider.

There is also a privately run boat taxi that will take you around the Norfolk and Portsmouth waterfronts. The fare is 7 dollars per person. Call 757-439-8294 and the captain will pick you up anywhere on the waterfront.

By light rail

The Tide Light Rail, a light rail line, extends from the Newtown area at the Norfolk/Virginia Beach border to Downtown Norfolk and Sentara Hospital by the Midtown Tunnel. The Tide runs seven days a week every half hour with service increasing to every ten minutes during rush hours. The Tide is air-conditioned and has free WiFi access.

The fare is $2.00 one way, and $4.50 for an all-day pass which is usable on the Tide, the ferry and HRT buses. All-day passes, multiple-day passes, single ride and multiple ride tickets are sold at vending machines, which are located at every station. The ticket vending machines accept cash, debit cards and credit cards. The light rail is operated on the honor system, meaning that there is no one to check your ticket before you get on the Tide. However, the trains are monitored by uniformed police officers who will check for tickets. Riding the light rail without a valid ticket can cost you a $250 fine.

By car

If you must drive around the city, a good map and/or a local with knowledge of the roads is an absolute necessity. Stay on interstates for as long as possible, for once you leave, any signage is the responsibility of the city, not VDOT, and it shows. If your directions tell you to follow US 58, US 460 or state route 337 through the city, be prepared for a nerve-wracking drive. Directional signage (i.e., US 460 east, turn left) is virtually non-existent, and what signage does exist is more often than not inadequate or even incorrect. If there is a difference between signage and a map, the map is correct. Routes can and do change direction and shoot off onto side streets at a moment's notice, often without any signage advising travelers as to which road to follow. It is much easier than you might think to miss a turn and end up in a dangerous area.

See
  • 🌍 Chrysler Museum of Art, One Memorial Place, ☏ +1 757-664-6200. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. Walter Chrysler, Jr., son of the Chrysler automobile company founder, donated his art collection to Norfolk, the hometown of his wife. His donation along with other donors formed the collection of this museum. A large variety of art can be found in the museum, including paintings, glass, porcelain, clay, sculptures and photos. Art from different geographies are also present, such as African, Asian, Egyptian, Greek and Pre-Columbian/Mayan. A glass studio located in a separate building south of the museum hosts a free glass art demonstration daily at noon. Free. (updated Jan 2018)
  • 🌍 Nauticus - National Maritime Center, One Waterside Drive. Naval Museum exhibits maritime artifacts. Next to it is the decommissioned USS Wisconsin (BB 64) battleship, now serving as a museum ship. Visitors get a self-guided tour the interiors of the ship such as sleeping quarter, medical bay, sonar room, mess hall, ship's convenience store and the main deck. Alternatively, visitors can pay extra for guided tour of the engine room, or to the bridge and captain's cabin (additional $20 per person). Adult $15.95, child (ages 4-12) $11.50, child (ages 3 and under) free, seniors (age 55 and up) and AAA member $14.95. 
  • 🌍 West Freemason Street Area Historic District (along West Freemason Street, west of Bosch Street). 24 hours. National historic district with houses and churches in Federal, Greek Revival, Late Victorian and Gothic Revival styles. Free. (updated Feb 2018)
  • 🌍 MacArthur Memorial, 198 Bank St., ☏ +1 757-441-2965. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su M closed. Free. (updated Oct 2021)
  • 🌍 Moses Myers House. (updated Apr 2020)
  • 🌍 Willoughby–Baylor House. (updated Apr 2020)
  • 🌍 Mile Marker 0 of the Intracoastal Waterway. A buoy in the Elizabeth River. The Intracoastal Waterway extends south to Key West, Florida. (updated Oct 2019)
  • 🌍 Fort Norfolk. The only surviving fort of 19 in the area authorized in 1794. (updated Apr 2020)
  • 🌍 Virginia Zoo, 3500 Granby St, ☏ +1 757-441-2374. Daily 10AM-5PM. (updated Jan 2018)
  • 🌍 Barry Art Museum. Part of Old Dominion University. (updated Apr 2020)
  • 🌍 Naval Station Tour. A 45-minute tour conducted by Naval personnel. See aircraft carriers and other huge ships. As of October 2023, all tours, public and private, have been suspended. 
  • 🌍 Ocean View Station Museum. (updated Apr 2020)
  • 🌍 Norfolk Botanical Garden, 6700 Azalea Garden Road. Limited parking due to renovations; a timed ticket is required for entry. Adults $16, seniors, youth and military $14, under 3 free. 

Do
  • Go on a 2 hour cruise around the Norfolk Naval Base. A guide will give a little bit of area history and describe some of the ships as you cruise past.
  • Spirit of Norfolk cruise / tour. 
  • Watch a Triple-A baseball game between Norfolk Tides and another minor league team at the 🌍 Harbor Park, 150 Park Avenue (Take The Tide to Harbor Park station or Amtrak to Norfolk station). (updated Feb 2018)
  • Watch a concert, ice hockey game or performance at 🌍 Norfolk Scope, 201 East Brambleton Avenue. (updated Feb 2018)
  • Watch a concert, live music and other performance at 🌍 NorVa Theatre, 317 Monticello Avenue, ☏ +1 757-627-4547. (updated Feb 2018)

Learn

Norfolk has three public and one private universities, plus a community college:

Buy

There are several main shopping areas in Norfolk.

Downtown, the 🌍 MacArthur Center (300 Monticello Ave.) is a large, 3-story shopping mall and has a variety of great shops, like Bath & Body Works, H&M, Hot Topic, Sephora, Vans, a large food court, and a Regal movie theater complex. The mall is anchored by Dillard's. There are a few shops and art galleries on Granby Street, but not many. Also downtown is the D'Art Center, which features a large selection of local art. Waterside used to be a popular shopping area, but in the late 2010s it went under a redevelopment, and is now mostly restaurants and bars.

🌍 Ghent. (updated Feb 2018) is a popular shopping area for locally-owned boutiques and antique stores. 21st Street and Colley Avenue are the main thoroughfares, but there are plenty of unique stores on the surrounding streets. The Palace Shoppes on 21st Street and Debree Avenue have some great little stores, including a chic women's clothing store, NYFO. Colley Avenue is a pedestrian-friendly shopping and restaurant district where you can find boutiques such as Le Marche and Maison Soleil. There are also quite a few antique stores around Ghent and throughout Norfolk.

The signature symbol of Norfolk is the mermaid, and there are several stores that sell unique mermaid sculptures, pins, and jewelry.

Eat
  • 🌍 Doumar's Cones and BBQ, Monticello Avenue, Ghent. Doumar's is known as the birthplace of the ice cream cone. The vintage drive-thru still remains. Try an ice cream cone or banana shake. 
  • 🌍 Todd Jurich's Bistro, 150 West Main Street, ☏ +1 757-622-3210. Casual elegance, an upscale restaurant two blocks from waterside(they do not require suit and tie). They have a four diamond award for their food and an award of excellence from Wine Spectator. For a deal, Todd's Bistro appears on every one of Norfolk's Restaurant Weeks. (updated May 2023)
  • 🌍 A.W. Shucks, 2200 Colonial Avenue, ☏ +1 757-664-9117. It is tucked behind a mini-mall Ghent, but it is a popular restaurant and watering hole with great burgers, seafood and beer selection. (updated May 2023)
  • 🌍 No Frill Bar and Grill, 806 Spotswood Ave, ☏ +1 757-627-4262. Features inexpensive, yet delicious American cuisine with numerous vegetarian options and a good selection of alcoholic beverages. (updated May 2023)
  • 🌍 The Pagoda Restaurant and Tea House, 265 W Tazewell St. An American restaurant located inside a Chinese structure donated by Taiwanese government. The garden is also landscaped in oriental style. (updated Feb 2018)

Drink

Three sections of Norfolk have concentrations of bars and nightclubs: Ghent, Granby Street, and the Waterside Festival Marketplace. Ghent is the most laid-back, Granby Street is a trendy place for dates, and the Waterside is the wild place for the kids. Just follow the noise.

  • 🌍 Charlie's American Cafe, 1800 Granby Street. A cafe by day, and nighttime music venue and club that hosts independent music artists. (updated May 2023)
  • 🌍 The Edge, 4814 Hampton Blvd. Located near the Old Dominion University campus, this bar features good food, a dance floor, and is the spot for all the college kids. (updated May 2023)

LGBTQ nightlife
  • 🌍 The Wave, 4107 Colley Avenue. The biggest LGBTQ dance club in the Hampton Roads region for over 20 years. If you want to dance, this is the place to be. (updated May 2023)
  • 🌍 37th and Zen, 1083 37th Street. Enjoy drag queens, drink specials, food, and live music at this popular spot with an outside patio and backyard area. (updated May 2023)

Sleep

Norfolk's good hotels are clustered downtown and near the airport.

Stay safe

Crime levels have lowered since the 1990s, but is still higher than the national average. Use caution at night, especially alone, as there's been a recent spike in violence in the Granby Street area at night. Make sure to lock your car doors, as car theft is not uncommon.

As the city is close to sea level, intense rain or high winds often can cause localized flooding on roads especially near the downtown area.

Connect

Free WiFi is available from 6AM to 8PM at MacArthur Square in downtown. 🌍 MacArthur Center offers free WiFi access inside the mall. The Tide light rail offers free WiFi on board.

Cope

Newspapers
  • The Virginian-Pilot is Norfolk's daily newspaper. The Friday edition includes Pulse, a section which has an extensive listing of festivals, concerts, and other activities in the Norfolk area.
  • The New Journal & Guide is a weekly newspaper serving the Black community in Norfolk.

Consulates

Go next
  • Virginia Beach
  • Take the ferry to Portsmouth
  • Take a cruise from Norfolk to Bermuda or the Caribbean. Ships depart from the downtown waterfront.
Routes through Norfolk
Washington, D.C. ← Petersburg ←  N  E  → END
Richmond ← Hampton ←  W  E  → Virginia Beach → Chesapeake
Chesapeake ← Portsmouth ←  W  E  → Virginia Beach → END
Salisbury ← Virginia Beach ←  N  S  → Chesapeake → Greenville
Richmond ← Hampton ←  W  E  → Virginia Beach → END
Petersburg ← Chesapeake ←  W  E  → END


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