Cannot believe that I've never been to the Hermitage Museum and Gardens until yesterday…read more The home is stunning. The wood working, the art collection and the beautiful grounds; all stunning. If you are looking for something to do on a sleepy afternoon this may be the place for you to visit. Almost forgot to mention that they allow dogs to walk the grounds as long as you clean up after your fur baby.

I came expecting "a nice little museum" and accidentally entered the main character phase of my…read morelife. The house looks like Gatsby retired here to start gardening and finally find inner peace. Every room feels fancy enough that you instinctively whisper, even when you're alone judging antique furniture like you suddenly have generational wealth. The gardens? Absolutely disrespectful to regular parks. Trees posing like they know they're beautiful, peacocks walking around with the confidence of influencers, and views of the water that make you question every life decision that didn't involve buying a mansion in 1915. Perfect place for a peaceful stroll, deep thoughts, or pretending you're in a period drama waiting for someone to confess forbidden love near the azaleas.

The Chrysler Glass Studio has grown since the last time I visited…read more Today we watched as they made a cup. There are so many wonderful pieces of glass in the studio, there is most certainly something for everyone. Just in case anyone is wondering, they do offer shows and classes

Absolutely fantastic experience. We participated in the flora class experience and had an amazing…read moretime. Alyssa and Slive were phenomenal.

Built in 1894 for Mr. James Wilson Hunter & wife Lizzie. Hunter was a prominent merchant, banker &…read morecivic leader. The home is restored close to original and is in private foundation. Located in the Freemason District, one of the original neighborhoods in Norfolk. Beautiful two story eclectic nineteenth century homes line the street. Parking is off street. Hours Wednesday-Saturday 10 AM to 3:30 PM Sunday 12:30-3:30 PM. Ring the door bell and wait for a guide to answer. Admission is $5 adult, $4 senior, $1 child. No pictures are not permitted inside the home. Gift store on the third floor. Definitely a hidden gem off the beaten path that I have enjoyed over the years. Worthy for visitors and locals alike to check out.

Beautiful Victorian home that offers both guided and self-guided tours. Extremely knowledgeable and…read morefriendly staff were able to share fascinating details about the family and customs of the time. Definitely worth a trip when visiting Norfolk!

This is an in-depth museum on General MacArthur and the wars of his time. For a history buff,…read moreit's a great visit with lots of text exhibits and a few artifacts. The final resting place of him and his wife is solemn and appropriate. A lot of this museum is paid for by Norfolk taxpayers, so you can decide if that's appropriate. It's in need of an update to be a more modern museum. It's also odd that the exhibits in the two buildings seem to be different versions of the same thing.

General Douglas MacArthur was America's war hero for over 52 years and a Norfork, Va hometown…read morefavorite. This memorial is a stunning lifetime tribute as well as a final resting place to an individual (and his 2nd wife) who fought and succeeded in four(4) major wars. A 5-star rating for one of our own 5-star generals well-earned especially since the entire site has FREE Admission for 1. The history/tribute museum 2. A 34 minute biographical movie 3. Memorial/crypts 4. The research library Don't miss this site and it is a worthwhile side trip if ever visiting Virginia Beach too. Plan to spend at least 2 hours which includes the 34 minute movie.......However, be aware: 1. Its closed Sunday and Monday 2. You will need to pay for parking which runs around $4 per hour.

An interesting and historic venue, but one with a serious safety issue. Do not under any…read morecircumstances sit in the balcony. The seats there are cramped and uncomfortable with no leg room. Evacuating the balcony in a timely manner in the event of an emergency would likely be difficult at best.

Amazing display of Black History and the accomplishments made by African Americans. It highlights…read morethe impact on the state, national and the world. The curator was knowledgeable, resourceful, and enthusiastic.

The Virginia Zoo is a great way to spend a few hours with the family. If you are local to Hampton…read moreRoads I highly suggest purchasing one of their memberships. The zoo offers discounted tickets to special events for members and even has an event where you can bring your dog! I really enjoy that this zoo offers plenty of different species of animals and wide open areas for kids to explore. A train is normally running and the exhibits have wide trails with plenty of viewing platforms and windows. The staff is always friendly and they have a robust gift shop. I haven't personally ever tried their food but they offer a few cafes and dipping dots throughout the park.

Coming from Philly with the oldest zoo in the nation, I have to give credit where it is due…read more The VA zoo is a nice little zoo. Limited with their animals but a worthwhile experience. Laid out in zones with boardwalk style pathways you will find zebras, a bear, lions, rhinoceros, orangutans , giraffes, meerkats, reptiles, tortoises, turtles and more. While there are no elephants, hippos, camels, or larger primates they do have a nice assembly of animals. The otters and meerkats were especially active during our visit, playing and put on quite a show for us. It took us roughly 2 hours or so to walk the zoo and could have easily stayed longer if the heat was not so oppressive. Many of the animals were seeking relief from the heat as well and hiding so we missed out on the red pandas, cheetah, and some others. While vacationing it's important to know where your excursion dollars are going and what value the experience will hold. The VA zoo receives a two thumbs up and recommendation from me

There is a free section and a ticketed section…read more The tickets are for the battleship. It is a wonderful museum for all ages who can manage some stairs. This is a must do in Norfolk. The free museum inside the building has Norfolk history, battleship history, port of VA info, and naval history. There are many interactive exhibits. The building is temperature controlled with clean bathrooms. Parking at the garage across the street is free for the first 2 hours. If you do the ship, you will need more than 2 hours but the hourly rate at the garage is reasonable

i went to nauticus and did the self guided tour of the uss wisconsin battleship museum. we got to…read morego inside the battleship and walk through a bunch of different areas, which was probably the best part because it made everything feel more real instead of just looking at pictures or exhibits. the ship itself is huge, and seeing everything up close was really interesting. i liked being able to walk around at my own pace instead of being rushed through it. the deck views were really nice too, and the giant guns were honestly crazy to see in person because they're so much bigger than i thought they'd be. overall it was actually really fun and i'd definitely recommend it if you're in norfolk because it's something different and really interesting to experience. note -- it isn't handicap accessible, there are a lot of stairs you need to go up and down on.

This is a fun place to visit, especially around the Christmas season…read more I must say I hardly ever step foot in here unless an event is taking place. As a result, my recent visit here was during the Christmas holiday season 2016. During this time, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday the center offers several fun filled activities for the children - well for the whole family. So bring the newborns to great grandmas for a day or two of fun and lasting memories. Events as such: pictures with Santa, arts & crafts, cookie decorating, face painting and ornament making just to name a few are offered in December. And far as I can remember these sort of events have been in existence since the center opened some time ago. You can usually find out about these events online through PortsVaEvents or just by being in the Old Towne area of the city. Circulars and fliers are posted. Again, I haven't shopped nor have I browsed in the center, but from just passing I have noticed different crystals and novelty items are sold here. it's a small house turned into a small shop, very cute. It's also decorated on the inside and outside with Christmas holiday decor. If you choose to not partake in any of the activities, the scenery outside makes for a great background during Christmas time. I'd like to think this place is worth a visit, especially if you are in the area. Oh did I mention...these activities during the days mentioned above in December are FREE!!!! My type of fun!! Parking is available on the street, but if you're one of the unlucky ones, parking garages are within walking distances. And the garages are FREE of charge. The Old Towne area of the city offers several: shops, restaurants and much more. Everything is within walking distance. It's definitely a family oriented town especially during the holiday season. It's a great day to have a great day!!

Not super impressed - not going to lie…read more At Christmas, when we visited, there is an event inside this center which, from the website, seems like it's a Christmas Market or winter wonderland experience. So my friends visiting from out of town and I drove from ALL the way in Pungo to this - only to find that it's $3 entry per person (no biggie) but is mostly for children, there were no vendors selling anything anywhere, very little food or drink, and the displays are more like the dated animatronic Christmas teddy bears from malls of years past. Maybe ok for small small children, but not something for adults by any means, and not paid entry. Major disappointment. I'm glad this is here for locals and I'm sure it has it's time and place. But the description on the website was completely misleading. We looked around the gift shop and roamed the town before heading to downtown Norfolk for more adult friendly Christmas things to do.