Overall, we had a nice experience at this dog park. I was surprised in a good way because the dog…read morepark has ample space and a separate section for smaller dogs. While there is a shaded area with picnic tables, I kind of wish that the dog park had a few more trees for more shade, but that is a very minor complaint. Since the park is maintained by PETA, there is a lot of PETA messaging (e.g., why crating dogs is "bad") in certain parts of the park. Although I disagree with some of the messaging, it did not negatively impact my visit.

This dog park is absolutely beautiful and in such a perfect location--right next to the PETA…read moreheadquarters, overlooking the river in the Ghent/Waterside district of Norfolk. On top of giving your dog a great play space, you can actually enjoy watching the cruise ships go by, which makes it a really unique spot. The park is divided into two sections: one side for small dogs and one for larger dogs. I love that they've thought of the details--there are two little kiddie pools with running water, so you can refresh them as needed. It's always clean, well-maintained, and has a few toys out for the pups to enjoy. Another plus is that it's not usually overcrowded, which makes it much more relaxing for both dogs and owners. The surrounding neighborhood is gorgeous (and honestly, I'd love to live there if it were in my budget!). All in all, Bea Arthur Dog Park is a wonderful place to bring your pup for some exercise, playtime, or just to enjoy the views. Definitely one of Norfolk's dog-friendly treasures!

I was looking for an alternative park to take Hendrix because there was a festival at our usual dog…read morerun. After lots of research we found Ballentine Park in Norfolk. There is a small and large dog area with a separation fence. Two water stations, with bowls and poop bags are provided. Multiple areas for humans to sit and a small pool for the little dogs. It was very cute. There is lots of on street parking, you can park directly in front and unload you pooch. One thing I noticed that made this park different was the dog parents. They all monitored their dogs to ensure they were behaving properly. And I mean EVERY SINGLE DOG PARENT!! Before entering with her 4 large dogs, a lady actually told a young man who was already in there with his dog how many pups she was bringing in and their temperament. Very considerate. Ballentine is a very nice dog park with considerate patrons. We will be back!

Very lovely dog park. There's 2 sections of the park. 1 side for big dogs over 30 lbs with a longer…read morerun and a side for small dogs. As a small dog owner I appreciate having the separation. I've only been in the mornings so far and have used the park with 1 other owner and dog or by ourselves. It's well maintained, lots of water stations and it's a quite pretty part of the street. There's ducks and rabbits along side the water. So far this has been a great find in my new neighborhood.

A lot of these reviews are years old, I moved from out of state and this dog park has a great…read morecommunity of people who love dogs. I understand one experience can suck but in the few months I lived near here people are nice and people pick up the dog poop the community is wonderful by helping out each other. it is maintained enough for a dog. The one thing I was note is that just like any other park too many dogs can cause problems so be aware of that usually if it hits 13 to 15 dogs I leave just so I don't get stuck in the middle of dog issues.

Steer clear! There is definitely a regular crowd here. My dog got bitten on the face within…read moreseconds, and then about 5 minutes later actually got fully attacked by the same dog. One of the people in the group said "actually that dog is one of the nicest ones here" - and if that's true then what are the other dogs like?? We left immediately. My dog has been very well socialized and has had great experiences at other dog parks. RUN!! Take your dog somewhere else.

This is our go to dog park! We have never had a bad experience. It is quite small so if you have a…read morebigger dog or dog with lots of energy it may not be for you, but it is absolutely perfect for my pug & frenchie! There is a faucet & water bowl for your dog, toys, & dog waste bags for you to use. It's usually super clean too. Turf grass!! And the cutest location if you went to go out to eat or shopping afterwards

Great dog park!!! You can't find a cleaner place to take your dog for a little off leash time. With…read morethe turf grass, they never come out muddy, and the city does a great job of cleaning the place up. It's obviously not as large as some other dog parks, but it makes the best of the space given and it's so great that the city set this space aside for our pups!!!

Absolutely love this place! It's the perfect place to go for a walk or run, there is plenty of…read morespace for walkers, runners and even bikers! ‍ There's a decent size playground. Oak Grove is definitely on the pretty side, and even if it's hot out, you are mostly in shade! There are smaller, shorter trails inside the woods you can walk through too if you'd like. Plenty of fishing spots!

Free Parking. Porta Potties available. This park has a cement walk way leading up to the…read moreplayground, porta potty, and a picnic area that would be great for wheelchairs. This park is great for adults, kids and dogs. The views are of a crystal clear lake NO swimming and NO boating. Plenty of trees. Great for bird watching. They have a nice size children's playground. Covered picnic tables throughout the park. a few fitness stations on the 1 1/2 mile hike. VERY easy loop hike. Starts out with a cement trail and turns into fine gravel trail around the lake. Lots of people running, kids playing and dogs walking. My favorite thing I found a bench dedicated to their sweet dog Savanna. And they offer doggy poop bags. Encouraging a nice clean park. Nice easy walk and if you time it right there are a lot of great places in that area to eat and a nice shopping area

This community park is a great haven for a peaceful walk through the woods, a round of Frisbee…read moregolf, a day of play for the kids, or a zoomie release for your dogs big & small! The park is nestled next to Bayside Rec and a stone throws away from Taste market eatery. This park has ample parking, a variety of picnic shelters, and is well kept. There are plenty of trash receptacles throughout. A volleyball and basketball court and unique features like bridges, gazebos, and a rock wall you can hike! Take a little getaway from the bustle of life and enjoy the time at Bayville Farms.

Bayville Farms Park is one of the major parks of Virginia Beach because it has a dog park,…read moreplayground, skate park, basketball and tennis courts. The picnic tables are covered and underneath the trees for the summer shade.

This park has no paved walkways, no picnic shelters or grills. It has a couple of benches, one…read moretable and the playground. The rest of the area is open space and wooded areas.

I recently stumbled upon this quaint little neighborhood park in the Larchmount neighborhood of…read moreNorfolk. I have now enjoyed lunch with the kids a few times now and have really fallen in love with it's beauty. The description has this as a Dog Park, but it is not. However, it is a dog friendly park if the pooch is on a leash. The park is located directly behind ODU's Foreman Field and among small 1950-1960's residential homes. The current space has been utilized for a recreation area for a number of years, but the park as it exist today with it's playground equipment is around 10 years old. The entire area is shady which is a parents dream. Parking is off street only. I consider the area to be completely safe. The grounds are enclosed with an attractive black aluminum fence. A short run to the back is a tall wooden privacy fence. There are two gates with both having child safety locks. Bottom line is this is a secure play are for small children with great visual lines of sight to watch the kids enjoying themselves. I found the park spotless and grassy portion well manicured on my times visiting. There is a single trash can which is maintained by the city of Norfolk. Let's talk equipment, because it's cool. The central playground is a pirate ship. The second one has a slide and curly pole. There are also two sets of swings and one is for a toddler. I would consider the top age range for the playground to be 10-12. The ground cover around the equipment is mulch. A huge shaded grassy area for recreation is to the back. I consider this one of the best things about the park. There are some limitations to the park that anyone visiting should be aware of. However, keep in perspective this is a small neighborhood park. Only a few benches and a few tables are available to families. There is enough room for a small shelter and grills, but they do not have them. Also absent is a restroom facility and water fountain. So don't forget to bring something for the little ones to keep hydrated. I usually would not give a park a four without upgraded items like shelter and restrooms. This property is in another class with it being a neighborhood park in my opinion. I am sure this property is such a treasure for the neighborhood. I just could not help but fall in love with Bluestone Park when I first laid eyes on it and I think you will agree.

Great Park to take family and friends. The stairs seemed endless or it was just me being out of…read moreshape a bit? You can definitely schedule a nice workout at this park, have a picnic at the top of the hil, roll down the hill, or take your children Kids Cove Playground. Restaurants are nearby and police are present. Landscapers do a great job keeping the grass low and keeping up with the park. By the stage, on the other side of the hill, they had a small festival to celebrate Juneteenth. Food trucks, bouncy houses, ppl selling merchandise, and some ppl just brought their beach chairs and enjoyed the live show.

I truly enjoy the events they offer at Mt Trashmore. They are usually family oriented and…read moreeducational. This event offered that and much more. It was a beautiful day and so many came out to support the Rising Sun Powwow. The costumes were amazing and their message is what we all need to be sharing with each other. There were food trucks but unfortunately none offered vegetarian choices. In the past powwows, there's been Native Indian food choices which I loved and hope that they bring back.

Best dog park in Norfolk! We love coming here. The people are great and our dogs always have a…read moreblast. We have been coming here for about 2.5 years. It's a great place to bring the dogs on a hot day because of how much shade there is all over. The shaded area covers over half the park. The dogs/people who come to the park are always great! The community has really stepped up improvements to the park in the last year or so. They've put in mulch where the muddy spots used to be and vamped up the water station as well. There is a tiny pool area for the dogs to splash around in, plenty of tennis balls and rope toys, and benches and picnic tables for the humans! Must check this out if you're in the area with your dogs! Great neighborhood.

Dude my dog is a princess and loves this place. She likes to go to the bamboo garden and do her…read morething. Fun people there too. Very friendly owners and dogs

A very nice relaxing park with amenities to boot. Spent all day outside cooking out and relaxing…read moreunder huge oaks and pine trees! Lots of room for activities and games. The perfect gathering spot for large families!

Lakewood Park offers much more than meets the eye. It may not be the most scenic, but I bet it's…read morethe most functional. This is one park if unfamiliar you should know more about. More over if you reside in Norfolk this should be a recreation area that you frequent. The park is in one word expansive and stretches wide and long. I think you will love hearing more about this Norfolk gem. Although not a new park by any stretch, as a matter of fact it's a petty old park. Located off of Tidewater Dr. a quarter of a mile in a residential area. However, it is well maintained with newer equipment and some extras in the rear that I will elaborate on. I will work myself from front to back of property for this review. Parking is huge! I have never seen it even a quarter full even with events. It is well maintained, but usually has some amount of debris around. The park office is also located up front too. You will find older clean restrooms that are used by not only park goers, but during the week it acts like a rest stop. There are two ball fields to the right. Two all purpose fields to the left used for football and soccer. Both are used for Norfolk Recreation League. Since I am not a resident of Norfolk I am unsure how the sign up process works, however there is info at the park office. All the way to the left is a full court basketball court, however the surface is in horrid condition.. Directly to the rear is the huge tennis center with nine courts, you read correctly NINE and it's lit. There is also league play for adults. The court is kept in great condition. In the center are the playgrounds which have anything but regular equipment. Slides, swings and unique items you will NOT find in any other park. One of my daughters favorite is one that you get on and slide back and forth. Another one twirls you around, so hold on tight. There are also three nice shelters with bbq grills. All of this is in close proximity of each other. Now let's move to the rear of the property close to the water. The Lakewood Dance and Music Studio offers classes, clinics etc. through the Norfolk Parks and Recreation system. If you are not a Norfolk resident there is an up charge. My daughter who is a dancer at a VB studio attends clinics. The Tidewater Rowing Center is at the very rear of the grounds. It's main build is very large and two stories. This is also home to ODU Rowing. Two good size out buildings house rigging and row equipment for the club and ODU. Two drawbacks to this park are debris, it seems like no matter how hard the staff clean up its around. On a visit tonight someone had pushed over a can apparently on purpose. Another issue is an element of homeless/transients. They have never bothered me, but I don't like it. Lakewood has a lot to offer and is a terrific facility in the Norfolk park system. Come see for yourself.