You can find me near the water…read more Nice walks are so good for the soul. And as much as I love eco-therapy, this Chicago girl loves the downtown pier and ferry even more. I mean, the pier is separated by the water taxi between Ocean Yacht Marina and Tidewater Yacht Marina right at the end of Olde Towne Historic District... which you can take to Waterside Marina. The ferry rounds every 30 mins. $4 for a round trip. You can't lose. The park has some history. There's the lighthouse and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum. Catch and release areas if you feel like carrying your bait box with you. If not, you can bike around or walk. It's quite a bustling area. You have to pass up so many antique shops, coffee shops, bike shops, restaurants, pubs & lounges, THEE historic National landmark theater, the Pavillion Park, etc... the list goes on. Not to mention, it's the perfect place to watch the sunrise.

I don't know how to grade this strip of park because I'm not quite sure what it fully entails. Does…read moreit stretch from one marina to the other while including the ferry terminal stops? I like the shade that the trees provide for an afternoon nap on this stretch down by the courthouse, but there always seems to be a few homeless folks hanging on the benches by the ferry terminal on High Street because of the shelter/mission up the block. I would prefer walking this area on a sunny afternoon without being asked for money. My chief complaint about Portsmouth is that I can't walk to a local restaurant without being asked for money. It gets to the point that even if you're at a pub having lunch outdoors that they come up to the railing to bother you.

This park is a fan favorite in Suffolk! Located just behind Kroger!…read more The playground at this park recently had a makeover & boast a lovely new playground with the foam ground instead of the wood chip covered ground. Lots of trails & even has a skate park, tennis courts, & a dog park!

This park was renovated. It seems to have more spectrum/ disability friendly swings! Which is a…read moreplus! There are a lot of other options for sensory seekers. You can also reserve the park for special occasions. Sometimes Suffolk Parks and Rec will host events here as well.

There are always suspicious men walking around. I did not feel safe at all. I had to contact a park…read moreranger because a man was being inappropriate. I dont recommend this park for women to explore solo.

I love this jewel in the middle of the city. It's such a sanctuary. It's small enough to not get…read morelost, the views everywhere are gorgeous, and it is seldom crowded. It's a clean park too. Whenever I feel stressed, I make a beeline for this little slice of heaven. When I have out of town visitors, I always take them here. I have some of the prettiest pictures that were taken during different seasons from this park. I love it here.

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.

Lafayette Park continues to be a sad park even with monthly volunteer efforts to keep it clean. On…read moremy recent visit debris was scattered from one end of this 7+ acre park to the next. I participated in clean up for two days in the Fall. I have been a volunteer for city parks for years. There is so much potential here with beautiful grounds, even new play equipment and shelters. The grounds are maintained by City of Norfolk. The location is in front of the Virginia Zoo and they have there own parking. Unfortunately a large homeless element can be seen early mornings and later in the evening so be aware. Not a park I now frequent with older children, but an option for many Norfolk residents since it's one off the largest.

I have been visiting Lafayette Park since I was a kid growing up in the 60's and 70's. The park is…read morewell maintained and usually clean. They have plenty of activities for children and adults to enjoy from playing basketball to just enjoying a quiet walk around the park. The park offers grilling areas set up for family cookouts that are well sheltered against the elements. If you are looking for a wonderful place to spend some time getting away from the fast pace of every day life, do yourself a favor and visit Lafayette Park in Norfolk.

There is so much potential for this the space that is The Plot and the Neon District. There is buzz…read morearound the plans that the City of Norfolk has to revitalize the area. It's a shame that a lot of established business in the Neon District has either left or have plans to move. The murals, the tables and chairs, and the potted plants that hang on the walls of the painted containers are all very nice to see, but wish that people utilized it more. At the time of my visit, the concrete in the Plot seems to be in pretty rough shape! More shade would be nice so that if people purchase food from surrounding businesses could have a place to eat their food out in the nice outdoors! If you're in the area, you should definitely check out the space and the murals in the area. There is a giant one of fish by a well known muralist in the area known as Onie Tonie. I also liked the one with "LOVE VA" that is one street over from The Plot, right in front of the Sanctuary, a local taco spot. Enjoy, Friends and never stop exploring!

I have now had well over a dozen visits to The Plot. An idea developed from the folks who own The…read moreParlor restaurant across the street a few years back. The goal to do something with the vacant lot which was an eye sore. So it may not appear to be much and maybe it isn't to many. However, it's the nucleus of the Neon District and that's enough for me to dub it pretty darn special. The location of The Plot is the intersection of Granby and Olney. There is a sign that was once for a car lot I believe. This is not a city owned lot like many believe. The City of Norfolk pays rent to the owner. Parking will be off street. The half block is repurposed land that has a few cargo containers for storage, a stage for performances and some art pieces. There are also plantings. You can find a newspaper mailbox made into a cell phone charging station, who came up with that fantastic idea. There is also station to get air for your bike tires. This more of a meeting type place than a park. There are a few benches. Small events are held here. The largest even for the area will be October 15&16 when the area holds it's first annual Neon Festival. There has been a lot of activity taking place in the 2-3 block area such as wall murals and construction of the new wheel house glass studio. I am excited and hope to attend the event. So what does the future hold for The Plot. For most this will be a shock. The Plot's land is actually for sale, if sold it will be moved one block over into a City of Norfolk lot of around the same square footage. This could always change I suppose, but this is information that I just recently got from a store owner. Come check The Plot you will love it. Walk around and enjoy the shops, restaurants and nearby Chrysler Museum of Art. It goes with out saying enjoy the art...it's every where. I applaud all involved in the Neon District, It is something Norfolk has needed and is beginning to take off.

Nice park to visit on a bike ride, take the kids to play, go for a walk, and even enjoy the…read moreSaturday morning open market. We biked here for a group ride. I went to the restroom and it was very clean. Whomever is tasked with keeping this up, bravo to you.

It's hard to say very much about this project since it's a little early. It's shaping up to have a…read morepretty entrance. This will be a combination development and green space. The open area space will be run by the city of Norfolk parks and recreation. I believe the parking will remain off street. I will update as more development takes place.

Not a large park, but there is lots of parking thanks to the convention center. Nice views of the…read moreriver in the swampy setting. The walkways are wonderfully paved.