This is where my son and daughter-in-law are stationed. It is ecstatically beautiful to see all the ships and the big ones the small ones to the I forgot what they called them but the ones those little tiny ones that lead them out to see it is so phenomenal and I am eternally grateful for Opportunity of seeing it and on I love my semen and my daughter-in-law, see woman grace be to them always and Godspeed read more

See all

My first duty assignment was here from 1989-1995 onboard the USS South Carolina CGN-37. It was a great ship and times on base were a lot different than I see they are today. Going to the Burger King or Bowling alley was the highlight of our time off. Outside the base you could get a tattoo, get drunk and off course if you were a E- and UP they would sell you a car at a 29% interest rate. The place has changed a lot of the better, but it will always hold a special place in my heart. read more

I worked here in the 90s. The coolest thing I saw on NAS, which is what it was called at the time [Naval Air Station - now it's called Naval Station Norfolk] was the SEALs training as I crossed yet another bridge to drive into my work building. Those SEALs were boldly rappelling out of aircraft into the ocean like it was nothing! Because my commute was 1+ hour each way, I never ventured out much at NAS, nor took any of the tours. I was happy to have this experience, and even happier to relocate back to Alabama and work at Redstone Arsenal [and nearby (Cummings) Research Park] which is IMO a lovelier and friendlier base and research park. read more

09/14/21 TGPS/ TAPS class; I encourage if you're getting out please attend the classes they offer. And have all of your Medical and Dental records ready. Good luck!!!! Respectfully, Jjay R1616 read more

Naval Station Norfolk - 09/14/21 - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

See all

If you are going to be in the Norfolk area, make sure you stop by the Naval Visitors Center. Plenty of information and parking. Also consider taking the base tour. If you have never been on a base before you will enjoy it. They take you past one star and above housing, the Naval airfield, some on base statues and ship row. You will get a glimpse of how big the ships are and be able to see the difference in the ships. You will also get a look at some of the subs stationed in Norfolk. This is all depending on what is in port the day you visit. Definitely worth the $10! read more

See all

One of the largest naval bases with lots of activities going on daily. With plenty of restaurants available to your liking and of course the NEX. Great gas prices and small stores to shop in also. Bus tours also available for a better experience and history of the base and at times the Naval Ships will provide tours for military families and civilians as well. read more

See all

I was so excited to visit where my son is stationed! And a reminder that most military bases are a self sustaining town was very evident! This base is huge! And barracks are in various locations scattered across the base. My son even drove me over to where he works and showed off the different squadrons in the area! The squadron art on the buildings is really a cool sight! Not to mention all of the planes, helicopters and more! Seriously- they have everything you could think of! Movie theater, gym, healthcare, a couple restaurants and more! My son's room was exactly what I would expect- it reminded me of a dorm room and shockingly was cleaner than I anticipated. read more

Might be a great place to visit but it's very difficult to work for Military Sealift Command that runs out of Norfolk. They are extremely disorganized and work very limited hours (9 am - 2 pm Mon - Thurs) regardless of what they post so if you are catching a ship out of the east coast pool through Norfolk make sure you know who to contact at the naval station because you will most likely never be able to reach MSC as a civmar. MSC and the Navy are on ships out of Norfolk. MSC staff appear to work mostly remote so that's why it's good to know how to reach the naval station staff if you are arriving or departing through Norfolk as MSC personnel. read more

Seems weird to review NAVSTA NRFK but Yelp has been telling me to do it for years so I suppose I will based upon what I know. It is the largest Naval base in the world --- with the most traffic that is for sure. There are - that I know of, 6 main entrance gates and so typically as long as you know your way around you can find one to get into if the others are backed up - it took me a while to know my way around but I feel pretty confident now 10 years in. Ha! There is the "air side" of base where all the hangars are with the pilots and jets and the "pier side" where all the ships are docked. I've worked on both sides in the 10 years I've been a contractor - I prefer the "air side" which has more parking, less traffic, better on-off traffic at beginning and end of day through the gates, and a mini-NEX with more food options nearby (Cold Stone, Tim Horton's, etc.). The base has tons of things for active duty - MWR where you can rent boats, kayaks, and fun things, as well as a bowling alley, McDonald's, several gyms and barracks. Vista Point is a popular venue overlooking the HRBT at night with spaces for rent for Change of Commands, Christmas Parties and weddings. I've attended quite a few events here ranging from Change of Charge/Change of Command, Retirements, and Xmas Parties and it's a pretty nice venue all things considered. The auditorium spaces for graduations, retirements, and all hands training are pretty damn nasty. They need refurb badly with paint peeling off the walls and I'm sure understudied asbestos. Roads have always been awful with giant potholes and need of paving but in the last two years they have finally started doing that. They do public tours as well. read more

Wow this place is huge! Coming from a training command it was a little overwhelming the first few times I had to come on base for a meeting or to visit my husband on his boat. This place has a lot going on! The NEX is huge! I love the Navy Lodge! They always have events going on too. I think they do tours, but I haven't actually done one myself. After getting lost enough, I have had a self guided tour. read more

The worlds largest Navy base. Home of the majority of the Atlantic Fleet. However it's not just Navy. There is plenty of history here. The great white fleet sailed from here. On the water front are memorials to several ships including THRESHER and IOWA. There is also Admirals row with historic homes built for the Jamestown Exhibition. read more

Naval Station Norfolk - Our nation's colors - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

I love this place! See how the whole base works is fascinating! If you have any questions it's very easy to find someone who would be happy to help! read more

See all

Huge. Very old school feeling to it - probably because it is one of the older properies in the US Government system. Cool to see some of the ships up close. Friendly people and even a few gay bars (probably off limits) in the town of Norfolk itself. read more

Naval Station Norfolk - http://www.navstanorva.navy.mil/index.html - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

I had to laugh a little when I realized you could review a military base. I mean... "No, Detailer, I don't want to go to Norfolk -- that base has terrible Yelp reviews!" Sorry, I just giggled a bit. Again. I've had the (perhaps dubious) pleasure of "enjoying" this base in several ways. I've lived in the barracks -- both Schamburger and Penn Hall. Nothing to shout about there, but Penn was basically an economy hotel. It was nice coming "home" to a double bed that someone else made for you. Parking near the piers can be a pain, especially when multiple carriers are in port. Or during a Homecoming. I had to work out of multiple buildings during shore duty, and trying to find parking for each one was always a challenge. Trying to find the right doors to go in is even more so. Now, as a veteran dependent, I only have to go through the gates every now and then. It's much better, choosing your own time to get on. Definitely pay attention to the time of day and which gate. Gate 5 on Hampton Blvd and Gate 22 on Granby are open 24/7, as is Gate 3 (or is it 3A? Doesn't matter.) off 564. read more

This is a sleepy post that has one purpose - to host the Atlantic Fleet, keep them stocked, and send them out to sea. It has no real frills or the trimmings of some other Air Force or Army bases I've seen. But then again, refer back to its purpose and it serves that very well. I was a bit shocked to find the NEX complex off of the main post and in its own little enclave - but after visiting it, it's easy to understand why. Just take one look at the parking lot of the world's largest NEX and it'll answer all of those questions. Perhaps it's the traffic that is taken off of the post that gives Norfolk a bit of a threadbare feel. Or maybe it's that several of its carrier strike groups are out to sea. You take your pick. read more

Short but sweet, my nephews and niece are visiting from Colorado, for the 4th of July weekend. They're teenage, so nothing would excite them... However we booked the bus tour and they had a blast. read more

Double yawn!!! I've been to many military bases, and this is one of the most boring places to be stationed in. It's also one of the bigger bases in the continental United States with dozens of warships, several submarines and several tenant commands in this installation. Amenities - there's a food court, mini-mart, a gym, and a few others. The main exchange and commissary is across the street. The main exchange also has a food court. Also across the street is a small movie theater. Base gym - Horrible; sure this is free for military and dependents but the conditions inside needs improvement. Over 80% of the gym itself is dedicated to two basketball courts, the rest is limited to a weights/cardio room with little or no space. The weights/cardio room is air-conditioned but everywhere else is essentially outside air. Since it is now the summertime, it is super hot and humid in the gym so it can get annoying sometime. They're better things to do outside the base...though not that much more. read more

Base is ok. There's a bunch of bases all within the same area but there really isn't much for base transportation to get around so you'll do a lot of walking everywhere. Lot's of construction everywhere and it still seems like the buildings are all rundown. I would think there would be more of a single sailor outreach there but there isn't for the largest base in the east coast and one of the largest in the world. Norfolk is such a small town anyway outside of that and the weather wasn't the greatest when I was there which made walking miserable. The galley is what is to be expected of any galley, mediocre food at a good price. I would hope the summers are much better there. read more

Naval Station Norfolk - Maid of the sea - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Watch the traffic patterns and know the gates. Not my favorite base since it is too big and lacks some things that smaller bases have. read more

My wife and I were able to do a tour on the USS Eisenhower and it was awesome to see the enormity of the ship and all of the inner workings. I was like a kid at Christmas! Loved it!! read more

Naval Station Norfolk - USS Eisenhower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

This place is like the end of season 1 of the show 24 when you're really excited that they caught the bad guy but then you're let down because Jack Bauer's wife dies. You think it could be a good time but then you are filled with sadness read more

Attempted to do a naval base tour but ended up wasting an entire vacation day instead. The times listed on their website for tours is inaccurate so we arrived at a time when there was no tour happening. Was going to wait around for the next one anyway (since we already spent 40 minutes driving here) but was told that one wasn't going to happen because not enough people signed up for it ..so we would have had to wait in their office for at least 2 hours and even then they couldn't guarantee it wouldn't be canceled again. They also couldn't guarantee how long the "45 minute" tour was because of traffic on the base. Whoever is doing the organization at the office obviously needs to learn how to do their job. read more

Big, industrial, and unfriendly. Sure the ships are cool to see, but the rest of the base and its surrounding are dull. Probably one of the most unattractive military bases, which is sad since its the largest and oldest... you would think they'd take better care and make it more appealing. The workers at the nex and nearby auxiliary buildings such as medical and pass & deal are just unfriendly and rude. Apparently customer service or just plain friendliness is not a priority here. Last time I checked, it wasn't against military regulations to smile and be nice once and a while... read more

So for starters, I work here. I spend a lot of time here. I mean A LOT! This is the LARGEST naval base in the world and it's really big. This base is home to the Atlantic Fleet. There is a lot of activity on this base, parking is at a premium and traffic is an absolute nightmare during peak times (when the carriers are in) so give yourself plenty of time to do what you need to do!!! I seriously can't stress this enough! There is a lot to do on base, let's see there are the gyms, the mini waterpark pool in the summer, bowling alley and lots of places to eat: the bowling alley snack bar (please do yourself a favor and check out - the bacon cheeseburger is one of the best ones I've ever had in my life!) Cold Stone, Great Steak and Potato, 2 MCD's, Pizza Hut, Subway, 5 Guys and Rice King and two mini marts with gas stations. You have excellent shopping across the street at the NEX Mall and also in the NEX in the food court there is Taco Hell, I mean Taco Bell, a pizzeria, Firehouse Subs and NOW A BOJANGLES (I'll be doing a separate review of the Bojangles) There is a Chilli's near the NEX across from the Movie Theater. There is also a big commissary beside the NEX. Lot's to do and see, I particularly enjoy looking at the ships. It's a pretty cool base and you'll have lots to do if you're on base for any length of time. read more

Q80 gyms is the deal it's the best just wish they would have emailed me on the personal training

I was going to give this base 1 or 2 stars for its traffic problem but I have figured the way out to get from the hotels on Hampton Blvd. to the parking lot in under 10 min. Aside from traffic, this base is huge. If you have time, walk along the road with all of the piers. Lots and lots of vessels to see. Just don't take pics. Was told not allowed. I would give it 5 if their road conditions on base was better and they weren't always under construction. read more

Traffic is always crazy and getting around is a bit confusing...but it's the largest Naval Base so it's to be expected.

A very depressing base. When I first moved here and saw the base for myself, I wanted to punch a seagull. LOL ok I'm kidding, I love seagulls. Anywho, any military base isn't supposed to be all about the looks, more about the work, but I have to say San Diego naval base is pretty appealing and the surrounding area is gorgeous. We need to beautify this place nonetheless, let's make the sailors feel amazing to be on base or back home, yes? Lol. read more

If your looking for something to do for 4-30 years you should stop by, this place is really fun. They let me play with multi million dollar electronics, shoot guns and go on cruises around the world! Some of the best taco Tuesdays I've ever had and they have a free gym you can use, admittedly I need to utilize it a little more, but hey, 5 stars! read more

Many of the buildings desperately need to be renovated. Traffic is pretty bad. There's always some sort of work being done on the same route to my work building everyday. It takes about 20 minutes to get to my work building from the gate. It takes me another 20 minutes to get to the gate from my house and it's on about 5 blocks away. read more

I hate this base, lol. It's a traffic thing. Anyone who fights traffic day in and day out to get to and from work understands. That aside, this base offers a lot. The pier is awesome when you are on shore duty and don't have to worry about climbing aboard a big grey vessel and getting underway. Building C9 has some good eats and the eatery by Gate 4 is nice as well. All in all, this is a Navy base so if you are stationed here, you have no choice but to be here and if you are a civilian, you probably won't be here. read more

I got a tour of the base when my brother was stationed here as a flight surgeon: like a big university campus with big, bad ships: I got to see a lot of ships that were docked there at the time, including a carrier (I don't know which). They are huge! It may be blase for the military types, but it was a COOL experience for a civilian geek. read more

How does one write a review about a naval station? For I can only write about the parts of the worlds largest naval base I experience. The base itself is not the cleanest nor the nicest looking. The traffic coming on to base before 9am is awful, and leaving after 3pm is awful. The roads are beat up in areas, but the base still has a lot to offer. You have 2 gas stations on base, an MWR area with a decent food court, post office, computer area, barbershop, Starbucks and pool and ping pong area. You have the ships, always available to tour if you set one up, you have plenty of places to eat and a few parks to go to. The gyms aren't bad at all, but no matter what, this base is simply whatever you make out of it. read more

Largest naval base in the world. So it has a lot to offer. There's restaurants all around. The nex is impressively large if you haven't been here I'd say check it out. Before you judge it. read more

My family did a 45 minute bus tour (Tidewater Tours) of the base which was narrated by active duty naval personnel. Check in was uneventful but the naval personnel were neither the friendliest nor the most professional as they sat at the front desk talking about all their personal business. The gift shop was very nice and the staff running it was very friendly and very mature. After going through security we boarded the tour bus. The bus was clean and comfortable but the tour guides headset with microphone didn't work so she sat in the front of the bus on the microphone, so audio was still sufficient. The problem was that it seemed her narrative was a step off as she kept referring to "back there" to things we had already passed. Her grammar and tone was also not the most professional...I guess with a different guide I may have been tempted to give another star.(?) The bus driver was eating McDonalds the whole time while he was driving. The views from the bus were lacking and there was no opportunity to stop to view or take any pictures (even when we were instructed that it was ok to do so). The base overall appeared very run down. I am saddened that the most powerful and important part of our military's base is not in better condition. Not a tour that I feel was worth the money. Wouldn't recommend... read more

swo bot loves naval station norfolk. thank you for all of the outstanding naval service from all of the amazing and bright sailors. the fate of western civilization depends on you all. read more

What can i say that hasn't already been said.. this is Work.. and as far as Work goes the Navy has done me just fine over the last 14-years.. If your getting stationed in NOB i highly recommend getting to know the traffic patterns in the AM/PM because 5-min early/late can mean a bout 30-45 min ahead or behind your schedule.. The gates are constantly shifting which are open so keep an eye out for that as well.. DON'T SPEED!! I REPEAT DON'T SPEED!! the NOB PD are always happy to pull you over and harass you for about 30+ min.. it's just not worth the hassle.. Besides all that, there's a auto hobby shop, car wash, gas stations on both ends of the base, a cheese steak place with cold-stone and Tim Horton, a newly remodeled sub place at the carrier piers in the mini NEX.. the bowling alley is pretty decent.. and gyms everywhere.. So if you can't find it here - your just not looking hard nuf.. lol read more