Cute and tucked away! I had a frog hop on my foot here. It's serene and pretty!…read more I really enjoy the little park down the road. If you go into the woods, you feel like you're really somewhere else and don't have a main road a few feet away.

This is a beautiful small little park free to enter. The parking lot is right in front of the…read moreentrance. The front entrance of the park is through a Japanese red gate. Inside the park there are small water fountains, a small wooden red bridge, a stone bridge and some cherry trees. The park was clean and very well maintained The walkway of the park is a loop. At the far end of the park there was a Japanese style shack and a wooden gate. The shack had benches to seat and was ideal to take a break from the summer heat. Overall it was a really well curated Japanese themed park, good to spend about half an hour or so.

The Norfolk botanical garden has been on my list of places to see since I went to the national…read morebotanical Gardens in Washington Washington DC. I'm very glad I had the opportunity to visit and even more excited to become a member. Not only are the grounds impeccably gorgeous there are many ways to view them rather than just on foot. The free tram runs every hour and runs all around the entire property, giving you a good feeling for the gardens. There is a tower lookout, a butterfly garden, a Japanese garden, a rose garden, and even two beautiful redwoods. The most exciting feature is yet to come in September. The garden of the future, which is currently in progress . A stunning glass building that is an architectural feast for the eyes. I can only imagine it in its full splendor when it is complete in September. The garden of the future will include tropical gardens, arid gardens, and a café and when I am most, especially excited to see is Dale Chihuly has several of his pieces incorporated within the exhibits. We had the opportunity to take the boat ride, which I highly recommend Carolyn did an amazing job fighting the winds on our excursion, as Louis described to us the different wildlife that inhabit the water. I am excited to visit in the fall to see the gardens in transition when we come to experience the Garden of the Future.

Came to see Lady Macdeath. I was in yesterday and she hadn't bloomed yet, but she did start to…read morebloom last night. The line to get into the park and to see her was crazy long but definitely worth it.

I can't recommend The Fred enough. We held our wedding here in September 2025. It's nestled in a…read morequiet, cozy area of Ghent, and we loved the natural gardens for our photos. Their pricing was also perfect for our tight budget. We felt so lucky finding this gem. Eleise was wonderful. She always answered emails or made herself available when I wanted to visit the venue twice more after signing the contract. We had just under 50 guests, and the space worked beautifully for the romantic and intimate setting we wanted. We had an outdoor ceremony and used both the indoor and outdoor spaces for our cocktail hour and reception. The only thing I wish had been different was being allowed to set up a little bit the day before. I was told it wasn't permitted due to past negative experiences. We were able to rehearse our outdoor ceremony the day before, but didn't have access to the indoor space. Because of that, there was a lot to do on the wedding day, and my crew simply didn't have enough time to get everything done. That wasn't The Fred's fault, I should've delegated things a little better and asked for more help. Looking back, even a couple of hours the day before just to walk through the space with my planning team and place stickies around the place explaining my vision would have helped tremendously. Just something to consider when choosing your venue.

I've been here many events ago and recently had my own event here. The guy running the place is…read morealways nice and accommodating. The center is in the beautiful part of the Ghent area. I wish they can do something about the landscaping because It looks like big bushy weeds growing everywhere but I'm sure that's part of the "look" For the inside there are 2 floors you can make use of that includes a kitchen on the first floor. The center itself is spacious and for what I needed it for, it fit the need. The place is dated and could need some major remodeling.

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

Beautiful little spot to enjoy nature. It's well maintained and offers a small gravel parking lot…read moreright off the road. I appreciate how they have most of the flowers and plants labeled & organized by: annuals, full sun, shaded plants, & sensory plants! It's a great lovely spot to stop in for a picnic, lol stroll, or just take in the beauty of nature.

This was such a peaceful and unexpectedly lovely little stop…read more I pass this place all the time on Diamond Springs Road and have been curious about it for a while, so after an appointment, I finally decided to stop -- and I'm really glad I did. I had Lexi with me, the weather was beautiful, and it ended up being the perfect little walk for both of us. What I really liked is that this isn't just a place to look at flowers -- it's actually a really interesting garden and educational space. There were different themed sections throughout the property, including things like water-wise trails, native plant areas, perennial gardens, and herb/plant displays, which made it feel more interactive than just a basic garden walk. Everything was very well kept and thoughtfully laid out. It felt quiet, peaceful, and like a great place to just slow down for a bit. I also appreciated that it was dog-friendly, which made it even more enjoyable for me since Lexi got to come along too. I also loved learning that it's maintained through the Virginia Beach Master Gardeners / Virginia Tech Agricultural Research & Extension Center, because you can really tell there's a lot of care put into it. This was actually my first arboretum/garden stop in Virginia, and it definitely made a great first impression. If you enjoy plants, gardening, nature, or just finding little local hidden gems, this is absolutely worth checking out. Very peaceful, very pretty, and a nice little local gem. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area and want a quiet, scenic walk that feels both relaxing and educational.

I came here after going to a sports card show in Norfolk. It wasn't a planned visit but I was just…read morelooking for something interesting to look at since I had a lot of free time and the weather was nice on Saturday. I thought it would be a lot larger but the spot is quite small but it is very nice to walk around. There are also lots of nice areas adjacent to the garden and terrace as well. I parked in front of the garden went around it and then found the USS Wisconsin and the Naval museum just past the garden. I went around and finished checking out the other side of the garden after. The parking was free for 2 hrs in front of the garden and it seemed like parking in general was plentiful and open this weekend. It looked like college dormitories around the garden and some other residential areas around the middle of downtown Norfolk. There were many nice plants in the garden, the terrace was nice but not open as far as I could tell, and the koi pond was nice if someone would clean out the pond scum from the fish pond. There were small bridges over the water and multiple water fountains in the koi pond. There were a few benches to sit on if you wanted to just relax or meditate in the garden. Overall, it was a nice garden but it is not something to go downtown to see, but it is a nice additional thing to see if you are going to the USS Wisconsin and the Naval museum or if you staying in downtown area. Lots of people were exercising (walking and jogging) so it is a nice scene to pass by if you are doing that.

Great spot to walk around. There's ice cream inside too! Very yummy. Beautiful day to explore.read more