Norfolk, VA, features a vibrant, modern downtown of marinas, museums, shops, a minor league baseball park, the state's official zoo, a botanical garden, and one of Virginia’s finest art museums. With a yearly average temperature of 68 degrees, be sure to include some activities that take the group outdoors.
Day 1: Culture
10:00 AM
Enjoy a guided stroll through the streets of Norfolk’s historic Freemason neighborhood as you learn about the vital role the area played in the history of America.
www.norfolkwalkabouts.com12:00 PM
Lunch at the City Dock Restaurant on the Waterfront will feature coastal Virginia specialties including signature Chesapeake Bay crab cakes. Groups can dine inside the airy restaurant or in the covered outdoor seating area with beautiful harbor views.
www.sheratonnorfolkwaterside.com3:00 PM
The Chrysler Museum of Art spans artistic periods from ancient Egypt to the present and includes one of the finest collections of glass in the world.
www.chrysler.orgDay 2: Play Outdoors
1:00 PM
The Norfolk Botanical Garden features 155 sprawling acres on Lake Whitehurst about four miles northeast of downtown. The options for your group visit include a 25-minute tram tour, a 45-minute pontoon boat tour, or a self-guided excursion by foot over more than 12 miles of floral pathways.
www.norfolkbotanicalgarden.org6:30 PM
A Spirit dinner cruise features a choice of culinary creations, music, and a beautiful view of Norfolk’s unique skyline.
www.spiritofnorfolk.comDay 3: The Wild Side
10:00 AM
Take your group to see elephants, lions, rhinos, giraffes, and baboons at Virginia’s state zoo, which is home to 400 animals on 53 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds.
www.virginiazoo.org2:00 PM
Give your group a look into this destination’s connection to the U.S. Navy by visiting Nauticus, The National Maritime Centre. A highlight of the complex is one of the largest and last battleships ever built by the U.S. Navy, the
Battleship Wisconsin, which saw duty in the Pacific in World War II.
www.nauticus.org7:00 PM
Your group will be wowed by the surroundings at the Freemason Abbey Restaurant and Tavern, built and originally dedicated as a church in 1873. The menu features fresh seafood, lobster, steaks, pasta dishes, and its award-winning she-crab soup. www.freemasonabbey.com