The welcome center is conveniently located in Downtown Norfolk. I go to Selden Market often which…read moreis right next door and the parking garage of the City of Norfolk is attached to it. I must have passed it a dozen times, but just haven't had the chance to go in. I finally had the chance to pop my head in there when my friends were visiting from Montreal. It's quite a spacious space. They've divided the pamphlet areas into general state attractions on one wall and more localized to Norfolk and surrounding cities that are included in Hampton Roads/Coastal Va on another. I really loved that they have info of the other cities and not just Norfolk. They also have a beautiful "OMG NFK" art mural that is in line with the art work that can be found in the Neon district nearby. They have lots of Norfolk themed merch for sale and items from local businesses and artists. This is such a great office full of info for tourists and locals alike! The lady behind the desk greeted us upon entry and was more of "I'm over here if you need me" and not overbearing. Be a good local and check it out and play tourist in your own city! You might discover something new and not know your city as well as you thought! :)

We were lucky to find a nearby metered parking spot, but this is primarily a walk to location. Many…read moresouvenirs for sale. We walked away with two mermaid dolls for our granddaughters. Best visitor perk is a row of stools flanking charging stations. We'll lighted and spotless shop with every brochure of attractions that one can imagine. A must visit when in the area.

Fort Nelson Park (FNP) is a very small park in Portsmouth, next to the Portsmouth Naval Hospital…read more(PNH), on the corner of Crawford and Effingham Streets. While it might be a little park (±3.36-acres), it does have some attributes such as a large, grassy field and many historical markers to peruse. There are benches throughout, but no picnic tables or restrooms. However, it is good place to walk the dogs. The historical markers are the most interesting thing about PNH; Fort Nelson was built at the site where the PNH stands. The fort was constructed in 1776, during the Revolutionary War. Three years later, the British destroyed most of it. At one time, Benedict Arnold occupied the fort and it was rebuilt; it was even used during the Civil War. If you are at the hospital and need a break outside, it's just a short walk to FNP. I recommend reading the historical marks and relaxing on a bench--just make sure you don't need a bathroom.

There are no bathrooms, no playground swing sets, this plot of land is more of a walkable history…read morelesson with a couple informative signs & a few Naval warship items throughout. You've got some massive screws (props, propellers = screws), a pretty cool desert sand painted gun that we would expect to see on a destroyer & nice, clean & wide pathways to walk or ride thru the park on. It's a nice, clean & quiet with a few park benches to relax on & watch the sun setting behind the Naval Hospital. If you have base access, there's a big field in the back beyond the gym that you can really get a great view of the setting sun from, but if not, Fort Nelson Park will do.

I didn't run the Shamrock Marathon in 2021, but I applaud them for their efforts to adapt Shamrock…read moreWeekend to the strange times we're living in while keeping the runners safe. The 2018 Shamrock Marathon was my very first and to this date, my only marathon. It was the year they changed the course so the Marathoners were mixed in with the half marathoners and I was so thankful. It was amazing feeling the energy of the crowd at the start. It was so empowering choosing to turn right to go for 26.2 instead of left to the 13.1 finish. That race was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but also one of the best. The whole Shamrock experience is amazing from start to finish. The expo brings in top talent in the running world as speakers. The swag you get at the finish and the quality of the after party hasn't been matched by any other race I've attended.

Finally, have checked this local marathon off my list. (And my first FULL marathon! Yay)…read more I'm a huge fan of J&A and feel so lucky that we have such a vibrant and fun race community right here in my home town. I've completed the 8k and half marathon for Shamrock weekends in the past and, like others have noted, this one is a flat and easy course with a wonderful expo and packet pickup. This year, they didn't personalize the bibs so you all had to stand in a single really long line on Friday afternoon that snaked all the way around the convention center to pick up a bib and write your own name on it. Number was assigned when you checked in and they scanned it. Lines moved OK but I prefer the personal bib method with the numbers you line up with.... Expo was a bit lacking in variety this year but they had a wonderful selection of Shamrock-themed goodies and I spent way more than intended! The race was fabulous, the pacers were excellent, and the results and photos and after party and medals all made me a happy gal. I've run a ton of races and no one does it like J&A. Top notch all the way.

I lived in Virginia Beach for right at two years and my condo was two blocks from Virginia Beach…read more There are a lot of activities on the beach year round and I enjoyed many of them! My favorite was the "Neptune Festival" which was around Labor Day and signified the locals "taking the beach back" from the tourists! I do like the Neptune statue on the beach! I took some free yoga classed offered on the beach, enjoyed watching professional sand sculpture competitions, professional beach volleyball tournaments, and much more! I could have sworn the boardwalk was wooden back then. Regardless if it was wooden or concrete, the boardwalk would open for vehicles every Christmas to enjoy the Christmas lights on the beach! That was always a fun time and Virginia Beach does a great job with this lighting display! It's a must see! We enjoyed rollerblading, bike riding, jogging, and walking along the beach and boardwalk. Why no fifth star? The Atlantic water is ice cold! I did enjoy the beach itself, despite the sand not being as brightly white colored as I'm accustomed to at Orange Beach, Alabama. However, I did not enjoy the ice cold water! Also, during peak tourist season, the beach gets super crowded!

I sure do love my city. VB is such a vibe and really comes alive during the summer. It still offers…read moreso much fun in the off season and truly is a fabulous place to raise a family.

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.

I will say that J&A Racing has it going on, and the org definitely knows how to organize a great…read morerace weekend. From registering for the Shamrock Half, to the expo, the race itself, and the post-race after party, I thought everything was amazing. The Expo (Va Beach Convention Ctr): I picked up my bib on the 1st day, so it was somewhat crowded; however, things moved pretty smoothly. While I did not stick around to enjoy the festivities, there were plenty of vendors and things to do with the family to get the full expo experience. Like most expos, there were plenty of things to buy, but I did not get a sense that I was going to be harrassed to buy anything. Race day: This is a great race because the course is pretty flat. While most of it is a bit in and out for the half marathon, there are plenty of fun sights to see while running. The fluids stations were fully stocked, and there were not any major bottle necks at the start line and during the course. If I could make one change to the course, I wanted to spend more time running on the boardwalk. Other than that small complaint, everything was great. Post-race celebration: Here is where the real party was located. I was 100% pleasantly surprised that J&A Racing hosted the post-race party INSIDE of a huge pavilion tent because the temps were in the mid to high 30s. Swag: You definitely will get a lot of cool stuff with your registration fee. Pre- and post-race swag included a long-sleeve tech shirt, beach towel, cap, four beer tickets, a cup of a Irish stew (technically, soup), bag, and a bunch of snacks. *I feel like I'm missing something.* A couple of tips: -Be very careful with parking. Some of the tow truck companies were very predatory and towing cars left and right. -Arrive early to find well-priced parking. A few places were charging $35+ for day parking. This was disgusting because I'm sure they jacked up their prices because it was marathon weekend, which occurs during the off season. Fortunately for me, the parking garage at 25th St charged only $10 for 24 hr parking.

I didn't run the Shamrock Half Marathon in 2021, but I applaud them for their efforts to adapt…read moreShamrock Weekend to the strange times we're living in while keeping the runners safe. I've done all of the Shamrock Races, but the half is always my favorite. Well except in 2017. If you know you know... that race was BRUTAL! It's a flat and fast course. The scenery changes every few miles which is so great mentally and I've pushed myself to multiple PRs year after year. The crowd always comes out in force to cheer you on too. Everything is so well organized from packet pick up at the amazing Shamrock Weekend expo - full of vendors and world-class speakers to the finish line. I hope you're ready for a party- the Shamrock Weekend races have one of the best after parties in the business. It's a true celebration. I look forward to returning to Virginia Beach to run this one again and again!

Hampton Carousel is hands down the best carousel experience I have ever had, and that goes the same…read morefor my parents who were with me. The gentlemen running it were incredibly nice and gave us an unforgettable tour of this classic piece of Americana. My parents and I had planned to make the Hampton Carousel a focal point of our recent visit to the area since my mother is a member of the National Carousel Association, and we were so glad we did. This was a gorgeous Sunday and despite that the area was relatively empty. We had very few other folks come by the carousel while we were there and so the two gentlemen running it gave us the grand tour, including of the central support pillar, the electronics adapted to assist the century-old organ, and the other historical artifacts lining the walls. They did so out of the kindness of their hearts and a genuine affection for the carousel and its history, which you just don't see in terms of commitment at most venues anymore. The price for all of this? $1 a ride. What a deal! The carousel ride itself was enjoyable, and it's very cool that they have so many tracks of the hit songs from each year the carousel has been open. You never know what you'll hear next! The pavilion containing the carousel is beautiful and sturdy, which is particularly important when it comes to protecting the carousel for the next century or so. This was a fun experience, and you can't beat the $1 ride price. Genuinely great fun for everyone, make sure you stop by if you're in the area! Overall: 5.0 stars ----- Pros: - Amazing staff who go out of their way to make your experience a special one. - $1 carousel rides? The price is right! - Beautiful pavilion in great shape. - Fun decor with a ton of history behind it. Cons: - None, even their hours are great. Make sure you stop by!

Hampton Carousel (HC) is ready for Halloween! I had read about HC from another Yelper and…read morebookmarked it for a day we found ourselves in Hampton and whaddya know, we found ourselves in Hampton last weekend, a lot sooner than I thought so this bookmark came in handy. Our kids love carousels so I knew this would be the perfect little pit stop before we made our way back to the other side. HC is located right next to the Virginia Air and Space Science Center. - Parking - There was not a dedicated parking lot for the HC that we could see, so luckily we found street parking nearby and it was free. - TLC - Two staff members were running the place. One by the admissions desk and one operating the carousel. The woman by the admissions started her spiel like a seasoned actress rehearsing her lines for the next blockbuster movie. She did not skip a beat. She told us that the HC turns 101 years old this year! Wow, pretty neat that they have kept this piece of history well maintained. - Pricing and Ride - The cost is one whole dollar. Cash only. And you get your dollar's worth too. The ride seemed quite long, like a good 5 minutes, but maybe that's just me. I was riding the sleigh (that doesn't even move!) and I was feeling a little queasy by the end LOL. Our kids on the other hand, couldn't get enough. HC was decorated for Halloween. The women encouraged the kids to make their way around the carousel to the different spooky and ghoulish figures to nab some candy before it spooked them. The kids had fun doing that! Well worth the visit to witness a bit of history and super cheap entertainment for the kids. Ride $1, smiles priceless. Stay safe, Friends!

As far as neighborhood parks go this a really nice one. Just don't expect to find it unless you…read morelive in the area or use GPS. Located in the Lakeview Shores neighborhood of Virginia Beach. The park is situated directly off a residential street. There is no parking lot, however a grassy area can be utilized to pull off half way. I did not see a bike rack. There was no debris in the area. The park sits on almost an acre with a deep lot. Highlights are a full court basketball, playground and newer shelter. All the equipment is dated with the court showing the most signs of age. The good news is it's maintained. The large yard in the rear is perfect for recreation like a game of kick ball, or football. Everything was clean, grass mowed and even landscaped around the sign. I did not see one single piece of trash. I saw a can up front that was within its boundaries. There are no restrooms. There is something about this park tucked back in tall pines that's attractive. Young kids would enjoy and parents can feel good about that it's safe place to recreate in.