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.

I visited on a beautiful cloudless day and left grateful and teary eyed…read more The park has letters written by sailors who never made it home. If you read any of them, many are absolutely gut wrenching. The curved sheet metals are supposed to depict the letters billowed by the wind. It was a great reminder to relish the freedom I enjoy without second thoughts. I hugged my veteran husband tight and we left walking hand in hand. I love visiting Norfolk for this very reason -- I always feel thankful for our veterans' sacrifices and the freedom I enjoy.

This place pulls at the heart strings hard! I didn't think it would hit me like it did until I…read morenoticed the pieces of metal that were laying around with war stories on them. My father was in the Vietnam War and never told me stores of it because he can't handle reliving those nightmares to this day. The pages on the ground are letters from our warriors that more than likely never had the chance to make it back home to their families and loved ones. Walking up on the site you may not notice this at first glance. From the muddy boots that sacrificed everything, these stories brought a tear to my eye and put me in stitches. I can't imagine what it would be like to live through that war or experience it in general. Writings of blood shed and lost friends riddle the ground on this monument and deserve your eyes but beware that it'll pierce you straight to your heart like a flaming sword. So if you have some time in your day to stop and pay your respects, please do. Read some stories and reflect on the freedom most take for granted these days. And please pray that we never go to war in that fashion ever again. RIP war heroes

Early in person voting for the August primary was so easy at the new Voter Registration & Elections…read moreOffice, I love the centralized location near Mount Trashmore not too far south of Town Center. At the split of Independence Boulevard one takes Holland Road the short distance to Studio Drive on the east. There were a few cars trickling in at the mid afternoon time we visited. We drove to the back, weaving through traffic cones to the covered awning for "in vehicle" voting for over 65 and handicapped. A very nice and friendly election official checked our ID's and brought out the ballots. A short time later we were done. The setting is idyllic with trees surrounding the building and a large grassy lawn in the front filled with a gaggle of geese grazing, You did great with this new building City of Virginia Beach. I feel my tax dollars were well spent.

The new VB Voter Registration office opened up last month. It houses much more than voting. Offices…read moreand training areas are also under one roof and it's a big roof. The office is the Independence/Holland split. They have no signs, and the building is not visible. No issues with parking on my recent visit. I found the lot clean. They offer drop off ballots too! You cannot miss the box. Keep in mind it's under constant surveillance. I had no problem voting after showing my ID. It was a simple ballot in a VA special election. Everyone I interacted with was friendly. The area had comfortable colors and atmosphere to vote. Everything is now under one roof as opposed to spread out and presents nice for the VB community.

This park has several arches with pair of plaques on each side. These have the names and…read morecontributions of several well known artists, politicians, leaders, and sports personalities who were born in Virginia. There a section with some open space benches too for visitors. The park is kept neat and clean by the city. When I was at the park, I saw city employee removing litters from the grass area. I would also recommend visiting the park during day time. Overall a decent small park to get to know some of the greats of Virginia ie. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Woodrow Wilson, James Madison, Arther Ashe, and the famous Triple Crown champion, Secretariat.

This is a very small plaza area that features a gazebo with a bunch of cement benches in front of…read moreit. It is reminiscent of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but instead of stars on the ground, there are granite plaques on tall brick pillars. It is a self guided tour, whose honorees are Virginians, by birth or residence, who have made a significant contribution to the nation and the world. Some of the honorees include Woodrow Wilson, Edgar Allen Poe, Ella Fitzgerald, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Pearl Bailey, Booker T. Washington, Arthur Ashe, Patsy Cline, Thomas Jefferson, Pocahontas and Captain John Smith. Inductees can be nominated by anyone, but are officially chosen by judges from various backgrounds such as the heads of various historical societies, college presidents , and the heads of public libraries. There is an annual event to announce the newest additions to the Legends Walk. Be sure to check both sides of the pillars. That is where you will find plaques. This is a living attraction, with lots of room for expansion. (just see that spaces available to place a plaque on the pillar). Oceanographer Mathew Fontaine Maury and bluegrass musician Ralph Stanley were inducted as the Class of 2019. It is relatively easy to get to and is marked with a huge archway on each side of it. There is metered street parking and a few commercial lots within walking distance that you can park at to visit here. The meters cost about $2/ hour and the lots vary in price depending on what is going on and the season. There were a few urban campers taking a nap and hanging out while I was there. And the place could be a bit cleaner and maybe a little maintenance. The bronze plaques could also use some periodic polishing. All in all, it is still an attraction to see in Virginia Beach. It is not a destination spot though and would be best if it was visited during a trip to the boardwalk or one of the other local attractions.

Beautiful place for small elopement! Just park at the kayak launch and walk down the path. You come…read moreto a wooden dock overlooking the wetlands and the Cypress Creek. Photos are wonderful!

If you enjoy short day trips that involve the great outdoors then Windsor Castle Park should be…read moreright up your alley. From my home in Virginia Beach it was around an hour without much traffic. I planned this trip on a day that my kids had off school. Unfortunately we got a much later start then I hoped and was unable to cover all of the park. Our adventure started at the Smithfield Station entrance on a sunny mid 60's afternoon in November. Immediately your taken with the beauty of the area. Not to mention Fall in Virginia made this a special day with the foliage unfolding right before our eyes. We took the trail up to Windsor Castle and explored the exterior of the old barns and even the house thanks to a super nice City of Smithfield employee in the home. I snapped some pics of the house and was surprised to find out it is to be sold off by the city to a private party. The structure has really terrific bones, but is in need of a few million to renovate. What was more shocking is the antiques that were located in the non climate controlled home. A pre Civil War piano was the most noticeable YIKES! The area to be sold off includes all the barns and vineyard. Before we headed into Smithfield for a tour we enjoyed going down to the water at a overlook area. The scenery is very stunning and on a warm Fall day was even better. What was very disappointing was the amount of trash every where just below where we were standing. Lots of beer cans, bottles and debris in this beautiful marsh. Trash was also on the decking area with a trash can just feet away. We cleaned up the trash on the deck before leaving. The city, or a volunteer effort needs to get this cleaned up. Most certainly we need another trip back to this park to take in all of what is offered. I hope the next time we return a serious clean up effort has taken place. I mentioned. It is also quite shocking that Smithfield is selling off such a treasure in Windsor Castle. I am unaware of the budget constraints, or politics of Smithfield to really say more than what I have mentioned. On this visit we only scratched the surface of this stunning recreational area. Beautiful town, beautiful park and a must area to check out.

Ghent is a melting pot of cool architecture, museums, schools, churches, unique shopping, music,…read moreupscale dinning, antique stores, sidewalk cafes, street performers and yes hippies. The main drags of the business district are Colley Ave, Colonial Ave and 21 St. The residential area is eclectic pre turn and turn of the century Queen Anne, Tudor and Colonial Revival. Development began in the 1890's. It's name Ghent hales from from a city in Belgium. Neighborhoods include Ghent, West Ghent, East Ghent, Ghent Square. It is a city within a city since its Norfolk. This is where the most wealthy Industrialist of the day resided. The Ghent Historic District is on the National Register of Historic places. The most historic buildings of Ghent on a little research that I did Warren (c. 1925), the Holland (1904), the Mowbray (c. 1914), Eastern Virginia Medical School, Sarah Leigh Hospital (1902), Fergus Reid residence (1892), the Frank S. Royster residence (c. 1900-02), the William H. White residence (c. 1892), the Richard B. Tunstall residence (c. 1892), the Robert M. and Robert W. Hughes residence (c. 1895-1900), and the William Tait residence (c. 1895). On several of my visits on foot I came across residents running, walking, maintaining their yard and even conversing with their neighbors. It seemed like on every block a resident had a renovation underway whether big, or small. I stopped and talked with at least three Ghent residents and found them all to be super friendly. Interestingly even though the homes are very old, most have only turned over two, to three times in ownership per a local. I spent a great deal of time taking pics for this review, I urge you to check them out. My recommendation is to experience Ghent on foot as I have done on almost a half dozen visits. If you have yet to explore this gorgeous and historic area there is no time like the present. Christmas decorations will soon be up and from what I am told it will be spectacular. I think you will agree that it's a treasured place for us all to enjoy no matter where you reside in Hampton Roads.

This is the nicest part of Norfolk. A city that's already on the ocean has a smaller island that is…read morequieter and more expensive (read, more cared for and historical architecture). It's a walking tour paradise.

Before heading to a Yelp Elite event, I stopped by this library for some 'me' time. Starting last…read moreyear, I've made it a habit to go to libraries for resting before heading to a major event. Being an introvert, alone time is the best time and I'm sure a few extroverts would agree. Let's see how the visit went. Walking inside, everything was well put together. The library is a bit small with only one floor but there are a few tables and areas for using your computer. There are also private rooms if you need to spend time away from the public. And prior to the main entrance, there's a room where you can have a semi-conference and do presentations, which I saw one on the way to be seated. Also, in various areas, they had some artwork I assume from local artists or maybe students. Not bad. For the most part, the noise level was quiet to average while I read my book in peace. Definitely not an hour or so wasted for much needed private time. The next I'm in the area for an event, I'll be sure to stop by again.

The public library is a wonderful resource for many of things, providing free access to a wealth of…read moreknowledge/information related to life issues no matter what age or socioeconomic status. I received an email notification that my library card was about to expire. I headed in to renew my card and decided to roam around and see what kinds of resources were available that may apply to the population I work with or anyone I know who could benefit. It's awesome that they have toys available to borrow , along with items to keep one's mental state sharp. They even have a take a puzzle leave a puzzle section if you're into that sort of thing which also helps out with the environment. I posted pictures of a lot of the fliers and handouts they had available as examples of the info they provide. They have a seed library so you can plant a garden.

I've crossed Lions Bridge a few times and never knew a check-in until today. The bridge is at the…read moreentrance to the Mariners Museum and The Noland Trail. If you never seen Lions Bridge you may wonder where the name comes from. It will soon be obvious once you see the structure and huge concrete lion heads on the corners. The bridge is clean, well maintained and extremely utilized by pedestrians.

When I moved here was told that the Lions and the bridge were under construction and that they were…read morecovered and that it was going to be a while before you could actually see them while they are uncovered and it is such a peaceful area to just sit and relax