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Aerial View of Norfolk at Night |
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Overview
Mermaids are everywhere in Norfolk -- though they are not necessarily alive! Throughout the city are colorful mermaid sculptures (the mermaid being the symbol of this, one of America's greatest ports). The street art display is known as Mermaids on Parade.
The city with the world's largest natural harbor naturally has strong ties to the sea.
The New Norfolk, as tourism officials like to call it, is a city with a storied maritime history, located at the junction of the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean. And though it's a longtime cargo and U.S. naval port, Norfolk has, since the advent of homeport cruising, gained popularity as a seasonal point of departure for cruises to Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Caribbean and Canada/New England.
"Norfolk Towne" was established by English settlers in 1636. The city's importance as a port dates to 1680 when King Charles II ordered the building of storehouses for imports and tobacco exports. By 1775, it was the colony's most profitable locale. The city was bombarded by the British in 1776 (on New Year's Day). Only the walls of what is now St. Paul's church survived.
Fort Norfolk (on the Elizabeth River) was built to protect the harbor during the period of tensions that became the War of 1812. The city was incorporated in 1845 (the first city hall in 1964 became the final resting place of five-star Army General Douglas MacArthur; it's now the Douglas MacArthur Memorial).
Norfolk was surrendered to union troops during the Civil War (but not before an 1862 battle in which the U.S.S. Monitor engaged the C.S.S. Virginia). The city has housed a major Naval base since WWI, and today is home to the world's largest Naval installation.
On a visit here you'll notice a few things right away, including the friendliness of the locals (even the security guard at the pier may quiz you to make sure you've seen all the important sights). It's Southern hospitality at its best.
You can walk right into the city center from the ship. In addition to being an important Naval town, you'll find Norfolk steeped in Colonial American history. The sights on the Cannonball Trail are well marked, and take you through 400 years of Norfolk history. But you may be surprised to find that history interspersed with plenty of modern touches.
Up from the waterfront, for instance, are big bank buildings and commercial high rises, the historic gems hidden in between. Head to the giant MacArthur Center (named for the general, of course) shopping mall and you'll discover it's built between St. Paul's with its historic graveyard and the 1848 Freemason Street Baptist Church, designed by the same architect (Thomas Walter) who did the giant dome of the U.S. Capitol. Also next to the mall (which itself is noteworthy as home to a Nordstrom's; important for shoe-lovers) is the 1794 Willoughby-Baylor House.
Culture vultures will be pleased to discover Norfolk's lively arts scene, which includes the Virginia Opera and Chrysler Museum. Dining-wise you'll find everything from down-home country cooking to fine cuisine.
Norfolk hosts more than 130 festivals year-round, most at Town Point Park, including the big Harborfest in June, a waterfront celebration with tall ships, fireworks, music and lots of partying.
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Other U.S.A. Cruise Ports:
Baltimore • Boston • Charleston • Fort Lauderdale • Galveston • Gulfport • Honolulu • Houston • Jacksonville • Key West • Los Angeles • Miami • Mobile • New Orleans • New York • New York (Brooklyn) • New York (Cape Liberty) • Norfolk • Orlando • Philadelphia • Port Canaveral • Portland, Maine • San Diego • San Francisco • Seattle • Tampa
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Where You're Docked
Ships use Norfolk's brand-new Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center. Parking for embarking passengers is available downtown via Cedar Grove Parking at $10 per night for all cruises; complimentary shuttles offer transportation from the Cedar Grove facility to Half Moone.
Hanging Around
The Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center, which opened in April 2007, is more than just your average cruise terminal. It's also a maritime museum of sorts, showcasing one of the largest privately owned collections of ocean liner memorabilia in the country. The cruise ship pier is also adjacent to Nauticus, The National Maritime Center; the center is home to the Battleship Wisconsin, one of the largest and last battleships built by the U.S. Navy.
Getting Around
Many of Norfolk's best-known attractions are within walking distance of the pier. Taxis are available at the pier if you want to venture further, say to the artsy area known as Ghent. There are also free NET (Norfolk Electric Transfer) city buses that operate around the downtown area. For excursions beyond the downtown area, a car is necessary.
Best Souvenir
Anything with a mermaid on it.
Don't Miss
 Norfolk's waterfront maritime attractions: At the National Maritime Center (1 Waterside Drive, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily Memorial Day to Labor Day; Tuesday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday noon - 5 p.m. rest of year, www.nauticus.org), the main attractions include Nauticus, a hands-on ocean-related science and technology center, and battleship U.S.S. Wisconsin (one of the last battleships built by the U.S. Navy; it earned five battle stars during World War II), which is docked adjacent to the center. Inside Nauticus, there's also the Hampton Roads Naval Museum (www.hrnm.navy.mil), focusing on all things naval. Nearby on the waterfront is the Armed Forces Memorial (look for the flag pole with the large American flag) which features poignant letters, cast in bronze, from soldiers who did not make it back from battle. For more, take the two-hour Victory Rover cruise to see the world's largest Naval facility; the narrated cruise goes past aircraft carriers, nuclear subs and guided missile cruisers. Tickets are available at Nauticus ($15 adults, $10 kids) or buy a combo with Nauticus admissions ($21 adults, $15 kids). 757-627-7406, www.navalbasecruises.com.
Tip: Bargain alert! If you're planning to do lots of sightseeing, the Passport to Fun, $19.95, will save you 25 percent off admission to Nauticus, the Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk Botanical Garden and the Virginia Zoo. And you get dining and shopping discounts too. It's available at participating hotels, or at 800-368-3097 or www.norfolkcvb.com.
Another fascinating military-oriented museum is the Douglas MacArthur Memorial (MacArthur Square, 421 E. City Hall Avenue, Monday - Saturday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., www.macarthurmemorial.org), which features exhibits and artifacts from the Spanish American War, World Wars I and II, the occupation of Japan and the Korean War.
Tour historic Norfolk on foot via the Cannonball Trail. It begins at 401 Freemason Street and winds through the city, pointing out some 40 points of historic interest.
The Chrysler Museum of Art (245 W. Olney Road, Wednesday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., Thursday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday 1 - 5 p.m., www.chrysler.org) is the city's art showplace, featuring permanent exhibitions of American and European masterpieces along with collections of decorative arts and glass. It's in the historic Ghent neighborhood.
Shopping fanatics should head to Norfolk's premier mall -- MacArthur Center (300 Monticello Avenue, 757-627-6000, www.shopmacarthur.com) -- right downtown and featuring some 140 stores (including some 65 that are not part of chains), anchored by Nordstrom's and Dillard's, movie theaters and restaurants.
Been There, Done That
Ghent is Norfolk's arty, fashionable historic neighborhood, with plenty of boutiques, antique shops, restaurants and cafes. Cab there from the ship pier.
Catch a ballgame. The AAA Norfolk Tides (www.norfolktides.com) are part of the New York Mets' minor league organization.
Go for a sail on a three-masted ship. American Rover Tall Ship Cruises (www.americanrover.com) offers two- and three-hour narrated trips on schooner-style vessels. The Carrie B (www.carriebcruises.com, 757-393-4735), a 19th-century riverboat, also offers an over-water expedition.
Sun lovers should head to nearby Virginia Beach (a 20-minute drive) where there's a rollicking boardwalk (you can rent bikes and roller blades) and beach scene. Beyond beaches, key attractions in Virginia Beach include the Virginia Marine Science Museum (www.vmsm.com) with its 800,000-gallon open-air ocean aquarium; the First Landing State Park, with some 2,888 acres of marshes, mosses, and forests plus 27 miles of hiking and cycling trails); and, for new-agers, the programs and a fabulous book/gift shop at the Association for Research and Enlightenment (www.edgarcayce.org), devoted to the study of Edgar Cayce, a major 20th century psychic.
Take a drive over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. The 17.6-mile span connects Virginia with the Eastern Shore. The views are fabulous -- it's a great place for birdwatching, as well -- and there are numerous scenic pullouts.
Seek history, tourist-style. Historic Colonial Williamsburg (www.williamsburg.com) is just 45 minutes away; this living history museum features a view of American life from 1699 to 1780 and encompasses more than 500 buildings, homes, trade shops and taverns. Also near the city of Williamsburg is the fabulous Busch Gardens (www.buschgardens.com), a European-themed theme park with main stage productions and some 35 rides.
Visit the animals. The 100-year-old Virginia Zoo in Norfolk has an exciting new exhibit called Africa which features creatures from the Okavango Delta including giraffes, zebras, elephants, lions, white rhinos, baboons and more.
Lunching
In Norfolk, many of the city's fun and/or fabulous restaurants are clustered into areas, such as:
Downtown's Granby Street: The Blue Hippo (147 Granby Street, 757-533-9664, lunch Monday - Friday 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., dinner Monday - Thursday 5:30 - 10:30 p.m., Friday - Saturday 5:30 - 11 p.m. and Sunday 5 - 9 p.m.) is hip and fun and offers a wide range of American tastes, from simple seafood to Cajun. Club Soda (111 Tazewell Street, 757-200-7632, Sunday - Thursday 5 - 10 p.m., Friday 5 - 11 p.m., Saturday 6 - 11 p.m.) is another trendy restaurant. Harry's Famous Barbecue (250 Granby Street, 757-625-1355, Monday - Friday 6 a.m. - 10 p.m., Saturday - Sunday 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.) serves up soul food in a 1950s atmosphere. Jack Quinn's Irish Pub (241 Granby, 757-274-0024, Monday - Thursday 11:30 - 12:30 a.m., Friday - Saturday noon - 2 a.m.) offers Irish pub fare. The Freemason Abbey restaurant (209 West Freemason St., 757-622-3966, open 11 a.m. Monday - Saturday, 9:30 a.m. Sunday, and until 10 p.m. Sunday - Thursday, and 11 p.m. Friday - Saturday) is a casual eatery coolly located in a converted Victorian church.
Ghent: For down-home Southern cooking like fried chicken and mac and cheese, try Cora (723 W. 21st Street, 757-625-6100, lunch Monday - Friday 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., dinner Monday - Wednesday 5 - 10 p.m., Thursday - Saturday 5 p.m. - midnight, Sunday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.). The Ghent Courtyard Cafe (in the Antique Center, 1400 Granby Street, Monday and Wednesday - Saturday 10:30 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.) features house-made sandwiches, soups and salads.
Near the Zoo: One fabulous not-to-be-missed experience is at Doumar's (20th & Monticello, 757-625-2817, Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. - 11 p.m., Friday - Saturday 8 a.m. - midnight), a drive-in, opened in 1904 and still offering curbside service and carhops. The ice cream is served in handmade waffle cones and the burgers and barbecue are also tasty.
Accommodations
Near the Pier: The Norfolk Waterside Marriott (235 E. Main Street, 800-228-9290) is not on the water but has great views and all the usual amenities -- even a kosher kitchen. The Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel (777 Waterside Drive, 800-325-3535) is right on the water near the Waterside Festival Marketplace (which has restaurants, shops and clubs) and has an outdoor pool. The Courtyard by Marriott (520 Plume Street, 757-963-6000) has an indoor swimming pool and is within walking distance of nearly everything.
On the Beach (and On A Budget): All rooms at the Days Inn Marina Beachfront (1631 Bayville Street, 757-583-4521) feature Chesapeake Bay views.
Romantic: The four-room Victorian Freemason Inn Bed & Breakfast (411 W. York Street, 866-388-1897) offers fireplaces and whirlpool tubs in all accommodations.
Parking Perks: The Best Western Holiday Sands Inn & Suites (1330 E. Ocean View Avenue, 757-583-2621), located 10 miles from the port, sits on the sunny shores of the lower Chesapeake Bay and offers parking perks for Holland America passengers. When guests book the "Park and Cruise" package, they can leave their car in a secured lot free of charge during the length of the cruise, and they also receive free transportation to the ship. While at the hotel, guests can enjoy seven miles of family-friendly beach and an exclusive bay-front patio with an outdoor pool area.
Staying in Touch
The Norfolk Waterside Marriott has a self-serve computer room to the left of the front desk; access is $0.69, and you just slide in your credit card.
Shore Excursions
Best Out-of-Town Choice: Hop on a bus and head to Colonial Williamsburg for a full-day tour. Step back into the 18th century in this restored colonial capital (the restoration in 1926 was funded by J.D. Rockefeller) with the help of a historic interpreter. You'll have free time to browse the gift shops and have lunch on your own.
Best Choice in Norfolk: Go with a guide for a narrated ride as he or she recants the city's colorful history. You will visit historic districts and the MacArthur Memorial.
For More Information
 Call the Norfolk Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-368-3097
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--By Fran Wenograd Golden. Boston-based Golden, whose contributions to Cruise Critic include features, ship reviews and destination-oriented port profiles, is the travel editor of the Boston Herald and also co-author of "Cruise Vacations for Dummies."
All images appear courtesy of the Norfolk Convention and Visitors Bureau.
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