If you are looking for Norfolk Virginia Hotels, you have come to the right place. Norfolk is home to historical attractions, world-class museums, delicious restaurants, and unique retail shops. You will find it easy to reach all that Norfolk has to offer; most places are within a short walking distance, car or train ride!
Visitors can learn to sail, kayak, play a round of golf or hike only minutes from the downtown area. Cruise the beautiful harbor on the tall ship American Rover or tour the city by foot, on bike, or light rail.
Families traveling with children will find plenty of options for kids in Norfolk. Along with a wide variety of water sports, you will find interactive fun both indoors & out at places like the Virginia Zoo, Norfolk Botanical Garden and Nauticus, to name a few!
Norfolk Virginia Weather – When to Visit
The best time to visit Norfolk Virginia is from late May to early September, when you’ll experience oceanfront culture in full swing. This is the peak season. The city and beach can get crowded during these months, and room rates at beachfront hotels are generally higher between Memorial Day and Labor Day. For lower prices and comfortable temperatures, visit in spring (from March to mid-May) or fall (between mid-September and November). You can also save some coin if you visit in December, January or February, but you’ll need to bundle up.
Best Norfolk Virginia Area Beaches
Oceanview Beach & East Beach
Ocean View and East Beach will leave you feeling as though you’re in a whole other world- one filled with fresh seafood, sand and seaside fun. Kayaking, sailing, fishing, crabbing, swimming or simply watching the waves roll in, Oceanview and East Beach are a beach lovers paradise. Enjoy fishing on the Ocean View Fishing Pier or if you’d prefer to stay on land, schedule a round of golf at the Ocean View Golf Course located one block from the Chesapeake Bay and marina.
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Chick’s Beach
The beach is very nice, the water is more calm and less cold because of the geography. The environment is super nice and calm, plenty of families, friends and couples enjoying the beach. Dogs schedule is respected.
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Willoughby Beach
A beach area that is not well-known outside of the local area is Willoughby in Norfolk. While Ocean View is somewhat part of the same area, there are different areas you can visit to explore Norfolk’s sandy beaches. This is a really important bird habitat here, great for bird watching.
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Buckroe Beach & Park
Buckroe Park has 3/4 of a mile of clean beach. Lifeguards are on duty Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. There’s a spacious nautical-themed playground to entertain the children and large restroom facilities with outdoor showers next to the playground.
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Norfolk Virginia Tours & Activities
Spirit of Norfolk Dinner Cruise on the Elizabeth River
Sail along the scenic Elizabeth River on a dinner cruise aboard the Spirit of Norfolk that features a dockside launch party, onboard entertainment, and a full dinner buffet with coffee and tea. See the Norfolk skyline light up after dark, have perfect views of passing submarines and Navy ships, and enjoy a fun evening of games and dancing on deck. Book your Spirit of Norfolk Dinner Cruise here.
Spirit of Norfolk Lunch Cruise on the Elizabeth River
Take a break from the city on a midday lunch cruise through the Elizabeth River. In addition to on–board commentary that gives context to key landmarks, enjoy sweeping views of the Navy’s Atlantic Fleet rarely seen by visitors to Norfolk. A seated buffet lunch with unlimited tea and coffee are served with live entertainment courtesy of your DJ. Book your Spirit of Norfolk Lunch Cruise here.
Electric Bike Rental Downtown Norfolk (self guided tour)
Use our Self-Guided History Tour app and follow Norfolk’s waterfront bikeways & greenways. Your Pedego e-bike has pedal assist and throttle to take you to all the must-see historical sites without breaking a sweat. Book your Electric Bike Rental Downtown Norfolk here.
Skip the Line: Virginia Living Museum Admission Ticket
Enjoy a day of family fun at the Virginia Living Museum during your visit to Williamsburg. Explore indoor and outdoor animal exhibits and see more than 250 species of wildlife native to Virginia, including bald eagles and endangered red wolves. Kid-friendly highlights include discovery centers, interactive hands-on exhibits, and an outdoor Dinosaur Discovery Trail with life-like dinosaurs, dig pits, and fossils. Book your Virginia Living Museum Admission Ticket here.
Electric Bike Rental- Self Guided Tour, East Beach/Norfolk, Va
Pedego Norfolk-East Beach is between the laid-back beaches of Oceanview along the Chesapeake Bay and the charming East Beach neighborhood at Little Creek Inlet. From the East Beach shop, it is a short ride to the Oceanview Pier, craft breweries, and restaurants. If you take the 30-minute ride out to Willoughby Bay you can see our US Navy’s, Atlantic Fleet. Book your Electric Bike Rental – Self Guided Tour East Beach here.
Best Norfolk Virginia Restaurants
Saltine $30
A street level seafood restaurant in Downtown Norfolk, Saltine offers a chic, airy space for diners to savor seasonal shellfish, seafood and spirits. Menu Telephone: 757-763-6280 Web: Saltine
Luce $11 – 30
Introduce your taste buds to an infusion of the different regions of Italy. A little from the north, some south–from Sicily to Sardinia–Italy has an incredible variety of regions and ingredients. Menu Telephone: 757-502-7260 Web: Luce
Varia $11 – 30
Featuring trattoria-style Italian fare, Varia serves as a combination lounge, piano bar and tasting room with a luxe atmosphere and unequaled wine selection. Menu Telephone: 757-763-6281 Web: Varia
Grain $11 – 30
At Grain, we’re elevating the beer garden concept, all the way to the roof of the Hilton Norfolk The Main to be exact. With one of the best selections of craft beer in Norfolk, this rooftop lounge brings the indoors out and the outdoors in with an open air patio and fire pit set against spectacular views of the Elizabeth River. Menu Telephone: 757-763-6279 Web: Grain
Grilled Cheese $11 – 30
This is a wonderful place for a variety of grilled sandwiches and french fries. If you’re into all things comfort, this a beautiful place to come and enjoy a fancy pants grilled cheese sandwich. Menu Telephone: 757-233-2512 Web: Grilled Cheese
Best Norfolk Virginia Bars
PBR Norfolk
333 Waterside Dr #104, Norfolk Telephone: 757-426-7433 Web: PBR Norfolk
The Birch
1231 W Olney Rd, Norfolk Telephone: 757-962-5400 Web: The Birch
Auntie’s Norfolk
4314 Colley Ave, Norfolk Telephone: 757-524-4909 Web: Auntie’s Norfolk
Press 626 Winebar
626 W Olney Rd, Norfolk Telephone: 757-282-6234 Web: Press 626 Winebar
Gershwin’s
332 Granby St, Norfolk Telephone: 757-226-0814 Web: Gershwin’s
Hi great info about Norfolk Virginia
I have never been myself but after reading this post about the place I think I want to visit. Beaches, rivers, museums loads of things to do even for the kids. With a choice of restaurants and other places to eat I will have to look them all up to see which one to visit first !!!
Like the list of bars too might have to take a very close look at those !!
Great review
Regards
Steve
Thanks Steve! Thank you for taking the time to leave me comments 🙂
Wow this is a great web site with plenty of wonderful information for any one wanting to travel. I live in Florida and very close to the beach I also used to travel a lot and this is the information I always looked for you need to know as much as you can about the hotels and places to visit any placer you go. This article gives you a lot of information. Thank you
Thank you Walt. I am glad you enjoyed your visit to beach travel destinations.
I went to the Hilton Norfolk The Main. Excellent location. Fantastic view. Beautiful lobby art. Excellent restaurant and bar. The rooms are in desperate need of an upgrade. The bed linens and pillows had become worn and discolored. The carpet smelled bad. A female staff member in the valet area was AMAZING! She was extremely accommodating and proactive.
I am wondering when you had the chance to stay here? Yes, it is an great location. I did not have the same experience with the bed linens. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave comments.
Thanks for bringing us this information on Norfolk. It seems like a real adventure and enough to keep everyone occupied and happy throughout the whole trip.
i certainly love the idea of hiring an electric bike and going on an adventure around the area.
The Virginia Living museum is another place that I would want to visit
You are welcome Geoff, glad you enjoyed your visit to my Norfolk Virginia Hotels guide. Thanks for stopping by.
Thank you for your really good review of the beach opportunities of Norfolk. With your information, I can plan my holiday and make the most of it. So many options for kids activities, they will be busy! Which, in turn, helps my workload a lot.
The photos make me want to be there already!
Yes, always good to keep the kids busy Eija! Thanks for stopping by and visiting my Norfolk Virginia Hotels guide.
After so many months of staying at home, all I want to do is to travel again and visit a good place with beautiful beach to spend a week or maybe two, and your article came at the right time, as my husband and I were wondering were to go to have a relax time for ourselves. It looks like Norfolk Virginia Hotels is the place we were looking for, as you descrive the place in your article, it has everything we were looking for, good hotel, nice places to visit, good restaurants!
Great! I know that anyone would enjoy vacationing to Norfolk Virginia. Plenty for everyone 🙂
I saw the weather is great there right now with over 30 degrees every day. Looks like the beaches are not too crowded what with the current pandemic, I guess. The Italian restaurant Varia with its unequalled wine selection would be on my list. So, does the Elizabeth river cruise dinner and a visit to Chesapeake bay which figures in many of the books I read.
Instead of right now I would prefer to go in springtime: end April, beginning May. Prices better, fewer people. A lot of Navy ships over there?
Yes, there are plenty of navy ships there. You can even take a cruise on one of them. It would be an interesting trip for sure. I would agree with traveling in the spring to get the lower hotel rates and less crowds, which is always good.
Norfolk Virginia was never on my radar, but after reading your Norfolk Virginia Hotels guide, I am interested in visiting this great place. I would not have associated such nice beaches with Virginia, but they look beautiful. Thanks for providing all this great information for planning purposes. I will come back when I am ready to start planning.
Glad I could help you Sean and make you aware of the great beaches of Norfolk. I appreciate you stopping by and taking the time to leave me comments.
This is one place I have been thinking of going and was just discussing it last week with some of my golfing mates.
After reading this article I am thinking we will definitely be doing it.
Is the Oceanview golf course an 18 hole course?
I also like the sound of the midday lunch cruise.
Ok, here is some information for the Oceanview golf course:
The 18-hole “Ocean View” course at the Oceanview Golf Course facility in Norfolk, Virginia features 6,011 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 70. The course rating is 69.2 and it has a slope rating of 119 on Bermuda grass. Designed by Ron Fream, the Ocean View golf course opened in 1926.
Hope this helps, and yes it is an 18 hole course 🙂
Great information on Norfolk Virginia! You did a great job of providing all the information that I needed to plan a beach vacation here. I’ve been looking into heading somewhere on the East coast for a vacation on the beach. This looks perfect and the prices are pretty reasonable for the hotels as well. Thanks so much!
You are very welcome! I am glad I could help with your vacation planning. Thanks for visiting beach travel destinations.
I like touring new places and learn new things. This is really a fantastic place that anybody who is thinking of a holiday vacation should think about. I have watched the videos and it is all wonderful with a natural look. Although I am not from Virginia or near to, I really admire this place.
Great! Thanks for stopping by!
Good day, I’m pleased to meet you. Well, I have never been to Virginia beaches before but the information you shared is convincing enough that these are nice and interesting places to be at. The information you provided about Norfolk makes me die to travel there, besides it’s fun to tour. Thanks for providing this interesting information. The post is well presented and organized.
All the best!
You are welcome, thank you for stopping by and leaving me comments!