In the land of Pocahontas, Norfolk is the cultural and commercial hub of the Hampton Roads metro area. As one of the world's busiest port cities, tugboats readily guide huge ships and barges into the harbor. Working shipyards are fascinating and accessible for visitors to watch.  No trip here is complete without visiting Norfolk Naval Station, the largest naval installation in the world and port to more than 100 battleships, aircraft carriers and submarines. On the average day of sailing or return from the sea, a multi-colored mosaic of military men and women in uniform fills your periphery. What a distinguished sight!

    Downtown Norfolk has Waterside Marketplace, Nauticus National Maritime Center, MacArthur Center and the Scope Arena also provide a wealth of restaurants, shops and entertainment venues downtown. Trendy Granby Street and Ghent’s Colley Avenue’s add a signature mix of sidewalk eateries and nightlife that speak to downtown Norfolk’s emerging cosmopolitan sophistication. Additional family attractions to celebrate are Norfolk Zoo, Virginia Air & Space Center, USS Wisconsin battleship museum, Ocean View Park and Norfolk Botanical Garden, which display more natural beauty per square inch than anywhere else in Virginia. Chrysler Museum of Art always has a world-class exhibit on display. Nearby Portsmouth has the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, which honors the likes of Moses Malone and Allen Iverson.

    As home of the first accredited high school for African Americans in the South, Norfolk has Black Heritage attractions that run deep. In fact, local Black heritage attractions are older than those in Washington, DC. Norfolk State University includes the popular Douglas Wilder Performing Arts Center, black college football and basketball. Crispus Attucks Theatre has made an astounding rebirth to host a number of popular Black plays. Robert Johnson’s hotel development company is building a 20 to 25-story hotel and condo complex on Granby Street.

    Hampton (map) stands out as home to world famous Hampton University, historically Black, Buckroe Beach and the first place in America where an African woman was brought ashore. The city is rich in many black History sites and Hampton University should be on every parent’s list to ensure that their son or daughter visit before selecting a college. Alumni know to make reservations early when Hampton hosts a Black college football classic.

    Virginia Beach (map) is the main reason for spring break and summer traffic congestion on Interstate 64 Freeway. Virginia Beach is as old as the shifting dunes and as new as the sand rolled in this morning. Thousands of Black college students already know Virginia Beach can be off the chain in summer months! At the beach you experience kite flying, sailing, surfing, swimming, sand sports, fishing, and diving in the Atlantic Ocean or Chesapeake Bay. Wiggle your toes in miles of clean sand, spike a volleyball, stroll the boardwalk, take a ride with kids on a carousel, eat delicious Chesapeake Bay crabs and salt water taffy while you listen to a band at the oceanfront. The more athletic and adventurous can bike or a hike over a marshland or through a forest of oak trees laced with Spanish Moss. Virginia Beach is also home to Oceana Naval Air Station, Camp Pendleton and the US Fleet Training Station. See real Top Guns flying advanced aircraft come from these bases in Virginia Beach. If golf is your thing, you’ll be amply rewarded with PGA Tour-level waterfront courses. At the day's end, the waves keeps time and nature's clock awakens you to a brilliant sunrise as sea birds dive for breakfast.

    When you consider the maritime activities, cultural institutions, soulful events, local attractions and beaches collectively, Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach represent a bounty of attractions for family & weekend getaways, family reunions, and appealing reasons to visit family in the military or in college.