Things To Do
Chrysler Museum of Art
The only Museum you'll ever need to go to, but I may be biased...
Norfolk Botanical Garden
Gorgeous botanical gardens, large grounds perfect for an afternoon stroll.
Hermitage Museum & Gardens
Historic home and museum, beautiful grounds, and great view of the shipyards.
USS Wisconsin BB-64
It's a battleship in our downtown, that's normal, right?
Norfolk Zoo
A great time for all ages, if only we had a Pygmy Hippo.
Virginia Beach Boardwalk
Classic beach boardwalk with shops, trails, restaurants, and a beautiful beach.
First Landing State Park
Gorgeous natural scenery with trails among wetlands, cypress swamp, and dunes of the cape. See the place where the Jamestown Expedition first landed in America!
Pleasure House Point Natural Area
Amazing wetland natural area. Great trails for watching the wildlife and feeling like you're not in a city so much.
Cape Henry Lighthouse
Walk to the top of the historic lighthouse for unmatched views of the bay and ocean. Is on an active military base so expect to have your car searched.
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
Stunning aquatic life abounds!
Prince Books
Lovely small business bookshop in downtown!
Maymar Poke and Grill
Best dang poké you'll get around here! Make sure to get there at 11 when they open, they sell out fast.
TASTE
A Norfolk classic, great sandwiches and salads
Koshi Sushi & Bistro
Our go to fancy date night spot, the salmon will melt in your mouth.
Azar's Mediterranean Grill
Excellent greek and mediterranean food, highly recommended to anyone heading into Virginia Beach.
Luce
Best Italian food in town, fills up fast so one should make a reservation in advance.
Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint Norfolk
Dive bar vibe with a great selection of beer and burgers. Probably our favorite downtown spot.
Benny Damato's Pizza
The biggest slice of pizza you've ever seen.
Streats
A classic Sean-Haley date spot in the heart of one of our favorite neighborhoods. Fun fact: we used to live just a block away!
LeGrand Kitchen
High quality burgers
Norfolk Smokehouse and Seafood Company
If you're looking for the authentic, local Norfolk food scene this is your place. Be warned: the banana pudding should be considered a controlled substance.
Pittie Dog Grill
Best shake in town!
Doumar's Cones & Barbecue
Home of the first waffle cone, and an honest-to-god drive up fast food joint. Certainly an experience.
Pelon's Baja Grill Oceanfront
Great beach tacos near the boardwalk.
Leaping Lizard Cafe
"A nice little brunch spot. Like... Southern... brunch...." -Haley
Karla's Beach House
Beachy cafe, excellent brunch spot right with access to the locals' beach (where we go to skip the crowds at VA Beach)
Zero's Subs
The best location for a local chain of sub/sandwich shops.
Colonial Williamsburg
About 45 minutes to an hour away. Excellent living history museum focused on our nation's early history. The actual site of many of the things you learned about in history class as a kid then forgot about.
Historic Jamestowne
Another living history museum demonstrating life in the early years in nation's first english-speaking settlement. Sean's favorite things are the replica ships.
Jamestown Rediscovery
The actual site of the Jamestown settlement. An active archaeological site discovering and preserving the history of the first successful english colony. Truly a "don't miss" destination as erosion will likely destroy the island within the next couple of decades.
Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center
Visit the battlefield where George Washington and comte de Rochambeau achieved the victory that cemented our independence as a nation.