Norfolk’s central location, on the Eastern seaboard and mere hours from two-thirds of the U.S. population, make it not only a snap to reach, but easy on the budget. Groups are accommodated in a wide variety of hotels, from bed-and-breakfast establishments to full-service properties. Here are 3 reasons to Visit Norfolk:
1. Lodging & Meetings
Collectively, hotels in Norfolk provide more than 5,000 rooms for visitors many of which are located within walking distance of the city’s downtown meeting venues, shops, restaurants, attractions, and nightlife options.
The city offers a total of nearly 500,000 square feet of meeting space, complete with the latest in modern audio and visual equipment. The Mid-Atlantic city’s famed cultural centers, historic theaters, museums, zoo, and river cruises double as alternative meeting venues.
2. Dining
The streets of Norfolk read like a culinary map of the world, with stops in India, Greece, France, Spain, among others, but certainly not without overlooking Virginia’s beloved, hometown fare. Norfolk offers food tours where visitors will enjoy behind-the-scenes access to restaurants, culinary events, pub crawls and more.
3. Activities
It’s hard to find another city that offers both the excitement of a downtown and water & outdoor activities – you can learn to sail, kayak or golf only minutes from downtown! No visit to Norfolk would be complete without a visit to the famed the Chrysler Museum of Art & Glass Studio! This world-class museum, which reopened in May 2014 after extensive renovations, contains an envied collection of contemporary art, photography, Tiffany glass and historic works of art.
History enthusiasts can tour the Douglas MacArthur Memorial, the final resting place for General Douglas MacArthur and his wife and Naval Station Norfolk, the world’s largest naval base. Norfolk is also home to Battleship Wisconsin, one of the largest battleships in the world, which is docked in the city’s picturesque harbor and has served in both WWII and the Gulf War. Guests will also be able to explore the deep blue sea at neighboring NAUTICUS, a museum complete with touch tanks, an IMAX theater and interactive exhibits. New to Nauticus is a sailing school where guests can take classes to learn to sail! To take advantage of Norfolk’s beautiful weather, meeting planners can also plan excursions to the popular Norfolk Botanical Garden. Multiple outdoor activities are offered throughout the historic gardens – such as hiking the garden’s nature trails or embarking on a sunset kayak tour on Lake Whitehurst.
