Visiting Virginia Beach & Norfolk

No place says Virginia like Williamsburg and eastern Virginia's Historic Triangle, which also includes Jamestown and Yorktown. The core of Virginia’s history and heritage, a journey along the Colonial Parkway National Scenic Byway links travelers to these historic cities. Virginia’s Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay regions are home to a wealth of museums and destinations to enjoy – perfect before warm weather arrives. The Mariners’ Museum and Virginia Living Museum in Newport News; Fort Monroe and the Virginia Air & Space Museum in Hampton; and Norfolk’s National Maritime Center and Hampton Roads Naval Museum add up to a full schedule of fun for Virginia visitors.

2012 marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Hampton Roads. Join the celebration in Hampton Roads at the Mariners’ Museum March 9th through the 11th. The weekend festivities include the Ironclad BattleQuest, where visitors enlist in the Union or Confederate Navy and follow commanders orders in a fun and educational spy adventure. Encampments and re-enactments demonstrate Civil War life and military drills.

The celebration at the Mariner’s Museum also includes the three-day Civil War Navy Conference, with headliners Harold Holzer and Craig Symonds. The conference begins with Mr Holzer’s presentation at Christopher Newport University’s Ferguson Center Friday evening March 9th. The opening session is free and open to the public. The conference continues through March 11th with a full schedule of sessions at the Mariners’ Museum.

Newport News is also home to the Virginia Living Museum, showcasing the diversity natural gifts found across Virginia. Special events for spring 2012 include The City Dark on March 3rd. Explore light pollution and the disappearing sky through the documentary “The City Dark”. March 11th brings Nature’s Road Show to the museum – the popular event where visitors bring their treasures to the museum for experts to examine and identify. Learn about the secret life of bees on March 31st at Celebrate Bees. The museum Earth Day celebration is April 21st featuring a variety of special events and activities.

Hampton’s Virginia Air & Space Museum is the official visitor center for NASA’s Langley Research Center. Military families can enjoy the museums FREEdom Days!, featuring special pricing and admission the month of March – don’t miss March 19th when the air and space museum features a full day of special fun and activities. An exciting and educational destination any time, Virginia’s Air & Space Museum features the Space Gallery, Ham Radio Exhibit and the Adventures in Flight Gallery in its permanent exhibits.

Look forward to summer at the Port of Virginia in Norfolk and OPSAIL 2012. From June 1st through the 12th, the port hosts a stunning fleet of Tall Ships and Navy Vessels from across the globe. Join the festivities at OPSAIL 3012 Virginia commemorating the Bicentennial of the War of 1812.

Virginia Beach & Norfolk Hotel Map