19 Of the Best Things to Do on Norfolk Naval Base (2020 Edition)

Introduction

Once you arrive at Naval Station Norfolk, find some fun to help shake off that PCS stress and get to know your new community.

Navy Community Recreation offers leisure skills classes, outdoor recreation and rentals, auto skills, sailing parks and picnic areas and green spaces, information and resources, tickets and travel, command and fleet support and special events.

There are also abundant recreational activities in Norfolk and the surrounding Hampton Roads area — music, sports, theater, museums, parks and shopping. Take a ride back in time on the Hampton Carousel, or use some pedal power to bike along the historic Colonial Parkway. Treat the kids to interactive education at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, or marvel at treasures of marine history during the Norfolk Harborfest.

Read on to get some ideas or if you already know what you want to do, click the numbers below to jump to specific activities:
(1) Trip Advisor’s Top Attractions in Norfolk
(2) Bowling
(3) Golfing
(4-5) Gyms
(6) Marinas
(7) Movies
(8) MWR Liberty Program
(9) Parks, Rivers, and Lakes
(10-12) Special Events
(13-18) Attractions
(19) Museums

Suggested Read: Naval Station Norfolk: In-Depth Welcome Center

COVID-19 Notice

Due to the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic, many businesses, venues, and parks may be temporarily closed or operating under restricted hours. Many, if not all, of the ones listed here, are likely subject to health restrictions, though new re-openings and closings occur all the time. Check websites and call ahead to learn each listing’s current status.

Things to Do on Norfolk Naval Base

Trip Advisor’s Top Attractions in Norfolk

1. Nauticus & The Battleship Wisconsin

1 Waterside Drive
Norfolk, VA 23510
Phone: 1 (757) 664-1000

Berthed at Nauticus, the Battleship Wisconsin is one of the largest and last battleships ever built by the U.S. Navy. Explore its deck through a self-guided tour or join a guided tour that will take you back in time to experience the ship that earned five battle stars during World War II. Today, it also tops Trip Advisor’s Top Attractions in Norfolk.

Search for “norfolk naval base museum” and Google will point you to the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, owned and operated by the U.S. Navy. On Level Two of Nauticus, the museum houses a collection of authentic uniforms, weaponry, underwater artifacts, detailed ship models, and artwork. For more information, visit their website.

Bowling Alley on Norfolk Naval Base

2. Pierside Lanes

B Ave.
Bldg. CEP-127
Norfolk, VA 23511
Phone: 1 (757) 445-0646

Undergoing renovations in October 2020, when the bowling alley on Norfolk naval base reopens it will offer daily bowling as well as league action. Amenities include a pro shop, internet access, and a snack bar.

Norfolk Naval Base Golf Course

3. Sewells Point Golf Course

660 Ruthven Road
Bldg. CA-99
Norfolk, VA 23511
Phone: 1 (757) 444-5572

Established in 1927, Sewells Point Golf Course is an 18-hole PAR 71 championship golf course designed by Donald Ross. Enjoy the Pro Shop as well as golf lessons available with a PGA professional at this Norfolk naval base golf course.

Norfolk Naval Base Gym

4. N-24 Gymnasium

1570 Gilbert St.
Bldg. N-24
Norfolk, VA 23511
Phone: 1 (757) 444-2276

Norfolk Naval base gym, N-24, features cardiovascular equipment, strength training machines, free weight equipment, two basketball courts, volleyball, group exercise room, lockers showers, and a sauna.

5. Q-80 Waterfront Athletic Complex

1910 Decatur Ave.
Bldg. Q-80
Norfolk, VA 23511
Phone: 1 (757) 444-1232

Norfolk Naval base gym, Q-80 Waterfront Athletic Complex, features an indoor track, cardiovascular equipment, strength-training machines, free-weight equipment, a basketball court, two racquetball courts, showers, lockers, and a swimming pool.

Norfolk Naval Base Marina

6. The Sailing Center and Marina

LAG-88
9672 Massey Hughes Drive
Norfolk, VA 23511
Phone: 1 (757) 444-2918

At The Sailing Center, you can learn to sail, kayak, rent boats, and fishing gear. The center also offers boating classes for adults and summer camps for children. The wide array of rental boats includes kayaks and paddleboards, power boats for fishing and water skiing, and a fleet of sailboats from dinghies to cruising keelboats.

The Marina offers deep-water slips, conference rooms with a view, a nearby fishing pier, boat ramp, ice, bait and fishing supplies, WiFi, and dinghy storage.

Movie Theater Naval Station Norfolk

7. Main Gate Movie Theater

1500 Mall Drive
Norfolk, VA 23511
Phone: 1 (757) 440-1500

The movie theater at Naval Station Norfolk, Main Gate Movie Theater, is temporarily closed through December 2020. Check the website for updated reopening info.

MWR Liberty Program

8. Wind & Sea Rec Center

Address 1: Bldg. C-9
Phone 1: 1 (757) 444-4033

Address 2: Bldg. Q-80
Phone 2: 1 (757) 444-1216

The Liberty Program is geared toward offering low cost or free recreational opportunities to single junior enlisted sailors E-1 to E-6. From special events to tournaments to destination trips – this program brings the fun. Additionally, both locations offer movie viewings and computers with WiFi.

Parks, Rivers, and Lakes

9. Norfolk Botanical Garden

Norfolk Naval Base Special Events

10. Norfolk St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Norfolk, VA

It began in 1967 with a few Irish-Americans marching with trash-can lids and brooms around the tiny Ocean View headquarters of the Father Kealey Council 3548 of the Knights of Columbus. When they stopped for liquid refreshments, the leaders decided it was so much fun they wanted to launch a real parade the following spring. That little gathering has evolved into a parade up Granby Street through Ocean View that annually features nearly 200 bands, marching units, clowns, and floats and is one of the largest St. Patty’s celebrations on the East Coast. Visit http://norfolkvaparade.com for up-to-date info.

11. Norfolk Harborfest

Norfolk, VA

Every June, the city of Norfolk hosts one of the East Coast’s favorite festivals, the Norfolk Harborfest. This free festival is the largest, longest-running, free maritime festival in the nation. Enjoy three days of tall ships, the Parade of Sail, festival foods and beverages, live performances, fireworks displays on the coast and plenty of fun for the whole family.

12. Norfolk Waterfront Jazz Festival

Norfolk, VA

Hampton Roads’ longest-running outdoor Jazz Festival returns every August for two nights along the Downtown Norfolk Waterfront. On a warm summer evening, chill to the legendary sounds of top national smooth jazz and R & B recording artists. This popular festival features a variety of seating and ticket options, food and beverage vendors, plus a festival marketplace with crafts, retail items and more.

Nearby Attractions

Hampton

13. Langley Speedway

11 Dale Lemonds Drive

Hampton, VA 23666

Phone: 1 (757) 865-7223

This speedway, the only NASCAR-sanctioned Weekly Racing Series track in Hampton Roads, has been voted one of the top five NASCAR Weekly Racing Series tracks. Enjoy Late Models, Grand Stocks, Modifieds, Legends, Super Trucks, UCARS, Bandoleros, Super Streets, Pro Wing Champ Karts and Pro Six racing. Call or visit the track website for special events and ticket prices.

14. Virginia Air & Space Center

600 Settlers Landing Road

Hampton, VA 23669

Phone: 1 (757) 727-0900

The sky is no limit to your imagination and learning at this world-class facility, which features the Adventures in Flight and Space Quest galleries as well as hands-on exhibits telling the story of air and space exploration. Special attractions include the Apollo 12 Command Module, a Mars meteorite and a 3 billion-year-old moon rock. For more information, call or visit the website.

Williamsburg

15. Busch Gardens Williamsburg

1 Busch Gardens Blvd.

Williamsburg, VA 23185

Phone: 1 (757) 229-4386

The cultures of England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany and Italy serve as settings for Busch Gardens’ 150 acres of fun-filled exploration, including culinary experiences, world-class shopping and exciting live shows. The park is also home to more than 50 rides and attractions, including KIDsiderate areas especially for the park’s youngest guests, and has been voted the World’s Most Beautiful Theme Park every year since 1990 by the National Amusement Park Historical Association. Call or visit the website for park hours and ticket prices.

16. Colonial Williamsburg

101 Visitor Center Drive

Williamsburg, VA 23185

Phone: 1 (888) 965-7254

The motto of Colonial Williamsburg is, “The future may learn from the past.” The 301-acre historic area is an interpretation of a Colonial American city, with exhibits including dozens of authentic or re-created colonial houses, many relating to American Revolutionary War history. The site has buildings dating from 1699 to 1780, a number of them reconstructed on their original sites during the 1930s. Notable structures include the Capitol and the Governor’s Palace, each re-created and landscaped to what is known of their late 18th-century condition, as well as Bruton Parish Church and the Raleigh Tavern. Call or visit the website for information on tickets, bus tours and a calendar of special events.

17. Water Country USA

76 Water Country Parkway

Williamsburg, VA 23185

Phone: 1 (757) 229-4386

Escape the summer heat when you dip into Water Country USA, the mid-Atlantic’s largest water park. With its 1950s and ’60s surf theme, resort-style amenities and state-of-the-art water rides and attractions, including a 300-foot speed slide that drops straight down! Call or visit the website for seasonal hours and ticket prices.

Yorktown

18. Colonial Parkway

P.O. Box 210

Yorktown, VA 23690

Phone: 1 (757) 898-3400

The Colonial Parkway, a 23-mile scenic three-lane highway, connects the Historic Triangle of Yorktown Battlefield, Colonial Williamsburg and Historic Jamestowne. Follow along the James River, pausing periodically for points of historical significance and scenic views on cobble aggregate pavement meant to simulate an early colonial roadway.

Pro Tip: Obey all traffic laws along the route which apply to cyclists as well as the vehicle traffic.