My family called Norfolk, VA, home for six years and we loved it! I’m so glad we lived there during our kids’ preschool and early elementary years. There are so many fun things to do with kids in and around Norfolk. Here are a few of my favorites:
The Virginia Zoo & Lafayette Park – Norfolk, VA
Tigers, elephants, kangaroos, and much, much more! The zoo also has a farm animal area and reptile building. Children love to ride the zoo’s Norfolk Southern Express. (The train ride is an additional $2.00 per person.) In the summer, kids can play on the zoo’s splash pad (so bring a swimsuit or clothes that can get wet). Also, there’s a great playground at Lafayette Park, which is next door to the zoo. Admission to the park is free.
Nauticus & Battleship Wisconsin – Norfolk, VA
Nauticus will educate and impress you with a variety of maritime exhibits featuring military vessels, the Port of Virginia, and underwater exploration to name a few. The highlight of your visit will be touring the USS Wisconsin. (Ok, I may be biased because my dad served aboard the Wisconsin during the Korean War.) This massive ship is one of the largest and last battleships built by the U.S. Navy. A visit to the Wisconsin is an opportunity to touch a piece of American history. If you’d like to see more Navy ships, you can also visit Naval Station Norfolk for a tour.
Slover Library – Norfolk, VA
Norfolk has several terrific libraries, including the Slover Library, which opened in 2015. Slover has an entire floor devoted to children, including books, a toddler play area, kid zone, pre-teen area, and teen space. This library even has a 3D printer and video game room, along with computer labs, genealogy resources, an art studio, and a restaurant on site! Check out their online calendar for free classes and events.
Chrysler Museum of Art – Norfolk, VA
Admission is free. Parking is free. Need I say more? Be sure to visit the Ancient Worlds exhibit with the kids, where you’ll see Egyptian mummies and other ancient artifacts. The museum also has an extensive glass art collection, and a glass blowing demonstration every day at noon.
Norfolk Botanical Garden – Norfolk, VA
The Botanical Garden is the perfect setting for a walk, picnic, or bike ride. The kids will enjoy the WOW Children’s Garden, which has fantastic splash pads and fountains running April-September. (Shoes are required, so bring some that can get wet.) The Garden’s Butterfly House is open in the summer, or you can drive through the 2-mile Garden of Lights holiday display in December.
Ocean View Beach Park – Norfolk, VA
Obviously, there are plenty of beaches in Virginia Beach, but when our kids were little, we enjoyed the Norfolk beaches on the bay where we didn’t have to contend with big waves. Ocean View Beach Park offers public parking and restrooms. (It also happens to be across the street from the Mary D. Pretlow Library, where the second floor is dedicated to books and activities for young children.) East Beach (off East Beach Drive) is also an excellent beach option.
Children’s Museum of Virginia – Portsmouth, VA
If you are visiting Norfolk with young children, you don’t want to miss this museum! It’s located in Portsmouth, a 10-minute drive from downtown Norfolk. Kids will blow giant bubbles, put out “fires,” act in their own play, put science principles into practice, and so much more! The whole family will marvel at the huge collection of vintage toys and trains. There aren’t a lot of options for food in and around the museum, so you may want to bring snacks or a picnic lunch to eat in the grassy courtyard outside the museum.
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center – Virginia Beach, VA
The Virginia Aquarium is a large, dynamic facility where you could easily spend four hours (maybe more). The shark tank and adjacent submarine exhibit have always been my kids’ favorites. We also enjoyed petting the rays and watching the otters. The Aquarium features a National Geographic 3D Movie Theater and a nice lunch café.
Virginia Air & Space Center – Hampton, VA
If you have an airplane lover or space enthusiast in your family, you’ll want to visit this museum! Kids will learn about the advent of flight, military aircraft, and NASA’s space exploration programs. There are several hands-on exhibits to explore, but the museum isn’t huge, so you probably won’t need more than a couple of hours to see it. There is an IMAX theater and a small lunch café onsite.
Virginia Living Museum – Newport News, VA
The Living Museum has something for everyone with exhibits featuring plants, animals, geology, and conservation, plus a planetarium. My kids especially liked the nocturnal section, probably because the bats and opossums made their mama squirm! We’ve also seen amazing temporary exhibits here, so check their website for special exhibit information before you visit.
Bonus tip: The MacArthur Center mall in downtown Norfolk has a fun play area for children under 42 inches tall. The play area is located on the third floor, along with a movie theater and food court. If you’re there between mid-November and mid-January, you can ice skate on the MacArthur Center’s outdoor ice rink. Skates are available to rent.
Enjoy your time in Norfolk, friends!