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Norfolk, The Seaside Charm: A 4-Day Family Adventure!

Discover family fun and seaside charm in Norfolk, America's playground!

19 July 2023

Norfolk, located on the eastern coast of Virginia, offers a perfect family-friendly getaway with its rich history, vibrant cultural scene, and stunning natural beauty. Explore the iconic Norfolk Naval Base, where you can witness impressive naval ships and learn about maritime history or spend a day at the Virginia Zoo, home to more than 500 animals from around the globe. With its beautiful beaches, charming waterfront parks, and plethora of kid-friendly attractions, Norfolk is sure to provide a memorable and fun-filled vacation for the whole family.

Travel plan

• Stay at The Mermaid Inn, a whimsical hotel resembling a fairytale cottage, where seashells adorn the walls and the beds are so cozy you’ll suspect a touch of magic.
• Begin your adventure with a visit to the Virginia Zoo, where you can hang out with gibbons and kangaroos... talk about making friends from across the globe!
• Meander along the Norfolk Botanical Garden's vibrant and fragrant paths, where even flowers can't resist unleashing their inner divas.
• Indulge in a seafood feast at Captain Groovy’s Shellfish Grille, where succulent oysters and butter-drenched lobsters dance on your taste buds, leaving you joyfully shell-shocked.
• Take a sunset cruise on the Spirit of Norfolk, where the shimmering waters of the Elizabeth River bid you adieu with a golden embrace, while you sip on rum like a swashbuckling sailor.

• Grab a morning pick-me-up at Three Ships Coffee Roasters, where beans are crafted with love and skill, making each cup a jolt of caffeinated bliss.
• Explore the Nauticus Museum, where you’ll practically feel the sea spray on your face as you stand beside mighty warships and dive into naval history.
• Climb aboard the USS Wisconsin to marvel at colossal cannons, mighty engines, and secret passageways that hide treasures of tales long past.
• Dine at Freemason Abbey, a former church turned restaurant, where heavenly seafood bisque and heavenly desserts are served with an extra sprinkling of divinity.
• Lose yourself among the vintage shelves of Prince Books, a literary treasure trove where musty pages whisper tales of forgotten worlds.

• Begin at the Chrysler Museum of Art, where masterpieces transport you to parallel dimensions, and sculptures seem to come alive when no one is looking.
• Visit the NEON District, a vibrant art enclave where buildings become canvases and alleyways burst with more color than a unicorn's dream.
• Recharge at Doumar's, home of the world's first ice cream cone, where each lick takes you back to the nostalgic days of sundae-filled childhood summers.
• Take a walk on the wild side at the Virginia Aquarium, where playful dolphins and mysterious sharks dance in an aquatic ballet that never fails to mesmerize.
• Feast on Southern flavors at The Ten Top, where fried green tomatoes and pecan-crusted trout ignite a symphony of flavors that'll make your tastebuds do the salsa.

• Embark on an early morning kayak adventure along the Chesapeake Bay, as seagulls serenade your journey and dolphins play a friendly game of tag.
• Stroll along the Ocean View Fishing Pier, where salty breezes carry the rhythmic hum of anglers casting lines, their hopes buoyed by tales of colossal catches.
• Savor a picnic on the beach, with sandwiches from Pendulum Fine Meats and homemade lemonade from LemonAid to make the moment taste like pure sunshine.
• Indulge in retail therapy at MacArthur Center Mall, where shops brim with eclectic treasures and the food court’s flavors can transport you to distant culinary realms.
• Bid adieu to Norfolk with a bayside seafood feast at Fisherman’s Wharf, where they'll "wharf" down and "sea"-rve you delicious dishes worth writing home about. Bon voyage!