Visit 8 Secret Gem Activities in Norfolk, VA
Jack Rabbit Storage is proud to serve an amazing city like Norfolk, VA.
While you can always go to the movies or concerts, enjoy walks and parks, and try local restaurants, we wanted to share some sites seriously worth pointing out.
Hermitage Museum and Gardens
This art collection covers 5,000 years of human history, so everyone’s bound to find something that interests them here.
You’ll discover exhibits indoors and out at this museum, across more than 12 acres of space.
The eclectic exhibitions have included American Impressionism, New Expressions in Origami, and [Un]Natural Landscapes.
Of course, you can rent the facility for birthday parties and other special events. Hermitage Museum and Gardens offers classes on topics like paper arts, ceramics, and meditation.
On top of that, they often sell a variety of artisan-crafted items.
Norfolk Botanical Garden
Norfolk is home to the largest botanical garden in Virginia. If you love natural settings, this is a great place to visit.
Before you go, take a virtual tour on their website to get a sense of how big and beautiful this place is.
If you bring your kids, check out the WOW Children’s Garden, which lets kids explore plants, enjoy splash fountains, and more.
The garden also includes discovery stations, crafts, and scavenger hunts. You can visit on your own, or take a tour.
Norfolk Botanical Garden even has a butterfly house coming in summer 2021. Not only will you see a lot of greenery, but the site is also green in the sense that it is completely powered with renewable energy.
Chrysler Museum of Art
Since 1933, this museum has been delighting visitors.
Originally called the Norfolk Museum of Arts and Sciences, Walter P. Chrysler Jr. donated his personal art collection to it.
Chrysler Museum of Art conducts art classes, provides coloring pages for kids, includes family activities, and, of course, you can walk through the rooms to enjoy the many types of art it holds.
Exhibits have included collections by specific authors, glass and crystal sculptures, and more.
Nauticus & USS Wisconsin
If you’re interested in ships and science, then you’ll want to visit Nauticus and the USS Wisconsin.
Nauticus is a science museum all about ships and the sea. While you’re there, tour the USS Wisconsin, the World War II-era battleship harbored next to Nauticus.
Museum exhibits cover conservation and more and have titles like Planet or Plastic, Our Mighty Seaport, and Secrets of the Deep.
Lone Sailor Statue
After you visit Nauticus, take a photo with the nearby Lone Sailor Statue, which faces the bridge of the USS Wisconsin.
Surrounding the statue you’ll find eight bronze plaques honoring ships that had tragic ends.
A ninth plaque commemorates the attack on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Take a moment of silence to honor fellow Americans and world citizens.
Hampton Roads Naval Museum
If you’re beginning to think that naval history is important to Norfolk, you’re right.
Continue your exploration of Norfolk’s relationship with the US Navy at Hampton Roads Naval Museum.
While the museum is closed pending the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, you can prepare for when it finally reopens.
Pagoda & Oriental Garden
The next time you’re in downtown Norfolk, check out the Pagoda and Oriental Garden on the waterfront.
The pagoda itself, a two-story tower that honors Virginia’s trading relationship with Taiwan, sits at the center of the garden. Climb to the top for a 360-degree view that includes the surrounding Oriental garden and the USS Wisconsin as you walk around the upper deck.
The space is available for weddings and other events, so if you enjoy your visit, you might want to consider booking it for a special party.
Ocean View Fishing Pier
Get some delicious seafood and watch the fishermen at Ocean View Fishing Pier. This pier is more than a quarter of a mile long, as you walk its length you can get some great views, and photographs, of the surrounding ocean.
Before you go, take a virtual tour on its website.
The pier is available for large gatherings of people, meaning up to 500, and would make a great place for a big wedding reception.
As you can see there’s plenty to do in Norfolk that you may not have considered. Enjoy your visit or your move here! And if you need self storage when you get here, pay us a visit, we’re sure we’ll be able to help you.
