Nauticus is a maritime discovery center located along the waterfront in downtown, Norfolk offering a unique form of experiential learning for all ages. Through interactive exhibits and STEM to STERN programming, Nauticus uses the museum, Battleship Wisconsin, sailing center, and Schooner Virginia to tell the story of the maritime environment, industry, and the military. Nauticus, The National Maritime Center 1 Waterside Drive Norfolk, VA 757-664-1000 www.nauticus.org

Home port to more than 75 ships of the Atlantic Fleet, Norfolk Naval Station is the world’s largest naval installation. Visitors may catch the tour bus year-round at the Naval Base Tour Office, 9079 Hampton Blvd. by Gate 5, at The Waterside or at Nauticus. Admission. Naval Station Norfolk Hampton Blvd. Norfolk, VA 757-444-7955 www.norfolkvisitor.com/norfolknavy

The Hampton Roads Naval Museum in Norfolk introduces guests to over two hundred years of activity in and around the great harbor of Hampton Roads, Virginia. It is one of eleven museums operated by the U.S. Navy and now, in conjunction with Nauticus The National Maritime Center, is the home of the Navy’s battleship Wisconsin. Admission is FREE! The Hampton Roads Naval Museum Norfolk, VA 757-322-2989 www.hrnm.navy.mil

Journey to mysterious places inhabited by exotic animals from around the world–without leaving Hampton Roads! Just board the Norfolk Southern Express train at The Virginia Zoo for an expedition to Asia – Trail of the Tiger or Africa’s Okavango Delta! Discover lions, bears, elephants, gibbons, giraffes, colorful birds and more! Watch the red panda climb through the trees just above your head. Go nose-to-nose with a prairie dog in an underground viewing bubble. Enjoy a stroll among our themed gardens and beautiful landscaping. The Virginia Zoo provides education and entertainment for people of all ages, and the Zoo is home to more than 400 animals on 53 beautifully landscaped acres. Our enriched exhibits encourage the animals’ natural behavior, and provide information about their habitats, what they eat and their worldwide conservation status. Visiting the Virginia Zoo is a fantastic thing to do with family and friends, and it’s a terrific value! Admission is $11 for adults, $9 for children (ages 2-11) and $10 for seniors (62+). Children under two get in FREE! The Zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except major winter holidays. Virginia Zoo 3500 Granby Street Norfolk, VA 23504 (757) 441-2374 www.virginiazoo.org

Beautifully landscaped MacArthur Square in downtown Norfolk, Virginia is the site of the four buildings that comprise the MacArthur Memorial. The Memorial’s theater contains several special exhibit galleries and continuously shows a twenty-four minute film on the life and times of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur. The Jean MacArthur Research Center (named after the General’s widow) houses the library and archives, education programs, and the administrative offices for the MacArthur Memorial and the General Douglas MacArthur Foundation. The gift shop displays General MacArthur’s 1950 Chrysler Imperial limousine which he used from 1950 to the end of his life. The museum proper is housed in Norfolk’s stately nineteenth century City Hall. A monumental rotunda is the General’s and Mrs. MacArthur’s final resting place where they are surrounded by inscriptions, banners, and flags heralding the general’s long and glorious career. Nine separate galleries arranged in two levels circle the rotunda and tell the story of General MacArthur and the millions of American men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces from the Civil War through the Korean War. A visit to the MacArthur Memorial provides a unique glimpse into the 20th century and can renew your faith in […]