Whether you have lived here your entire life or are new to the area, there is so much to know and learn about the Hampton Roads region.

With that, here is a list of a few fun facts you may not know about Hampton Roads organized by city:

Chesapeake

1. The South Norfolk Jordan Bridge in Chesapeake is the highest in Coastal Virginia and is the only bridge in the area that can be navigated by car, foot, and bike.
2. The Great Bridge Lock in Chesapeake is not only used to raise and lower water levels to help vessels move between bodies of water, but it is also a guard lock that protects water quality.
3. An Irish poet wrote about Chesapeake’s Lake Drummond. Thomas Moore wrote a poem called “The Lake of the Dismal Swamp” which is considered to be the oldest and best-known myth of the Dismal Swamp.
4. The City of Chesapeake LOVE sign is made of Loblolly Pine and each 6-foot letter incorporates animals native to the area.

Norfolk

1. Norfolk is a 400-year-old port city and is home to the largest naval station in the world.
2. The Underground Railroad that ran through Norfolk ran on the water. Learn more about this at: (Waterways to Freedom – VisitNorfolk
3. You can get a waffle cone made on one of the very first waffle cone machines at Doumar’s Cones & Barbeque.
4. The Elizabeth River Trail runs 10.5 miles between Norfolk State University and the Port of Virginia. Trail highlights include Town Point Park, Fort Norfolk, as well as several historical neighborhoods and is continuing to grow.

 Portsmouth

1. Norfolk Naval Shipyard, which was originally named Gosport Shipyard, is the oldest shipyard in the United States and dates back to 1767. Click here to learn more.
2. The City of Portsmouth owns and operates five museums. One of the museums is the Children’s Museum of Virginia which is full of interactive exhibits to fuel learning.
3. Legend has it that Benedict Arnold was held captive in a home located in Olde Towne Portsmouth. This area is only a square mile and contains over 250 years of history. Click here to learn more about Olde Towne Portsmouth.

Suffolk

1. VisitSuffolk offers foot, bus, and kayak tours of various Suffolk locations throughout the city.
2. Suffolk is home to Planter Peanut mascot, Mr. Peanut, and in 1941 was considered the Peanut Capitol of the World. To this day, Suffolk is still a major peanut processing center.
3. Suffolk contains over 8,000 acres of lakes and river shorelines. Click here for a list of waterways.

Virginia Beach

1. You can have a scavenger hunt at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach. Learn about sea life and find the animals shown on page 55 of the Virginia Beach 2023 Vacation Guide.
2. Virginia Beach is the Rockfish Capital of the world! Being home to many types of water, there is no off-season for fishing in Virginia Beach.
3. Virginia Beach is home to one of the largest private collections of WWI and WWII-era military aircraft collections. These collections can be found at the Military Aviation Museum.
4. The Virginia Beach Neptune Festival is made up of more than 40 events and is spread across all three of the area’s beaches during September and October. Some events include the International Sand Sculpting Championships, Neptune Arts & Crafts Show, and an 8K run.

Did we miss one of your favorite Hampton Roads’ fun facts? If so, please reach out to our Manager of Marketing & Communications to share your Hampton Roads knowledge.

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