Norfolk, Virginia, sits where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, serving as a maritime cornerstone of the East Coast. With a population of about 230,000, it’s the second-most populous city in the Hampton Roads region. 

While the city is known for Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval base in the world, it’s the city’s quieter layers that make it interesting. The downtown area has transformed from a port-heavy industrial zone to a walkable district filled with art spaces, restored theaters, and independent restaurants.

Founded in 1682 and incorporated in 1736, it has experienced several destructive fires, including one in 1776 that wiped out much of the city during the Revolutionary War.  Despite this, several older neighborhoods retain a distinct historical identity. The Freemason District, one of the city's oldest, features cobblestone streets and Federal-style townhomes. Ghent, just west of downtown, grew out of a land development in the late 1800s and was inspired by the Treaty of Ghent. The area became one of the first suburbs to house the streetcar elite and has maintained its late Victorian and early 20th-century architecture.

The economy was historically driven by shipping, naval logistics, and shipbuilding. Today, those industries are still major employers, but there’s been a noticeable expansion into arts, education, and medical research. Eastern Virginia Medical School and Old Dominion University are two key institutions contributing to the shift. The NEON District has emerged as a creative zone with murals, galleries, and performance spaces in repurposed industrial buildings. Former warehouses now house start-ups, artist studios, and cooperative workspaces.

Arts and entertainment options often blur the lines between classic and experimental. The Chrysler Museum of Art, home to more than 30,000 works, also includes a glass studio that offers classes and public demonstrations. The NorVa, a former movie palace turned music venue, regularly hosts national acts in an intimate setting. There are over 100 painted mermaid sculptures scattered throughout the city, each one decorated by a local artist. Originally launched in 1999 as a civic art project, they’ve since become unofficial mascots of the city.

The city’s food scene reflects its coastal geography. Doumar’s, a local institution since 1907, is credited with inventing the waffle cone, and the original cone machine is still in use. Nearby, Saltine offers modern seafood dishes in a building that once served as the main public library. The culinary reputation is growing steadily, fueled by a mix of tradition and experimentation.

Nature plays a large role in the daily life of residents. The city includes over seven miles of accessible shoreline and more than 140 parks. The Lafayette River, a tidal estuary, flows through residential neighborhoods and offers quiet paddling routes popular with urban kayakers. The Elizabeth River Trail, stretching over 10 miles, links downtown to the west side through a mix of wetlands, urban overlooks, and riverside boardwalks. One of the more unusual green spaces is the Pagoda & Oriental Garden, a gift from Taiwan in 1989, located near the city’s working port.

Norfolk’s older neighborhoods, with their mix of trees, porches, and alleys, attract more than just people. Raccoons, opossums, and snakes are common intruders into crawlspaces and attics. Two Guys Wildlife provides humane removal and exclusion services for homes and businesses experiencing unwanted animal activity. Contact us today for more information.