Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Norfolk travel guide

Norfolk Tourism | Norfolk Guide

You're Going to Love Norfolk

With a population of 242,803, Norfolk is a must-see destination in Virginia, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Norfolk has to offer.

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Activities & attractions in Norfolk

Hunter House Victorian Museum
Architecture & Landmarks•Historical

Where to Eat in Norfolk

Downtown is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Norfolk. These include popular favorites such as Byrd and Baldwin Bros. Steakhouse (116 Brooke Avenue), 456 Fish (456 Granby Street) and Glass Light (201 Granby St). If you’re looking for affordable options, Texas de Brazil - Norfolk (300 Monticello Ave, Space #147) and Supper Southern Morsels (319 W 21st St) are great picks.

When to visit Norfolk

Norfolk in January
Estimated hotel price
$120
1 night at 3-star hotel
Norfolk in January
Estimated hotel price
$120
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Norfolk in July, when the average temperature is 78.8 °F, and the highest can go up to 86 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 32 °F, with an average temperature of 42.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in July, when precipitation is around 5.8″. In contrast, November is usually the driest month of the year in Norfolk, with an average rainfall of 2.9″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Norfolk

Plane

When flying to Norfolk, you’ll arrive at Norfolk Airport (ORF), which is located 6 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Norfolk include American Airlines, Delta and WestJet. The shortest domestic flight to Norfolk departs from Boston and takes around 1h 35m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Norfolk. The train journey from Norfolk to Alexandria takes 4h 21m and costs around $48 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Baltimore, expect to pay about $39 for a 5h 30m trip. The train station in Norfolk is called Norfolk, and is located 0.9 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Norfolk is to pick up a car rental from Washington, D.C., which is about 148 miles from Norfolk. You’ll find branches of Turo and Alamo, among others, in Washington, D.C..

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Norfolk, including FlixBus, Greyhound and VA Express Lanes. From Philadelphia, the bus ride to Norfolk takes 330 miles and will cost you around $93. From New York, the ticket costs about $113 for a journey of 425 miles. The most popular bus station is Norfolk Best Square, located 4 miles from downtown Norfolk. Norfolk Norfolk State University - Ballantine Blvd is also a commonly used station, and is 2 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Norfolk, you’ll arrive at Norfolk Airport (ORF), which is located 6 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Norfolk include American Airlines, Delta and WestJet. The shortest domestic flight to Norfolk departs from Boston and takes around 1h 35m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Norfolk. The train journey from Norfolk to Alexandria takes 4h 21m and costs around $48 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Baltimore, expect to pay about $39 for a 5h 30m trip. The train station in Norfolk is called Norfolk, and is located 0.9 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Norfolk is to pick up a car rental from Washington, D.C., which is about 148 miles from Norfolk. You’ll find branches of Turo and Alamo, among others, in Washington, D.C..

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Norfolk, including FlixBus, Greyhound and VA Express Lanes. From Philadelphia, the bus ride to Norfolk takes 330 miles and will cost you around $93. From New York, the ticket costs about $113 for a journey of 425 miles. The most popular bus station is Norfolk Best Square, located 4 miles from downtown Norfolk. Norfolk Norfolk State University - Ballantine Blvd is also a commonly used station, and is 2 miles from the city center.

Airports near Norfolk

ORFNorfolk
RICRichmond Byrd Intl
PHFNewport News Intl

Airlines serving Norfolk

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,837 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,934 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,790 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,698 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,446 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (780 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,696 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,244 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,349 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (346 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,968 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,851 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,203 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (967 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (2,922 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Norfolk

Where to stay in Norfolk

Average rates range from around $289 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $156 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hampton Inn Norfolk-Naval Base and La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Norfolk. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Norfolk, with prices from $64 to $1,640 per night. Ocean View is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Norfolk are about 41% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Downtown - In Norfolk’s most popular neighborhood to stay, recommended hotels include Glass Light Hotel & Gallery, Autograph Collection, Hilton Norfolk The Main and Courtyard by Marriott Norfolk Downtown.

Downtown - In Norfolk’s most popular neighborhood to stay, recommended hotels include Glass Light Hotel & Gallery, Autograph Collection, Hilton Norfolk The Main and Courtyard by Marriott Norfolk Downtown.
Most popular hotel in Norfolk by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Norfolk

Most booked hotels in Norfolk

See all
Hilton Norfolk The Main
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 695 reviews)
$295+
View
Bay Inn Hotel
2 stars
Excellent (8.6, 97 reviews)
$94+
View
Renaissance Portsmouth-Norfolk Waterfront Hotel
3 stars
Good (7.9, 815 reviews)
$181+
View
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Norfolk
2 stars
Good (7.4, 1654 reviews)
$109+
View
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Norfolk Airport
4 stars
Good (7.3, 774 reviews)
$155+
View
Quality Inn and Suites Olde Town
2 stars
Good (6.3, 718 reviews)
$104+
View

Renting a car in Norfolk

Renting a car in Norfolk costs $64 per day, on average, or $192 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Thrifty are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Norfolk is the Hertz branch at 2200 Norview Avenue, which is 6 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 5% cheaper than airport locations in Norfolk.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Norfolk (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Norfolk is Full-size (GMC Yukon or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Ford Focus or similar) are, on average, 58% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Norfolk costs $64 per day, on average, or $192 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Thrifty are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Norfolk is the Hertz branch at 2200 Norview Avenue, which is 6 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 5% cheaper than airport locations in Norfolk.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Norfolk (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Norfolk is Full-size (GMC Yukon or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Ford Focus or similar) are, on average, 58% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Norfolk

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$27/day

Economy

Full-size

5 Adults, 2 Bags

$28/day

Full-size
Find car rentals in Norfolk

Norfolk Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Norfolk city guide for the best Norfolk travel tips. To help you organize your Norfolk trip ideas, this Norfolk visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.