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Chesapeake is a large and surprisingly green city of about 250,000 people in the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia, just south of Norfolk. It was created in 1963 when the city of South Norfolk merged with Norfolk County, and it is one of the largest cities by land area in Virginia, stretching from historic neighborhoods to farmland and swamp.
Nature is Chesapeake's biggest draw. The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge covers a vast wild forest along the North Carolina line, and the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail follows one of the oldest operating man-made canals in the country. Northwest River Park has cabins, camping, canoeing and trails, and the Chesapeake Arboretum shelters an old farmhouse among woodland paths.
History runs deep here too. The Battle of Great Bridge in 1775 was one of the first Revolutionary War clashes in Virginia, remembered at the Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways History Center beside the Intracoastal Waterway. The South Norfolk district keeps its early 1900s main street and homes, and Chesapeake City Park hosts the city's big festivals. Virginia Beach and downtown Norfolk are a short drive away.
A wooded 25-acre park beside the Deep Creek Lock, where the fresh water of the historic Dismal Swamp Canal meets the tidal water of Deep Creek. A pedestrian bridge and elevated walkway lead through the trees. Come on a weekend morning to watch pleasure boats pass through the lock.
A large city park in rural southern Chesapeake with a campground, cabins, a fishing lake, canoe and kayak rentals and wooded hiking trails along the Northwest River. It feels far from the suburbs. Reserve campsites and cabins ahead for spring and fall weekends, the busiest seasons.
A waterside city park next to the Great Bridge Lock on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, where yachts and tugboats wait their turn to move between the canal and the Elizabeth River. It has picnic shelters, a boat ramp and spots for fishing. Bring a chair and watch the lock in action.
An 8.5-mile paved trail on the old Route 17 roadbed, running beside the Dismal Swamp Canal, dug by enslaved laborers from 1793 and still the oldest operating artificial waterway in the country. Walkers, cyclists and horse riders share it. Expect deer flies in summer and bring repellent.
A quiet arboretum of mature hardwood forest, native plant gardens and shaded walking trails around a historic farmhouse that serves as its visitor center. Volunteers run plant sales and garden events. Wear closed shoes, as forest paths can be muddy after rain, and allow about an hour.
A small museum by the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal telling the story of the Battle of Great Bridge in December 1775, when Patriot militia defeated Lord Dunmore's forces, and of the canals that shaped the region. A monument marks the battle site nearby. Check hours before you go.
Once an independent city, South Norfolk merged with Norfolk County in 1963 to create Chesapeake. Its historic district has Victorian and early 1900s homes on tree-lined streets and a small main street along Poindexter Street. It is best seen on foot, ideally in spring when gardens bloom.
The city's main event park, with a big playground, open lawns and walking paths, and the home of large community festivals such as the Chesapeake Jubilee each spring. Outside festival days it is calm and spacious. Pack a picnic and a ball, and check the city calendar for event dates.
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Log in to add photosPhoto: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Boston Public Library, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District from United States, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Tere Rottink, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District from United States, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Tere Rottink, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: USACE, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
