TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

If you're looking for Civil War sites and historical locations, Virginia is the state to do it in. Most of the battles in the war took place in Virginia, as a matter of fact.

Norfolk, located on the Elizabeth River, played an important part during the war, and there's plenty of sites there.

A walking tour leads you to nine of them.

1. Ocean View
Union troops landed here on May 9, 1862, intent on capturing the city. President Lincoln walked on the beach there, the evening before the assault commenced.

2. Elmwood Cemetery
Here, the West Point Monument honors the service of African-Americans during the Civil War.

3. Camp Naglee
This camp was organized in 1862, and served as a camp and hospital for the Union occupying force.

4. Moses Myers House
Built in 1792

5. Norfolk City Hall
A Classical REvival Building, built in 1847. Mayor William Lamb surrendered Norfolk to Union forces here.

6. U. S. Customs House
A Classical Revival piece of architecture, this is considered to be one of Norfolk's most impressive buildings. It was used by Federal troops as a dungeon from 1862-1865.

7. Elizabeth River Outlook
On March 8, 1862, the CSS Virginia steamed past this point en route to her attack against the Federal fleet in Hampton Roads. (The next day would see the battle of the ironclads Virginia (aka Merrimac) and the USS Monitor.

8. Fort Norfolk
Built in 1810,this brick fortification was established to protect Norfolk from the British, after the 1807 Chesapeake-Leopard affair (in which the British ship Leopard had fired upon the US Chesapeake, then boarded the ship looking for British deserters.)

9. Freemason Historic District
America's first Masonic Hall was built here in 1764. Notable Civil War-era houses here include the Purdie-Taylor-Whittle House (1791), the Selden House (1807), the Kenmure (1845) and the Glisson House (1840).

The Norfolk Botanical Gardens got their start in 1938, when 220 African-American workers were set to work under a WPA grant to clear 30 acres of vegetation, and plant the seeds that would become one of the largest collections of azaleas, camellias, roses and rhododendrons on the East Coast.

The Norfolk Botanical Gardens consists of over 155 acres, and is home to 30 themed gardens, as well as 95 bird species and 30 butterflies species.

A new garden was opened in 2009 called the "World of Wonders – A Children’s Adventure Garden" which consists of 3 acres where kids can "explore the connections between plants, international culture and the environment – all while having fun!"

A tram takes visitors in a circle pattern through the gardens about every thirty minutes. Visitors may exit the tram at any point, and walk around until the tram returns, or continue walking on their own. (The elderly may have a problem with the tram, as the step up is rather hight. The driver should have a little step for the use of such guests.)

At certain times there is a 45-minute boat tour, which takes visitors on a narrated tour of the Garden as seen from the canals that run throughout the garden.

The gardens are open all year round (but closed of course on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.)

Some of the gardens bloom during each season, so there is always something to see, although rose lovers will want to visit at the height of spring to see the various types of roses in all their glory.

Get your directions using 6700 Azalea Garden Road as the street address. You'll reach the gardens just before you get to the Norfolk International Airport. (Indeed, one of the airport's runways runs adjacent to the gardens, and plane watchers can be found on a knoll enjoying the site of planes taking off and landing.

What are the gardens?

Some of the gardens are:
Japanese Garden
Hofheimer Camellia Garden
Holly Garden and Turner Sculpture Garden
Tropical Display House
Conifer Garden
Sunken Garden
Winter Garden
Bicentennial Rose Garden
Border Walk
Colonial Herb Garden
Enchanted Forest
Rhododendron Glade

There is a lot of walking to be done, so wear comfortable shoes, and have a hat to protect yourself against the sun. A small cafe provides sandwiches and drinks. There is also a gift shop.

Cost? For adults, $7, for children 3-18, $5. The tram is free, the boat tour costs extra.

Official Site
http://www.norfolkbotanicalgarden.org

The Victory Rover is a modern-day cruise ship that takes visitors to Norfolk on a cruise around the Naval Station, but there are other cruises on offer, aboard the American Rover.

Like the Victory Rover, the American Rover sails daily. Indeed, it sails twice a day, rain or shine.

The cruises are seasonal, though, from mid-April to late October.

The American Rover is a "tall ship," with five huge sails to catch the wind...talk about exhiliarating! (Of course, it has engines if the wind doesn't cooperate.)

The American Rover has a spacious topside deck, a climate-controlled below decks during times of inclement weather, as wel as for serving cocktails, and spaekling clean restrooms.

At 11:30 begins the 1 1/2 hour Harbor Cruise (Wednesdays through Saturdays). Narrated, so you'll be educated about all the sights you sail past. You can also help set sails or take a hand at the helm. Lots of kids are typically on these cruises.

At 3 pm, every day during the season, is the 2 hour Harbor Cruise. No getting to help with the sails on this cruise, you just sit back and enjoy the scenery.

For couples, the Sunset Cruise can be special. Times vary depending on the month (check their website at http://americanrover.com). It's the most expensive cruise, also, but that's because in lieu of a narrated cruise, you get to see and hear live entertainment.

The street address for the cruise is 333 Waterside Drive in Norfolk.

If you're going to be in Norfolk, Virginia, a must-see event is to take a cruise aboard the Victory Rover. It's a two-hour cruise throughout Norfolk Harbor with a ship's-eye view of the Norfolk Naval Base.

The Victory Rover has comfortable seating both indoors and out (the cruises take place rain or shine), and of course there's a ship store with souvenirs and snacks. The cruise is narrated throughout.

The Victory Rover will cruise by cargo terminals, Old Fort Norfolk, Norfolk Southern Coal Piers, the Naval Hospital, downtown Norfolk's skyline, the Battleship Wisconsin, the shipyard and drydocks, the Monitor-Virginia (Merrimac) battle site, and the ships of the Atlantic Naval Fleet - destroyers, frigates, cruisers, submarines, amphibious assault ships and carriers.

You'll board the ship at Nauticus. There's plenty of parking there, by the way.

For more info, their website is:
http://navalbasecruises.com