Norfolk is a waterfront city in Virginia, United States. This independent city is Virginia’s third most populated city after Virginia Beach and Chesapeake.
The city has numerous popular attractions, making it a perfect destination for your next family holiday vacation. From historical attractions to outdoor recreational sites, you will not run out of ideas about places to visit or what to do in Norfolk, VA.
There are numerous parks in Norfolk, VA. Most of these parks are family-friendly and feature different recreational amenities for your pleasure.
Are you planning a trip to Norfolk? Here are the best parks in Norfolk, VA, for a fun outdoor time.
Parks in Norfolk, VA
1. Plum Point Park
Plum Point Park
One of the exciting things about vacationing in Norfolk is its beautiful water views to enjoy. Indeed the city has water surrounding every side of it. Visiting Plum Point Park allows you to experience this remarkable city feature.
Plum Point Park is located on the gorgeous Elizabeth River and is an ideal observation point for watching sailboats and vessels as they pass by.
This beautiful public Park was established by Norfolk so that tourists and travelers on vacation could enjoy the breathtaking views.
If you are an outdoor lover, this place is excellent for picnicking. It is a perfect way to enjoy the Park while still admiring its breathtaking views.
Address: Norfolk, VA 23507, United States
2. Lakewood Park
Lakewood Park is one of the top parks in Norfolk, VA. It is nestled in the heart of the city. This large Park features numerous facilities to help the community residents stay healthy and have fun.
If you are looking forward to having great fun with your family or friends while in Virginia, Lakewood Park is the right place to be.
Facilities in the 40.8 acres park include two lighted ballfields, a playground with play structures, nine tennis courts, outdoor basketball, an athletics programming office, horseshoe pits, and off-road parking.
The Park is also home to the Lakewood Dance and Music Center, where numerous performances are held all year round, and even many music and dance classes. It is open from morning till evening hours.
There are three picnic shelters at the Park for rent, each with a seating capacity of 100 people. They all also have a grill.
Address: 1612 Willow Wood Dr, Norfolk, VA 23509, United States
3. Harbor Park
Harbor Park
Harbor Park is located next to the charming Elizabeth River. It is part of the numerous beautiful recreational attractions in Norfolk, VA, that you should look out for.
Harbor Park is a stunning minor league baseball stadium that is an abode to the Norfolk Tides. The stadium has 10,000 seats, multiple picnic seating, and exclusive boxes.
If you want to watch a baseball match by every means possible, then drop by and purchase your tickets. However, if you are more into baseball, the Park offers several activities to entertain you.
After seeing a baseball game, you can also check out the Park surrounding the stadium, an ideal place to be with the entire family. Admission to the Park is free.
The Park has many facilities to keep you going, such as its walking trails and picnic areas. Harbor Park also features a fine restaurant called the “Hits at the Park” and excellent concessions.
Address: 200 Park Ave, Norfolk, VA 23510, United States
4. Ocean View Beach Park
Ocean View Beach Park
The Ocean View Beach Park is a 6.5-acre public park and one of the best parks in Norfolk, VA. It offers different beach-related activities for everyone to enjoy. The Park has a nickname, “the jewel of Ocean View,” which is popular among locals.
This Park has everything you need to have a good time, as it features a beautiful white sand beach. Throughout the summer, there are always lifeguards on duty.
It also has large open grassy areas for playing sports, picnics, and others, including a ball for hosting live music weekly and free outside concerts all through the summer.
Some events held during summertime include beach parties, family nights, festivals, barbecues, beach parties, dance parties, etc. You should also check out the sand court, fishing piers, and playground.
Address: 100 W Ocean View Ave, Norfolk, VA 23503, United States
5. RiverFront Park
RiverFront Park
The RiverFront Park is located in Portsmouth, VA, about 11 minutes from Norfolk. If you have some time to spare, you can check out this beautiful Park, which promises to be worth your time.
There are many fun things to do in this Park with your family and friends because of its various fun activities. The views in the Park are breathtaking and lively to watch.
RiverFront Park has a playground with play equipment, a riverfront trail, and gardens. The Park also has a riverwalk about six miles from it to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
Address: River Front Park, Portsmouth, VA 23704, United States
6. Poplar Hall Park
Poplar Hall Park is one of the fun parks in Norfolk, VA. The Park is spread across almost 15 acres and has various fun facilities to keep you entertained and active throughout your visit.
The Park features an illuminated softball field, disc golf, covered picnic spots, an outside basketball court where you can showcase your skill, and playgrounds for the kids to have great fun.
There are walking paths in the Park to enjoy a peaceful stroll and feed your eyes to the natural beauty inherent in the Park.
The picnic shelter in Poplar Hall Park is available for public use and can accommodate 100 people. It has a barbecue grill where you can display your culinary skills.
Address: Curlew Dr, Norfolk, VA 23502, United States
7. Town Point Park
Town Point Park
This seven-acre city park is beside the enchanting Elizabeth River in downtown Norfolk, VA. The Park lies next to Nauticus Maritime Museum and the U.S.S. Wisconsin. It is one of the top parks in Norfolk, VA.
If you want to have great fun this weekend in Virginia, Town Point Park should be a must-see. All year round, this Park is a hub for numerous outdoor concerts, festivals, and more.
Town Point Park also offers sweeping views of the beautiful Elizabeth River. It is an excellent place to visit regardless of whether there is an event or not on their calendar.
While at the Park, you can check out the gorgeous fountains, explore the waterfront, have a lovely picnic with friends and family, or see the beautiful public artwork.
Address: 113 Waterside Dr, Norfolk, VA 23510, United States
8. Bay Oaks Park
Bay Oaks Park is an 11 acres park on Ocean View Ave next to the new Bay Oaks neighborhood. You will have a great time here with the various fun facilities in the Park.
This Park comprises a playground with various themed play equipment and two mini parking lots. There are three principal areas, smaller equipment for toddlers and bigger equipment for older children.
There is also a swing section, which comprises baby swings, younger children swings, and handicapped-accessible swings. There are picnic shelters dotted in different areas of the Park so you can have fun with loved ones and friends.
Plenty of sizable trees in the Park provide lots of shade. To explore the Park even more, you can walk around to observe its beautiful views.
Address: 2413 E Ocean View Ave, Norfolk, VA 23518, United States
Also, check out the best of attractions and activities in Suffolk, and Portsmouth for a fun vacation in Virginia.
9. Oak Grove Lake Park
Oak Grove Lake constitutes almost half of the 153 acres of land occupied by the Park. The other park areas comprise forests, thick-growth pines, tulip poplars, wetlands, and maples.
The mixed forest and large lake accommodate butterflies, songbirds, and dragonflies. There’s also a 1.5-mile-long multi-purpose trail that surrounds the 65 acres of lake.
As you enjoy a walk down the trail, you will find picnic tables and benches dotted everywhere where you can sit and enjoy the magnificent views of the lake and its wildlife and woodland areas.
Boating and swimming are not permitted at the lake. Other park facilities include a playground with play structures, picnic shelters with grills, six fitness stations, a large parking area, etc. Oak Grove Lake Park is located in Chesapeake, Virginia, 19 minutes from Norfolk.
Address: 409 Byron St, Chesapeake, VA 23320, United States
10. Raleigh Park
Weekends are best spent with families, and if you are vacationing in Virginia and searching for a place to have a great time with your family, one place to visit is Raleigh Park.
The Park is located in a neighborhood setting perfect for the kids. There are two playgrounds in the Park; the first is designated for toddlers, whereas the other is for younger children.
Both playgrounds have various play structures and swings for kids to enjoy. There are benches for parents to sit and watch over their kids as they have fun.
A favorite part of this Park is its grassy hill. You can go up the hill and then roll down. The Park also has a large area, previously a sand volleyball court, but it is currently a sandpit for kids to have fun in.
Address: 635 Raleigh Ave, Norfolk, VA 23507, United States
11. Lafayette Park
Among the beautiful parks in Norfolk, VA, that you should check out is Lafayette Park. This 32-acre Park has different recreational amenities that will make your stay all day a wonderful experience.
Lafayette Park is a family-friendly destination with plenty of fun facilities for the kids to play with. The Park has illuminated baseball fields, tennis courts, outdoor basketball courts, playgrounds, and kayak launches.
You can enjoy a walk around the Park to enjoy the beautiful environment. Picnic Shelters are also available for rent. There are three separate picnic shelters; the first and second can accommodate 100 people, whereas the last can fit just 20 people.
Address: 3500 Granby St, Norfolk, VA 23504, United States
12. Barraud Park
Barraud Park is an ideal destination if you want to spend quality time with your loved ones and friends. The Barraud family once owned the property; they sold off the land to the city of Norfolk during the 1920s.
The Park is in a neighborhood setting and features twenty-three acres of land with various outdoor recreational facilities for everyone to enjoy. The Park also plays host to Norfolk’s boxing program.
The facilities in Barraud Park include a football field, a baseball field, a small theater, a boxing center, a basketball court, and a pier. With all of these fun facilities, you are sure there will never be a dull moment when you visit.
Address: 2540 Barraud Ave, Norfolk, VA 23504, United States
13. Northside Park
Northside Park
Northside Park is indeed a paradise for outdoor lovers. It is one of the fun parks in Norfolk, VA. This beautiful 62-acre Park has various outdoor recreational amenities that make your visit worthwhile.
If you are looking for a perfect destination to enjoy a one-of-a-kind picnic with the entire family, this Park in Virginia is what you need.
The Park has five separate picnic shelters, 12 mini picnic shelters, and a picnic area by the roadside. These shelters are available for public rental. The first picnic shelter can accommodate 50 people and has a grill and restroom.
The second has a capacity of 50 with an onsite grill, whereas the third can host 100 people and also has a grill. Shelters four and five have 100 capacities, each with onsite grills and restrooms attached.
Other amenities in the Park include an indoor pool and sun patio available throughout the year, a playground, a basketball court, a wading pool, a skateboard park, two brilliant softball diamonds, walking tracks, seven tennis courts, and even aquatic classes and programs.
Address: 8400 Tidewater Dr, Norfolk, VA 23518, United States
14. Shoop Park
If you are looking for a perfect place to enjoy good moments with your family this weekend in Virginia, Shoop Park is an ideal place to visit.
Shoop Park is a 5.49 acres property located in a neighborhood environment. It is open all year round for the entire public to use. There is something for everyone to enjoy.
You will never have a dull moment with the several fun facilities here. The Park has an outdoor basketball court where you can showcase your skills.
There is a playground with various play structures, a walking path where you can enjoy a peaceful walk and enjoy the views, and a picnic shelter.
The picnic shelters are available for use on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Park also has a seasonal water splash pad. The Park is an excellent place to visit.
Address: 2400 Shoop Ave, Norfolk, VA 23509, United States
15. Mount Trashmore Park
Mount Trashmore Park
This Park comprises two artificial mountains, two playgrounds with play equipment, a skate park and vert ramp, multi-purpose paths, and two lakes.
The mountain at the Park was formed through the compaction of different layers of solid waste and neat soil. The Park is well known for its beautiful landscaping, and it has a water-wise garden that features xeriscaping which needs little water intake.
Mount Trashmore Park also has a children’s Park known as the Kids Cove Playground, many outdoor fitness stations, horseshoe pits, two volleyball courts, picnic shelters with charcoal grills, restrooms for your convenience, and vending machines.
Address: 310 Edwin Dr, Virginia Beach, VA 23462, United States
Take to exploring other cities of Virginia. Check out our list of things to do in Lexington, things to do in Front Royal, and things to do in Cape Charles.
Plan Your Trip to Norfolk
Visiting the city of Norfolk is a perfect way to experience Virginia. With the many attractions in the city, you are sure never to run out of ideas of what to do.
Norfolk’s many beautiful parks are worth exploring. They offer a splendid experience for everyone. You can’t afford to miss it. Do visit!