Things To Do In Portsmouth Va
The waterfront area of Portsmouth Va has a wide range of things to do. A good starting point when visiting the Portsmouth waterfront is the Visitor Information Center. The center is known for its convenient location, friendly staff, displays and abundance of informational brochures.
Exiting the back door of the center, visitors will find the famous Portsmouth Seawall with a spectacular view of Norfolk and some of the enormous Naval ships. The first of two Portsmouth ferry stops is right outside the center.
A trip along the seawall takes just a few minutes but allows visitors to choose from a wide range of sights, or to include them all. Looking across the Elizabeth, tourists will spot Nauticus, the American Rover, the park at Waterside and other notable points of interest. Traffic on the river may include the ferries, taxis, sailing vessels, tour boats, cruise ships and naval vessels.
As visitors continue along the seawall, they will find more attractions including the Lightship Portsmouth, the Hog Island Fresnel Lens, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum, the High Street ferry landing, City Hall and the nTelos Pavilion.
Several attractions in Olde Towne and along High Street are within a few minutes of the Visitor Information Center.
The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum contains exhibits on naval history and local memorabilia The museum was established in 1949 within the nation's oldest shipyard in Norfolk. The Naval Shipyard Museum was later moved to the Portsmouth waterfront at High Street Landing along the Portsmouth Seawall.
The Fresnel Lens overlooks the Seawall. The lens stands about 10 feet high, weighs 2,500 pounds and occupies a 16-foot-wide pavilion. Valued between $750,000 and $1 million, it is among the largest and brightest of its kind, with more than 250 prisms of optical glass. The lens saw service atop the Hog Island Light off the Great Machipongo Inlet on the Delmarva Peninsula.
The Portsmouth Seawall is just one of the many enjoyable tourist attractions that can be found in Hampton Roads Virginia.
