# New to Norfolk, VA... and a bit lost **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 22, 2008, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-to-norfolk-va-and-a-bit-lost/434439 "2008-01-22T00:36:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-to-norfolk-va-and-a-bit-lost/434439/21 "2008-01-23T13:46:21Z")
There’s a lot of good suggestions above. Personally, I’m a big fan of the local music scene - always have been (stationed here in 1985, and I’ve never left.) Most of my friends are musicians, and I’m out at least once a week catching a show from a band playing (mostly) original music. What is it you’re looking for? Where are you living? What business are you in? ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-to-norfolk-va-and-a-bit-lost/434439/22 "2008-01-23T14:18:42Z")
Take a tour of the naval base, too. It’s free. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-to-norfolk-va-and-a-bit-lost/434439/23 "2008-01-23T14:43:23Z")
[QUOTE=GrizzRich] Catch your own crabs off Red’s Pier in Newport News [/QUOTE] I caught mine in Virginia Beach. Caught hell from the dicksmith, too, and almost got mast. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Skylark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Skylark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skylark)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-to-norfolk-va-and-a-bit-lost/434439/24 "2008-01-24T22:54:25Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] …unless there’s a traffic jam around one of the tunnels, and you just give up. [/QUOTE] Just about everywhere I’ve lived or been so far I could get around with a taxi or some type of public transportation, or at worst a buddy’ll have a car. The last place I lived at, good old Bumfuck, Mississippi even had a taxi service; tho to be fair there weren’t many places worth going to so that made going around a little easier. “Where do I feel like going today? The blue-colored Wal-Mart or the green Wal-Mart?”. I guess I’ve been spoiled. This is the first place I’ve been where I’ve seriously needed my own POV -and that one’s hit me like a ton of bricks. DPS/DMV bureaucracy, residency, maps, knowing how to get to places, I don’t know _any_ of that stuff. I’ve heard about coming up and down in and out of those tunnels -like you’re in Whac-A-Mole. [QUOTE=shiftless] And, of course, the beach. If you are in Norfolk you’ve got a bit of a drive (15-30 minutes) to the actual Virginia Beach beach. There are all kinds of beachs on the bay that are closer, although sans waves. You could spend quite a bit of time just trying the different beaches in the area, if you’re into that sort of thing. [/QUOTE] I actually live within a short walk from the beach. A couple relatively clean and secluded ones too. The weather’s been cold and windy (oh that wind! It burrrrnnnsss meeee!!) and a bit drab on account of January, but the scenery’s nice and come summer it looks promising. [QUOTE=ChiefScott] Take a tour of the naval base, too. It’s free. [/QUOTE] I live there! Well not at _that_ base (heavens no, I’m a gator!), but one of the other ones in the neighborhood. 🙂 [QUOTE=Sean Factotum] There’s a lot of good suggestions above. Personally, I’m a big fan of the local music scene - always have been (stationed here in 1985, and I’ve never left.) Most of my friends are musicians, and I’m out at least once a week catching a show from a band playing (mostly) original music. [/QUOTE] This is relevant to my interests. Everywhere I go I like to check out the local music scenes to see how it is over there. Some stuff goes everywhere, some bars are like nothing else anywhere, but there’s usually a city’s own flavor to its sounds. [QUOTE=samclem] You should have seen it when I first visited in about 1978. Looked like an old fashioned Southern sandwich/ice cream/Dairy Queen drive up. Free standing, order from one window, pick up at the next, two employees. I thought I had just found heaven. [/QUOTE] Roger that. I am all about the mighty sustenance. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2008, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-to-norfolk-va-and-a-bit-lost/434439/25 "2008-01-25T13:59:19Z")
[QUOTE=Skylark] J This is the first place I’ve been where I’ve seriously needed my own POV -and that one’s hit me like a ton of bricks. DPS/DMV bureaucracy, residency, maps, knowing how to get to places, I don’t know _any_ of that stuff. I’ve heard about coming up and down in and out of those tunnels -like you’re in Whac-A-Mole. [/QUOTE] Yeah, public transportation is pretty much non-existent for people that don’t want to take two hours to go the same distance you can drive in 20-30 minutes. Once I tried to take the bus from Virginia Beach (Chimney Hill area, and I had to drive there) to the Naval Base in Norfolk. Two hours, and there wasn’t any traffic problems. It just took forever. [QUOTE=Skylark] [QUOTE=Sean Factotum] Something something local music scene [/QUOTE] This is relevant to my interests. Everywhere I go I like to check out the local music scenes to see how it is over there. Some stuff goes everywhere, some bars are like nothing else anywhere, but there’s usually a city’s own flavor to its sounds. [/QUOTE] Drop me an email or PM with what you like (genres, nationally known bands, etc) and I’ll point you in the right direction. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-to-norfolk-va-and-a-bit-lost/434439/26 "2008-01-25T16:40:59Z")
As mentioned before Busch Gardens is lots of fun, it has 5 or 6 really good coasters. King’s Dominion isn’t that far away either, just north of Richmond off I-95. It has more kid-friendly rides but also some great coasters of its own. ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-to-norfolk-va-and-a-bit-lost/434439/27 "2008-01-25T20:03:39Z")
[QUOTE=Skylark] I live there! Well not at _that_ base (heavens no, I’m a gator!), but one of the other ones in the neighborhood. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Well, if’n you’re at Li’l Creek, head on down down to VA beach. If you’re a hippy-type squid (jarhead), theres a great shop on Pacific. It stands alone and is painted bright blue. It doesn’t have a traditional name, per se, but we call it “half-moon” as there’s a carved half-moon outside. Lunch? Head on down to The Raven… not too military there. Just want a sammich? The reuben (on marbled rye) at The Jewish Mother’s deli (northside) is fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-to-norfolk-va-and-a-bit-lost/434439/28 "2008-01-25T20:36:05Z")
[QUOTE=ChiefScott] Head on down to The Raven… not too military there. Just want a sammich? The reuben (on marbled rye) at The Jewish Mother’s deli (northside) is fantastic. [/QUOTE] [The Jewish Mother](http://www.jewishmother.com/) is a great place for both food and music. Nothing fancy, just good. And their desserts are to die for. When I still lived there, my dad would always want to go to [The Raven](http://www.theraven.com/) [insert .wav file warning here] when he and and my mom were visiting. Sadly, the Duck-In, which would have been close to you if you’re at Little Creek, **Skylark,** is no more. Beautiful view of the bay, it had. It’s been torn down to make way for condos. Figures. ☹ You also must visit [The Grate Steak](http://thegratesteak.com/) (which isn’t too far away from Little Creek either). I do believe that’s a Hampton Roads area requirement. 😛 If you want to check out Williamsburg AND you like beer, there’s also the [Green Leafe Cafe](http://www.greenleafe.com/home.html), right across from William and Mary. Much beer in bottles and on tap, and pretty good food too. You can also check out concert events at the [Virginia Beach Amphitheater](http://www.livenation.com/venue/getVenue/venueId/1948/). There’s a search function there that will pull up other stuff for other venues as well. The [Azalea Festival](http://www.azaleafestival.org/) will be happening in a few months with all its surrounding events too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-to-norfolk-va-and-a-bit-lost/434439.md?page=1)