Kevin O’Dea Real Estate
Hampton Roads
Waterfront sunrises, city views, dozens of performing arts venues, and lots of beaches comprise one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States, Hampton Roads. The Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News-Hampton, VA-NC metro area is comprised of nearly 2 million residents and the proud home to the largest military population in the U.S. Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Newport News, Hampton, Portsmouth, and Suffolk combine to form what many refer to as the seven cities. It is not uncommon for residents of Hampton Roads to live in one of these municipalities and work in another. Many residents of the area will find themselves driving to and through as many as four or five of these cities each day. Each one of these wonderful cities has a very distinct feel and layout that offers lots of options for places to live, work, and play.
Norfolk
City Life
The expansive city of Norfolk comes in at number two for the largest cities in Virginia (population). Norfolk offers incredible history, arts & entertainment, waterfront activities & residences, and is home to the largest naval base in the United States. Norfolk is very passionate about its history, residents, and military affiliation. Norfolk is home to Norfolk Tides Baseball, Norfolk Admirals Hockey, Old Dominion University, Norfolk State, Tidewater Community College HQ, Chrysler Museum of Art, Harrison Opera House, Chrysler Hall (Broadway & Symphony), and influential companies like Norfolk Southern (railroad), Dominion Enterprises, and GROW Interactive. You can set sail on a cruise from the Downtown Norfolk Half Moon Cruise terminal or hit the beaches at Oceanview. The revitalized Downtown, Arts District, and Ghent areas boast some of the best restaurants and entertainment options in all of Virginia.
City Information & Military
Resident & Business Services
Downtown Norfolk (Arts, Entertainment, & more)
Norfolk International Airport (ORF)
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek (JEB)
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital
Sentara Heart Hospital
Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters (CHKD)
Schools
Norfolk Public Schools
Old Dominion University
Eastern VA Medical School (EVMS)
Norfolk State University
Virginia Wesleyan
Tidewater Community College
City Attractions
Norfolk Scope Arena (hockey, WWE, concerts)
Chrysler Hall (Broadway, Virginia Symphony)
Harrison Opera House (Virginia Opera)
Chrysler Museum of Art
Granby Theater (host your event)
The NorVa (concert venue)
Festevents
Harbor Park (Norfolk Tides Baseball)
Cruise Norfolk
Virginia Zoo
Norfolk Botanical Gardens
Hermitage Museum & Gardens
Nauticus & Battleship Wisconsin
Restaurants & Shopping
Norfolk boasts some of the best restaurants in all of Virginia (in my opinion). These are some of my top picks: Breakfast; D’Egg, Café Stella, Charlie’s Café, Yorgo’s Bageldashery. Lunch/Dinner; Chartreuse Bistro, Empire, 456 Fish, Byrd & Baldwin, Bardo, No Frill Grill, The Green Onion, LeGrand Kitchen, Field Guide, The Grilled Cheese, Supper, The Ten Top, Freemason Abbey, Omar’s Carriage House, Bakehouse at Chelsea, Luna Maya, Tortilla West, La Herradura, 80/20 Burger Bar, Handsome Biscuit, Taste, Bangkok Garden, Rajput Indian Cuisine, Saffron Indian Bistro, Pelon’s Baja Grill, and so many more.
MacArthur Center (Nordstrom’s, Apple, Michael Kors, L.L. Bean), Urban Outfitters (Downtown/Granby St), Military Circle Mall, The Fresh Market
Coffeehouses & Breweries
Coffeehouses; Café Stella, Cure Coffeehouse, Bean There Coffeehouse, aLatte Café, Borjo Coffeehouse, and Fair Grounds. Breweries; Smartmouth Brewery, O’Connor Brewery, The Bold Mariner Brewing Company, Coelacanth Brewing Company.
Virginia Beach
Beach Life
Welcome to the largest city (population) in the entire state of Virginia. This beautiful city is lined with beaches along the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay. Virginia Beach has grown as a resort city and very popular vacation destination for many travelers along the east coast. Home to the North American Sand Soccer Tournament and East Coast Surfing Championships, Virginia Beach has lots of entertainment to offer all year-round. This vast beach city spans nearly 500 square miles and holds the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest pleasure beach in the world. Virginia Beach maintains the tallest building in the entire state, the Westin Hotel and Residences, located at the popular Town Center dining and shopping destination.
City Information & Military
Resident & Business Services
Naval Air Station Oceana
Dam Neck Annex
Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital
Restaurants & Shopping
There are so many options! I would consider myself a “foodie” and these are just a few of my local favorites that you may wish to try out for yourself: Breakfast; Citrus, Sunrise Café, DOC Taylor’s, Village Inn. Lunch/Dinner; Fruitive, Taste, Waterman’s Surfside Grill, EAT Bistro, Pacifica, Esoteric, Commune, Hearth, Burton’s Grill, Cobalt Grill, One Fish Two Fish, Eurasia Café, Sonoma, Tautog’s, Il Giardino, Sushi, Terrapin, Aldo’s Ristorante, and Plaza Azteca.
VB Town Center (Barnes and Noble, West Elm, Lululemon), Lynnhaven Mall (Apple, Dillard’s, Banana Republic, Express), Pembroke Mall, Hilltop Shopping Center, Strawbridge Shopping Center, La Promenade, Whole Foods Market, Trader Joes, and The Fresh Market.
Coffeehouses & Breweries
Yummy! Sit back and relax at one of these local favorites: Coffeehouses; Bean There Coffeehouse, Roast Rider, Bad Ass Coffee, Perked Up Café, Café Moka, The Green Cat, Three Ships Coffee, Jolly Roasters, and Java Surf Café. Breweries; Back Bay Brewing, Pleasure House Brewing, Reaver Beach Brewing, Wasserhund Brewing, Young Veterans Brewery, and Commonwealth Brewing.
Chesapeake
Quiet(er) Life
Another vastly spread out city of Hampton Roads; Chesapeake comes in at number three for one of the largest cities in Virginia (population). Chesapeake is known less for its city life and entertainment, and more for it’s many miles of farmland, wetlands, forests, and the protected Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Chesapeake, like many of the 7 cities of Hampton Roads, contains plentiful amounts of waterfront property and homes. Chesapeake has received many accolades in recent years to include, but not limited to; #48 of America’s 50 Best Cities to Live (24/7 Wall Street), #10 among The Hardest Working Cities in America (wallethub.com), #19 among Best Cities for Quality of Life (NerdWallet), and #87 among Millennial Magnets (USA Today).
City Information & Military
Resident & Business Services
Northwest Annex
Chesapeake Regional Hospital
Restaurants & Shopping
Top restaurant picks from TripAdvisor in Chesapeake
Greenbrier Mall (Macy’s, Sears, JCPenny), Chesapeake Square (Macy’s JCPenny, Target)
Coffeehouses & Breweries
Coffeehouses; TBA. Breweries; Big Ugly Brewing Company
Suffolk
Land Life
Suffolk is known for it’s massive surface area occupying over 400 square miles of Hampton Roads. Suffolk was voted as “Best Place for Young Families” and Best Cities for Veterans in America” by NerdWallet in 2015. Suffolk provides a vast amount of land for future development. Downtown Suffolk has rich history and pleasing historic landmarks, while the popular Harbour View area boasts wonderful shopping, businesses, residences, and golf attractions.
City Information & Military
Resident & Business Services
Suffolk Tourism
Joint Staff (J7)
Sentara Obici Hospital
Schools
Suffolk Public Schools website
Pilot Online School Locator
Paul D. Camp Community College
City Attractions
Restaurants & Shopping
These are some top picks from TripAdvisor: Suffolk Restaurants
Harbour View Marketplace Shopping Center
Coffeehouses & Breweries
Coffeehouses; Rose’s Coffee Cantina. Breweries; TBA
Portsmouth
Port Life
The city of Portsmouth shares miles of waterfront with Norfolk and maintains a ferryboat that travels from Olde Towne to Downtown daily. Portsmouth has hundreds of years of history. The city shares borders with Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Suffolk. Olde Towne Portsmouth maintains lots of wonderful restaurants and historic attractions to enjoy within walking distance of one another.
City Information & Military
Resident & Business Services
Portsmouth Tourism
Old Towne, Portsmouth
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (NNSY)
Portsmouth Regional Hospital
Schools
Portsmouth Public Schools website
Portsmouth Public School Report Cards
Tidewater Community College
Restaurants & Shopping
Portsmouth, specifically Olde Towne, has a handful of really great dining options. These are some of my top picks: Brutti’s Catering, Gosport Tavern, Baron’s Pub, Roger Brown’s Restaurant & Sports Bar, The Bier Garden, Still Wordly Tapas, Mannino’s Italian Bistro, Stove Restaurant,
Coffeehouses & Breweries
Coffeehouses; The Coffee Shoppe. Breweries; TBA
Hampton
Take Flight Life
Hampton is another one of the seven cities that is rich in Virginia history. Home to Hampton University, Langley Air Force Base, NASA Langley Research Center, and the Virginia Air and Space Center, Hampton has become a very attractive area to both live and work. Hampton maintains lots of waterfront homes and beaches for its residents and visitors, and shopping options have grown most recently with the addition of the Peninsula Town Center. For entertainment, the resort area of Buckroe Beach draws thousands during the spring and summer months, while the Hampton Coliseum and Convention Center host wonderful events year-round.
City Information & Military
Resident & Business Services
Visit Hampton
Langley Air Force Base
Sentara CarePlex Hospital Hampton
Hampton Veterans (VA) Medical Center
Schools
Hampton Public Schools website
Hampton University
Thomas Nelson Community College
City Attractions
Restaurants & Shopping
Peninsula Town Center restaurants, Trip Advisor top picks
Peninsula Town Center (Macy’s, Barnes & Noble, Cine’Bistro, H&M)
Coffeehouses & Breweries
Coffeehouses; Green Beans Coffee, The Waterside Café, Ehtereal Cupcakes and Coffee. Breweries; St. George Brewing Company
Newport News
Shipbuilding Life
The great city of Newport News ranks in at the fifth most populated city in Virginia. The largest private employer in Hampton Roads, Huntington Ingalls, is located in Newport News and employs over 20,000 employees who build aircraft U.S. Navy carriers and submarines. Also located in Newport News is U.S. Army base Fort Eustis, helping drive the city’s economy that is very closely connected to the military. Christopher Newport University attracts both local and out of area students with many degree and athletic options. For dining and entertainment, the rapidly expanding City Center at Oyster Point draws patrons all year-round.
City Information & Military
Resident & Business Services
Visit Newport News
Newport News - Williamsburg International Airport (PHF)
Fort Eustis
Huntington Ingalls NN Shipbuilding
Riverside Regional Medical Center
Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Hospital
Schools
Newport News Public Schools website
Christopher Newport University
ECPI University
Stratford University
City Attractions
Restaurants & Shopping
City Center at Oyster Point Dining, Trip Advisor top picks
City Center at Oyster Point (Jos. A. Bank, Ann Taylor Loft, Paragon City Center), Patrick Henry Mall (Dillard’s, Macy’s, JC Penney, Dick’s Sporting Goods), Whole Foods Market
Coffeehouses & Breweries
Coffeehouses; Aromas, Breweries; TBA