Their "Come Home to Norfolk Now" campaign invites you to consider not just visiting the city of Norfolk, but making it your home. Norfolk is one of the busiest international ports on the East Coast and it’s not uncommon to see giant aircraft and guided missile cruisers sharing the city’s busy harbor with pedestrian ferries, sailboats, cruise ships and giant freighters. In addition to the busy harbor, the Downtown District is filled with restaurants, theaters, history, upscale shopping, entertainment venues and waterfront activities. The MacArthur Center is a one million square foot regional shopping mall, anchored by Nordstrom and Dillard’s, filled with upscale restaurants and regal shopping. Downtown Norfolk offers southern charm and city night life in a peaceful waterfront setting. With 144 miles of shoreline, Norfolk residents enjoy rivers, lakes and the Chesapeake Bay. It is a fitting, final port for the veteran warship the USS Wisconsin which is now docked at the National Maritime Center, alongside Nauticus and Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center, a modern cruise terminal which opened in 2007. Other attractions in Norfolk include the Chrysler Museum of Art, The Harrison Opera House, The MacArthur Memorial, The Chrysler Hall, the Norfolk Scope Arena, Norfolk Botanical Gardens and The Norfolk Zoo. In addition to these attractions, Norfolk is proud of its cultural offerings: The Virginia Opera, Virginia Symphony, Live Theatre, Ballet, The Chrysler Museum and the Virginia Arts Festival.

Downtown/Freemason

Downtown/Freemason is located on the Elizabeth River just to the west of the Central Business District and is the city’s oldest standing neighborhood. Cobblestone streets and mature trees present a visible chronology of three centuries of architectural styles. Converted turn-of-the century warehouses boast trendy loft-style housing while mansion-like homes built by some of the city’s earliest residents are just footsteps away from contemporary, state-of-the art condominiums and apartments. The Freemason Historic District is more than a neighborhood, it’s an attitude. The Granby District is Downtown Norfolk’s traditional "shopping street" and has recently become home to many restaurants both high-end and casual. Almost all of the early 20th century buildings that line Granby Street from the waterfront to the Harrison Opera House are now home to young professionals or empty nesters. The conversion of upper floors to trendy residential lofts make the Granby District one of the most unique neighborhoods in the entire region. The St. Paul’s Neighborhood is Downtown’s newest neighborhood and is just to the East of the Central Business District. New lofts, condominiums and a converted office building now residential tower, share alley space with the region’s five-star shopping experience, MacArthur Center. Nothing could be more convenient. This is a true ’walking’ neighborhood with easy access to all of your needs.

Ghent

Ghent, also known as Historic Ghent, is just to the North of Downtown Norfolk and is another eclectic neighborhood. Historic homes share fences with beautiful homes built within the last decade. Known as a favorite destination for the "creative class," Ghent is also home to unique shops, bistros and entertainment venues. Historic Ghent is a thriving, pedestrian and pet friendly community, offering a diverse cultural, shopping and dining experience. Those who experience Ghent return again and again to discover what’s new and unique about its restaurants, boutiques, cultural arts venues and services. Convenient to all Hampton Roads cities, Ghent is located in central Norfolk, seconds from Downtown and minutes from the Norfolk Naval Station. The neighborhood’s main thoroughfares are Colley Avenue, Colonial Avenue, Granby Street, Olney Road, and 21st Street.

Lochhaven

Lochhaven is an area outside of the ’Downtown Area’ that is considered a high end neighborhood. Lochhaven is a residential neighborhood bordered by the Norfolk International Terminal on the North, the Lafayette River on the South and West, and Hampton Boulevard on the East. Many of the original homes in the neighborhood are from the 1920s and 1930s, but every decade is represented. Many military families live in Lochhaven because of its proximity to Naval Station Norfolk and all its tenet commands. Some other high-end areas in Norfolk include Algonquin and Algonquin Park, Larchmont, Meadowbrook, Colonial Place and Lamberts Point.