Chesapeake lies along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. The city offers a variety of ways to explore, including parks and trails with different uses, as well as exhibits on natural and regional history. The trails vary in length and activities, while the historic sites focus on a range of topics.
Nature, Trails, and Water
Northwest River Park lies on the banks of the Northwest River in southeastern Chesapeake and covers 763 acres. Its trail system consists of seven trails totaling nearly 8 miles, for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. The park also offers year-round opportunities for boating, fishing, and hiking. This one place brings together several activities found in the park system, including trails and water-based recreation.
The Dismal Swamp Canal Trail offers another multi-use option: The 8.6-mile trail is open to biking, walking, running, hiking, horseback riding, and boating. Facilities include a boat launch for boats, canoes, and kayaks, restrooms and picnic areas, as well as equestrian trails. The trail is designated a Virginia Treasure; the area is known for its historical significance. The trail’s length and range of uses offer concrete points of comparison when you’re considering different types of activities.
The Chesapeake Arboretum’s trail system spans about 45 acres and is roughly 3.5 miles long in total. Starr Run, a stream that flows year-round, runs through the network, crossed by eleven wooden bridges. Compared with the nearly 8 miles of trails at Northwest River Park, the arboretum offers another option if trail length is a factor in your choice.
Looking at the park system as a whole gives you even more options: Chesapeake has 80 public parks for walks, nature experiences, and large events. The city’s park system includes miles of multi-use trails for walking, jogging, and biking. There are also opportunities for fishing and crabbing, access to boating, and options for canoeing, pedal boating, and kayaking. The park system offers nature experiences and events, miles of trails, and a variety of ways to enjoy the water.
Exhibits and Local History
The main gallery at the Historical Village at the Dismal Swamp features a comprehensive exhibit about the Great Dismal Swamp. Other exhibits focus on local and regional history. Its historical focus therefore extends beyond the swamp and includes the history of the surrounding region.
The fully restored Cornland School, now a museum, tells a specific part of the history of education. The building was constructed in 1902 to educate African American students during segregation and the Jim Crow era. Unlike the broad range of topics at the Historical Village, the focus here is on a specific place and its educational purpose.
When deciding whether to choose Chesapeake as a destination, you can weigh its different attractions: The parks offer a range of trail lengths and uses, while the historic sites span topics from a comprehensive exhibit about the Great Dismal Swamp to the specific history of education. If Chesapeake fits your travel plans, first decide which of these experiences matter to you, then search for hotels for your stay.
For the broader travel overview: Chesapeake.
