norfolk naval station tour

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Naval Station Norfolk

Norfolk, Virginia, is the proud home of the largest naval base in the world. No matter what your reason is for visiting Norfolk, you shouldn't miss the opportunity to tour Naval Station Norfolk .

Naval Station Norfolk's mission is to support and improve the personnel and logistics readiness of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. The Norfolk naval base provides seaport, airport, and squadron facilities, quality of life, and personnel management services.

Don't miss the tours of the Naval Base . The 45-minute tour departs from the Naval Tour and Information Center located at 9079 Hampton Blvd, next to Gate 5. Bus tours conducted by Navy personnel ride past aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates, amphibious assault ships and the busy airfield. The tour also drives by historic homes from the 1907 Jamestown Exposition. There is a charge for the tour. A picture ID is required for all adults.

Naval Station Norfolk, the world's largest Naval Station, occupies about 4,300 acres on a peninsula known as Sewells Point. Port facilities extend more than four miles along the waterfront and include some seven miles of pier and wharf space.

75 ships and 134 aircraft are home-ported here, and when they are not at sea they're along side one of the 13 piers or inside one of the 11 aircraft hangars for repair, refit, training and to provide the ship's or squadron's crew an opportunity to be with their families. Naval Station Norfolk is homeport to aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, large amphibious ships, submarines, supply ships, airplanes and helicopters.

Air Operations conducts over 100,000 flight operations each year, an average of 275 flights per day or one every six minutes. Over 150,000 passengers and 264,000 tons of mail and cargo depart annually on Air Mobility Command aircraft and other chartered flights from the NSN airfield. It is the hub for Navy logistics going to the European and Central Command theaters of operations, and to the Caribbean.

The land on which Naval Station is located was originally the site of the 1907 Jamestown Exposition , a mammoth 300th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the first permanent English settlement in America in 1607. 21 states constructed buildings that celebrated their history and industry. Pennsylvania House, a 2/3rds replica of Independence Hall, is one of several state houses that are still standing at the Naval Station.

During the Jamestown Exposition, high-ranking naval officers agreed that this site was ideal for naval activity. After the United States entered World War I in April 1917, the Secretary of the Navy was persuaded to buy the property.

Victory Rover Naval Base Cruise

The Victory Rover makes 2-hour narrated cruises past Naval Station Norfolk. It departs from Nauticus on the downtown waterfront. Enjoy a fascinating and entertaining commentary along the way aboard this Navy-themed vessel. See aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, guided missile cruisers and all of the other ships that form the world's most powerful fleet. On board, guests will enjoy plenty of comfortable seating, clean restrooms, air-conditioned enclosed deck, open-air upper deck, snack bar and souvenir shop.

Reservations are available. Bring a camera and binoculars.

Hampton Roads Naval Museum at Nauticus & the Battleship Wisconsin

The Hampton Roads Naval Museum presents 225 years of naval history in the Hampton Roads region. The museum is also responsible for the historic interpretation and day-to-day operations of the Battleship Wisconsin.

The Hampton Roads Naval Museum and the entrance to the Battleship Wisconsin are located on the second floor of Nauticus : The National Maritime Center in downtown Norfolk (at One Waterside Drive). There is no on-site parking, but there are several city operated parking garages within walking distance.

TOURING TODAY AT 11AM AND 1PM - SEE YOU ON THE BUS!

NORFOLK NAVAL STATION BUS TOUR

EXPERIENCE A GUIDED TOUR OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST NAVAL STATION

Quick Details

User Ages: All Ages
Hour Glass Duration: 1 Hour

Norfolk’s Ultimate Naval Station Tour !

Get on board for an approximately 60 minute guided bus tour of Naval Station Norfolk – the world’s largest Naval installation. After clearing security, the bus will take you through Gate 2 into the home of the Atlantic Fleet. Our tour guide will provide a “navy-approved” tour that includes the homes of the 1907 Jamestown Exposition, Chambers Field Air Station, the ships of the fleet and much more.

For U.S. Citizens: Government Issued Photo IDs are required for tour participants over the age of 18
For NON-US Citizens: Passports are required for non-US citizen To make the check in experience easier non-citizens should and bring a completed copy with them. Additionally, you should plan on arriving an hour prior to the tour departure.

Consent Language

“This event is being held within a Department of Defense Restricted Area, designated pursuant to 50 USC § 797 and applicable Department of Defense directives. Entry into this Restricted Area constitutes consent to search of personnel and property, physical surveillance, and concealed monitoring, in order to ensure the safety and security of Department of Defense personnel and equipment, as authorized by title 50, Chapter 23 and Title 18, Chapter 37, U.S. Code.”

Other Rules/Regulations

All guests will have to go through a security check.
If you have a heart condition ie. a pacemaker or stint, or if you have a metal bone replacement you will be asked to present your medical card identifying such. If you do not have your card you will not be able to clear security; therefore you will not be authorized to tour the installation.
ALL BAGS, PURSES, BACKPACKS, DIAPER BAG AND POUCHES MUST BE SEARCHED.
Knives of any kind are not allowed onboard the bus. Please be sure to leave them in your vehicle.
Bus is not wheelchair accessible.

Prohibited Items

a. Contraband. Items, the possession and/or use of which, is prohibited except as authorized by the Commanding Officer or other lawful authority.

b. Alcoholic Beverages. Alcoholic beverages are beer, wine, distilled spirits, and malt beverages.

c. Controlled Substance. Any item defined and listed in the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, as amended (reference a).

d. Instrumentalities of a Crime. Objects or things used in the commission of a crime or capable of use only in the commission of a crime. This includes but is not limited to gambling devices, pipes used to smoke marijuana, hypodermic syringes used to inject a narcotic or controlled substances, altered or false armed services identification cards, and burglary tools.

e. Personal Weapons. Any dangerous weapon, instrument, or explosive device or compound to which the U.S. Government neither owns or utilizes for official purposes pursuant to reference (b), and is specifically designed for or intended to be used to inflict bodily harm upon another. This includes but is not limited to firearms, devices which expel a projectile either by air or gas, switchblade knives, blackjacks, brass knuckles, leaded clubs, a cord/leather/wire garrote, or an edged weapon, the blade of which is more than three inches in length.

EXPLORE NAVAL HISTORY WITH VICTORY ROVER NORFOLK NAVAL BASE TOURS

Norfolk Naval Base Tours Don’t Get Better Than Victory Rover Naval Base Cruises

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Victory Rover Naval Base Tour

August 2 - august 12 2022, 11 am, 2 pm, 5:30 pm.

Victory Rover cruises the smooth waters of the Elizabeth River and Hampton Roads Harbor. Their professional captains provide a fascinating and entertaining commentary.

In 2001 the Victory Rover began operating Naval Base Cruises from Nauticus, Home of the Battleship Wisconsin. The Victory Rover can accommodate up to 149 guests. The Victory Rover has a climate controlled main cabin with large picture windows and ample comfortable seating. More seating is available on the open air bow and top deck. A large portion of the top deck has an awning to provide shade. In the main cabin, there are restrooms as well as a fully stocked ship store and bar with all your favorite refreshments and souvenirs.

Rover Cruises and Tours

Cruises departing from downtown norfolk and the virginia aquarium in virginia beach. bus tours departing from naval station norfolk., choose a cruise or bus tour, victory rover naval base cruises, nauticus.

2 Hour Narrated Cruises Depart Daily

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One hour narrated tours of Naval Station Norfolk

Norfolk Naval Base Cruise Tour: The Largest In The World

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Once Britannia ruled the waves, but that era ended with World War Two. After that war, the U.S. Navy has been the undisputed maritime power in the world and nowhere is that more apparent than at the naval base at Norfolk. While the naval base is a secure site and it is not open to tourists, parts of this massive base are visible from the roads and various vantage points. There is even a cruise down the harbor so that one can get a much better look at America's most powerful warships.

America has many superb naval museums that one can visit all around the country . While all these museums feature old ships that have been decommissioned and donated to become museums, one can also see America's mothball fleets. If one is up in Pennsylvania, one can see what's left of Philadelphia's once-mighty mothball fleet .

What To Know About The Naval Base At Norfolk

The American naval base in Norfolk is the largest American naval base and the most powerful in the world. It is the home port of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command with the largest concentration of naval forces with around 75 ships and 134 aircraft.

The Naval Station Norfolk stretches for 4 miles along the waterfront of Hampton Roads peninsula. The station supports the operational readiness of the US Atlantic Fleet, providing facilities and services to enable mission accomplishment.

Largest: The Norfolk Naval Base Is The Largest Naval Base In The World
Supports: The US Atlantic Fleet
Newport News Shipbuilding Yard: Where The Super Aircraft Carriers Are Built
Number of Ships: Around 75 Naval Ships and Many More Aircraft and Other Facilities

The Norfolk naval base is home to four carrier strike groups and their assigned ships - that alone is perhaps more powerful than any other navy in the world.

Not far from the naval base is the Newport News Shipbuilding yard - it is this shipbuilding yard that builds all the super aircraft carriers of the U.S. navy.

Related: How To Get The Most Out Of A Historical Visit To The Pearl Harbor Museum & Memorial

Cruises Of The Norfolk Naval Base

If one would like to get a glimpse of this mighty naval base, then enjoy a Norfolk Harbor cruise aboard the Victory Rover . On the cruise one will be able to see destroyers, submarines, and other vessels while taking in the sights of the harbor.

The Norfolk Harbor Cruise is a two-hour Narrated Naval Base Cruise with the captain providing entertaining and fascinating commentary on the navy and base. The tour departs daily from Nauticus, home of the Battleship Wisconsin.

One will see destroyers, aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, submarines, guided missile cruisers, and more.

The Victory Rover that one will cruise on provides plenty of comfortable seating, an air-conditioned enclosed deck, an open-air shaded upper deck, a snack bar, and a souvenir shop.

Tickets can be purchased online, over the phone, or at the ticket window at Nauticus - although reservations are strongly recommended. This naval base tour is one of Norfolk's most popular attractions.

Departure Point: Nauticus Museum - Home of the USS Wisconsin
Price: From $28.00
Duration: A 2 Hour Cruise
See: Aircraft Carriers, Submarines, Destroyers, Amphibious Assault Ships, Guided Missile Cruisers, and More

Related: Why Visiting NYC's Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum is A Must

Don't Forget the Nauticus and Wisconsin!

The USS Wisconsin was one of four completed Iowa class battleships - the largest battleships ever built for the US Navy. She was built at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia and served in the latter part of the Pacific War against Japan.

After the war, she served in the Korean War and in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 against Iraq. She spent most of her career mothballed and from 1944 to her decommissioning in 1991 she only spent a total of 14 years in active service.

Battle Stars: 6
Class: Iowa Class Battleship

Like the others in her class, she was spared strapping and instead donated as a museum ship and today operated by Nauticus, The National Maritime Center.

Nauticus offers both the might battleship for tours as well as a superb naval museum to discover the history of the navy and what naval life is like.

Nauticus Hours: Open Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday, Noon – 5 p.m.
Closed: Mondays

Make A Full Day With The Combo Ticket

To see the Nauticus museum , the Wisconsin, and go on a Norfolk Base Harbor cruise, consider buying a combo ticket. This is a full-day tour was the Naval Base Crusie takes around two hours one should then allow 2 to 3 hours for Nauticus and the Battleship Wisconsin. This discounted ticket must be used on the same day and one should keep in mind that Nauticus closes at 4.00 pm.

Cost: Adult $41.35 / Children (ages 4-12): $27.45
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 4pm / Sunday 12pm – 4pm

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Victory Rover Naval Base Cruises

Category: River Cruises

1 Waterside Dr Nauticus Pier Norfolk, VA 23510 757-627-7406

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The Victory Rover offers 2 Hour narrated naval base cruises daily from Nauticus, home of the Battleship Wisconsin. Their professional captains provide a fascinating and entertaining commentary as guests cruise the smooth waters of the Elizabeth River and Hampton Roads Harbor. Thrill to the sight of Aircraft Carriers, Nuclear Submarines, Guided Missile Cruisers, and all of the other ships that form the World's most powerful Armada. On board, guests will enjoy plenty of comfortable seating, clean restrooms, air-conditioned enclosed deck, open air upper deck, snack bar and souvenir shop.

March-December,Tue-Sun, 2:00pm Spring & Fall, 11:00am, 2:00pm Summer, 11:00am, 2:00pm, 5:30pm

Nearby Dining

Todd Jurich's Bistro 150 West Main St (216 feet E)
Cafe Crema 101 West Main Street (319 feet SE)
Mermaid Winery 101 Granby St (409 feet E)
Grain 100 East Main St (532 feet E)

Nearby Shopping

The Banana Pier Gift Shop at Nauticus One Waterside Dr (237 feet NW)
Prince Books 109 East Main St (585 feet SE)
Vino Culture Wine Shop 130 Granby Street (597 feet E)
Details on Granby 132 Granby Street (616 feet E)

Nearby Attractions

Hampton Roads Naval Museum 1 Waterside Dr (adjacent)
The Homecoming Town Point Park (89 feet W)
Battleship Wisconsin 1 Waterside Dr (241 feet NW)
Virginia Symphony Orchestra 150 Boush St (276 feet NE)

Nearby Parking Garages & Surface Lots

Town Point Garage 110 West Main St (271 feet E)
West Plume Street Garage 135 West Plume St (433 feet NE)
Garage at The Main Hotel 100 East Main St (715 feet E)
Waterside Garage 50 Martin's Lane (825 feet SE)

Tour of U.S. Navy’s Norfolk Naval Station and Shipyards

Naval news takes you on a tour of the us navy base in norfolk and some of the naval shipyards in the area. the video was recorded in may 2019..

Xavier Vavasseur 15 Aug 2019

Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia is the largest navy base in the world. It supports naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and the Indian Ocean.

The shipyards seen in the video:

General Dynamics NASSCO-Norfolk
Marine Hydraulics International, Inc
BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair
Colonna’s Shipyard Inc
Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding

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CRUISING TODAY AT 11AM AND 2PM - SEE YOU ON BOARD!

Naval Base Cruises in Norfolk, Virginia

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We cruise the smooth waters of the Elizabeth River & Hampton Roads Harbor. Check our calendar below & book your cruise in Norfolk, VA today!

Narrated Norfolk Naval Base Tour

The Norfolk Harbor cruise aboard the Victory Rover is your front row seat to the naval fleet! See destroyers, submarines, and other vessels while taking in the sights of the harbor.

Hour Glass 2 hours

NAS Fallon commander to speak at CEDA breakfast

Capt. Shane Tanner. Provided to the LVN

Staff Report

Thursday, September 19, 2024

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