Next week I'll be driving down to Norfolk from Arlington.  I've always been interested in large ships, so that's my main reason for going.  Since I'll be spending 2 days there, what else should I see?  Also, what's the best way to see the shipyards there?

-kill-9

The [i]Wisconsin[/i] for sure.

That is unless she is going back in drydock for Iraq.

For a good laugh, make the drive and go see a chief moose news conference in person.

What you should see is a cleanand beutiful city
But what you will see is a city full of gangbanger blacks,and police everywhere. Unless you go to the Ghent area, which is just full of rich yuppie types along with a good number of queers. Watch your ass, i mean check your six.

If ya see my stepdaughter...Turn away!

If you're interested in historic ships, check out some of the wreckage of the USS Monitor in Newport News on the way down. It's at the Mariners Museum. The turret is still soaking, so you can't really see it yet, but the engines and propeller,etc. are on display. Very eerie. The Chrysler Art Museum in Norfolk isn't bad either. Best way to see the ships is on a guided tourboat. Those are usually available on or near the base (check a tourist map).
If you're a Virginian (Arlington), take your CCW.

My Standard Poodle Shoots back!

If you going that far, dont forget Fortress Monroe.

Back in '94 I was there working on a tank barge that was in the shipyard for a partial overhaul. Nauticus had just opened. It was pretty neat.

The area down there was pretty nice, although parts of the area were pretty seedy.

Eat at this place called 'the Grate Steak' either on Military Highway of Indian River Road, I forgot which.  I think the former.The beef is damned good. They let you go through a refrigerator and pick your steak and cook it yourself on an open charcoal pit. I liked that because most restaurants don't seem to cook a steak the way I like it. It was reasonably priced.

Remember, I was there to work 12 hrs/day through one hell of a hot summer, and going into steel tanks was brutal, so a guy really didn't have the energy to do much after work.

Sorry I can't tell you more.

They have at least three [b]Hooters[/b] restaurants in the area!  [beer]

[url]http://hooters.know-where.com/hooters/region/VA.html[/url]

If your interested in ships, I second a tour of the Wisconsen. Its pretty damn big when your up close. You could stop by bobs gun and tackle on Granby st and see a fair selection of handguns and rifles, plus shoot a few rounds in the indoor range. They have a decent amount of rental guns to try out.
 Nauticus and the Mariners museum are always good bets. Plus the VB Marine science museum is quite interesting.
Have fun but watch your six in norfolk. Large criminal element present in some areas.

Kill-9 when are you coming.  Stop by the Virginia War Museum in Newport New.  Wisconsin is a must see.  IDPA match at Norfolk county rifle range next Wed and Thurs evenings.  This Saturday is compact match from 1000-1300.  Ship tours may be available through the Naval Base - the office looks open when I drive by every day so I assume tours are ongoing.   Yorktown battlefields I hear are OK too.  Good luck.

If your travelling this weekend, stop by the Richmond gunshow.  It's a pretty good one.  Down here in Hampton Roads is a plethora of things to see.  The Naval base has big ships, and a tour boat is a good way to see them.  The Battleship/Nauticus (co-located) is a good one for the ship minded.  You can take a short day-cruise right from that same area about a block away.  There's the Virginia Marine Science Museum, and there's a museum on the beach front that was for lifeboats if I remember right (it's been a while since I'va been there, odd how when you live there you don't go to things).  There's an air and space museum in Hampton which isn't bad, and Ft Monroe has a decent museum.  There is First Landing, where the English first landed.  The Mariner's Museum is another good one.  If you have kids, then take them to the Childeren's Science Museum in Portsmouth.  It's a "hand-on" place and a blast for all ages.  

As for places to eat, it's a tourist area so there's plenty.  There are some meger attractions on the beachfront area here in the Beach, but some close when it's not summer.  

As for bad places, there are just as many as anywhere else.  It's not like there's crack houses on every block.  It's like any other area in the US.  Being from Arlington, you probably have the same rough spots up there.  If you have any common sense, you'll have no problem.

Have a good time, and if there's anything any of us down here can do let us know.  

Ross