Tarrallton Park
Park
36 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Photo: Bruce Emmerling · CC BY-SA 4.0B+Outdoors
Outdoors in Norfolk
8% of Norfolk’s land is conserved: 2,676 acres
The biggest trail networks: Tarrallton Park (0.9 mi). 86% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 33 miles of mapped trail cross Norfolk, 0.6 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 68% of U.S. towns · #110 of 253 in Virginia. What drives it
Conserved land
8%
2,676 acres · of 53.3 sq mi of land
Trails
33 mi
0.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,704 ac
7.3 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
86%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
42 mi
21 mi lanes · 8.6 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
16
2 beaches · 9 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Norfolk?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Norfolk have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Norfolk is ahead of 68% of U.S. towns, #110 of 253 in Virginia. Conserved land holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
B+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Norfolk’s overall grade.
Conserved land8% of the land · typical VA town 4% · U.S. 4%B+Trails0.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (33 mi) · VA 0.7 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land7.3 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,704 acres) · VA 8 · U.S. 13C+Parks close to home86% of residents within a half mile of a park · VA 76% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 68%
LessMore
Virginia towns of 2,500+ (253)Ahead of 57%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Norfolk ranks #279 on Outdoors.
Water is 45% of Norfolk’s area (43 of 96 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 4%.
Park acres per resident are where Norfolk trails most U.S. towns: 7.3 per 1,000 against 12.6 typical, since 231,013 people share 1,704 acres.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A−. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Tarrallton Park, with 0.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
All 49 parks & preserves
Tarrallton Park36 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
Poplar Hall Park20 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsIndustrial Park - Azalea Little League39 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLafayette Park36 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBay Oaks Park14 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Azalea Acres Neighborhood Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Shoop Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Ocean View Beach Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsStockley Gardens3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsPagoda & Oriental Garden1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsNorthside Park50 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLakewood Park48 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBreezy Point Park13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsEast Ocean View Community Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTown Point Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Norfolk
DirectionsColonial Place Greenway Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTowneBank Fountain Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBarraud Park17 acres
Berkley Community Park11 acres
DirectionsJeff Robertson Park11 acres · City of Norfolk
DirectionsSarah Constant Beach Park8 acres
DirectionsCommunity Beach Park8 acres
DirectionsBroad Creek Park6 acres
DirectionsWeyanoke Bird and Wildflower Sanctuary6 acres · Cape Henry Audubon Society
DirectionsGranby Street Park5 acres
Ely Memorial Park5 acres
DirectionsPlum Point Park4 acres
DirectionsMonticella Village Park3 acres
Kaboom Park3 acres
NSU Gardens2 acres
DirectionsRiverpoint Playground2 acres
DirectionsFergus Reid Tennis Courts2 acres · City of Norfolk
Spartan Park2 acres
DirectionsBotetourt Gardens2 acres
DirectionsMaple Avenue Park2 acres
MacArthur Center Green2 acres · MacArthur Center
DirectionsFive Points Park2 acres · City of Norfolk
DirectionsMeadow Creek Park1 acres
Water Street Park1 acres · City of Norfolk (Virginia)
DirectionsElizabeth River Trail1 acres · City of Norfolk
DirectionsBluestone Playground1 acres · City of Norfolk
DirectionsMunson Park1 acres
Algonquin Park1 acres
Raleigh Avenue Park1 acres · City of Norfolk
DirectionsCambridge Park and Dog Park1 acres
Tarrallton Bike Park1 acres
Myrtle Park1 acres · City of Norfolk
Glenwood Park1 acres
North Shore Road Playground1 acres
Who protects it
2,676 conserved acres
8% of Norfolk’s land. Water is left out: Norfolk has 53.3 square miles of land and 43.1 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Norfolk’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city2,634 ac
Other state land20 ac
Private owners18 ac
State conservation17 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government14 ac
Not recorded781 ac
Local Park · 2,878 acLocal Recreation Area · 375 acLocal Other or Unknown · 188 acConservation Easement · 36 acLocal Historic or Cultural Area · 5 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 3 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Whitehurst City Park Local Park | Town or city | 634 | Open |
| Botanical Gardens Local Park | Not recorded | 290 | Open |
| Lafayette Park Local Park | Town or city | 267 | Open |
| Town Point Park Local Park | Not recorded | 218 | Open |
| Lakewood Park - Norfolk Local Park | Town or city | 153 | Open |
| Forest Lawn Cemetery Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 145 | Open |
| Lake Taylor Middle And High School Local Park | Town or city | 112 | Open |
| Ocean View Beach Local Park | Town or city | 111 | Open |
| Ocean View Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 108 | Open |
| Northside Park Local Park | Town or city | 59 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
135 places to go in Norfolk
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Norfolk
Willoughby Beach
DirectionsPlus 1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in Norfolk
Mallory Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Norfolk
Children's Play Area
DirectionsPretty Lake PlaygroundIn Bay Oaks Park
DirectionsTitustown Playground
Directions97 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Norfolk
Bea Arthur Dog Park
DirectionsColonial Place Dog ParkIn Colonial Place Greenway Park
DirectionsMaple Avenue Dog ParkIn Maple Avenue Park
DirectionsOcean View Dog ParkIn Maple Avenue Park
DirectionsStockley Gardens Dog Park
DirectionsPlus 2 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Norfolk
Haven Creek Boat Ramp
DirectionsHighland Park Veterans Kayak Launch
DirectionsLarchmont Kayak LaunchHours: Open 24 hours
DirectionsPlum Point Kayak Launch
DirectionsPlus 5 boat launches without a name on the map.
Fishing spots in Norfolk
Oceanview Fishing Pier
DirectionsPlus 1 fishing spot without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Norfolk
Airport Public Observation Area
DirectionsPlus 3 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Norfolk
11 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Disc golf in Norfolk
Lafayette Park Disc Golf CourseFee · In Lafayette Park
DirectionsPoplar Hall Disc Golf CourseIn Poplar Hall Park
DirectionsTrails & water
3 named trails and 16 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 3.7 mi
Mirror Lake Loop0.2 mi
Trail of the Tiger0.2 mi
Mirror Lake Loop- Academy Shortcut0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
42 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
21 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
8.6 mi
off-road bike paths
13 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
178Tennis
102Basketball
87Baseball
45Soccer
25Football
11Pickleball
6Golf
5Multi-sport
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →66 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 14 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Norfolk AcademyBuilding · listed 1969
About itMoses Myers HouseBuilding · listed 1970
About itU.S. CustomhouseBuilding · listed 1970
About itSt. Paul's ChurchBuilding · listed 1971
About itAllmand-Archer HouseBuilding · listed 1971
About itFreemason Street Baptist ChurchBuilding · listed 1971
About itTaylor-Whittle HouseBuilding · listed 1971
About itWilloughby-Baylor HouseBuilding · listed 1971
About itNorfolk City HallBuilding · listed 1972
About itWest Freemason Street Area Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1972
About itBoush-Tazewell HouseBuilding · listed 1974
About itMonticello ArcadeBuilding · listed 1975
About it54 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Norfolk: April to June
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.9 | 10.8 | 11.9 | 13.1 | 14.1 | 14.7 | 14.5 | 13.6 | 12.4 | 11.2 | 10.1 | 9.6 |
| High (°F) | 50 | 52 | 59 | 69 | 76 | 84 | 88 | 86 | 81 | 71 | 61 | 53 |
| Rain (in) | 3.4 | 2.8 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 5.5 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 3.3 |
February is the driest month (2.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 88 °F). 5.5 inches fall in July, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 88 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Norfolk →
Next door
Norfolk and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk | 8% | 0.6 | 7 | 86% | B+ |
| Virginia Beach | 30% | 0.8 | 29 | 94% | A |
| Chesapeake | 36% | 0.4 | 37 | 71% | A− |
| Portsmouth | 2% | 0.6 | 6 | 76% | B− |
| Hampton | 5% | 0.7 | 14 | 52% | B |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Norfolk
Where can I hike in Norfolk?
The longest trail networks: Tarrallton Park, 0.9 miles; Poplar Hall Park, 0.3 miles; Northside Park, 0.1 miles; Lakewood Park, 0.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Norfolk is conserved land?
8% of its land, against a typical 4% for a Virginia town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Norfolk’s trails?
Tarrallton Park and Poplar Hall Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Norfolk?
42 miles of bike routes are on the map: 21 of painted or protected lanes, 8.6 of off-road paths and 13 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Norfolk?
16,035 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Norfolk or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,704 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Norfolk have?
Ahead of 68% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #110 of 253 in Virginia. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Norfolk neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →