Paddling near Norfolk, VA

At the hub of Hampton Roads, Norfolk sits within a region that is as much water as land, threaded by more than 121 miles of navigable waterways and fronted by 35 miles of ocean and bay beaches. The tidal Elizabeth River runs through the city's core — paddled from downtown past naval yards and working marinas via the ADA-accessible launch at Plum Point Park — while the Chesapeake Bay defines the coast just north and east. Quieter options include the Lafayette River and, roughly 45 miles southwest, the blackwater Great Dismal Swamp.