The Top 5 Spring Break Hotspots in Newport News
~ Your Ultimate Guide to a Spring Break to Remember ~
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1.Since 1966, Newport News Park has been a gem in our city, providing trails, shade, a huge variety of wildlife, and much more. So much more, that you probably don’t even know about all this amazing park has to offer: |
At 7,711 acres, Newport News Park is an oasis in the middle of a large metropolitan city. The park is so large that it has its very own campground with 188 campsites. ands. Camp here and you’ll be surrounded by many of the comforts of home, including electricity, heated showers, a laundry room, a small store for food and supplies, and 24-hour security. And, of course, pets are welcome, too!
If you enjoy cycling, bring your own bike or rent one from the campsite office to hit the park’s popular 5.3-mile hard-packed, flat-surface multi-use trail. Newport News Park shares a long stretch of border with the Colonial National Historical Park and several of the park's biking and hiking trails cross over into this historical area.
The park offers more than 30 miles of trails through forest, field, and marshland, with many native species to observe in their natural habitat. As you can imagine, the park is home to an incredible variety of native wildlife – deer, fox, raccoon, and beaver, to name a few.
A wildlife rehabilitation program is located at the park’s Discovery Center, where staff provide care to hundreds of injured or orphaned animals. This enables the animals to return to their natural environments. The center has numerous educational exhibits on display, open to the public.
Newport News Park is the site of some of the best-preserved Civil War fortifications, earthworks, and redoubts in Virginia. During the American Civil War, the park was the site of Battle of Dam No. 1. In the days prior to the battle, Confederate forces constructed rifle pits and other earthworks from which they held off the Union Army. Because of this, the park is a designated stop on the official Virginia Civil War Trails network.
Newport News Park has FOUR playgrounds, including one specifically made for younger children. With four certified courts for horseshoes, there’s no better place than Newport News Park to play horseshoes, too, especially if you want to keep your own lawn back home pristine! Just remember to bring your own horseshoes, as the park does not provide them.
For water enthusiasts, fishing is permitted in two large freshwater lakes, along with canoe, paddleboat, and Jon boat rentals. And don’t worry about bringing your own paddles, oars, or personal flotation devices – they’re all included in the rental.
Finally, Newport News Park has an archery range, two 18-hole golf courses, and an 18-hole championship disc golf course in the arboretum area. Floral gardens at the park include a Japanese Peace Garden with an authentic tea house! The park also offers many free programs, such as archery safety lessons and bird walks.
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2.Huntington Park is unique in the fact that it includes a beach, a museum, a rose garden, and a playground. Located near the intersection of Warwick and Mercury boulevards, the park is nestled at the base of the James River Bridge, spanning 60 acres and making it the 4thlargest park in Newport News. From play dates to romantic dates, Huntington Park has something for everyone: |
The park is home to the Virginia War Museum, filled with displays of military artifacts from the Revolutionary War to the present. A quiet space with memorials in remembrance of the Vietnam War, the Holocaust, and the Four Chaplains of the USAT Dorchestercan also be found outside museum.
A public beach with a designated swimming area is staffed with a lifeguard from Memorial Day through Labor Day. A concession stand that serves snow cones, ice cream, and other fun food, is open during this time. The beach also has volleyball nets, so don’t forget your ball.
The park’s Rose Garden, a beautifully landscaped area with a scenic gazebo, is located near the Warwick Boulevard entrance.
Fish from one of the longest saltwater fishing piers on the East Coast at the James River Fishing Pier. You can also fish on Lake Biggins, a large freshwater lake that features a children’s fishing pier.
Fort Fun, a 14,000-square-foot playground, is located at the park on a scenic bluff overlooking the James River.
And if that weren’t enough, Huntington Park also features a public boat ramp, a tennis center with 20 lighted courts, two ball fields, a basketball court, and a seafood restaurant (Crab Shack on the James) with sweeping panoramic views of the James River!
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3.The Noland Trail is a sandy 5-mile loop with 14 bridges, 13 footbridges, 4 peaceful overlooks, and 17 benches about a quarter mile apart is a popular walking trail in Newport News. It winds through forests and around a 167-acre lake in Mariners’ Museum Park. Various routes allow you to pick and choose the length of your walk, some as short as a half-mile. The trail is well-maintained and relatively flat, making it accessible to walkers and hikers of all levels. |
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4.Spring in Newport News is stunning. Cherry blossoms. Daffodils. Azaleas. Tulips. They’re all in bloom – and they’re all over the place. It is a season that reminds us why we love this city, and a huge part of that is how much we get to do outdoors! Here are just a few ways to take in the beauty of spring in Newport News: |
No need to travel to Washington, D.C., when we have the most gorgeous cherry blossoms along Canon Boulevard! Hundreds of Yoshino cherry trees were donated by Canon Virginia, which opened in Newport News in 1985. A year after its opening, the manufacturing company had the trees planted on the east side of Canon Boulevard. The neatly manicured grass and dark mulch mounds around each tree add to the beauty of this visual experience. As an added treat, the City of Newport News later added more blooms by planting additional cherry trees on the opposite side of the street. Typically, the trees bloom at the end of March through early April, so check them out while you can!
At the Japanese Peace Garden in Newport News Park, you’ll enter through a “torii,” a traditional Japanese gate that marks the entrance to a sacred place. The garden, about one mile inside the park’s main entrance, is home to cherry and dogwood trees, low-growing junipers, azaleas, a variety of bulb flowers, a small pond – plus a 16th-century reproduction of a Japanese ceremonial teahouse, affectionately named “Swallows’ Rest.”
At one time, white-tailed deer used to be raised on a game preserve on the land now known as Deer Park. While these deer are no longer found here, Deer Park still has much to offer. Among its 50 acres are gorgeous azaleas, which bloom year after year. The flowers come in a variety of colors, from pink and red to white and purple. The park is also home to camellias and rhododendron blooms.
The Rose Garden at Huntington Park features more than 74 rose varieties in its 1,000-bush garden. Hybrid tea, grandiflora, floribunda, climber, shrub, and miniature roses are all represented. Complete with trellises, brick borders, and a gazebo, the rose garden bursts into a carnival of color by early May and remains in bloom until late October or November.
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5.Spring Break doesn’t have to end when those pesky raindrops fall. Just go museum hopping! Take refuge inside and enjoy some of the many indoor activities Newport News has to offer. |
Family-friendly activities abound in our city – and you won’t need an umbrella to enjoy them! The best and most economical way to see all the attractions in Newport News is through the One City Pass, which gives you admission to seven attractions for one low price. It is good for one year from date of purchase and includes admission to:
• The Mariners' Museum and Park
The One City Pass is available exclusively at the Newport News Visitor Center, located at 13560 Jefferson Avenue, at the entrance to Newport News Park. Call 757-886-7777 for details.
We hope these suggestions have inspired you to plan the ultimate spring break getaway to Newport News!