Hampton Roads
Metropolitan area
Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA–NC, Metropolitan Statistical Area
Satellite view of Hampton Roads with the Hampton Roads channel at center (city urban centers visible, clockwise from top:Newport News,Hampton,Norfolk,Portsmouth)
Flag
Jurisdictions in the Hampton Roads MSA are colored in red. Jurisdictions in the CSA, but not the MSA, are colored in pink.
Coordinates:36°57′N76°24′W / 36.950°N 76.400°W /36.950; -76.400
Country	United States
State	Virginia North Carolina
Independent cities	Hampton Roads MSA:  -Virginia Beach  -Norfolk  -Chesapeake  -Newport News  -Hampton  -Portsmouth  -Suffolk  -Williamsburg  -Poquoson
Counties	Hampton Roads MSA:  -James City County  -York County  -Isle of Wight County  -Gloucester County  -Mathews County  -Surry County  -Camden County, NC  -Currituck County, NC  -Gates County, NC Hampton Roads CSA: -Dare County, NC -Pasquotank County, NC
Settled	1607
Area
• Metropolitan area	3,729.76 sq mi (9,660.0 km2)
• Land	2,889.16 sq mi (7,482.9 km2)
• Water	840.6 sq mi (2,177 km2)
• Urban	527 sq mi (1,360 km2)
Elevation	0–112 ft (0–34 m)
Population  (2020)
• Metropolitan area	1,799,674
• Density	463.5/sq mi (179.0/km2)
• CSA	1,890,162
GDP [1]
• Metropolitan area	$116.686 billion (2022)
Time zone	EST
• Summer (DST)	EDT
Zip Codes	VA: 230xx, 231xx, 233xx, 234xx, 235xx, 236xx, 237xx ,238xx NC: 279xx
Area codes	757, 804, 948, 252

Hampton Roads is a body of water in the United States that serves as a wide channel for theJames,Nansemond, andElizabeth rivers betweenOld Point Comfort andSewell's Point near the point at whichChesapeake Bay flows into theAtlantic Ocean. It also gave its name to the surrounding metropolitan region located in the southeasternVirginia and northeasternNorth Carolina portions of theTidewater Region.

Comprising theVirginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA–NC, metropolitan area and an extendedcombined statistical area that includes theElizabeth City, North Carolina, micropolitan statistical area andKill Devil Hills, North Carolina, micropolitan statistical area, Hampton Roads is known for its large military presence, ice-free harbor, shipyards,coal piers, and miles of waterfront property and beaches, all of which contribute to the diversity and stability of the region's economy.

The body of water known as Hampton Roads is one of the world's largest naturalharbors (more accurately aroadstead or "roads"). It incorporates the mouths of theElizabeth,Nansemond, andJames rivers, together with several smaller rivers, and empties into theChesapeake Bay near its mouth leading to the Atlantic Ocean.^[2][3]

The land area includes a collection of cities, counties, and towns on theVirginia Peninsula and inSouth Hampton Roads. Some of the outlying areas further from the harbor may or may not be included as part of "Hampton Roads", depending upon the organization or usage. For example, as defined for federal economic purposes, the Hampton Roads metropolitan statistical area (MSA) includes three counties in northeastern North Carolina and two counties in Virginia'sMiddle Peninsula. The Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA–NC, MSA has an estimated 2023 population of 1,787,169, making it the 37th-largest metropolitan area in the United States.^[4] TheCombined Statistical Area includes two additional counties in North Carolina, pushing the regional population to 1,866,723 residents, the 35th-largestCSA in the country.^[4]

The area is home to hundreds of historical sites and attractions. The harbor was the key to Hampton Roads' growth, both on land and in water-related activities and events. While the harbor and its tributaries were (and still are) important transportation conduits, at the same time they presented obstacles to land-based commerce and travel.

Creating and maintaining adequate infrastructure has long been a major challenge. TheHampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel (HRBT) and theMonitor–Merrimac Memorial Bridge–Tunnel (MMMBT) are major harbor crossings of theHampton Roads Beltway interstate, which links the large population centers of Hampton Roads. In 2009, theHampton Roads Transportation Authority (HRTA) was abolished by the Virginia General Assembly less than two years after its creation.^[5] In 2014, theHampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission was established to oversee the Hampton Roads Transportation Fund.

The term "Hampton Roads" is a centuries-old designation that originated when the region was a strugglingEnglish outpost nearly four hundred years ago.

The word "Hampton" honors one of the founders of theVirginia Company of London and a great supporter of the colonization of Virginia,Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton. The early administrative center of the new colony was known asElizabeth Cittie, named forPrincess Elizabeth, the daughter of King James I, and formally designated by the Virginia Company in 1619. The town at the center of Elizabeth Cittie became known as "Hampton", and a nearby waterway was designated Hampton Creek (also known as Hampton River).

Other references to the Earl include the area to the north across the bay (in what is now theEastern Shore) which became known asNorthampton, and an area south of the James River which becameSouthampton. As with Hampton, both of these names remain in use today.

The term "Roads" (short forroadstead) indicates the safety of a port; as applied to a body of water, it is "a partly sheltered area of water near a shore in which vessels may ride at anchor".^[6] Examples of other roadsteads areCastle Roads, in another of theVirginia Company's settlements, Bermuda, andLahaina Roads, in Hawaii.

In 1755, theVirginia General Assembly recorded the name "Hampton Roads" as the channel linking the James, Elizabeth, and Nansemond rivers with the Chesapeake Bay.^[7]

Hampton Roads is among the world's largest natural harbors. It is the northernmost major East Coast port of the United States which is ice-free year round. (This status is claimed with the notable exception of the extraordinarily cold winter of 1917, which was the entire U.S.'s coldest year on record.)

Over time, the entire region has come to be known as "Hampton Roads", a label more specific than its other moniker, "Tidewater Virginia", which includes the whole coastal region of the state. TheU.S. Postal Service changed the area's postmark from "Tidewater Virginia" to "Hampton Roads, Virginia" beginning in 1983.^[7]

The U.S. Census Bureau defines the "Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA–NC, MSA" as 18 county-level jurisdictions—six counties and nine independent cities in Virginia, and three counties in North Carolina. While the borders of what locals call "Hampton Roads" may not perfectly align with the definition of the MSA, Hampton Roads is most often the name used for the metropolitan area.

"Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA–NC, MSA" is a U.S.Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). In 2023, the population was estimated to be 1,787,169.^[4]

Since a state constitutional change in 1871, all cities in Virginia areindependent cities and they are not legally located in a county. TheOMB considers these independent cities to becounty-equivalents for the purpose of defining MSAs in Virginia. Each MSA is listed by its counties, then cities, in alphabetical order and not by size.^{[citation needed]}

The MSA consists of these locations in Virginia:^[8]

The MSA also includes the following locations in North Carolina:

• Camden County
• Currituck County
• Gates County

The Hampton Roads metropolitan area was first defined in 1950 as the "Norfolk–Portsmouth Metropolitan Statistical Area", whuch contained the independent cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth andSouth Norfolk and the counties ofNorfolk andPrincess Anne. In 1952, Virginia Beach separated from Princess Anne County.^[10]

In 1963, Virginia Beach and Princess Anne County merged, retaining the name Virginia Beach. The city was added to the MSA that year, while South Norfolk lost its metropolitan status. Also in 1963, Norfolk County and the City of South Norfolk merged to create the city of Chesapeake.^[11]

In 1970, Chesapeake was added to the MSA,^[12] while Virginia Beach became a primary city.^[13]

In 1973, Currituck County, North Carolina was added to the MSA.^[14]

In 1983, the "Newport News–Hampton Metropolitan Statistical Area", at that time consisting of the cities of Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson and Williamsburg, and the counties of Gloucester, James City and York, was combined with the Norfolk–Virginia Beach–Portsmouth MSA and renamed the "Norfolk–Virginia Beach–Newport News MSA".

In 1993, Isle of Wight, Mathews and Surry counties were added. Although Virginia Beach had passed Norfolk as the state's largest city by 1990, it was not made the first primary city of the MSA until 2010.

As a result of the 2010 Census, Gates County, North Carolina was added to the MSA, whileSurry County, Virginia was removed.^[15]

The Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA–NC,Combined Statistical Area additionally includes theElizabeth City, NC, Micropolitan Statistical Area, comprising:

• Pasquotank County

and theKill Devil Hills, North Carolina, Micropolitan Statistical Area, comprising:

• Dare County

The estimated population in 2023 of theCombined Statistical Area was 1,866,723. It is the 35th largest in the country. Among the metropolitan areas in Virginia, only the Northern Virginia portion of the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV, MSA is larger.

The metropolitan area and water area is in theTidewater region, a low-lying plains region composed of southeastern portions of Virginia and northeastern portions of North Carolina.

The water area known as Hampton Roads is a wide channel through which the waters of theJames River,Nansemond River, andElizabeth River pass (betweenOld Point Comfort to the north andSewell's Point to the south) into theChesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.^[16]

Norfolk and Hampton Roads are among the worst-hit parts of the United States by theeffects of global warming. As of 2016, the region is a few decades ahead in feeling the effects ofsea-level rise compared to many American coastal areas.^{[17][18][19][20]}

The geology and topography of the Hampton Roads region is influenced by theChesapeake Bay impact crater, one of three factors contributing to the sinking of Hampton Roads at a rate between 15 and 23 centimeters (5.9 and 9.1 inches) per century.^[21]

The region has extensive natural areas, including 26 miles (42 km) of Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay beaches, theGreat Dismal Swamp, picturesque rivers, state parks, wildlife refuges, and botanical gardens. Inland from the bay, the region includesLake Drummond, one of only two natural lakes in Virginia, and miles of waterfront property along the various rivers and waterways. The region's native flora is consistent with that of the Southeast Coastal Plain and the lower Southeast Maritime Forest.

The land area that constitutes Hampton Roads varies depending upon perspective and purpose. Most of Hampton Roads' land is geographically divided into two smaller regions: the eastern portion of theVirginia Peninsula (the Peninsula) andSouth Hampton Roads (locally known as "the Southside"), which are separated by the harbor. When speaking of communities of Hampton Roads, virtually all sources include the seven major cities, two smaller ones, and three counties within those two subregions.

In addition, theMiddle Peninsula counties of Gloucester and Mathews, while not part of the geographical Hampton Roads area, are included in the metropolitan region's population, as is a small portion of northeastern North Carolina (Currituck County). Due to a peculiarity in the drawing of the Virginia-North Carolina border,Knott's Island in that county is connected to Virginia by land, but is only accessible to other parts of North Carolina by water via a ferry system.

Each of the following current cities, counties and towns is included by at least one of the three organizations that define Hampton Roads:

The Hampton Roads area consists of nine independent cities (which are not part of any county).Chesapeake,Norfolk,Portsmouth,Suffolk, andVirginia Beach cover the Southside of Hampton Roads whileHampton,Newport News,Poquoson, andWilliamsburg are on the Peninsula.Franklin borders Suffolk but the Census Bureau does not consider it part of the metro area.^[22]

The metro area has one county in North Carolina,Currituck. The remaining counties, in Virginia, includeIsle of Wight andSurry on the Southside,James City andYork on the Virginia Peninsula, andGloucester andMathews on the Middle Peninsula. WhileSouthampton is adjacent to Surry, Isle of Wight, and the City of Suffolk, the Census Bureau does not consider it part of the metro area.^[22]

Fiveincorporated towns are in the metro area, includingClaremont in Surry County,Dendron in Surry County,Smithfield in Isle of Wight County,Surry, Surry County's seat, andWindsor in Isle of Wight County. (Two other incorporated towns,Boykins andCourtland, are in Southampton County, and therefore, like the county within which they are located, are not part of the federally defined metropolitan area).^[22]

Other unincorporated towns and communities in the metropolitan area that are not within its cities includeGloucester Courthouse andGloucester Point in Gloucester County,Isle of Wight Courthouse,Rushmere,Rescue,Carrollton,Benns Church, andWalters in Isle of Wight County,Yorktown,Grafton,Seaford, andTabb in York County,Jamestown,Ford's Colony,Grove,Lightfoot,Toano, andNorge in James City County,Moyock,Knotts Island, andCurrituck in Currituck County, North Carolina.^[22]

The Hampton Roads MSA, with a population of about 1.8 million, is the seventh-largest metropolitan area in the Southeastern United States, after theWashington metropolitan area;Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach, FL, MSA;Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Marietta, GA, MSA,Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater, FL, MSA;Orlando–Kissimmee, FL, MSA; andCharlotte–Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC–SC, MSA.

The first colonists arrived in 1607 when EnglishCaptain Christopher Newport landed atCape Henry, today's City of Virginia Beach, an event now called the "First Landing." However, his party moved on, in search of a more defensible area upriver, mindful of competitors such as the Spanish, who had built a failed settlement on the Virginia Peninsula known as theAjacán Mission.

After exploring theJames River, they established the first successful English colony in theNew World onJamestown Island on May 14, 1607.^[23] However, the low, marshy site proved unhealthy and most of the colonists died, before a new Governor,Lord De La Warr (Delaware) arrived withJohn Rolfe, who would establish the Virginia tobacco industry.^[23]

The harbor and rivers of Hampton Roads were immediately recognized as prime locations for commerce, shipbuilding and military installations, with the fortifications atOld Point Comfort established as early as 1610, andGosport Navy Yard (later Norfolk Naval Shipyard) in 1767. The decisive battle of the Revolution was won atYorktown in 1781, and the first naval action of theWar of 1812 took place in Hampton Roads, when theRoyal Navy schoonerWhiting was seized by the American privateerDash. Later the entrance from Chesapeake Bay was equipped with new fortifications (Fort Monroe andFort Wool), much of the building work being supervised by a young military engineerRobert E. Lee.

During the American Civil War (1861–1865), the historicBattle of Hampton Roads between the first Americanironclad warships, theUSS Monitor and theCSSVirginia, took place offSewell's Point in 1862. The battle was inconclusive, but Union forces later took control of Hampton Roads, Norfolk, and the lower James River, though they were thwarted from venturing further upstream by a strong Confederate battery atDrewry's Bluff. Also in 1862, Fort Monroe was the launching place for Union GeneralGeorge McClellan'smassive advance up the Virginia Peninsula, which almost reached the Confederate capitalRichmond, before theSeven Days Battles forced him back. In 1865, as the Confederacy was near collapse, President Abraham Lincoln met with three senior Confederates at Hampton Roads in anunsuccessful bid for a negotiated peace.^[24]

Some former slaves had beencamped near Fort Monroe, where they were declared to beContraband of war, instead of being returned to their former owners.Booker T. Washington was among the freedmen who attended the local school, which evolved into the present-dayHampton University.

TheJamestown Exposition for the 300th anniversary of the 1607 founding ofJamestown was held atSewell's Point in a rural section ofNorfolk County in 1907.

PresidentTheodore Roosevelt arrived by water in the harbor of Hampton Roads, as did other notable persons such asMark Twain andHenry Huttleston Rogers, who both arrived aboard the latter's steam yachtKanawha. A major naval display was featured, and the U.S.Great White Fleet made an appearance. The leaders of the U.S. Navy apparently did not fail to note the ideal harbor conditions, as was later proved.

Beginning in 1917, as the United States became involved in World War I under PresidentWoodrow Wilson, formerly ruralSewell's Point became the site of what grew to become the largest Naval Base in the world which was established by theUnited States Navy and is now known as theNaval Station Norfolk.

Twice in the 20th century, inhabitants mostly African American were displaced when land along the northern side of thePeninsula primarily inYork County west of Yorktown was taken in large tracts for military use during World War I and World War II, creating the present-day U.S.Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, which includes Cheatham Annex, and a formerSeabee base which becameCamp Peary.

Communities including"the Reservation",Halstead's Point,Penniman,Bigler's Mill, andMagruder were alllost and absorbed into the large military bases.

Although some left the area entirely, many of the displaced families chose to relocate nearby toGrove, an unincorporated town in southeasternJames City County where many generations of some of those families now reside. From a population estimated at only 37 in 1895, Grove had grown to an estimated 1,100 families by the end of the 20th century. (To its north, Grove actually borders the Naval Weapons Station property and on its extreme east, a portion of the U.S. Army's land atFort Eustis extends across Skiffe's Creek, although there is no direct access to either base).

It was the dream of an Episcopal priest to save his 18th-century church building by turning Williamsburg into the world's largestliving museum. Williamsburg replaced Jamestown at the very end of the 17th century after a disastrous fire. It was the capital of the colony and the new State of Virginia from 1699 to 1780. The capital was moved to Richmond in 1780. Williamsburg became a "sleepy" small town. During the Civil War theBattle of Williamsburg was fought nearby during the Peninsula Campaign in the spring months of 1862. The decaying town was not located along any major waterway and did not have railroad access until 1881. Perhaps due to the secure inland location originally known asMiddle Plantation Williamsburg missed growth and economic expansion in the 19th century. The main economic engines wereThe College of William & Mary andEastern State Hospital. The College of William and Mary was chartered by the Crown and is the only pre-Independence college to have kept it. In addition to the city's historic past, quite a few buildings of antiquity from the 18th century were still extant, although time was taking a toll by the early 20th century. The Reverend Dr.W.A.R. Goodwin ofBruton Parish Church motive was to only to save historic church building which was secured by 1907. He subsequently served inRochester, New York for many years. Upon returning to Williamsburg in 1923 he realized that many of the other colonial-era buildings were deteriorating and their existence was at risk.

Goodwin dreamt of a much larger restoration of the colonial town. A cleric of modest means, he first sought support and financing from a number of sources before successfully drawing the interests before receiving major financial support fromStandard Oil heir and philanthropistJohn D. Rockefeller Jr. and his wifeAbby Aldrich Rockefeller. The result is the creation ofColonial Williamsburg with extensive restoration of buildings such as theWren Building of the College of William & Mary and the Governor's Palace, and the transformation of downtown Williamsburg area into Historic District of restored buildings. Many 19th century buildings were removed.

By the 1930s, Colonial Williamsburg had become the centerpiece of theHistoric Triangle of Colonial Virginia. These were, of course, Jamestown, where the colony started, Williamsburg, andYorktown, where independence fromGreat Britain was won. The three points were joined by the U.S.National Park Service'sColonial Parkway, a remarkable accomplishment in course of 27 years. The Historic Triangle area of the Hampton Roads region became one of the largest tourist attractions in Virginia.In Dr. Goodwin's words: "Williamsburg is Jamestown continued, and Yorktown is Williamsburg vindicated."

The area consists of ten independent cities and six counties. Each independent city has the powers and responsibilities of a county, including maintaining roads, courts, schools, and public safety. Some cities share these responsibilities with an adjoining county.Incorporated towns located within counties in Virginia operate with some level of autonomy, with some larger Towns exercising more autonomy than others.

The localities come together to consult on regional issues. Virginia defines regional planning districts by law. District members are usually independent cities and counties. Localities around the state may belong to more than one Planning District, as their constituents may have interests which cross over individual planning district boundaries.

The Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) currently includes 16 cities and counties and one incorporated town in Virginia, representing over 1.7 million people.

The 17 jurisdictions include:

• the cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg
• the counties of Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City, Southampton, Surry, and York
• the town of Smithfield

There are incorporated towns in three of the counties (Isle of Wight, Southampton and Surry) within the district.^[25]

The differences between the service area of the HRPDC and the federally defined metropolitan statistical area (MSA) are:

• Southampton County and the City of Franklin are not in the MSA.
• Mathews County is in the MSA but not the HRPDC.
• The MSA includes Currituck County and Gates County, North Carolina, but the HRPDC does not.

The Federal government has two major research laboratories in the area. NASA-Langley, on the northeast edge of Hampton near Poquoson, is the home of a variety of aeronautics research, including several one-of-a-kind wind tunnels. The Department of Energy'sThomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (known as 'Jefferson Lab')^[26] conducts cutting edge physics research inNewport News; the lab hosts the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF)^[27] and a kilowatt-classfree-electron laser.^[28]

The military has a large presence in the region. Area military facilities (alphabetically) include:

Hampton Roads is home to twoFortune 500 companies.^[31] Representing the retail and shipbuilding industry, they are located inChesapeake andNewport News.

• 111Dollar Tree
• 327Huntington Ingalls Industries

Hampton Roads has become known as the "world's greatest natural harbor." The port is located only 18 miles (29 km) from open ocean on one of the world's deepest, natural ice-free harbors. Since 1989, Hampton Roads has been the mid-Atlantic leader in U.S. waterborne foreign commerce and is ranked second nationally behind the Port of South Louisiana based on export tonnage. When import and export tonnage are combined, the Port of Hampton Roads ranks as the third largest port in the country (following the ports of New Orleans/South Louisiana and Houston). In 1996, Hampton Roads was ranked ninth among major U.S. ports in vessel port calls with approximately 2,700. In addition, this port is the U.S. leader in coal exports. The coal loading facilities in the Port of Hampton Roads are able to load in excess of 65 million tons annually, giving the port the largest, most efficient and modern coal loading facilities in the world.

It is little surprise therefore that the Hampton Roads region's economic base is largely port-related, including shipbuilding, ship repair, naval installations, cargo transfer and storage, and manufacturing related to the processing of imports and exports. Associated with the ports' military role are almost 50,000 federal civilian employees.

The harbor of Hampton Roads is an important highway of commerce, especially for the cities ofNorfolk,Portsmouth, andNewport News.^[16]

Huntington Ingalls Industries (formerly Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company), was created in 2008 as a spinoff ofNorthrop Grumman Newport News and is the world's largestshipyard. It is located a short distance up theJames River. In Portsmouth, a few miles up the Elizabeth River, the historicNorfolk Naval Shipyard is located. BAE Systems, formerly known as NORSHIPCO, operates from sites in the City of Norfolk. There are also several smaller shipyards, numerous docks and terminals.

Massivecoal piers and loading facilities were established in the late 19th and early 20th century by theChesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O),Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W), andVirginian Railway (VGN). The latter two were predecessors of theNorfolk Southern Railway, aClass I railroad which has its headquarters in Norfolk, and continues to export coal from a large facility atLambert's Point on the Elizabeth River.CSX Transportation now serves the former C&O facility at Newport News. (The VGN's former coal facility atSewell's Point has been gone since the 1960s, and the property is now part of the expansiveNorfolk Navy Base).

Almost 80% of the region's economy is derived from federal sources.^{[citation needed]} This includes the large military presence, but also NASA and facilities of the Departments of Energy, Transportation, Commerce and Veterans Affairs. The region also receives a substantial impact in government student loans and grants, university research grants, and federal aid to cities.

The Hampton Roads area has the largest concentration of military bases and facilities of any metropolitan area in the world. Nearly one-fourth of the nation's active-duty military personnel are stationed in Hampton Roads, and 45% of the region's $81B gross regional output is Defense-related.^[32][33] All five military services' operating forces are there, as well as several major command headquarters: Hampton Roads is a chief rendezvous of theUnited States Navy, and the area is home to theAllied Command Transformation, which is the only major military command of theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on U.S. soil.Langley Air Force Base is home toAir Combat Command (ACC). TheNorfolk Navy Base is located atSewell's Point near the mouth, on the site used for the tercentennialJamestown Exposition in 1907. For a width of 500 feet (150 m) the Federal government during 1902 through 1905 increased its minimum depth at low water from 25.5 to 30 feet (8 to 9 m),^[16] and the channel has now been dredged to a depth of 55 feet (17 m) in some places.

NASA'sLangley Research Center, located on the Peninsula adjacent toLangley Air Force Base in Hampton, is home to scientific and aerospace technology research. TheThomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (commonly known as Jefferson Lab) is located nearby in Newport News.

The area's experiences with commercial and retail centers began early in 1918. Afton Square, located in theCradock naval community (now part of Portsmouth), was the first planned shopping center in the US and has served as template for future developments throughout the nation.^[34]

Hampton Roads experienced tremendous growth during and after World War II. In the 1950s, a trend in retail was the shopping center, a group of stores along a common sidewalk adjacent to off-street parking, usually in a suburban location.

In 1959, one of the largest shopping centers on the east coast of the US was opened at the northeast corner of Military Highway and Virginia Beach Boulevard on property which had formally been used as an airfield. The newJANAF Shopping Center, located in Norfolk, featured acres of free parking and dozens of stores. Backed by retired military personnel, the name JANAF was an acronym for Joint Army Navy Air Force.^[35]

During the 1950s and early 1960s, other shopping centers in Hampton Roads were developed, such as Wards Corner Shopping Center, Downtown Plaza Shopping Center and Southern Shopping Center in Norfolk; Mid-City Shopping Center in Portsmouth; Hilltop Shopping Center (now known as The Shops at Hilltop) in Virginia Beach; Riverdale Shopping Center in Hampton and the Warwick-Denbigh Shopping Center in Newport News.

In the late 1960s, a new type of shopping center came to Hampton Roads: the indoor shopping mall. In 1965, South Hampton Roads broke ground on its first shopping mall in Virginia Beach, known asPembroke Mall. The mall opened in 1966, and became Hampton Road's newest indoor shopping destination. TheVirginia Peninsula had its first indoor shopping mall in 1973, withColiseum Mall. Coliseum Mall drew so much traffic fromInterstate 64, that a toweringflyover was built at the Mercury Boulevard and Coliseum Drive intersection, to accommodate eastbound mall traffic, from the Mercury Boulevard interchange. Coliseum Mall was demolished to make way for the open air mixed-use developmentPeninsula Town Center. Also in the 1970s,Tower Mall was built in Portsmouth, but was torn down and turned into the Victory Crossing shopping development. In Norfolk,Military Circle Mall onMilitary Highway was built acrossVirginia Beach Boulevard from the large JANAF Shopping Center with its own high-rise hotel right in the center. In 1981,Greenbrier Mall gave Chesapeake a shopping mall of its own as well, and Virginia Beach got the massive Lynnhaven Mall the same year.

Chesapeake Square Mall was constructed in Chesapeake, Virginia, in 1989, near the border of Suffolk, Virginia, and has spawned a number of shopping centers in the surrounding areas.

MacArthur Center opened in March 1999, which made downtown Norfolk a prime shoppers destination, with the region's firstNordstrom department store anchor. MacArthur Center is similar to other downtown malls of the same era, such as Baltimore'sHarborplace, Indianapolis'Circle Centre Mall, Atlanta'sLenox Square Mall and most comparably toThe Fashion Centre at Pentagon City near Washington, D.C., inArlington, Virginia.

Currently, Virginia Beach'sLynnhaven Mall is the region's largest shopping center with nearly 180 stores, and is one of the region's biggest tourist draws, with theVirginia Beach Oceanfront,Colonial Williamsburg,Busch Gardens Williamsburg and MacArthur Center.

For a long time, the indoor shopping malls were seen as largely competitive with small shopping centers and traditional downtown type areas. However, in the 1990s and since, thebig-box stores on the Peninsula and Southside, such as Wal-mart, Home Depot, and Target have been creating a new competitive atmosphere for the shopping malls of Hampton Roads.

Several older malls have been renovated, and others have been closed and torn down. Newmarket North Mall is nowNetCenter, a business center. Coliseum Mall, in Hampton, has been redeveloped asPeninsula Town Center in a new style, in step with the latest commercial real estate trend: the nationwide establishment oflifestyle centers. Additional malls which have closed includeMercury Mall in Hampton (converted to Mercury Plaza Shopping Center in the mid-1980s, then completely torn down in 2001),Tower Mall in Portsmouth (built in the early 1970s, then torn down in 2001), Military Circle Mall in Norfolk (closed in 2023), and Pembroke Mall in Virginia Beach (closed in 2022).

In late 2006, the Hampton Roads Partnership, a non-profit organization representing 17 localities (ten cities, six counties, and one town), all local universities and major military commands as well as leading businesses in southeastern Virginia, commenced a campaign aimed at branding the land area of Hampton Roads as "America's First Region".

The new title is based on events in 1607 when EnglishCaptain Christopher Newport's three ships – theSusan Constant,Godspeed, andDiscovery landed atCape Henry along the Atlantic Coast in what is today Virginia Beach. After 18 days of exploring the area, the ships and their crews arrived atJamestown Island where they established the first English speaking settlement to survive in theNew World on May 14, 1607.

Because the region's east–west boundaries (now the City of Virginia Beach and James City County) have not changed since 1607, the Partnership felt justified in labeling Hampton Roads "America's First Region". It unveiled the new brand before 800 people at the annual meeting of theHampton Roads Chamber of Commerce on December 13, 2006. A video shown that afternoon included endorsements from mayors and county board of supervisors chairs representing Hampton, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg and James City County as well as theGovernor of Virginia,Timothy Kaine.^{[36][citation needed]}

The mission of Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance (HREDA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to business attraction—marketing the Hampton Roads region as the preferred location for business investment and expansion. HREDA represents the cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg and Franklin, as well as the counties of Gloucester, James City, Isle of Wight, York, and Southampton.^[37]

Historically, from the earliest times, the harbor was the key to the Hampton Roads area's growth, both on land and in water-related activities and events. The harbor and its tributary waterways were (and still are) both important transportation conduits and obstacles to other land-based commerce and travel. Yet, the community leaders learned to overcome them.

In modern times, the region has faced increasing transportation challenges as it has become largely urbanized, with additional traffic needs. In the 21st century, the conflicts between traffic on vital waterways and land-based travel continue to present the area's leaders with extraordinary transportation challenges, both for additional capacity, and as the existing infrastructure, much of it originally built withtoll revenues, has aged without an adequate source of funding to repair or build replacements. The now-closedKings Highway Bridge inSuffolk and theJordan Bridge closed by neighboringChesapeake in 2008 were each built in the 1920s. These were considered locally prime examples of this situation.^[38][39]

In 2007, the newHampton Roads Transportation Authority (HRTA) was formed under a controversial state law to levy various additional taxes to generate funding for major regional transportation projects, including a long-sought and costly additional crossing of the harbor of Hampton Roads (The Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, Monitor-Merrimac Bridge Tunnel, and the James River Bridge are the existing crossings). As of March 2008, although its projects were considered to be needed, the agency's future was in some question while its controversial sources of funding were being reconsidered in light of a Virginia Supreme Court decision.^[40]

Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport, located in Newport News, andNorfolk International Airport, in Norfolk, both cater to passengers from Hampton Roads. The primary airport for the Virginia Peninsula is the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport. The Airport experienced a 4th year of record, double-digit growth through 2011, making it one of the fastest growing airports in the country.^[41] In 2012 however, the airport lost its biggest carrier and has seen massive declines in passenger service, culminating in layoffs of police officers and many other staff.^{[citation needed]}Norfolk International Airport (IATA:ORF,ICAO:KORF,FAALID:ORF), serves the region. The airport is located near Chesapeake Bay, along the city limits ofNorfolk andVirginia Beach.^[42] Seven airlines provide nonstop services to twenty five destinations. ORF had 3,703,664 passengers take off or land at its facility and 68,778,934 pounds of cargo were processed through its facilities.^[43]

TheHampton Roads Executive Airport (KPVG), located on US460/US58, is the state's 3rd busiest General Aviation airport and hosts the largest number of general aviation aircraft of any Virginia airport. The airport offers flight training, avionics services, as well as major and minor airframe and powerplant repairs. There is also a sit-down restaurant in the terminal.

TheChesapeake Regional Airport (KCPK) provides similar general aviation services and is located in the city of Chesapeake. Additionally, many local general aviation pilots fly from the nearby Suffolk (KSFQ), Wakefield (KAKQ) and Franklin (KFKN) airports.

Amtrak serves the region withNortheast Regional trains to itsNorfolk,Williamsburg andNewport News stations. The lines run west toRichmond then north to Washington, D.C., and major cities north toBoston. Connecting buses are available between the Norfolk and Newport News stations and from both stations to Virginia Beach. A high-speed rail connection at Richmond to both theNortheast Corridor and theSoutheast High Speed Rail Corridor are also under study.^[44][45]

Intercity bus service is provided byGreyhound Lines (Carolina Trailways) with bus stations in Newport News, Hampton, and Norfolk.^[46] Transportation within Hampton Roads is served by a regional bus service,Hampton Roads Transit.^[47] Local routes serving Williamsburg, James City County, and upper York County is operated byWilliamsburg Area Transit Authority.^[48]

Alight rail service known asThe Tide was constructed in Norfolk. It began service in August 2011.^[49] Operated by Hampton Roads Transit, it is the first light rail service in the state. It is projected to have a daily ridership of between 7,130 and 11,400 passengers a day.^[50] There has also been a light rail study in the Hampton – Newport News areas.^[51] In the 2016 election, a referendum was on the ballot in Virginia Beach to kill the planned, and mainly state-funded extension of the Tide to the commercial center of Virginia Beach and ultimately to the oceanfront. The ballot initiative won, cancelling the project. The transit authority and the state were left with new light rail cars and major infrastructure for the extension to be disposed of. There are no further plans for light rail mass transit initiatives within Virginia Beach.

The Hampton Roads area has an extensive network ofInterstate Highways, including theInterstate 64, the major east–west route to and from the area, and its spurs and bypasses ofI-264,I-464,I-564, andI-664.

TheHampton Roads Beltway extends 56 miles (90 km) on a long loop through the region, crossing the harbor on two toll-freebridge–tunnel facilities. These crossings are theHampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel betweenPhoebus in Hampton andWilloughby Spit in Norfolk and theMonitor–Merrimac Memorial Bridge–Tunnel between Newport News and Suffolk. The Beltway connects with another Interstate highway and three arterial U.S. Highways atBower's Hill near the northeastern edge of theGreat Dismal Swamp. Other major east–west routes areU.S. Route 58,U.S. Route 60, andU.S. Route 460. The major north–south routes areU.S. Route 13 andU.S. Route 17.

There are also two other tunnels in the area, theMidtown Tunnel, and theDowntown Tunnel joining Portsmouth and Norfolk, as well as the 17-mile (27 km)-longChesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, a toll facility which links the region with Virginia'sEastern Shore which carriesUS 13.^[52] The original Downtown Tunnel in conjunction with theBerkley Bridge were considered a single bridge and tunnel complex when completed in 1952, perhaps stimulating the innovativebridge-tunnel design usingman-made islands when the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel was planned, first opening in 1957. TheGeorge P. Coleman Memorial Bridge is a majortoll bridge connecting U.S. Highway 17 on thePeninsula atYorktown with Virginia'sMiddle Peninsula region. Another major crossing of waterways is theJames River Bridge, carryingUS 17US 258, andSR 32 from Newport News toIsle of Wight County.^[53]

The region is notable in that it has 2 types of public transport services viaferries. A passenger ferry is operated on the Elizabeth River between downtown areas of Norfolk and Portsmouth by HRT.^[54] TheJamestown Ferry (also known as the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry) is an automobile ferry system on theJames River connectingJamestown inJames City County with Scotland inSurry County. It carriesState Route 31. Operated byVDOT, it is the only 24-hour state-run ferry operation in Virginia and has over 90 employees. It operates four ferryboats, thePocahontas, theWilliamsburg, theSurry, and theVirginia. The facility is toll-free.^[55]

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According to the2010 Census, the overall racial composition of Hampton Roads was as follows:^[56]

• White or Caucasian: 59.6%
• Black or African American: 31.3%
• American Indian: 0.4%
• Asian: 3.5%
• Some other race: 1.7%
• Two or more races: 3.4%

In addition, 5.4% of the population wereHispanic or Latino (of any race). 57.2% of the population were ofnon-Hispanic White background.

A small minority of Virginians in the Hampton Roads region believe inpantheism.^[57]

In 2014-2018, there were 106,682 immigrants in the region, making up 7% of the population.^[58]

In 2010 around 40,000 people of Filipino origin lived in that region.^[59]

Chinese immigration to Norfolk occurred after 1885, and in 1995 300 families were members of that city's Chinese Community Association.^[60]

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The area is most often associated with the largerAmerican South. People who have grown up in the Hampton Roads area have a uniqueTidewater accent which sounds different from a stereotypicalSouthern accent. Vowels have a longer pronunciation than in a regular southern accent.^[61]

In 1998, a flag representing the Hampton Roads region was adopted. The design of the flag was created by a contest. The winner, sixteen-year-old Andrew J. Wall ofFrank W. Cox High School in Virginia Beach, raised the new regional flag for the first time on the mast of a ship moored in the harbor.

As conceived by student Andrew Wall and embellished by the selection committee, his flag is highly symbolic:

The ring of sixteen white stars stands for the cities and counties that constitute the region of Hampton Roads. The blue upper panel refers to the sea and sky, recalling the first European settlers at Jamestown in 1607, the first battle between ironclad ships in 1862, the importance of shipbuilding and ship repair in the area, as well as maritime commerce, fishing, recreational boating, and the major military and government installations around the area's shores. Agriculture, the environment, tourism, industry, and a healthy quality of life are suggested by the lower panel of green. The wavy white central band with three crests suggests past, present, and future. The wave also recalls the surf and sand dunes of the area as seen from the sea. Water is the central theme. It touches all the components and binds them together.^[62]

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TheNorfolk Botanical Garden, opened in 1939, is a 155-acre (0.6 km²)botanical garden andarboretum located near the Norfolk International Airport. It is open year-round.^[63]

TheVirginia Zoological Park, opened in 1900, is a 65-acre (26 ha)zoo with hundreds of animals on display, including the critically endangeredSiberian tiger and threatenedwhite rhino.^[64]

First Landing State Park andFalse Cape State Park are both located in coastal areas in Virginia Beach. Both offer camping facilities, cabins, and outdoor recreation activities in addition to nature and history tours. First Landing is the site ofCape Henry while False Cape is located at the southeastern end of Virginia Beach.^[65][66]

Newport News Park is located in the northern part of the city of Newport News. The city's golf course also lies within the park along with camping and outdoor activities. There are over 30 miles (48 km) of trails in the Newport News Park complex. The park has a 5.3-mile (8.5-km) multi-use bike path. The park offers bicycle and helmet rental, and requires helmet use by children under 14. Newport News Park also offers an archery range, disc golf course, and an "aeromodel flying field" for remote-controlled aircraft, complete with a 400 ft (120 m) runway.^[67]

The region also has amusement parks which attract tourists and locals alike. The Virginia Beach Oceanfront hasAtlantic Fun Park (formerly called "Virginia Beach Amusement Park"). Virginia Beach also hasOcean Breeze Waterpark, Shipwreck Golf, andMotor World which were formerly combined into one as "Ocean Breeze Fun Park". As separate parks, they provide miniature golf, go-karts, water slides, pools, climbing wall, paintball area, and kiddie rides.^[68][69]Busch Gardens Williamsburg andWater Country USA are the major theme parks in Williamsburg.

TheHistoric Triangle is located on theVirginia Peninsula and includes the colonial communities ofJamestown,Williamsburg, andYorktown. The sites are linked by a scenic roadway, theNational Park Service'sColonial Parkway.

The Jamestown settlement in theColony of Virginia was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. It was established by theVirginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 4, 1607, and was considered permanent after brief abandonment in 1610. It followed several failed attempts, including theLost Colony of Roanoke. Jamestown served as the capital of the colony of Virginia for 83 years, from 1616 until 1699.

Historic Jamestowne is the archaeological site on Jamestown Island and is a cooperative effort by Jamestown National Historic Site (part ofColonial National Historical Park) andPreservation Virginia.Jamestown Settlement, a living history interpretive site, is operated by the Jamestown Yorktown Foundation, a state agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Williamsburg was founded in 1632 asMiddle Plantation, a fortified settlement on high ground between theJames andYork rivers. The city served as the capital of theColony of Virginia from 1699 to 1780 and was the center of political events in Virginia leading to theAmerican Revolution. TheCollege of William & Mary, established in 1693, is the second-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and the only one of the nine colonial colleges located in the South; its alumni include three U.S. presidents as well as many other important figures in the nation's early history.

The city's tourism-based economy is driven byColonial Williamsburg, the restored Historic Area of the city. Modern Williamsburg is also a college town, inhabited in large part by William & Mary students and staff.

Yorktown is one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1682. The town is most famous as the site of the siege and subsequent surrender of GeneralCharles Cornwallis to GeneralGeorge Washington and the French Fleet during theAmerican Revolutionary War on October 19, 1781. Although the war would last for another year, this British defeat at Yorktown effectively ended the war. Yorktown also figured prominently in theAmerican Civil War (1861–1865), serving as a major port to supply both northern and southern towns, depending upon who held Yorktown at the time. It is the eastern terminus of theColonial Parkway connecting these locations. Yorktown is also the eastern terminus of theTransAmerica Trail, a bicycle touring route created by theAdventure Cycling Association.

• TheMariners' Museum, founded in 1930 byArcher andAnna Huntington, is an institution dedicated to bringing maritime history to the world. It is currently home to theUSSMonitor Center where 210 tons of artifacts recovered from the USSMonitor are held, including thegun turret. The museum also consists of a 550-acre park andthe Mariners' Lake, through which is the five-mile Noland Trail. The permanent collection at the museum totals about 32,000 objects, equally divided between works of art and three-dimensional objects. The Mariners' Museum Library and Archive, now located in the Trible Library atChristopher Newport University, consists of over 78,000 books, 800,000 photographs, films and negatives, and over one million archival pieces, making it the largest maritime library in the Western Hemisphere.^[70]
• TheVirginia War Museum covers American military history. The museum's collection includes, weapons, vehicles, artifacts, uniforms and posters from various periods of American history. Highlights of the museum's collection include a section of theBerlin Wall and the outer wall fromDachau Concentration Camp.^[71]
• TheVirginia Living Museum, first established in 1966, combines the elements of a native wildlife park, science museum, aquarium, botanical preserve, and planetarium. The exhibits are themed on the geographic regions of Virginia, from the Appalachian Mountains to the offshore waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and includes more than 245 different animal species.^[72]
• ThePeninsula Fine Arts Center in Newport News contains a rotating gallery of art exhibits. The center also contains a Studio Art School of private and group instruction for all ages. It maintains a permanent "Hands on For Kids" gallery designed for children and families to interact in what the center describes as "a fun, educational environment that encourages participation with art materials and concepts."^[73]
• TheHampton University museum was established in 1868 in the heart of the historic Hampton University campus. The museum is the oldest African American museum in the United States and one of the oldest museums in the State of Virginia. It contains over 9,000 objects, including African American fine arts, traditional African, Native American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Island, and Asian art.^[74]
• The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center is Hampton's public access arts center. It offers a series of changing visual art exhibitions as well as a quarterly schedule of classes, workshops and educational programs.^[75]
• The Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center in SE Newport News contains a community-based art gallery, as well as arts classrooms and the Ella Fitzgerald Theater.^[76]
• The Casemate Museum (where formerConfederate PresidentJefferson Davis was imprisoned) is atFort Monroe in the historicPhoebus area atOld Point Comfort inHampton.^[77]
• NASALangley Research Center is in Hampton, the original training ground for theMercury Seven,Gemini, andApolloAstronauts. Visitors are able to learn about the region's aviation history at theVirginia Air and Space Center inHampton.^[78]
• Air Power Park is an outdoor on-site display of various aircraft and a space capsule. It is located on Mercury Boulevard at the intersection of LaSalle Blvd, near the AF Base.^{[citation needed]}
• The Biblical Art Gallery at Ivy Farms Baptist Church is Virginia's largest collection of pre-1900s religious art.^{[citation needed]}

TheChrysler Museum of Art, located in theGhent district of Norfolk, is the region's foremost art museum and is considered byThe New York Times to be the finest in the state.^[79] Of particular note is the extensive glass collection and Americanneoclassical marble sculptures.

Nauticus, the National Maritime Center, opened on the downtown waterfront in 1994. It features hands-on exhibits, interactive theaters,aquaria, digital high-definition films and an extensive variety of educational programs. Since 2000, Nauticus has been home to the battleshipUSS Wisconsin, one of the last battleships to be built in the United States. It served briefly in World War II and later in theKorean andGulf Wars.^[80] The GeneralDouglas MacArthur Memorial, located in the 19th-century Norfolk court house and city hall in downtown, contains the tombs of the late General and his wife, a museum and a vast research library, personal belongings (including his famous corncob pipe) and a short film that chronicles the life of the famousGeneral of the Army.^[81]

Also in downtown Norfolk and inside Nauticus is theHampton Roads Naval Museum, an official U.S. Navy museum that focuses on the 220 plus year history of the Navy within the region.

TheChildren's Museum of Virginia inPortsmouth has one of the largest collection of model electric trains and other toys.

TheNorfolk Naval Shipyard inPortsmouth is one of the oldest shipyards and has the firstdry dock on display.

Rivers Casino Portsmouth, inPortsmouth, boasts a 50,000-square-foot (4,600 m²) casino floor with slots, table games, poker tables, and a sportsbook.

TheGreat Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (in Suffolk and Chesapeake) is accessed fromU.S. Route 17 inChesapeake.

TheSuffolk-Nansemond Museum is in the restoredSeaboard andVirginian Railway passenger train station inSuffolk.

TheIsle of Wight Museum is inSmithfield.

The Contemporary Art Center of Virginia located in Virginia Beach features the significant art of our time.

The Hampton Roads region has a thriving music scene, with a heavy concentration thereof in the Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and Norfolk areas. Many clubs, venues, and festivals exist within the region, all playing host to a wide variety of musical styles. There are a few hundred bands that play routinely in the region, spanning multiple genres. There are also twenty to thirty musical acts based in the region that perform throughout Hampton Roads and its surrounding areas on a "full-time" basis.

In addition, plenty of well known acts have come from the area. Some of the major rock/pop artists includeBruce Hornsby,Gary "U.S." Bonds,Juice Newton,Mae,Seven Mary Three,Gene Vincent,Keller Williams, andSteve Earle.Ella Fitzgerald is the most recognizable jazz musician from the area.Robert Cray andRuth Brown are both prominent blues and R&B artists.Tommy Newsom is another famous jazz musician. Many prominent rap and hip hop artists come from the area includingChad Hugo,Clipse,Magoo,Missy Elliott,Nicole Wray,Pharrell Williams,Quan,Teddy Riley, andTimbaland.

The region has a number of venues hosting live music and performances. Several of the larger (in order of maximum seating capacity) are:

• Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach (seating 20,000)
• Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk (seating 13,800)
• Hampton Coliseum in Hampton (seating 13,800)
• Kaplan Arena in Williamsburg (seating 10,175)
• Chartway Arena atOld Dominion University in Norfolk (seating 9,500)
• Atlantic Union Bank Pavilion in Portsmouth (seating 7,500)
• Le Palais Royal Theatre atBusch Gardens Williamsburg in James City County (seating 5,600)
• Ferguson Center for the Arts in Newport News (seating 1,725 and 453 in two concert halls)
• Lake Matoaka Amphitheatre atThe College of William & Mary in Williamsburg (seating 1,700)
• The NorVa in Norfolk (standing 1,500)

Dozens of much smaller commercial establishments offer live music and other entertainment such as comedy shows and mystery dinner-theater throughout the region.

America's first free public schools, the Syms and Eaton free schools (later combined asSyms-Eaton Academy), were established in Hampton in 1634 and 1659 respectively. The Syms-Eaton Academy was later renamed Hampton Academy and in 1852 became part of the public school system, thusHampton High School lays claim to being the oldest public school in the United States.^[82] The trust fund created from the Syms and Eaton donations has remained intact since the 17th century and was incorporated into support for the Hampton public school system.^[83]

In 1957, theHampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel was the firstbridge–tunnel complex in the world, to be followed by the area's much longerChesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel in 1963. This was followed by theMonitor–Merrimac Memorial Bridge–Tunnel in 1992.

Hampton Roads' individual cities and counties administer their own K-12 education for their localities. In addition to public education, area residents have many private and religious school options.

The area also has a number of higher education options for area residents. Some offer only associates and technical degrees and certificates, while others award advanced degrees, including doctorates. Some are publicly funded, but the region also has a number of private and for-profit colleges. A number of universities have established satellite campuses in the region.

Public universities

TheCollege of William & Mary in Williamsburg was founded in 1693 and has served as the second oldest institution of higher education in the United States.^[84]Old Dominion University, founded as theNorfolk Division of the College of William and Mary in 1930, became an independent institution in 1962 and now offers degrees in 68 undergraduate and 95 (60 masters/35 doctoral) graduate degree programs. Norfolk'sEastern Virginia Medical School, founded as a community medical school by the surrounding jurisdictions in 1973, is noted for its research into reproductive medicine^[85] and is located in the region's major medical complex in theGhent district.Norfolk State University is the largest majority black university in Virginia and offers degrees in a wide variety ofliberal arts.^[86]Christopher Newport University serves as a public university and is located in Newport News.^[87]

Private universities

Regent University, a private university founded by Christian evangelist, television host and leaderPat Robertson, has historically focused on graduate education but is attempting to establish an undergraduate program as well.^[88]Atlantic University, associated with the Edgar Cayce organization'sAssociation for Research and Enlightenment (ARE), offers instruction in New Age subjects and an M.A. in Transpersonal Studies.^[89]Virginia Wesleyan University is a small privateliberal arts college on the border of Norfolk and Virginia Beach.^[90]Hampton University, a privateHBCU university, has a long history serving Hampton.^[91]

Universities with satellite campuses

Several universities based outside Hampton Roads offer a limited selection of classes in the area.Virginia Tech andUniversity of Virginia have established a joint teaching center in Newport News.George Washington University andAverett University also maintain campuses there.Troy University,Florida International University, andSaint Leo University offer classes, primarily connected to one or more of the area's military bases.

University consortia

TheNational Institute of Aerospace (NIA) is a consortium of member universities:Georgia Tech,Hampton University,North Carolina A&T,North Carolina State,Old Dominion University,University of Virginia,Virginia Tech, theCollege of William and Mary, andChristopher Newport University. Their unique approach allows students pursuing M.S. and PhD degrees the opportunity to take classes from any member university taught at the institute.

Technical education

Area residents also have options for training for technical professions.The Apprentice School was founded in 1919 and offers four/five-year programs in mechanical and technical fields associated with the shipbuilding industry. Graduates from the Apprentice School go on to work at the Newport News Shipbuilding.^[92] Technology-focusedECPI University has campuses in Virginia Beach and Newport News^[93] whileITT Technical Institute has a campus in Norfolk.Bryant & Stratton College has campuses inVirginia Beach Town Center andPeninsula Town Center.^[94] The Culinary Institute of Virginia^[95] is located in Norfolk.The Art Institute of Virginia Beach offers programs in the media arts, design and culinary arts fields.

Two-year colleges

Three institutions in theVirginia Community College System offer affordable higher education options for area residents.Tidewater Community College in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and Portsmouth,Paul D. Camp Community College in Suffolk, Franklin, and Smithfield, andVirginia Peninsula Community College in Hampton and Williamsburg offer two-year degrees and specialized training programs.^[96][97]

Bible training schools include Hampton University and Regent University, but also Canaan Theological College & Seminary, Bethel College and Victory Baptist Bible College and Seminary in Hampton, Tabernacle Baptist Bible College & Theological Seminary, Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Virginia Beach, Providence Bible College & Theological Seminary in Norfolk and the Hampton Roads campus of theJohn Leland Center for Theological Studies.

Three daily newspapers serve Hampton Roads:The Virginian-Pilot in the Southside, theDaily Press on the Peninsula, and the six days a weekSuffolk News-Herald that serves Suffolk and Franklin.^[98] Smaller publications include the Williamsburg-James City County area's twice-weeklyVirginia Gazette (the state's oldest newspaper^[99]), theNew Journal and Guide, andInside Business, the area's only business newspaper.

Newspapers serving the Hampton Roads area include:

• Daily Press –Newport News
• The Virginian-Pilot –Norfolk
• Suffolk News-Herald –Suffolk
• The Flat Hat – student newspaper of theCollege of William & Mary
• Inside Business –Norfolk (business news)
• TheNew Journal and Guide –Norfolk
• Tidewater News –Franklin
• The Virginia Gazette –Williamsburg

Coastal Virginia Magazine is one of the region's city and lifestyle magazine. The publication is published eight times a year and covers all of Hampton Roads and theEastern Shore of Virginia.^[100]Coastal Virginia Magazine was formerly known asHampton Roads Magazine.

Hampton Roads Times serves as an online magazine for the region.

Suffolk Living Magazine is another of the region's city and lifestyle magazines. The publication is published four times a year and covers the City of Suffolk. Suffolk Publications also produces Virginia-Carolina Boomers, a regional guide for Boomers in the area, which comes out twice a year.^[101]

The Hampton Roadsdesignated market area (DMA) is the 42nd largest in the U.S. with 712,790 homes (0.64% of the total U.S.).^[102] The major network television affiliates areWTKR-TV 3 (CBS),WAVY 10 (NBC),WVEC-TV 13 (ABC),WGNT 27 (Independent),WTVZ 33 (MyNetworkTV),WVBT 43 (Fox, withThe CW on DT2), andWPXV 49 (Ion Television).WHRO-TV 15 serves as the region's primary member station of thePublic Broadcasting Service (PBS);WUND 2 – anEdenton, North Carolina–basedsatellite ofPBS North Carolina, a state network of PBS member stations owned by theUniversity of North Carolina – serves as a secondary PBS outlet for the area. Area residents also can receive independent stations, such asWSKY broadcasting on channel 4 from the Outer Banks of North Carolina,WGBS-LD broadcasting on channel 11 from Hampton, andWTPC 21, aTBN affiliate out of Virginia Beach.

Cable television service in most Hampton Roads localities is provided byCox Communications. Suffolk, Franklin, Isle of Wight, and Southampton are served by Charter Communications.^[103]Verizon Fios service is currently available in parts of the region and continues to expand, offering a non-satellite alternative to Cox.DirecTV andDish Network are also popular as an alternative to cable television.

Norfolk is served by a variety of radio stations on theFM andAM dials, with towers located around the Hampton Roads area. These cater to many different interests, including news,talk radio, and sports, as well as an eclectic mix of musical interests.^[104]

TheVirginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC Combined Statistical Area is one of the largest statistical areas in the United States without a professional sports franchise in one of the five major North American sports leagues (NFL,MLB,NBA,NHL,MLS).

Norfolk serves as home to two professional franchises, theNorfolk Tides of theInternational League and theNorfolk Admirals of theECHL.^[105] The Tides play atHarbor Park, seating 12,067 and opened in 1993. The Admirals play at theNorfolk Scope arena, seating 8,725 or 13,800 festival seating, which opened in 1971. Hampton Roads was formerly home to theABAVirginia Squires, alternating between Norfolk and Hampton, as well as Richmond and Roanoke. The Squires folded in 1976, after the league merged with theNBA.

Lionsbridge FC competes inUSL League Two, the top pre-professional men's soccer league in North America. The club began play in 2018 and was named USL League Two Franchise of the Year in 2019. They play home games on the campus ofChristopher Newport University. ThePeninsula Pilots play in theCoastal Plain League, a summer baseball league. The Pilots play in Hampton atWar Memorial Stadium seating 5,125 and opened in 1948.^[106]

On the collegiate level, fourDivision I programs—two on the Southside and two on the Peninsula—field teams in many sports, including football, basketball, and baseball; three currently play football in the second-tierFCS, while ODU recently moved up to theFBS football. The Southside boasts theOld Dominion Monarchs and theNorfolk State Spartans, both in Norfolk, while the Peninsula features theWilliam & Mary Tribe in Williamsburg andHampton Pirates in Hampton. W&M is a member of theColonial Athletic Association. Norfolk State and Hampton, bothhistorically black institutions, compete in theMid-Eastern Athletic Conference andCAA respectively.^{[107][108][109][110]} ODU joinedConference USA, an FBS football conference, as a full FBS member in 2015. The area also has twoDivision III programs, one in each subregion—theVirginia Wesleyan Marlins on the border of Virginia Beach and Norfolk,^[111] and theChristopher Newport University Captains in Newport News. The Captains sponsor fourteen sports and currently compete in theUSA South Athletic Conference,^[112] but will move to theCapital Athletic Conference in July 2013.

Virginia Beach served as home to one soccer team, theHampton Roads Piranhas, a women's team in theW-League from 1995 to 2013.^[113] The Piranhas played at theVirginia Beach Sportsplex. TheVirginia Beach Sportsplex, seating 11,541 and opened in 1999, contains the central training site for the U.S. women's nationalfield hockey team.^[114] The Sportsplex was expanded to accommodate theVirginia Destroyers, a franchise in theUnited Football League which relocated fromOrlando. The Destroyers played in Virginia Beach from 2011 to 2012, and won the 2011 league championship. TheNorth American Sand Soccer Championships, abeach soccer tournament, is held annually on the beach in Virginia Beach.

TheNorfolk Nighthawks were a charter member of theArena Football League's minor league,af2. They ceased operations in 2003 after their fourth season. Also, theVirginia Beach Mariners of soccer'sUSL First Division were active from 1994 until 2006.

Hampton Roads is 130 miles (210 km) from the nearest major sports teams in Washington, D.C., andRaleigh, North Carolina. Another significant issue with the area as a sports market is internal transportation. The metropolitan area is split into twodistinctparts by its eponymous harbor; as of 2012, the harbor has only three widely separated road crossings (theHampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel,Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel, andJames River Bridge), each with two lanes of traffic in each direction. In addition, the area has two other major tunnels, plus several drawbridges on key highway corridors.

Hampton Roads previously hosted theVirginia Squires of theAmerican Basketball Association, although it was never a full-time home for the team. Its highest-ranking teams as of 2015 are theNorfolk Admirals of theECHL, theNorfolk Tides of theIL, andLionsbridge FC ofUSL League Two. Virginia is also the most populous state without a major league team playing within its borders, though its northern reaches are served by the Washington clubs — two of which, the NHL'sCapitals and NFL'sWashington Commanders, have their operational headquarters and practice facilities in Virginia. The Hampton Roads television market is ranked42nd in the U.S.

There have been several failed projects to attract major league teams to Hampton Roads:

• In 1997, Norfolk presented a proposal to bring an expansion hockey team to Hampton Roads, but that initiative failed. The team was going to be called theHampton Roads Rhinos.
• In 2002, Norfolk presented a proposal to bring the Charlotte Hornets basketball team to southeastern Virginia, but New Orleans won the bid for the team, renaming it theNew Orleans Hornets.
• In 2004, Norfolk presented a proposal to bring theMontreal Expos baseball team to the metro area, but Washington, D.C. won the bid for the team, renaming it theWashington Nationals.
• In 2012, there were talks of the Sacramento Kings of the NBA moving to aproposed new arena in Virginia Beach near the Oceanfront.^[115]

TheHampton Coliseum, seating 10,761 to 13,800 festival seating, hosts the annualVirginia Duals wrestling events, and the annualHampton Jazz Festival. The arena opened in 1970 and has previously hostedHampton University basketball along withNBA andNHL preseason exhibition games.

Virginia Beach is home to theEast Coast Surfing Championships, an annual contest of more than 100 of the world's top professional surfers and an estimated 400 amateur surfers. This is North America's oldest surfing contest, and features combined cash prizes of $40,000.^[116]

Langley Speedway in Hampton, seating 6,500, hosts stock car races every weekend during spring, summer, and early fall.^[117]

TheKingsmill Championship, an event on theLPGA Tour, is contested annually onMother's Day weekend at Kingsmill Resort near Williamsburg.

In 1998, 2001, 2006, 2010, and 2015 theHampton Roads Sports Commission hosted theAAU Junior Olympics.^[118]

Hampton Roads has hosted many professional wrestling events throughout the years. The Norfolk Scope has served as the site of these events, includingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling'sDestination X,World Championship Wrestling'sStarrcade (1988),World War 3 1995 and1996, andWWF/WWE'sThe Great American Bash (2004) and the 2011Slammy Awards.^[119] Norfolk Scope was also the site of an infamous episode ofWCW Monday Nitro, where several members of theWorld Wrestling Federation stableD-Generation X literally drove a tank to the entryway of the Scope, thus "invading" the competition. The Hampton Coliseum has also hosted many events, includingRAW, in April 1998, August 2005, May 2007, January 2008, and July 2011, as well asSmackDown! and forECW on Sci Fi in December 2006. In January 2008, WWE broadcast its first television show taped inhigh definition from Hampton, Virginia.

The Hampton Roads area is also home to at least one professional wrestling promotion,Vanguard Championship Wrestling, which holds events throughout the region, and has a weekly television show on the local Fox affiliate.

• 2003 Virginia earthquake
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