Discover Chesapeake

Chesapeake lies along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. Public parks, trails, and historic sites give the choice of destination a distinct focus on nature and culture. Nature destinations differ in size, trail length, and designated uses. When planning a hotel stay, you can first decide whether you mainly want to hike, combine several outdoor activities, or learn about local and regional history. Specific differences can be seen at Northwest River Park, the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail, and the Chesapeake Arboretum.

Parks and trails for a range of activities

Chesapeake has 80 public parks offering walks, nature experiences, and large events. The park system includes miles of multi-use trails for walking, jogging, and cycling. There are also opportunities for fishing and crabbing, as well as access to boating, canoeing, pedal boating, and kayaking. The range extends from trails on land to activities on the water.

Northwest River Park

Northwest River Park is located in southeastern Chesapeake on the banks of the Northwest River and covers 763 acres. Boating, fishing, and hiking are available year-round. Its trail system consists of seven trails totaling nearly eight miles, suitable for hiking, cycling, and horseback riding. For your trip planning, the park can therefore be considered a riverside destination with a range of opportunities for active outdoor time. The trail length also provides a point of comparison with smaller trail systems in Chesapeake.

Dismal Swamp Canal Trail

The 8.6-mile Dismal Swamp Canal Trail is a multi-use trail open to cycling, walking, running and hiking, horseback riding, and boating. Its amenities include a launch ramp for boats, canoes, and kayaks, restrooms, picnic areas, and bridle trails. Its range of uses and facilities makes the trail a distinct option within Chesapeake’s trail system. It is designated a Virginia Treasure; the area is known for its historical significance.

Chesapeake Arboretum

The Chesapeake Arboretum’s trail system covers about 45 acres and is approximately 3.5 miles long in total. At this overall length, it is shorter than the nearly eight miles at Northwest River Park. One distinctive feature of the trail system is Starr Run: the stream flows year-round and winds through the grounds. A total of eleven wooden bridges cross it. Nature destinations therefore differ not only in trail length, but also in their described landscape features.

Places with a focus on history

The main gallery at the Historical Village at the Dismal Swamp features a comprehensive exhibit about the Great Dismal Swamp. Other exhibits focus on local and regional history. Visitors interested in historical topics will find a focus here on the history of the landscape and the region’s past. History is also explored in Chesapeake at another site with its own perspective on the past: the Cornland School.

The fully restored Cornland School is now a museum. The building was constructed in 1902 to educate African American students during segregation and the Jim Crow era. The school thus presents a specific history of education under the social conditions of the time. Together with the exhibits on local and regional history, it offers a different historical focus from the topics surrounding the Great Dismal Swamp.

For the broader travel overview: Chesapeake.