View source for Hampton Roads

{{Short description|Body of water and area on the US east coast}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2024}}
{{distinguish|The Hamptons}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Hampton Roads
| official_name      = Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA–NC, Metropolitan Statistical Area
| settlement_type    = [[Metropolitan area]]
| image_skyline      = Core of Hampton Roads by Sentinel-2.jpg
| imagesize          = 300px
| image_flag         = Flag of Hampton Roads, Virginia.svg
| image_caption      = Satellite view of Hampton Roads with the Hampton Roads channel at center (city urban centers visible, clockwise from top: [[Newport News]], [[Hampton, Virginia|Hampton]], [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]], [[Portsmouth, Virginia|Portsmouth]])
| image_map          = Hamptonroadsmap (2023).svg
| mapsize            = 280px
| map_caption        = Jurisdictions in the Hampton Roads MSA are colored in red. Jurisdictions in the CSA, but not the MSA, are colored in pink.
| pushpin_map        = 
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_map_caption = 
| pushpin_mapsize    = 
| coordinates        = {{Coord|36|57|N|76|24|W|type:waterbody_region:US-VA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = State
| subdivision_name1  = Virginia<br />North Carolina
| subdivision_type2  = 
| subdivision_name2  = ----
| subdivision_type3  = Independent cities
| subdivision_name3  = '''Hampton Roads MSA:'''<br>&nbsp;- [[Virginia Beach, Virginia|Virginia Beach]]<br />&nbsp;- [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]]<br />&nbsp;- [[Chesapeake, Virginia|Chesapeake]]<br />&nbsp;- [[Newport News, Virginia|Newport News]]<br />&nbsp;- [[Hampton, Virginia|Hampton]]<br />&nbsp;- [[Portsmouth, Virginia|Portsmouth]]<br />&nbsp;- [[Suffolk, Virginia|Suffolk]]<br />&nbsp;- [[Williamsburg, Virginia|Williamsburg]]<br />&nbsp;- [[Poquoson, Virginia|Poquoson]]|
| subdivision_type4  = Counties
| subdivision_name4  = '''Hampton Roads MSA:'''<br>&nbsp;- [[James City County, Virginia|James City County]]<br />&nbsp;- [[York County, Virginia|York County]]<br />&nbsp;- [[Isle of Wight County, Virginia|Isle of Wight County]]<br />&nbsp;- [[Gloucester County, Virginia|Gloucester County]]<br />&nbsp;- [[Mathews County, Virginia|Mathews County]]<br />&nbsp;- [[Surry County, Virginia|Surry County]]<br />&nbsp;- [[Camden County, North Carolina|Camden County, NC]]<br />&nbsp;- [[Currituck County, North Carolina|Currituck County, NC]]<br />&nbsp;- [[Gates County, North Carolina|Gates County, NC]]<br>'''Hampton Roads CSA:'''<br>- [[Dare County, North Carolina|Dare County, NC]]<br>- [[Pasquotank County, North Carolina|Pasquotank County, NC]]
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
| leader_name1       = 
| leader_title2      = 
| leader_name2       = 
| leader_title3      = 
| leader_name3       = 
| leader_title4      = 
| leader_name4       = 
| established_title  = Settled
| established_date   = 1607
| established_title2 = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
| established_date2  = 
| established_title3 = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
| established_date3  = 
| area_magnitude     = 
| unit_pref          = US
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = 
| area_land_km2      = 
| area_water_km2     = 
| area_total_sq_mi   = 3729.76
| area_land_sq_mi    = 2889.16
| area_water_sq_mi   = 840.6
| area_water_percent = 
| area_urban_km2     = 
| area_urban_sq_mi   = 527
| area_blank1_title  = 
| area_blank2_title  = 
| area_blank1_sq_mi  = 
| area_blank2_sq_mi  = 
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_note    = 
| population_total   = 1,799,674
| population_density_km2 = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 463.50
| population_metro   = 
| population_density_metro_km2 = 
| population_density_metro_sq_mi = 
| population_urban   = 
| population_density_urban_km2 = 
| population_density_urban_sq_mi = 
| population_blank2_title = [[Combined statistical area|CSA]]
| population_blank2  = 1,890,162
| population_metro_footnotes = 
| demographics_type2 = GDP
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Total Gross Domestic Product for Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC (MSA) |url=https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/NGMP47260 |website=fred.stlouisfed.org }}</ref>
| demographics2_title1 = [[Metropolitan area]]
| demographics2_info1 = $116.686 billion (2022)
| timezone           = [[Eastern Time Zone (North America)|EST]]
| utc_offset         = 
| timezone_DST       = [[Eastern Time Zone (North America)|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = 
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 0–34
| elevation_ft       = 0–144
| postal_code_type   = Zip Codes
| postal_code        = '''VA:''' 230xx, 231xx, 233xx, 234xx,<br>235xx, 236xx, 237xx ,238xx<br>
'''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 the [[James River|James]], [[Nansemond River|Nansemond]], and [[Elizabeth River (Virginia)|Elizabeth]] rivers between [[Old Point Comfort]] and [[Sewell's Point]] near the point at which [[Chesapeake Bay]] flows into the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. It also gave its name to the surrounding metropolitan region located in the southeastern [[Virginia]] and northeastern [[North Carolina]] portions of the [[Tidewater (region)|Tidewater Region]].

Comprising the '''Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA–NC, metropolitan area''' and an extended [[combined statistical area]] that includes the [[Elizabeth City, North Carolina micropolitan area|Elizabeth City, North Carolina, micropolitan statistical area]] and [[Dare County, North Carolina|Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, micropolitan statistical area]], Hampton Roads is known for its large military presence, ice-free harbor, shipyards, [[coal pier]]s, 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 natural [[harbor]]s (more accurately a [[roadstead]] or "roads"). It incorporates the mouths of the [[Elizabeth River (Virginia)|Elizabeth]], [[Nansemond River|Nansemond]], and [[James River|James]] rivers, together with several smaller rivers, and empties into the [[Chesapeake Bay]] near its mouth leading to the Atlantic Ocean.<ref>U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. ''The National Map'', accessed April 1, 2011</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.norfolkdevelopment.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=137&Itemid=69 |title=Norfolk Development – Norfolk Development |access-date=April 2, 2017 }}</ref>

The land area includes a collection of cities, counties, and towns on the [[Virginia Peninsula]] and in [[South 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 ([[Metropolitan Statistical Area|MSA]]) includes three counties in northeastern North Carolina and two counties in Virginia's [[Middle 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.<ref name=PopEstCBSA>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-metro-and-micro-statistical-areas.html#v2023 |title=Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Population Totals: 2020-2023 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division |date=March 14, 2024 |access-date=March 15, 2024 }}</ref> The [[Combined statistical area|Combined Statistical Area]] includes two additional counties in North Carolina, pushing the regional population to 1,866,723 residents, the 35th-largest [[Combined statistical area|CSA]] in the country.<ref name=PopEstCBSA/>

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. The [[Hampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel]] (HRBT) and the [[Monitor–Merrimac Memorial Bridge–Tunnel]] (MMMBT) are major harbor crossings of the [[Hampton Roads Beltway]] interstate, which links the large population centers of Hampton Roads. In 2009, the [[Hampton Roads Transportation Authority]] (HRTA) was abolished by the Virginia General Assembly less than two years after its creation.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?091+sum+HB1580 |title=LIS > Bill Tracking > HB1580 > 2009 session |website=lis.virginia.gov }}</ref> In 2014, the [[Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission]] was established to oversee the Hampton Roads Transportation Fund.

==Etymology==
The term "Hampton Roads" is a centuries-old designation that originated when the region was a struggling [[Kingdom of England|English]] outpost nearly four hundred years ago.

The word "Hampton" honors one of the founders of the [[Virginia 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 as [[Elizabeth City (Virginia Company)|Elizabeth Cittie]], named for [[Elizabeth of Bohemia|Princess 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 the [[Eastern Shore of Virginia|Eastern Shore]]) which became known as [[Northampton County, Virginia|Northampton]], and an area south of the James River which became [[Southampton County, Virginia|Southampton]]. As with Hampton, both of these names remain in use today.

The term "Roads" (short for [[roadstead]]) 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".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/roads |title=the definition of road |access-date=April 2, 2017 }}</ref> Examples of other roadsteads are [[Castle Roads]], in another of the [[London Company|Virginia Company's]] settlements, Bermuda, and [[Lahaina Roads]], in Hawaii.

In 1755, the [[Virginia General Assembly]] recorded the name "Hampton Roads" as the channel linking the James, Elizabeth, and Nansemond rivers with the Chesapeake Bay.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |url=http://hamptonroads.com/2008/06/whats-name-hampton-roads |title=What's in a name? – Hampton Roads |access-date=April 2, 2017 |archive-date=June 30, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630010814/http://hamptonroads.com/2008/06/whats-name-hampton-roads |url-status=dead }}</ref>

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. The [[U.S. Postal Service]] changed the area's postmark from "Tidewater Virginia" to "Hampton Roads, Virginia" beginning in 1983.<ref name="autogenerated1" />

==Definitions==
[[File:Historic Triangle Virginia PNG.png|275px|right|thumb|Virginia's Historic Triangle]]

===Counties and independent cities===
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.<ref name=PopEstCBSA/>

''Since a state constitutional change in 1871, all cities in Virginia are [[independent city|independent cities]] and they are not legally located in a county. The [[Office of Management and Budget|OMB]] considers these independent cities to be [[county-equivalent]]s 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|date=June 2017}}

====In Virginia====
The MSA consists of these locations in Virginia:<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 21, 2023 |title=OMB Bulletin No. 23-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/OMB-Bulletin-23-01.pdf |archive-date=July 21, 2023 |website=[[United States Office of Management and Budget]] |access-date=July 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721214234/https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/OMB-Bulletin-23-01.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{Columns-start|num=3|width=60%}}
'''Counties'''
* [[Gloucester County, Virginia|Gloucester County]]
* [[Isle of Wight County, Virginia|Isle of Wight County]]
* [[James City County, Virginia|James City County]]
* [[Mathews County, Virginia|Mathews County]]
* [[Surry County, Virginia|Surry County]]
* [[York County, Virginia|York County]]
{{Column}}
'''Cities'''
* [[Chesapeake, Virginia|City of Chesapeake]]
* [[Hampton, Virginia|City of Hampton]]
* [[Newport News, Virginia|City of Newport News]]
* [[Norfolk, Virginia|City of Norfolk]]
* [[Poquoson, Virginia|City of Poquoson]]
* [[Portsmouth, Virginia|City of Portsmouth]]
* [[Suffolk, Virginia|City of Suffolk]]
* [[Virginia Beach|City of Virginia Beach]]
* [[Williamsburg, Virginia|City of Williamsburg]]
{{Columns-end}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Hampton Roads Metropolitan population history 1950–2019<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/va190090.txt |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 2, 2014 }}</ref>
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | #
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | Independent city
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | County
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | 1950
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | 1960
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | 1970
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | 1980
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | 1990
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | 2000
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | 2010
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | 2019<br>(estimate)
|-----
| align="right"| 1 || align="left" | [[Virginia Beach, Virginia|Virginia Beach]] || align="left" | – || align="right" | – || align="right"| 8,091 || align="right" | 172,106 || align="right"| 262,199 || align="right"| 393,069 || align="right"| 425,257 || align="right"| 437,994 || align="right"| 449,974
|----
| align="right"| 2 || align="left" | [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]] || align="left" | -|| align="right" | 213,513 || align="right"| 305,872 || align="right" | 307,951 || align="right"| 266,979 || align="right"| 261,229 || align="right"| 234,403 || align="right"| 242,803 || align="right"| 242,742
|-----
| align="right"| 3 || align="left" | [[Chesapeake, Virginia|Chesapeake]] || align="left" | – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | 89,580 || align="right"| 114,486 || align="right"| 151,976 || align="right"| 199,184 || align="right"| 222,209 || align="right"| 244,835
|----
| align="right"| 4 || align="left" | [[Newport News, Virginia|Newport News]] || align="left" | – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| 170,045 || align="right"| 180,150 || align="right"| 180,719 || align="right"| 179,225
|----
| align="right"| 5 || align="left" | [[Hampton, Virginia|Hampton]] || align="left" | -|| align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| 133,811 || align="right"| 146,437 || align="right"| 137,436 || align="right"| 134,510
|----
| align="right"| 6 || align="left" | [[Portsmouth, Virginia|Portsmouth]] || align="left" | – || align="right" | 80,039 || align="right"| 114,773 || align="right" | 110,963 || align="right"| 104,577 || align="right"| 103,910 || align="right"| 100,565 || align="right"| 95,535 || align="right"| 94,398
|----
| align="right"| 7 || align="left" | [[Suffolk, Virginia|Suffolk]] || align="left" | – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | – || align="right"| 47,621 || align="right"| 52,141 || align="right"| 63,677 || align="right"| 84,585 || align="right"| 92,108
|----
| align="right"| 8 || align="left" | [[Williamsburg, Virginia|Williamsburg]] || align="left" | – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| 11,530 || align="right"| 11,998 || align="right"| 14,068 || align="right"| 14,954
|----
| align="right"| 9 || align="left" | [[Poquoson, Virginia|Poquoson]] || align="left" | – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| 11,005 || align="right"| 11,566 || align="right"| 12,150 || align="right"| 12,271
|----
| align="right"| 10 || align="left" | [[Franklin, Virginia|Franklin]] || align="left" | – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| 7,967
|----
| align="right"| – || align="left" | [[South Norfolk, Virginia|South Norfolk (defunct, 1950–1963)]]  || align="left" | –  || align="right" | 10,434 || align="right"| 22,035 || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| –
|----
| align="right"| 11 || align="left" | – || align="left" | [[James City County, Virginia|James City County, VA]]  || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| 34,859 || align="right"| 48,102 || align="right"| 67,009 || align="right"| 76,523
|----
| align="right"| 12 || align="left" | – || align="left" | [[York County, Virginia|York County, VA]]  || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| 42,422 || align="right"| 56,297 || align="right"| 65,464 || align="right"| 68,280
|----
| align="right"| 13 || align="left" | – || align="left" | [[Gloucester County, Virginia|Gloucester County, VA]]  || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| 30,131 || align="right"| 34,780 || align="right"| 36,858 || align="right"| 37,348
|----
| align="right"| 14 || align="left" | – || align="left" | [[Isle of Wight County, Virginia|Isle of Wight County, VA]]  || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| 25,503 || align="right"| 29,728 || align="right"| 35,270 || align="right"| 37,109
|----
| align="right"| 15 || align="left" | – || align="left" | [[Currituck County, North Carolina|Currituck County, NC]]  || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | – || align="right"| 11,089 || align="right"| 13,736 || align="right"| 18,190 || align="right"| 23,547 || align="right"| 27,763
|----
| align="right"| 16 || align="left" | – || align="left" | [[Gates County, North Carolina|Gates County, NC]]  || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| 12,197 || align="right"| 11,562
|----
| align="right"| 17 || align="left" | – || align="left" | [[Mathews County, Virginia|Mathews County, VA]]  || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| 8,348 || align="right"| 9,207 || align="right"| 8,978 || align="right"| 8,834
|----
| align="right"| 18 || align="left" | – || align="left" | [[Southampton County, Virginia|Southampton County, VA]]  || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| 17,631
|----
| align="right"| 19 || align="left" | – || align="left" | [[Camden County, North Carolina|Camden County, NC]]  || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| 10,867
|----
| align="right"| – || align="left" | – || align="left" | [[Surry County, Virginia|Surry County, VA]]  || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| 6,829 || align="right"| – || align="right"| –
|----
| align="right"| – || align="left" | – || align="left" | [[Norfolk County, Virginia|Norfolk County, VA (defunct, 1950–1963)]]  || align="right" | 99,537 || align="right"| 51,612 || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| –
|----
| align="right"| – || align="left" | – || align="left" | [[Princess Anne County, Virginia|Princess Anne County, VA (defunct, 1950–1963)]]  || align="right" | 42,277 || align="right"| 77,127 || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| – || align="right"| –
|----

| align="right" style="background-color: #cfb;"| || align="left" style="background-color: #cfb;"| '''Metropolitan area total''' || align="right" style="background-color: #cfb;"|  || align="right" style="background-color: #cfb;"| 445,800 || align="right" style="background-color: #cfb;"| 579,510 || align="right" style="background-color: #cfb;"| 680,600 || align="right" style="background-color: #cfb;"| 806,951 || align="right" style="background-color: #cfb;"| 1,443,715 || align="right" style="background-color: #cfb;"| 1,576,370 || align="right" style="background-color: #cfb;"| 1,676,822  || align="right" style="background-color: #cfb;"| 1,768,901
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; font-size:90% max-width:22em;"
|+ Virginia Peninsula Metropolitan population history 1960–1980<ref name="auto"/>
|-
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | #
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | <small>Independent city</small>
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | <small>County</small>
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | 1960
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | 1970
! style="background-color: #cfb;" | 1980
|-----
| align="right"| 1 || align="left" | [[Newport News, Virginia|Newport News]] || align="left" | – || align="right" | 113,662 || align="right"| 138,177 || align="right" | 144,903 
|----
| align="right"| 2 || align="left" | [[Hampton, Virginia|Hampton]] || align="left" | - || align="right" | 89,258 || align="right"| 120,779 || align="right" | 122,617
|----
| align="right"| 3 || align="left" | [[Williamsburg, Virginia|Williamsburg]] || align="left" | – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | 9,870
|----
| align="right"| 4 || align="left" | [[Poquoson, Virginia|Poquoson]] || align="left" | – || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | 8,726
|----
| align="right"| 5 || align="left" | – || align="left" | [[York County, Virginia|York County, VA]]  || align="right" | 21,583 || align="right"| 33,203 || align="right" | 35,463
|----
| align="right"| 6 || align="left" | – || align="left" | [[James City County, Virginia|James City County, VA]]  || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | 22,763
|----
| align="right"| 7 || align="left" | – || align="left" | [[Gloucester County, Virginia|Gloucester County, VA]]  || align="right" | – || align="right"| – || align="right" | 20,107
|----

| align="right" style="background-color: #cfb;"| || align="left" style="background-color: #cfb;"| '''Metropolitan area total''' || align="right" style="background-color: #cfb;"|  || align="right" style="background-color: #cfb;"| 224,503 || align="right" style="background-color: #cfb;"| 292,159 || align="right" style="background-color: #cfb;"| 364,449
|}

====In North Carolina====
The MSA also includes the following locations in North Carolina:
* [[Camden County, North Carolina|Camden County]]
* [[Currituck County, North Carolina|Currituck County]]
* [[Gates County, North Carolina|Gates County]]

===Evolution of Hampton Roads===
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 and [[South Norfolk, Virginia|South Norfolk]] and the counties of [[Norfolk County, Virginia|Norfolk]] and [[Princess Anne County|Princess Anne]]. In 1952, Virginia Beach separated from Princess Anne County.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/population/estimates/metro-city/50mfips.txt |title=Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Components |format=[[Text file|TXT]] |work=Metropolitan statistical areas and metropolitan divisions defined by the Office of Management and Budget, October 1963 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division |date=October 13, 1950 |access-date=August 11, 2017 }}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/population/estimates/metro-city/63mfips.txt |title=Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Components |format=[[Text file|TXT]] |work=Metropolitan statistical areas and metropolitan divisions defined by the Office of Management and Budget, October 1963 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division |date=October 18, 1963 |access-date=August 11, 2017 }}</ref>

In 1970, Chesapeake was added to the MSA,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/demo/metro-micro/historical-delineation-files.html |title=Historical Delineation Files |format=[[Text file|TXT]] |work=Historical Delineation Files, February 1971 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division |date=December 2, 2016 |access-date=August 11, 2017 }}</ref> while Virginia Beach became a primary city.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/population/estimates/metro-city/71mfips.txt |title=Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Components |format=[[Text file|TXT]] |work=Metropolitan statistical areas and metropolitan divisions defined by the Office of Management and Budget, February 1971 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division |date=February 23, 1971 |access-date=August 11, 2017 }}</ref>

In 1973, Currituck County, North Carolina was added to the MSA.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/population/estimates/metro-city/73mfips.txt |title=Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Components |format=[[Text file|TXT]] |work=Metropolitan statistical areas and metropolitan divisions defined by the Office of Management and Budget, April 1971 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division |date=April 27, 1973 |access-date=August 11, 2017 }}</ref>

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, while [[Surry County, Virginia]] was removed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hampton Roads loses Surry Co., gains Gates Co., N.C. |url=http://hamptonroads.com/2013/03/hampton-roads-loses-surry-co-gains-gates-co-nc |access-date=March 16, 2013 |archive-date=March 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130318063605/http://hamptonroads.com/2013/03/hampton-roads-loses-surry-co-gains-gates-co-nc |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Combined Statistical Area===
The Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA–NC, [[Combined Statistical Area]] additionally includes the [[Elizabeth City, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area|Elizabeth City, NC, Micropolitan Statistical Area]], comprising:
* [[Pasquotank County, North Carolina|Pasquotank County]]

and the [[Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina]], Micropolitan Statistical Area, comprising:
* [[Dare County, North Carolina|Dare County]]

The estimated population in 2023 of the [[Combined 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.

==Geography==
The metropolitan area and water area is in the [[Tidewater (region)|Tidewater region]], a low-lying plains region composed of southeastern portions of Virginia and northeastern portions of North Carolina.

[[File:Elizabeth River at NNSY.jpg|thumb|right|250px|View of the Elizabeth River with Downtown Norfolk at top right. The carrier in the foreground is {{USS|Harry S. Truman|CVN-75}}.]]
The water area known as Hampton Roads is a wide channel through which the waters of the [[James River (Virginia)|James River]], [[Nansemond River]], and [[Elizabeth River (Virginia)|Elizabeth River]] pass (between [[Old Point Comfort]] to the north and [[Sewell's Point]] to the south) into the [[Chesapeake Bay]] and the Atlantic Ocean.<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Hampton Roads|volume=12|pages=906–907 }}</ref>

Norfolk and Hampton Roads are among the worst-hit parts of the United States by the [[effects of global warming]]. As of 2016, the region is a few decades ahead in feeling the effects of [[sea-level rise]] compared to many American coastal areas.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gillis |first=Justin |date=September 3, 2016 |title=Flooding of Coast, Caused by Global Warming, Has Already Begun; Scientists' warnings that the rise of the sea would eventually imperil the United States' coastline are no longer theoretical. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/04/science/flooding-of-coast-caused-by-global-warming-has-already-begun.html |newspaper=New York Times |access-date=September 9, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=September 3, 2016 |title=The Latest: Storm surge likely up coast from Virginia to NJ |url=http://www.newschannel10.com/story/32985383/the-latest-expert-says-rising-seas-intensify-storms-effect |agency=[[Associated Press]] |publisher=[[KFDA-TV]] |access-date=September 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914185353/http://www.newschannel10.com/story/32985383/the-latest-expert-says-rising-seas-intensify-storms-effect |archive-date=September 14, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cna.org/cna_files/pdf/MAB_5-8-14.pdf |title=National Security and the Accelerating Risks of Climate Change |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |publisher=CNA [[Military Advisory Board]] |access-date=September 9, 2016 |quote=May 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Brady Dennis and [[Chris Mooney (journalist)|Chris Mooney]] |title=Scientists nearly double sea level rise projections for 2100, because of Antarctica |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/03/30/antarctic-loss-could-double-expected-sea-level-rise-by-2100-scientists-say/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=March 30, 2016 |access-date=September 9, 2016 }}</ref>

The geology and topography of the Hampton Roads region is influenced by the [[Chesapeake Bay impact crater]], one of three factors contributing to the sinking of Hampton Roads at a rate between {{convert|15|and|23|cm|in|abbr=off|sp=us}} per century.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hafner |first=Katherine |date=May 2, 2023 |title=A "hidden vulnerability:" Land in Hampton Roads is sinking twice as fast as sea levels are rising |url=https://whro.org/news/38012-a-hidden-vulnerability-land-in-hampton-roads-is-sinking-twice-as-fast-as-sea-levels-are-rising |access-date=May 12, 2023 |website=WHRO.org }}</ref>

The region has extensive natural areas, including {{convert|26|mi|km|0}} of Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay beaches, the [[Great Dismal Swamp]], picturesque rivers, state parks, wildlife refuges, and botanical gardens. Inland from the bay, the region includes [[Lake 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 the [[Virginia Peninsula]] (the Peninsula) and [[South 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, the [[Middle 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, North Carolina|Currituck County]]). Due to a peculiarity in the drawing of the Virginia-North Carolina border, [[Knott's Island, North Carolina|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:

[[File:Welcome To HamptonVA.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Hampton is a Hampton Roads community.]]
The Hampton Roads area consists of nine independent cities (which are not part of any county). [[Chesapeake, Virginia|Chesapeake]], [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]], [[Portsmouth, Virginia|Portsmouth]], [[Suffolk, Virginia|Suffolk]], and [[Virginia Beach, Virginia|Virginia Beach]] cover the Southside of Hampton Roads while [[Hampton, Virginia|Hampton]], [[Newport News, Virginia|Newport News]], [[Poquoson, Virginia|Poquoson]], and [[Williamsburg, Virginia|Williamsburg]] are on the Peninsula. [[Franklin, Virginia|Franklin]] borders Suffolk but the Census Bureau does not consider it part of the metro area.<ref name="White House">{{cite web |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/bulletins/fy2007/b07-01.pdf |title=OMB bulletin no. 07-01 |access-date=November 25, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071120114200/http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/bulletins/fy2007/b07-01.pdf |archive-date=November 20, 2007 }}</ref>

The metro area has one county in North Carolina, [[Currituck County, North Carolina|Currituck]]. The remaining counties, in Virginia, include [[Isle of Wight County, Virginia|Isle of Wight]] and [[Surry County, Virginia|Surry]] on the Southside, [[James City County, Virginia|James City]] and [[York County, Virginia|York]] on the Virginia Peninsula, and [[Gloucester County, Virginia|Gloucester]] and [[Mathews County, Virginia|Mathews]] on the Middle Peninsula. While [[Southampton County, Virginia|Southampton]] is adjacent to Surry, Isle of Wight, and the City of Suffolk, the Census Bureau does not consider it part of the metro area.<ref name="White House" />

Five [[incorporated town]]s are in the metro area, including [[Claremont, Virginia|Claremont]] in Surry County, [[Dendron, Virginia|Dendron]] in Surry County, [[Smithfield, Virginia|Smithfield]] in Isle of Wight County, [[Surry, Virginia|Surry]], Surry County's seat, and [[Windsor, Virginia|Windsor]] in Isle of Wight County. (Two other incorporated towns, [[Boykins, Virginia|Boykins]] and [[Courtland, Virginia|Courtland]], are in Southampton County, and therefore, like the county within which they are located, are not part of the federally defined metropolitan area).<ref name="White House" />

Other unincorporated towns and communities in the metropolitan area that are not within its cities include [[Gloucester Courthouse, Virginia|Gloucester Courthouse]] and [[Gloucester Point, Virginia|Gloucester Point]] in Gloucester County, [[Isle of Wight Courthouse, Virginia|Isle of Wight Courthouse]], [[Rushmere, Virginia|Rushmere]], [[Rescue, Virginia|Rescue]], [[Carrollton, Virginia|Carrollton]], [[Benns Church, Virginia|Benns Church]], and [[Walters, Virginia|Walters]] in Isle of Wight County, [[Yorktown, Virginia|Yorktown]], [[Grafton, Virginia|Grafton]], [[Seaford, Virginia|Seaford]], and [[Tabb, Virginia|Tabb]] in York County, [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]], [[Ford's Colony, Virginia|Ford's Colony]], [[Grove, Virginia|Grove]], [[Lightfoot, Virginia|Lightfoot]], [[Toano, Virginia|Toano]], and [[Norge, Virginia|Norge]] in James City County, [[Moyock, North Carolina|Moyock]], [[Knotts Island, North Carolina|Knotts Island]], and [[Currituck, North Carolina|Currituck]] in Currituck County, North Carolina.<ref name="White House" />

The Hampton Roads MSA, with a population of about 1.8&nbsp;million, is the seventh-largest metropolitan area in the Southeastern United States, after the [[Washington metropolitan area]]; [[South Florida metropolitan area|Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach, FL, MSA]]; [[Atlanta metropolitan area|Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Marietta, GA, MSA]], [[Tampa Bay Area|Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater, FL, MSA]]; [[Greater Orlando|Orlando–Kissimmee, FL, MSA]]; and [[Charlotte metropolitan area|Charlotte–Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC–SC, MSA]].

==History==
{{Main|History of Hampton Roads}}
[[File:Hampton Roads 1859.jpg|250px|right|thumb|The harbor area of Hampton Roads, from official state map of pre-civil war Virginia circa 1858. Image from the Library of Virginia.]]

===17th–19th centuries===
The first colonists arrived in 1607 when English [[Christopher Newport|Captain Christopher Newport]] landed at [[Cape 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 the [[Ajacán Mission]].

After exploring the [[James River (Virginia)|James River]], they established the first successful English colony in the [[New World]] on [[Jamestown Island]] on May 14, 1607.<ref name="apva.org">{{cite web |url=http://www.apva.org/history/index.html |title=History of Jamestown |access-date=October 26, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416222010/http://www.apva.org/history/index.html |archive-date=April 16, 2009}} Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities: ''Jamestown History''</ref> However, the low, marshy site proved unhealthy and most of the colonists died, before a new Governor, [[Lord De La Warr]] (Delaware) arrived with [[John Rolfe]], who would establish the Virginia tobacco industry.<ref name="apva.org" />

The harbor and rivers of Hampton Roads were immediately recognized as prime locations for commerce, shipbuilding and military installations, with the fortifications at [[Old Point Comfort]] established as early as 1610, and [[Norfolk Naval Shipyard|Gosport Navy Yard]] (later Norfolk Naval Shipyard) in 1767. The decisive battle of the Revolution was won at [[Siege of Yorktown|Yorktown]] in 1781, and the first naval action of the [[War of 1812]] took place in Hampton Roads, when the [[Royal Navy]] schooner ''Whiting'' was seized by the American privateer ''Dash''. Later the entrance from Chesapeake Bay was equipped with new fortifications ([[Fort Monroe]] and [[Fort Wool]]), much of the building work being supervised by a young military engineer [[Robert E. Lee]].

During the American Civil War (1861–1865), the historic [[Battle of Hampton Roads]] between the first American [[ironclad warship]]s, the {{USS|Monitor}} and the [[CSS Virginia|CSS ''Virginia'']], took place off [[Sewell'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 at [[Drewry's Bluff]]. Also in 1862, Fort Monroe was the launching place for Union General [[George B. McClellan|George McClellan]]'s [[Peninsula Campaign|massive advance]] up the Virginia Peninsula, which almost reached the Confederate capital [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]], before the [[Seven 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 an [[Hampton Roads Conference|unsuccessful bid]] for a negotiated peace.<ref>See [http://encyclopediavirginia.org/Hampton_Roads_Conference "Hampton Roads Conference" in ''Encyclopedia Virginia'']</ref>

Some former slaves had been [[Grand Contraband Camp|camped]] near Fort Monroe, where they were declared to be [[contraband (American Civil War)|Contraband 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-day [[Hampton University]].

===20th century===
The [[Jamestown Exposition]] for the 300th anniversary of the 1607 founding of [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]] was held at [[Sewell's Point]] in a rural section of [[Norfolk County, Virginia|Norfolk County]] in 1907.

President [[Theodore Roosevelt]] arrived by water in the harbor of Hampton Roads, as did other notable persons such as [[Mark Twain]] and [[Henry H. Rogers|Henry Huttleston Rogers]], who both arrived aboard the latter's steam yacht ''[[Kanawha (1899)|Kanawha]]''. 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 President [[Woodrow Wilson]], formerly rural [[Sewell's Point]] became the site of what grew to become the largest Naval Base in the world which was established by the [[United States Navy]] and is now known as the [[Naval Station Norfolk]].

Twice in the 20th century, inhabitants mostly African American were displaced when land along the northern side of the [[Virginia Peninsula|Peninsula]] primarily in [[York County, Virginia|York 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 former [[Seabee (US Navy)|Seabee]] base which became [[Camp Peary]].

Communities including [[Lackey, Virginia|"the Reservation"]], [[Halstead's Point, Virginia|Halstead's Point]], [[Penniman, Virginia|Penniman]], [[Bigler's Mill, Virginia|Bigler's Mill]], and [[Magruder, Virginia|Magruder]] were all [[Former counties, cities, and towns of Virginia|lost]] and absorbed into the large military bases.

Although some left the area entirely, many of the displaced families chose to relocate nearby to [[Grove, Virginia|Grove]], an unincorporated town in southeastern [[James City County, Virginia|James 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 at [[Fort Eustis]] extends across Skiffe's Creek, although there is no direct access to either base).

===Colonial Williamsburg===
{{Main|Colonial Williamsburg}}
It was the dream of an Episcopal priest to save his 18th-century church building by turning Williamsburg into the world's largest [[living 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 the [[Battle 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 as [[Middle Plantation (Virginia)|Middle Plantation]] Williamsburg missed growth and economic expansion in the 19th century. The main economic engines were [[The College of William & Mary]] and [[Eastern State Hospital (Virginia)|Eastern 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]] of [[Bruton Parish Church]] motive was to only to save historic church building which was secured by 1907. He subsequently served in [[Rochester, 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 from [[Standard Oil]] heir and philanthropist [[John D. Rockefeller Jr.]] and his wife [[Abby Aldrich Rockefeller]]. The result is the creation of [[Colonial Williamsburg]] with extensive restoration of buildings such as the [[Wren 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 the [[Historic Triangle]] of Colonial Virginia. These were, of course, Jamestown, where the colony started, Williamsburg, and [[Yorktown, Virginia|Yorktown]], where independence from [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] was won. The three points were joined by the U.S. [[National Park Service]]'s [[Colonial 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."

{{See also|Historic Triangle}}

==Government==
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 town]]s 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&nbsp;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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.hrpdcva.gov/page/locality-profiles/ |title=Locality Profiles |website=Hampton Roads Planning District Commission}}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

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's [[Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility]] (known as 'Jefferson Lab')<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.jlab.org/ |title=Home &#124; Jefferson Lab |website=www.jlab.org }}</ref> conducts cutting edge physics research in [[Newport News, Virginia|Newport News]]; the lab hosts the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.jlab.org/physics/GeV |title=12 GeV Upgrade Technical Scope &#124; Jefferson Lab |website=www.jlab.org }}</ref> and a kilowatt-class [[free-electron laser]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jlab.org/FEL/ |title=The FEL Program at Jefferson Lab |access-date=July 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061016182527/http://www.jlab.org/FEL/ |archive-date=October 16, 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===U.S. military===
The military has a large presence in the region. Area military facilities (alphabetically) include:
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* [[Camp Allen]], in Norfolk
* [[Camp Peary]], in York County
* Coast Guard 5th District,<ref>[http://www.uscg.mil/d5/ Coast Guard 5th District]</ref> in Portsmouth
* Coast Guard Base Portsmouth,<ref>[http://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Director-of-Operational-Logistics-DOL/Bases/Base-Portsmouth/ Coast Guard Base Portsmouth]</ref> in Portsmouth
* [[Training Center Yorktown|Coast Guard Training Center Yorktown]], in York County
* [[Fleet Training Center Dam Neck]], in Virginia Beach
* [[Fort Eustis]], in Newport News
* [[Fort Monroe]], in Hampton (closed in September 2011)
* [[Joint Expeditionary Base East]], in Virginia Beach
* Lafayette River Complex (LRC), in Norfolk
* [[Langley Air Force Base]], in Hampton
* [[Naval Air Station Oceana]], in Virginia Beach
* [[Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek]], in Virginia Beach
* [[Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress]], in Chesapeake
* [[Naval Consolidated Brig, Chesapeake]]
* [[Naval Medical Center Portsmouth]], in Portsmouth
* [[Naval Station Norfolk]], in Norfolk
* [[Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads]], in Chesapeake
* Naval Support Activity Northwest Annex, in Chesapeake
* [[Naval Weapons Station Yorktown]], in York County
* [[Norfolk Naval Shipyard]], in Portsmouth (not to be confused with [[Portsmouth Naval Shipyard]], in [[Kittery]], Maine)
* [[St. Julien's Creek Annex|Saint Julian's Creek Naval Depot Annex]], in Chesapeake
}}

==Economy==
{{clear}}
Hampton Roads is home to two ''Fortune'' 500 companies.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://fortune.com/fortune500/ |title=Fortune 500 2021 |publisher=CNNMoney |date=October 7, 2021 }}</ref> Representing the retail and shipbuilding industry, they are located in [[Chesapeake, Virginia|Chesapeake]] and [[Newport News]].

* 111 [[Dollar Tree]]
* 327 [[Huntington Ingalls Industries]]

[[File:hampton roads from space.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Hampton Roads from space]]

Hampton Roads has become known as the "world's greatest natural harbor." The port is located only {{convert|18|mi|km|0}} 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 of [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]], [[Portsmouth, Virginia|Portsmouth]], and [[Newport News, Virginia|Newport News]].<ref name="EB1911"/>

[[Huntington Ingalls Industries]] (formerly Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company), was created in 2008 as a spinoff of [[Northrop Grumman Newport News]] and is the world's largest [[shipyard]]. It is located a short distance up the [[James River (Virginia)|James River]]. In Portsmouth, a few miles up the Elizabeth River, the historic [[Norfolk 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.

[[File:Northrop Grumman Newport News 032007 015.png|thumb|200px|Huntington Ingalls' Newport News Shipbuilding]]
Massive [[coal pier]]s and loading facilities were established in the late 19th and early 20th century by the [[Chesapeake and Ohio Railway]] (C&O), [[Norfolk and Western Railway]] (N&W), and [[Virginian Railway]] (VGN). The latter two were predecessors of the [[Norfolk Southern Railway]], a [[Class I railroad]] which has its headquarters in Norfolk, and continues to export coal from a large facility at [[Lambert's Point]] on the Elizabeth River. [[CSX Transportation]] now serves the former C&O facility at Newport News. (The VGN's former coal facility at [[Sewell's Point]] has been gone since the 1960s, and the property is now part of the expansive [[Naval Station Norfolk|Norfolk Navy Base]]).

===Federal impact===
Almost 80% of the region's economy is derived from federal sources.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}} 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hrp.org/Site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=67 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090817175713/http://www.hrp.org/Site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=67 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=August 17, 2009 |title=About Us |access-date=April 2, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/4564781 |title=Hampton Roads economy: Recovery is slow, and the signs are worrisome |access-date=July 27, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101120856/http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/4564781 |archive-date=November 1, 2011 }}</ref> All five military services' operating forces are there, as well as several major command headquarters: Hampton Roads is a chief rendezvous of the [[United States Navy]], and the area is home to the [[Allied Command Transformation]], which is the only major military command of the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] ([[NATO]]) on U.S. soil. [[Langley Air Force Base]] is home to [[Air Combat Command]] (ACC). The [[Naval Station Norfolk|Norfolk Navy Base]] is located at [[Sewell's Point]] near the mouth, on the site used for the tercentennial [[Jamestown Exposition]] in 1907. For a width of {{convert|500|ft|m|-1}} the Federal government during 1902 through 1905 increased its minimum depth at low water from {{convert|25.5|to|30|ft|m|0}},<ref name="EB1911"/> and the channel has now been dredged to a depth of {{convert|55|ft|m|0}} in some places.

[[File:Langley research center.jpg|thumb|200px|NASA Langley Research Center]]
[[NASA]]'s [[Langley Research Center]], located on the Peninsula adjacent to [[Langley Air Force Base]] in Hampton, is home to scientific and aerospace technology research. The [[Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility]] (commonly known as Jefferson Lab) is located nearby in Newport News.

===Commercial growth===
The area's experiences with commercial and retail centers began early in 1918. Afton Square, located in the [[Cradock, Virginia|Cradock]] 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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.portsmouthva.gov/planning/cradock.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311002141/http://www.portsmouthva.gov/planning/cradock.htm |url-status=dead |title=Cradock |archive-date=March 11, 2007 }}</ref>

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.
[[File:LynnhavenOutdoor.JPG|thumb|200px|Lynnhaven Mall, opened in 1981, has {{convert|1400000|sqft|m2}} and 180 stores.]]
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 new [[JANAF 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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://whlr.propertycapsule.com/properties/janafshoppingyard |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930065349/http://www.janafshopping.com/aboutjanaf.php |url-status=dead |title=Norfolk VA: J.A.N.A.F. Shopping Yard - Retail Space For Lease - Wheeler Real Estate Company |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |website=whlr.propertycapsule.com }}</ref>

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 as [[Pembroke Mall]]. The mall opened in 1966, and became Hampton Road's newest indoor shopping destination. The [[Virginia Peninsula]] had its first indoor shopping mall in 1973, with [[Coliseum Mall]]. Coliseum Mall drew so much traffic from [[Interstate 64]], that a towering [[overpass|flyover]] 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 development [[Peninsula 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]] on [[Military Highway]] was built across [[Virginia 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. [[File:Macarthercenter.JPG|thumb|200px|MacArthur Center, opened in 1999, has {{convert|1100000|sqft|m2}} and 140 stores.]]
[[MacArthur Center]] opened in March 1999, which made downtown Norfolk a prime shoppers destination, with the region's first [[Nordstrom]] department store anchor. MacArthur Center is similar to other downtown malls of the same era, such as Baltimore's [[Harborplace]], Indianapolis' [[Circle Centre]] Mall, Atlanta's [[Lenox Square]] Mall and most comparably to [[Fashion Centre at Pentagon City|The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City]] near Washington, D.C., in [[Arlington, Virginia]].

Currently, Virginia Beach's [[Lynnhaven Mall]] is the region's largest shopping center with nearly 180 stores, and is one of the region's biggest tourist draws, with the [[Virginia 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, the [[big-box store]]s 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.

[[File:Patrick Henry Mall sign, Hampton Roads, Virginia.jpg|thumb|200px|Patrick Henry Mall, opened in 1987, has {{convert|714310|sqft|m2}} and 120+ stores.]]

Several older malls have been renovated, and others have been closed and torn down. Newmarket North Mall is now [[NetCenter]], a business center. Coliseum Mall, in Hampton, has been redeveloped as [[Peninsula Town Center]] in a new style, in step with the latest commercial real estate trend: the nationwide establishment of [[Lifestyle center (retail)|lifestyle centers]]. Additional malls which have closed include [[Mercury Plaza Mall|Mercury 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).

{|class="wikitable"
! Shopping mall !! Location !! Number of stores !! Area !! Year opened
|-
| [[Lynnhaven Mall]]|| [[Virginia Beach, Virginia|Virginia Beach]] ||180 ||{{convert|1400000|sqft|m2|-4|abbr=on}}||1981
|-
| [[MacArthur Center]] || [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]] ||140 ||{{convert|1100000|sqft|m2|-4|abbr=on}} ||1999
|-
| [[Chesapeake Square Mall]] || [[Chesapeake, Virginia|Chesapeake]] ||130 ||{{convert|800000|sqft|m2|-4|abbr=on}} ||1989
|-
| [[Greenbrier Mall]] || [[Chesapeake, Virginia|Chesapeake]] ||120 ||{{convert|809017|sqft|m2|0|abbr=on}} ||1981
|-
| [[Patrick Henry Mall]] || [[Newport News, Virginia|Newport News]] ||120+ ||{{convert|714310|sqft|m2|-2|abbr=on}} ||1987
|}

===America's first region===
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 English [[Christopher Newport|Captain Christopher Newport's]] three ships – the ''[[Susan Constant]]'', ''[[Godspeed (ship)|Godspeed]]'', and ''[[Discovery (1602 ship)|Discovery]]'' landed at [[Cape Henry]] along the Atlantic Coast in what is today Virginia Beach. After 18 days of exploring the area, the ships and their crews arrived at [[Jamestown Island]] where they established the first English speaking settlement to survive in the [[New 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 the [[Hampton 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 the [[Governor of Virginia]], [[Timothy Kaine]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hrp.org/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011110102142/http://www.hrp.org/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=November 10, 2001 |title=Hampton Road Partnership }}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=February 2008}}<!-- need direct statement, not advertising link -->

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.<ref name="HREDA">{{Cite web |url=http://www.hreda.com |title=Home {{!}} Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance {{!}} Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance |website=www.hreda.com |language=en |access-date=October 1, 2018 }}</ref>

==Transportation==
{{Main|Transportation in Hampton Roads}}
[[File:PortsmouthNorfolkFerry1.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Ferry between Norfolk and Portsmouth]]
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 with [[toll road|toll revenues]], has aged without an adequate source of funding to repair or build replacements. The now-closed [[Kings Highway Bridge]] in [[Suffolk, Virginia|Suffolk]] and the [[Jordan Bridge]] closed by neighboring [[Chesapeake, Virginia|Chesapeake]] in 2008 were each built in the 1920s. These were considered locally prime examples of this situation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Demolition set for Kings Highway Bridge; no replacement in sight |first=Aaron |last=Applegate |work=[[The Virginian-Pilot]] |date=March 23, 2007 |url=http://hamptonroads.com/node/240691 |access-date=January 31, 2009 |archive-date=September 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905054127/http://hamptonroads.com/node/240691 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=October 16, 2008 |first=Mike |last=Saewitz |work=[[The Virginian-Pilot]] |title=Jordan Bridge closure likely to cause longer backups |url=http://hamptonroads.com/2008/10/jordan-bridge-closure-likely-cause-longer-backups |access-date=January 31, 2009 |archive-date=November 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120143345/http://hamptonroads.com/2008/10/jordan-bridge-closure-likely-cause-longer-backups |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2007, the new [[Hampton 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.<ref>O'Dell, Larry. "Supreme Court ruling voids Hampton Roads Transportation Authority", Associated Press, http://www.dailypress.com/dp-gasupremecourt0229,0,6977613.story {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120050830/http://www.dailypress.com/dp-gasupremecourt0229,0,6977613.story |date=November 20, 2008 }} Retrieved March 13, 2008.</ref>
[[File:TugboatNorfolkVA.jpg|thumb|left|200px|A tugboat in Norfolk]]

[[Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport]], located in Newport News, and [[Norfolk 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.<ref name="Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport">{{cite web |url=http://www.nnwairport.com/ |title=Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport |access-date=February 25, 2008 |publisher=Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001204184500/http://www.nnwairport.com/ |archive-date=December 4, 2000 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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|date=August 2012}}
[[Norfolk International Airport]] {{Airport codes|ORF|KORF|ORF}}, serves the region. The airport is located near Chesapeake Bay, along the city limits of [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]] and [[Virginia Beach, Virginia|Virginia Beach]].<ref name="ORF History">{{cite web |url=http://www.norfolkairport.com/airportinfo/missionhistory.htm |title=Norfolk International Airport Mission and History |access-date=October 2, 2007 |publisher=Norfolk International Airport |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928203630/http://www.norfolkairport.com/airportinfo/missionhistory.htm |archive-date=September 28, 2007 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="ORF Statistics">{{cite web |url=http://www.norfolkairport.com/airportinfo/orfstats.pdf |title=Norfolk International Airport Statistics |access-date=October 2, 2007 |publisher=Norfolk International Airport |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025202830/http://www.norfolkairport.com/airportinfo/orfstats.pdf |archive-date=October 25, 2007 }}</ref>

The [[Hampton 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.

The [[Chesapeake 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 with [[Northeast Regional]] trains to its [[Norfolk (Amtrak station)|Norfolk]], [[Williamsburg (Amtrak station)|Williamsburg]] and [[Newport News (Amtrak station)|Newport News]] stations. The lines run west to [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] then north to Washington, D.C., and major cities north to [[Boston]]. 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 the [[Northeast Corridor]] and the [[Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor]] are also under study.<ref>[http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Station/Station_Page&code=NPN Amtrak Newport News Station] Amtrak. Accessed April 3, 2008.</ref><ref name="SEHSR">{{cite web |url=http://www.sehsr.org/ |title=Southeast High Speed Rail |access-date=October 15, 2007 |publisher=Southeast High Speed Rail |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515181215/http://www.sehsr.org/ |archive-date=May 15, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Intercity bus]] service is provided by [[Greyhound Lines]] (Carolina Trailways) with bus stations in Newport News, Hampton, and Norfolk.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greyhound.com/home/ |title=Greyhound |access-date=April 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151105202254/https://www.greyhound.com/home/ |archive-date=November 5, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Transportation within Hampton Roads is served by a regional bus service, [[Hampton Roads Transit]].<ref>[http://www.gohrt.com/schedulesandservices/busroutes.html Bus Routes] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070629015529/http://gohrt.com/schedulesandservices/busroutes.html |date=June 29, 2007 }} Hampton Roads Transit. Accessed April 3, 2008.</ref> Local routes serving Williamsburg, James City County, and upper York County is operated by [[Williamsburg Area Transit Authority]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gowata.org/ |title=Williamsburg Area Transit Authority, VA – Official Website |access-date=April 2, 2017 }}</ref>

A [[light rail]] service known as [[Tide Light Rail|The Tide]] was constructed in Norfolk. It began service in August 2011.<ref>{{cite news |last=Messina |first=Debbie |title=All aboard: HRT sets date for Norfolk's light rail debut |work=The Virginian-Pilot |date=June 21, 2011 |url=http://hamptonroads.com/2011/06/all-aboard-hrt-sets-date-norfolk-light-rails-debut |access-date=August 13, 2011 |location=Norfolk |archive-date=August 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110825195232/http://hamptonroads.com/2011/06/all-aboard-hrt-sets-date-norfolk-light-rails-debut |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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.<ref name="September30">{{cite news |last=Messina |first=Debbie |title=Norfolk's light rail gets the green light |work=The Virginian-Pilot |date=September 30, 2007 }}</ref> There has also been a light rail study in the Hampton – Newport News areas.<ref name="PRTP">{{cite news |title=PRTP |work=Hampton Roads Transit |year=2008 |url=http://www.hrtransit.org/developmentproject/peninsularapidtransitproject.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219215905/http://hrtransit.org/developmentproject/peninsularapidtransitproject.html |archive-date=February 19, 2009 }}</ref> 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.

[[File:I-64 sign, Hampton Roads.jpg|thumbnail|I-64 on the Hampton Roads Beltway, north of I-264|right]]
The Hampton Roads area has an extensive network of [[Interstate Highway]]s, including the [[Interstate 64]], the major east–west route to and from the area, and its spurs and bypasses of [[Interstate 264 (Virginia)|I-264]], [[Interstate 464|I-464]], [[Interstate 564|I-564]], and [[Interstate 664|I-664]].

The [[Hampton Roads Beltway]] extends {{convert|56|mi|km|0}} on a long loop through the region, crossing the harbor on two toll-free [[bridge–tunnel]] facilities. These crossings are the [[Hampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel]] between [[Phoebus, Virginia|Phoebus]] in Hampton and [[Willoughby Spit]] in Norfolk and the [[Monitor–Merrimac Memorial Bridge–Tunnel]] between Newport News and Suffolk. The Beltway connects with another Interstate highway and three arterial U.S. Highways at [[Bower's Hill, Virginia|Bower's Hill]] near the northeastern edge of the [[Great Dismal Swamp]]. Other major east–west routes are [[U.S. Route 58 (Virginia)|U.S. Route 58]], [[U.S. Route 60 in Virginia|U.S. Route 60]], and [[U.S. Route 460 (Virginia)|U.S. Route 460]]. The major north–south routes are [[U.S. Route 13 (Virginia)|U.S. Route 13]] and [[U.S. Route 17 (Virginia)|U.S. Route 17]].

There are also two other tunnels in the area, the [[Midtown Tunnel (Virginia)|Midtown Tunnel]], and the [[Downtown Tunnel]] joining Portsmouth and Norfolk, as well as the {{convert|17|mi|km|0|adj=on}}-long [[Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel]], a toll facility which links the region with Virginia's [[Eastern Shore of Virginia|Eastern Shore]] which carries [[U.S. Route 13 (Virginia)|US 13]].<ref name=facts>{{cite web |title=Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel Facts |publisher=Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Commission |url=http://www.cbbt.com/facts.html |access-date=January 30, 2009 |archive-date=April 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428072417/http://www.cbbt.com/facts.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The original Downtown Tunnel in conjunction with the [[Berkley Bridge (Virginia)|Berkley Bridge]] were considered a single bridge and tunnel complex when completed in 1952, perhaps stimulating the innovative [[bridge-tunnel]] design using [[man-made island]]s when the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel was planned, first opening in 1957. The [[George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge]] is a major [[toll bridge]] connecting U.S. Highway 17 on the [[Virginia Peninsula|Peninsula]] at [[Yorktown, Virginia|Yorktown]] with Virginia's [[Middle Peninsula]] region. Another major crossing of waterways is the [[James River Bridge]], carrying [[U.S. Highway 17|US 17]] [[U.S. Highway 258|US 258]], and [[Route 32 (Virginia)|SR 32]] from Newport News to [[Isle of Wight County, Virginia|Isle of Wight County]].<ref name="Bridges and Tunnels">{{cite web |title=Hampton Roads Tunnels and Bridges - Travel |publisher=Virginia Department of Transportation |date=December 2, 2014 |url=http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/hro-tunnel-default.asp |access-date=May 6, 2020 }}</ref>

The region is notable in that it has 2 types of public transport services via [[ferry|ferries]]. A passenger ferry is operated on the Elizabeth River between downtown areas of Norfolk and Portsmouth by HRT.<ref name="Ferry">{{cite news |title=Paddle Wheel Ferry |work=Hampton Roads Transit |year=2008 |url=http://www.hrtransit.org/services/paddlewheelferry.html |access-date=January 31, 2009 |archive-date=February 18, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218110849/http://hrtransit.org/services/paddlewheelferry.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Jamestown Ferry]] (also known as the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry) is an automobile ferry system on the [[James River (Virginia)|James River]] connecting [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]] in [[James City County, Virginia|James City County]] with Scotland in [[Surry County, Virginia|Surry County]]. It carries [[State Route 31 (Virginia)|State Route 31]]. Operated by [[Virginia Department of Transportation|VDOT]], it is the only 24-hour state-run ferry operation in Virginia and has over 90 employees. It operates four ferryboats, the ''Pocahontas'', the ''Williamsburg'', the ''Surry'', and the ''Virginia''. The facility is toll-free.<ref name="Jamestown-Scotland Ferry">{{cite news |title=Jamestown-Scotland Ferry |publisher=Virginia Department of Transportation |year=2008 |url=http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/ferry-jamestown.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201082929/http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/ferry-jamestown.asp |archive-date=February 1, 2009 }}</ref>

==Demographics==

{{Context|section|date=September 2018}}
{{Expand section|date=September 2018}}
According to the [[2010 United States Census|2010 Census]], the overall racial composition of Hampton Roads was as follows:<ref name="United States Census Bureau">{{cite news |author=United States Census Bureau |title=Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC Metro Area – Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 more information 2010 Demographic Profile Data |publisher=Factfinder.census.gov }}</ref>
* [[White American|White or Caucasian]]: 59.6%
* [[African American|Black or African American]]: 31.3%
* [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]]: 0.4%
* [[Asian American|Asian]]: 3.5%
* Some other race: 1.7%
* [[Multiracial American|Two or more races]]: 3.4%

In addition, 5.4% of the population were [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (of any race). 57.2% of the population were of [[Non-Hispanic Whites|non-Hispanic White]] background.

=== Religious ===
A small minority of Virginians in the Hampton Roads region believe in [[pantheism]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Qureshi |first=Nabeel |title=No God but One: Allah or Jesus?: A Former Muslim Investigates the Evidence for Islam and Christianity |publisher=[[Zondervan]] |year=2016 |isbn=978-0-310-52255-3 |location=Grand Rapids, Michigan |pages=30 |language=en-US |author-link=Nabeel Qureshi (author) }}</ref>

=== Immigration status ===
In 2014-2018, there were 106,682 immigrants in the region, making up 7% of the population.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thecommonwealthinstitute.org/research/a-profile-of-our-immigrant-neighbors-in-hampton-roads/ |title=Hampton Roads immigrants are diverse, long-standing pillars of the community |publisher=[[The Commonwealth Institute]] |access-date=December 26, 2023 }}</ref>

=== Ethnic groups ===
{{seealso|Filipino Americans in Hampton Roads}}
In 2010 around 40,000 people of Filipino origin lived in that region.<ref name=Bearingertrad>{{cite web |last=Bearinger |first=David |url=https://virginiahumanities.org/2016/10/filipino-traditions-in-virginia/ |title=Filipino Traditions in Virginia |publisher=[[Virginia Humanities]] |date=October 31, 2016 |access-date=November 26, 2023 }}</ref>

Chinese immigration to Norfolk occurred after 1885, and in 1995 300 families were members of that city's Chinese Community Association.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tucker |first=George |url=https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1995/vp950402/04010178.htm |title=NORFOLK'S CHINESE HERITAGE DATES BACK MORE THAN A CENTURY |newspaper=[[The Virginian-Pilot]] |via=[[Virginia Tech]] |date=April 2, 1995 |access-date=December 26, 2023 }}</ref>

==Culture==
{{Expand section|date=September 2018}}
The area is most often associated with the larger [[American South]]. People who have grown up in the Hampton Roads area have a unique [[Tidewater accent]] which sounds different from a stereotypical [[Southern American English|Southern accent]]. Vowels have a longer pronunciation than in a regular southern accent.<ref name="Virginia Accents">{{cite web |url=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/niceandcurious/manyvoices.htm |title=Virginia's Many Voices |access-date=March 7, 2008 |publisher=Fairfax County Public Library |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080830052030/http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/niceandcurious/manyvoices.htm |archive-date=August 30, 2008 }}</ref>

===Flag===
[[File:Flag of Hampton Roads, Virginia.svg|275px|right|thumb|Hampton Roads flag, adopted 1998]]
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 of [[Frank 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us-va-hr.html |title=Hampton Roads, Virginia (U.S.) |publisher=Flags of the World }}</ref>

===Sites of interest===
{{Advert|section|date=September 2018}}

====Parks and recreation====
The [[Norfolk Botanical Garden]], opened in 1939, is a {{convert|155|acre|km2|1|adj=on}} [[botanical garden]] and [[arboretum]] located near the Norfolk International Airport. It is open year-round.<ref name="Norfolk Botanical Gardens">{{cite web |url=http://www.norfolkbotanicalgarden.org/ |title=Festevents |access-date=August 6, 2007 |publisher=Norfolk Botanical Gardens }}</ref>

The [[Virginia Zoo]]logical Park, opened in 1900, is a {{convert|65|acre|ha|adj=on}} [[zoo]] with hundreds of animals on display, including the critically endangered [[Siberian tiger]] and threatened [[white rhino]].<ref name="Virginia Zoo">{{cite web |url=http://www.virginiazoo.org/about/history.php |title=Zoo History |access-date=October 13, 2007 |publisher=Virginia Zoo |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070826214123/http://www.virginiazoo.org/about/history.php <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=August 26, 2007 }}</ref>

[[First Landing State Park]] and [[False 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 of [[Cape Henry]] while False Cape is located at the southeastern end of Virginia Beach.<ref>{{cite web |title=First Landing State Park |url=http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/fir.shtml |publisher=First Landing State Park |access-date=March 20, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=False Cape State Park |url=http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/fal.shtml |publisher=False Cape State Park |access-date=March 20, 2008 }}</ref>

[[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 {{convert|30|mi|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 {{convert|400|ft|m|abbr=on}} runway.<ref>[http://www.nnparks.com/parks_nn.php Newport News Park] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070618055156/http://www.nnparks.com/parks_nn.php |date=June 18, 2007 }} Newport News Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. Accessed April 3, 2008.</ref>

The region also has amusement parks which attract tourists and locals alike. The Virginia Beach Oceanfront has [[Atlantic Fun Park]] (formerly called "Virginia Beach Amusement Park"). Virginia Beach also has [[Ocean Breeze Waterpark]], Shipwreck Golf, and [[Motor 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=MotorWorld |url=http://www.vbmotorworld.com/index.html |publisher=Motor World |access-date=March 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080331141335/http://www.vbmotorworld.com/index.html |archive-date=March 31, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ocean Breeze Water Park |url=http://www.oceanbreezewaterpark.com/ |publisher=Ocean Breeze Water Park |access-date=March 20, 2008 }}</ref> [[Busch Gardens Williamsburg]] and [[Water Country USA]] are the major theme parks in Williamsburg.

====Historic Triangle====
The [[Historic Triangle]] is located on the [[Virginia Peninsula]] and includes the colonial communities of [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]], [[Colonial Williamsburg|Williamsburg]], and [[Yorktown, Virginia|Yorktown]]. The sites are linked by a scenic roadway, the [[National Park Service]]'s [[Colonial Parkway]].

The Jamestown settlement in the [[Colony of Virginia]] was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. It was established by the [[Virginia 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 the [[Lost 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 of [[Colonial National Historical Park]]) and [[Preservation 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 as [[Middle Plantation (Virginia)|Middle Plantation]], a fortified settlement on high ground between the [[James River|James]] and [[York River (Virginia)|York]] rivers. The city served as the capital of the [[Colony of Virginia]] from 1699 to 1780 and was the center of political events in Virginia leading to the [[American Revolution]]. The [[College 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 by [[Colonial 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 General [[Charles Cornwallis]] to General [[George Washington]] and the French Fleet during the [[American 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 the [[American 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 the [[Colonial Parkway]] connecting these locations. Yorktown is also the eastern terminus of the [[TransAmerica Trail]], a bicycle touring route created by the [[Adventure Cycling Association]].

=====Peninsula museums=====

* The [[Mariners' Museum]], founded in 1930 by [[Archer Milton Huntington|Archer]] and [[Anna Huntington]], is an institution dedicated to bringing maritime history to the world. It is currently home to the [[USS Monitor|USS ''Monitor'']] Center where 210 tons of artifacts recovered from the USS ''Monitor'' are held, including the [[gun turret]]. The museum also consists of a 550-acre park and [[the 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 at [[Christopher 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.<ref>The Mariners' Museum, http://marinersmuseum.org/visitor-information/museum-history {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926161100/http://marinersmuseum.org/visitor-information/museum-history |date=September 26, 2013 }}</ref>
* The [[Virginia 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 the [[Berlin Wall]] and the outer wall from [[Dachau Concentration Camp]].<ref>[http://www.warmuseum.org/Exhibits.htm Exhibits] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225040652/http://www.warmuseum.org/Exhibits.htm |date=February 25, 2009 }} Virginia War Museum. Accessed April 3, 2008.</ref>
* The [[Virginia 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thevlm.org/AboutUs.aspx |title=About Us |access-date=October 25, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209082750/http://www.thevlm.org/AboutUs.aspx |archive-date=February 9, 2009 }}</ref>
* The [[Peninsula 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."<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20081013022054/http://www.pfac-va.org/hofka.html Hands on For Kids Gallery]}} Peninsula Fine Arts Center. Accessed April 3, 2008.</ref>
* The [[Hampton 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://museum.hamptonu.edu/ |title=Hampton University Museum |access-date=April 2, 2017 |archive-date=May 3, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170503190905/http://museum.hamptonu.edu/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hamptonarts.net/charles-h-taylor-arts-center-/arts-center-faq-middlelinks-155 |title=Arts Center FAQ |access-date=August 12, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007042347/http://hamptonarts.net/charles-h-taylor-arts-center-/arts-center-faq-middlelinks-155 |archive-date=October 7, 2011 }}</ref>
* 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.downinggross.org/ |title=Home of the Ella Fitzgerald Theater |access-date=April 2, 2017 }}</ref>
* The Casemate Museum (where former [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] President [[Jefferson Davis]] was imprisoned) is at [[Fort Monroe]] in the historic [[Phoebus, Virginia|Phoebus]] area at [[Old Point Comfort]] in [[Hampton, Virginia|Hampton]].<ref name="Fort Monroe">{{cite web |url=http://www.monroe.army.mil/monroe/sites/local/ |title=Fort Monroe |access-date=February 2, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209041018/http://www.monroe.army.mil/monroe/sites/local/ |archive-date=February 9, 2009 }}</ref>
* [[NASA]] [[NASA Langley|Langley Research Center]] is in Hampton, the original training ground for the [[Mercury Seven]], [[Project Gemini|Gemini]], and [[Project Apollo|Apollo]] [[Astronauts]]. Visitors are able to learn about the region's aviation history at the [[Virginia Air and Space Center]] in [[Hampton, Virginia|Hampton]].<ref name="VASC">{{cite web |url=http://www.vasc.org/ |title=Virginia Air and Space Center |access-date=February 2, 2009 }}</ref>
* 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.{{Cn|date=June 2025}}
* The Biblical Art Gallery at Ivy Farms Baptist Church is Virginia's largest collection of pre-1900s religious art.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025}}

=====South Hampton Roads=====
The [[Chrysler Museum of Art]], located in the [[Ghent district]] of Norfolk, is the region's foremost art museum and is considered by ''[[The New York Times]]'' to be the finest in the state.<ref name="Norfolk Travel Guide">{{cite news |url=http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/united-states/virginia/norfolk/overview.html |title=Norfolk Travel Guide |access-date=August 4, 2007 |work=[[The New York Times]] |first=R. W. |last=Apple, Jr. }}</ref> Of particular note is the extensive glass collection and American [[Neoclassicism|neoclassical]] marble sculptures.

[[Nauticus]], the National Maritime Center, opened on the downtown waterfront in 1994. It features hands-on exhibits, interactive theaters, [[Aquarium|aquaria]], digital high-definition films and an extensive variety of educational programs. Since 2000, Nauticus has been home to the battleship {{USS|Wisconsin|BB-64|6}}, one of the last battleships to be built in the United States. It served briefly in World War II and later in the [[Korean War|Korean]] and [[Gulf War]]s.<ref name="Nauticus">{{cite web |url=http://www.nauticus.org/ |title=Nauticus |access-date=August 4, 2007 |publisher=Nauticus }}</ref> The General [[Douglas 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 famous [[General of the Army (United States)|General of the Army]].<ref name="MacArthur Memorial">{{cite web |url=http://www.macarthurmemorial.org/ |title=MacArthur Memorial |access-date=October 9, 2007 |publisher=City of Norfolk }}</ref>

[[File:Chesapeake Bay from airplane.jpg|thumb|Hampton Roads viewed from an airplane]]

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

The [[Children's Museum of Virginia]] in [[Portsmouth, Virginia|Portsmouth]] has one of the largest collection of model electric trains and other toys.

The [[Norfolk Naval Shipyard]] in [[Portsmouth, Virginia|Portsmouth]] is one of the oldest shipyards and has the first [[dry dock]] on display.

[[Rivers Casino Portsmouth]], in [[Portsmouth, Virginia|Portsmouth]], boasts a {{convert|50000|sqft|adj=on}} casino floor with slots, table games, poker tables, and a sportsbook.

The [[Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge]] (in Suffolk and Chesapeake) is accessed from [[U.S. Route 17]] in [[Chesapeake, Virginia|Chesapeake]].

The [[Suffolk-Nansemond Museum]] is in the restored [[Seaboard Air Line Railroad|Seaboard]] and [[Virginian Railway]] passenger train station in [[Suffolk, Virginia|Suffolk]].

The [[Isle of Wight Museum]] is in [[Smithfield, Virginia|Smithfield]].

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

====Music and venues====
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 include [[Bruce Hornsby]], [[Gary "U.S." Bonds]], [[Juice Newton]], [[Mae]], [[Seven Mary Three]], [[Gene Vincent]], [[Keller Williams]], and [[Steve Earle]]. [[Ella Fitzgerald]] is the most recognizable jazz musician from the area. [[Robert Cray]] and [[Ruth 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 including [[Chad Hugo]], [[Clipse]], [[Magoo (rapper)|Magoo]], [[Missy Elliott]], [[Nicole Wray]], [[Pharrell Williams]], [[Quan (rapper)|Quan]], [[Teddy Riley (producer)|Teddy Riley]], and [[Timbaland]].

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|Norfolk Scope Arena]] in Norfolk (seating 13,800)
* [[Hampton Coliseum]] in Hampton (seating 13,800)
* [[Kaplan Arena]] in Williamsburg (seating 10,175)
* [[Chartway Arena]] at [[Old Dominion University]] in Norfolk (seating 9,500)
* [[Atlantic Union Bank Pavilion]] in Portsmouth (seating 7,500)
* [[Le Palais Royal Theatre]] at [[Busch 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|Lake Matoaka Amphitheatre]] at [[The 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.

====Other notable Hampton Roads "firsts"====
America's first free public schools, the Syms and Eaton free schools (later combined as [[Syms-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, thus [[Hampton High School (Hampton, Virginia)|Hampton High School]] lays claim to being the oldest public school in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hampton Academy |year=2009 |url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/253776/Hampton-Academy }}</ref>  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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Syms-Eaton Academy |year=2006 |url=http://historichamptonroads.com/syms_eaton_01.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708182801/http://historichamptonroads.com/syms_eaton_01.htm |archive-date=July 8, 2008 }}</ref>

In 1957, the [[Hampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel]] was the first [[bridge–tunnel]] complex in the world, to be followed by the area's much longer [[Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel]] in 1963. This was followed by the [[Monitor–Merrimac Memorial Bridge–Tunnel]] in 1992.

==Education==
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.

===Higher education===
'''Public universities'''

The [[College of William & Mary]] in Williamsburg was founded in 1693 and has served as the second oldest institution of higher education in the United States.<ref>[http://www.wm.edu/about/index.php About W&M] College of William and Mary. Accessed April 3, 2008.</ref> [[Old Dominion University]], founded as the [[College of William and Mary|Norfolk 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's [[Eastern Virginia Medical School]], founded as a community medical school by the surrounding jurisdictions in 1973, is noted for its research into reproductive medicine<ref name="About Jones Institute">{{cite web |url=http://www.jonesinstitute.org/ |title=Jones Institute |access-date=March 7, 2008 |archive-date=February 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205055510/http://www.jonesinstitute.org/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and is located in the region's major medical complex in the [[Ghent district]]. [[Norfolk State University]] is the largest majority black university in Virginia and offers degrees in a wide variety of [[liberal arts]].<ref name="AboutNSU">{{cite web |url=http://www.nsu.edu/about/ |title=About Norfolk State |access-date=March 7, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071230183917/http://www.nsu.edu/about/ |archive-date=December 30, 2007 }}</ref> [[Christopher Newport University]] serves as a public university and is located in Newport News.<ref>[http://about.cnu.edu/ About CNU] Christopher Newport University. Accessed April 3, 2008.</ref>

'''Private universities'''

[[Regent University]], a private university founded by Christian evangelist, television host and leader [[Pat Robertson]], has historically focused on graduate education but is attempting to establish an undergraduate program as well.<ref name="Regent">{{cite web |url=http://www.regent.edu/about_us/ |title=About Regent University |publisher=Regent University |access-date=December 11, 2007 }}</ref> [[Atlantic University]], associated with the Edgar Cayce organization's [[Association for Research and Enlightenment]] (ARE), offers instruction in New Age subjects and an M.A. in Transpersonal Studies.<ref name="About AU">{{cite web |url=https://www.atlantic-university.org/ |title=Atlantic University |access-date=March 7, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110207145425/http://atlantic-university.org/ |archive-date=February 7, 2011 }}</ref> [[Virginia Wesleyan University]] is a small private [[liberal arts]] college on the border of Norfolk and Virginia Beach.<ref name="About VWU">{{cite web |url=http://www.vwc.edu/about/ |title=About Virginia Wesleyan |access-date=March 7, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080404024302/http://www.vwc.edu/about/ |archive-date=April 4, 2008 }}</ref> [[Hampton University]], a private [[Historically black colleges and universities|HBCU]] university, has a long history serving Hampton.<ref>[http://www.hamptonu.edu/about/ Hampton Facts] Hampton University. Accessed April 3, 2008.</ref>

'''Universities with satellite campuses'''

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

'''University consortia'''

The [[National 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]], the [[College of William and Mary]], and [[Christopher 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'''
[[File:Crimdell.jpg|thumb|right|Crim Dell in the heart of William & Mary's wooded campus]]

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.<ref name="Apprentice School">{{cite web |url=http://www.apprenticeschool.com/ |title=Apprentice School |access-date=February 2, 2009 }}</ref> Technology-focused [[ECPI University]] has campuses in Virginia Beach and Newport News<ref name="About ECPI">{{cite web |url=http://www.ecpi.edu/ |title=About ECPI |access-date=March 7, 2008 }}</ref> while [[ITT Technical Institute]] has a campus in Norfolk. [[Bryant & Stratton College]] has campuses in [[Virginia Beach Town Center]] and [[Peninsula Town Center]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Bryant & Stratton College To Open Its Third Virginia Campus in Hampton |url=http://www.peninsulatowncenter.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=y456M5JdYBg%3D&tabid=1704 |access-date=March 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715063116/http://www.peninsulatowncenter.com/linkclick.aspx?fileticket=y456M5JdYBg%3D&tabid=1704 |archive-date=July 15, 2011 }}</ref> The Culinary Institute of Virginia<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chefva.com/ |title=Culinary Institute of Virginia }}</ref> 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 the [[Virginia 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, and [[Virginia Peninsula Community College]] in Hampton and Williamsburg offer two-year degrees and specialized training programs.<ref name="TCC">{{cite web |url=http://www.tcc.edu |title=Tidewater Community College |access-date=January 12, 2008 }}</ref><ref>[http://tncc.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1441&Itemid=384 Why TNCC?] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211103624/http://tncc.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1441&Itemid=384 |date=February 11, 2009 }} Thomas Nelson Community College. Accessed April 3, 2008.</ref>

===Religious education===
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 the [[John Leland Center for Theological Studies]].

==Media==

===Newspapers===
Three daily newspapers serve Hampton Roads: ''[[The Virginian-Pilot]]'' in the Southside, the ''[[Daily Press (Virginia)|Daily Press]]'' on the Peninsula, and the six days a week ''[[Suffolk News-Herald]]'' that serves Suffolk and Franklin.<ref name="Hampton Roads News Links">{{cite web |url=http://www.abyznewslinks.com/unitevanr.htm |title=Hampton Roads News Links |access-date=August 18, 2014 |publisher=abyznewslinks.com }}</ref> Smaller publications include the Williamsburg-James City County area's twice-weekly ''[[Virginia Gazette]]'' (the state's oldest newspaper<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=3211 |title=University of Virginia Library Acquires Rare Colonial Newspapers |publisher=University of Virginia |date=November 8, 2007 |access-date=January 25, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121215124052/http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=3211 |archive-date=December 15, 2012 }}</ref>), the ''[[New Journal and Guide]]'', and ''[[Inside Business (newspaper)|Inside Business]]'', the area's only business newspaper.

Newspapers serving the Hampton Roads area include:
* ''[[Daily Press (Virginia)|Daily Press]]'' – [[Newport News, Virginia|Newport News]]
* ''[[The Virginian-Pilot]]'' – [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]]
* ''[[Suffolk News-Herald]]'' – [[Suffolk, Virginia|Suffolk]]
* ''[[The Flat Hat]]'' – student newspaper of the [[College of William & Mary]]
* ''[[Inside Business (newspaper)|Inside Business]]'' – [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]] (business news)
* ''The [[New Journal and Guide]]'' – [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]]
* ''[[Tidewater News]]'' – [[Franklin, Virginia|Franklin]]
* ''[[The Virginia Gazette]]'' – [[Williamsburg, Virginia|Williamsburg]]

===Magazines===
''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 the [[Eastern Shore of Virginia]].<ref name="Coastal Virginia Magazine">{{cite web |url=http://www.coastalvirginiamag.com/ |title=Coastal Virginia Magazine |access-date=August 18, 2014 |publisher=VistaGraphics, Inc. }}</ref> ''Coastal Virginia Magazine'' was formerly known as ''Hampton 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.<ref name="Suffolk Living Magazine">{{cite web |url=http://www.suffolklivingmag.com |title=Suffolk Living Magazine |access-date=June 27, 2011 |publisher=Suffolk Publications }}</ref>

===Television===
The Hampton Roads [[designated market area]] (DMA) is the 42nd largest in the U.S. with 712,790 homes (0.64% of the total U.S.).<ref name="nielsen">Holmes, Gary. "[http://www.nielsenmedia.com/nc/portal/site/Public/menuitem.55dc65b4a7d5adff3f65936147a062a0/?vgnextoid=6573d3b8b0c3d010VgnVCM100000ac0a260aRCRD# Nielsen Reports 1.1% increase in U.S. Television Households for the 2006–2007 Season] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705100549/http://www.nielsenmedia.com/nc/portal/site/Public/menuitem.55dc65b4a7d5adff3f65936147a062a0/?vgnextoid=6573d3b8b0c3d010VgnVCM100000ac0a260aRCRD |date=July 5, 2009 }}." [[Nielsen Media Research]]. September 23, 2006. Retrieved on September 28, 2007.</ref> The major network television affiliates are [[WTKR-TV]] 3 ([[CBS]]), [[WAVY]] 10 ([[NBC]]), [[WVEC-TV]] 13 ([[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]), [[WGNT]] 27 ([[Independent station (North America)|Independent]]), [[WTVZ]] 33 ([[MyNetworkTV]]), [[WVBT]] 43 ([[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], with [[The CW]] on DT2), and [[WPXV]] 49 ([[Ion Television]]). [[WHRO-TV]] 15 serves as the region's primary member station of the [[PBS|Public Broadcasting Service]] (PBS); [[UNC-TV|WUND 2]] – an [[Edenton, North Carolina]]–based [[Broadcast relay station#Satellite stations|satellite]] of [[PBS North Carolina]], a state network of PBS member stations owned by the [[University of North Carolina]] – serves as a secondary PBS outlet for the area. Area residents also can receive independent stations, such as [[WSKY-TV|WSKY]] broadcasting on channel 4 from the Outer Banks of North Carolina, [[WGBS-LD]] broadcasting on channel 11 from Hampton, and [[WTPC-TV|WTPC 21]], a [[Trinity Broadcasting Network|TBN]] affiliate out of Virginia Beach.

Cable television service in most Hampton Roads localities is provided by [[Cox Communications]]. Suffolk, Franklin, Isle of Wight, and Southampton are served by Charter Communications.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.charter.com/Visitors/Home.aspx |title=Cable TV, High Speed Internet and Telephone Service -- Charter Communications |access-date=February 2, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202104812/http://charter.com/Visitors/Home.aspx |archive-date=February 2, 2009}} Charter Communications</ref> [[Verizon Fios]] service is currently available in parts of the region and continues to expand, offering a non-satellite alternative to Cox. [[DirecTV]] and [[Dish Network]] are also popular as an alternative to cable television.

===Radio===
Norfolk is served by a variety of radio stations on the [[Template:Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News Radio|FM]] and [[Template:Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News Radio|AM]] 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.<ref name="Hampton Roads Radio Links">{{cite web |url=http://www.ontheradio.net/metro/Norfolk_VA.aspx |title=Hampton Roads Radio Links |access-date=August 6, 2007 |publisher=ontheradio.net |archive-date=August 5, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070805002934/http://www.ontheradio.net/metro/Norfolk_VA.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Sports==
The [[Virginia 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]], [[Major League Baseball|MLB]], [[NBA]], [[NHL]], [[MLS]]).

===Team sports===
Norfolk serves as home to two professional franchises, the [[Norfolk Tides]] of the [[International League]] and the [[Norfolk Admirals (ECHL)|Norfolk Admirals]] of the [[ECHL]].<ref name="Tides">{{cite web |url=http://www.norfolktides.com/ |title=Norfolk Tides |access-date=February 16, 2008 }}</ref> The Tides play at [[Harbor Park]], seating 12,067 and opened in 1993. The Admirals play at the [[Norfolk Scope]] arena, seating 8,725 or 13,800 festival seating, which opened in 1971. Hampton Roads was formerly home to the [[American Basketball Association|ABA]] [[Virginia Squires]], alternating between Norfolk and Hampton, as well as Richmond and Roanoke. The Squires folded in 1976, after the league merged with the [[NBA]].

[[Lionsbridge FC]] competes in [[USL 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 of [[Christopher Newport University]]. The [[Peninsula Pilots]] play in the [[Coastal Plain League]], a summer baseball league. The Pilots play in Hampton at [[War Memorial Stadium (Hampton, Virginia)|War Memorial Stadium]] seating 5,125 and opened in 1948.<ref name="Peninsula Pilots">{{cite web |url=http://www.peninsulapilots.com/ |title=Peninsula Pilots |access-date=April 4, 2008 }}</ref>

On the collegiate level, four [[NCAA Division I|Division 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-tier [[Football Championship Subdivision|FCS]], while ODU recently moved up to the [[NCAA Division I-A|FBS]] football. The Southside boasts the [[Old Dominion Monarchs]] and the [[Norfolk State Spartans]], both in Norfolk, while the Peninsula features the [[William & Mary Tribe]] in Williamsburg and [[Hampton Pirates]] in Hampton. W&M is a member of the [[Colonial Athletic Association]]. Norfolk State and Hampton, both [[historically black colleges and universities|historically black institutions]], compete in the [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference]] and [[Colonial Athletic Association|CAA]] respectively.<ref name="Monarchs">{{cite web |url=http://odusports.cstv.com/ |title=ODU Monarchs |access-date=February 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220125022/http://odusports.cstv.com/ |archive-date=February 20, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Spartans">{{cite web |url=http://www.nsuspartans.com/ |title=NSU Spartans |access-date=February 16, 2008 }}</ref><ref name="Tribe">{{cite web |url=http://www.tribeathletics.com/ |title=W&M Tribe |access-date=April 4, 2008 }}</ref><ref name="Pirates">{{cite web |url=http://www.hamptonpirates.com/ |title=Hampton University Pirates |access-date=February 1, 2009 }}</ref> ODU joined [[Conference USA]], an FBS football conference, as a full FBS member in 2015. The area also has two [[NCAA Division III|Division III]] programs, one in each subregion—the [[Virginia Wesleyan College|Virginia Wesleyan Marlins]] on the border of Virginia Beach and Norfolk,<ref name="Marlins">{{cite web |url=http://www.vwc.edu/athletics/ |title=VWC Marlins |access-date=February 16, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080125110659/http://www.vwc.edu/athletics/ |archive-date=January 25, 2008 }}</ref> and the [[Christopher Newport University#Athletics|Christopher Newport University Captains]] in Newport News. The Captains sponsor fourteen sports and currently compete in the [[USA South Athletic Conference]],<ref>[http://www.cnusports.com/ CNU Athletics] Christopher Newport University. Accessed April 4, 2008.</ref> but will move to the [[Capital Athletic Conference]] in July 2013.

Virginia Beach served as home to one soccer team, the [[Hampton Roads Piranhas]], a women's team in the [[USL W-League (1995–2015)|W-League]] from 1995 to 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.soccerwire.com/news/college/va-beach-piranhas-folding-after-colorful-19-year-run-in-pdl-w-league/?loc=psw |title=Va. Beach Piranhas folding after colorful 19-year run in PDL, W-League |date=January 15, 2014 |access-date=January 15, 2014 |archive-date=February 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219151851/http://www.soccerwire.com/news/college/va-beach-piranhas-folding-after-colorful-19-year-run-in-pdl-w-league/?loc=psw |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Piranhas played at the [[Virginia Beach Sportsplex]]. The [[Virginia Beach Sportsplex]], seating 11,541 and opened in 1999, contains the central training site for the U.S. women's national [[field hockey]] team.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hrpiranhas.com/ |title=Hampton Roads Piranhas |access-date=March 12, 2008 |publisher=Hampton Roads Piranhas |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000819143449/http://www.hrpiranhas.com/ |archive-date=August 19, 2000 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Sportsplex was expanded to accommodate the [[Virginia Destroyers]], a franchise in the [[United Football League (2009)|United Football League]] which relocated from [[Florida Tuskers|Orlando]]. The Destroyers played in Virginia Beach from 2011 to 2012, and won the 2011 league championship. The [[North American Sand Soccer Championships]], a [[beach soccer]] tournament, is held annually on the beach in Virginia Beach.

The [[Norfolk Nighthawks]] were a charter member of the [[Arena Football League]]'s minor league, [[af2]]. They ceased operations in 2003 after their fourth season. Also, the [[Virginia Beach Mariners]] of soccer's [[USL First Division]] were active from 1994 until 2006.

Hampton Roads is {{convert|130|mi|km}} from the nearest major sports teams in Washington, D.C., and [[Raleigh, North Carolina]]. Another significant issue with the area as a sports market is internal transportation. The metropolitan area is split into two [[Virginia Peninsula|distinct]] [[South Hampton Roads|parts]] by its eponymous harbor; as of 2012, the harbor has only three widely separated road crossings (the [[Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel]], [[Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel]], and [[James 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 the [[Virginia Squires]] of the [[American Basketball Association]], although it was never a full-time home for the team. Its highest-ranking teams as of 2015 are the [[Norfolk Admirals (ECHL)|Norfolk Admirals]] of the [[ECHL]], the [[Norfolk Tides]] of the [[International League|IL]], and [[Lionsbridge FC]] of [[USL 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's [[Washington Capitals|Capitals]] and NFL's [[Washington Commanders]], have their operational headquarters and practice facilities in Virginia. The Hampton Roads television market is ranked [[List of TV markets and major sports teams in the United States|42nd]] 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 the [[Hampton 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 the [[New Orleans Hornets]].
* In 2004, Norfolk presented a proposal to bring the [[Montreal Expos]] baseball team to the metro area, but Washington, D.C. won the bid for the team, renaming it the [[Washington Nationals]].
* In 2012, there were talks of the Sacramento Kings of the NBA moving to a [[Virginia Beach Arena|proposed new arena]] in Virginia Beach near the Oceanfront.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/sports/report-kings-considering-virginia-beach/ |publisher=[[Fox News]] |title=Report: Kings considering Virginia Beach |date=August 23, 2012 }}</ref>

===Individual sports===

The [[Hampton Coliseum]], seating 10,761 to 13,800 festival seating, hosts the annual [[Virginia Duals]] wrestling events, and the annual [[Hampton Jazz Festival]]. The arena opened in 1970 and has previously hosted [[Hampton University]] basketball along with [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] and [[National Hockey League|NHL]] preseason exhibition games.

Virginia Beach is home to the [[East 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.surfecsc.com/ |title=ECSC |access-date=March 12, 2008 |publisher=ECSC }}</ref>

[[Langley Speedway (Virginia)|Langley Speedway]] in Hampton, seating 6,500, hosts stock car races every weekend during spring, summer, and early fall.<ref name="Langley Speedway">{{cite web |url=http://www.langleyspeedway.com/ |title=Langley Speedway |access-date=February 2, 2009 }}</ref>

The [[Kingsmill Championship]], an event on the [[LPGA Tour]], is contested annually on [[Mother's Day]] weekend at Kingsmill Resort near Williamsburg.

In 1998, 2001, 2006, 2010, and 2015 the [[Hampton Roads Sports Commission]] hosted the [[AAU Junior Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hamptonroadssports.org/page/aau-junior-olympic-games-2015/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031055038/http://www.hamptonroadssports.org/page/aau-junior-olympic-games-2015 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=October 31, 2014 |title=2015 AAU Junior Olympic Games at HamptonRoadsSports.org |access-date=January 12, 2019 |publisher=HRSC }}</ref>

===Professional wrestling===

Hampton Roads has hosted many professional wrestling events throughout the years. The Norfolk Scope has served as the site of these events, including [[Total Nonstop Action Wrestling]]'s [[Destination X (2008)|Destination X]], [[World Championship Wrestling]]'s [[Starrcade (1988)]], [[World War 3 (1995)|World War 3 1995]] and [[World War 3 (1996)|1996]], and [[World Wrestling Entertainment|WWF/WWE's]] [[The Great American Bash (2004)]] and the 2011 [[Slammy Awards]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.profightdb.com/locations/united-states/virginia/norfolk/norfolk-scope-115.html |title=Norfolk Scope Arena, Norfolk, Virginia, United States – The Internet Wrestling Database |access-date=April 2, 2017 }}</ref> Norfolk Scope was also the site of an infamous episode of [[WCW Monday Nitro]], where several members of the [[World Wrestling Entertainment|World Wrestling Federation]] stable [[D-Generation X]] literally drove a tank to the entryway of the Scope, thus "invading" the competition. The Hampton Coliseum has also hosted many events, including ''[[WWE Raw|RAW]]'', in April 1998, August 2005, May 2007, January 2008, and July 2011, as well as ''[[WWE Friday Night SmackDown|SmackDown!]]'' and for ''[[ECW on Sci Fi]]'' in December 2006. In January 2008, WWE broadcast its first television show taped in [[high-definition video|high 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.

==See also==

* [[2003 Virginia earthquake]]
* [[Colonial Williamsburg]]
* [[Former counties, cities, and towns of Virginia]]
* [[Historic Triangle]]
* [[Jamestown, Virginia]]
* [[List of people from Hampton Roads]]
* [[List of tallest buildings in Norfolk, Virginia]]
* [[South Hampton Roads]]
* [[Tidewater region]]
* [[Virginia Peninsula]]
* [[Virginia Port Authority]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links}}
* [http://www.hrpdcva.gov/ Hampton Roads Planning District Commission]
* [http://www.hrtpo.org/ Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization]
* [http://www.hrtac.org/ Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission]
* [http://www.hamptonroadschamber.com/ Hampton Roads Chamber]
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20040814074851/http://www.hamptonroadssports.org/ Hampton Roads Sports Commission]}}
* [http://www.hreda.com/ Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance]
* [http://www.hrmffa.org/ Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance]
* [http://www.hrsd.org/ Hampton Roads Sanitation District]
* [http://www.hamptonroadshousing.org/ Hampton Roads Housing Consortium]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170921060545/http://norfolkhistorical.org/ Norfolk City Historical Society], contains essays
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120717035258/http://www.npl.lib.va.us/history/history65.html History of Willoughby] – Norfolk Public Library
* [http://www.roadstothefuture.com/I664_VA_MMMBT.html Roads to the Future – I-664 Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel]

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[[Category:Hampton Roads| ]]
[[Category:Bodies of water of Virginia]]
[[Category:James River (Virginia)]]
[[Category:Ports and harbors of Virginia]]
[[Category:Regions of Virginia]]
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