4 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS

Norfolk is one of the best kept secrets of the Mid-Atlantic offering a variety of chef-owned and operated restaurants! Whether your tastes crave traditional southern cooking or trendy Nuevo cuisine, Norfolk will treat you to a host of culinary delights.

Day 1

P.M. Begin your Norfolk experience with a guided walking tour of the Freemason District and experience historical and cultural architecture at its finest.

Dinner Dine at the Freemason Abbey Restaurant and Tavern, a restaurant located in a 137 year-old renovated church in the historic Freemason Harbor. The menu offers a wide variety of food, featuring fresh lobster, pasta, fish, seafood and choice prime rib. Make sure to order the she crab soup, a Norfolk favorite!

Day 2

A.M. Take the class “Cooking with Herbs” at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. Learn how you can grow herbs right in your own garden that add the perfect touch to any meal. End your day with a boat or tram tour through over 30 themed gardens.

Brunch Enjoy Brunch at No Frill Grill located in historic Ghent. No Frill Grill restaurant offers a casual, American fare with a menu consisting of local favorites.

Lunch / P.M. Delight in a guided tour of Rowena’s Tea Room factory and Gift Shop. Rowena’s is filled with almond and lemon pound cakes, an assortment of curds, jams and sauces, and simple and elegant teas. Stroll through the gift shop which displays a full range of tea items and whimsical gifts. Tour the pound cake factory where Rowena herself will guide you behind the scenes, and discover the secret of the pound cake and how this company all started from three fruit trees in her front yard. Make sure to sample the fabulous treats offered throughout the store.

P.M. Spend the afternoon antique shopping in the East Coast's largest antique market located in the historic Ghent section of Norfolk. From Country-French to 18th and 19th century pieces, Ghent is filled with antique shops that offer something for everyone.

P.M. End the afternoon with a famous ice cream cone from Doumar’s Restaurant where Abe Doumar invented the ice cream cone by taking a waffle and rolling it into a cone, to which he added ice cream. Doumar’s still bakes cones on the original cone machines. Your group can delight in fresh made ice cream cones from the original machine with advanced notice.

Then stop by 5 Point Community Farmers Market for fresh local products.

Dinner Dine at Trilogy Bistro, a stylish, sophisticated restaurant located on Granby Street. Trilogy provides the highest quality seasonal dishes using organic meats, the freshest seafood and produce, and a first-class wine selection.

Or become a local chef, with one of our cooking courses held right inside one of many Norfolk’s restaurants.  Learn how to cook authentic Italian, great Norfolk seafood or any menu to match your group’s tastes buds!

Day 3

A.M. Spend the morning participating in one of MacArthur Center's special cooking packages for groups, including a cooking class at Williams-Sonoma. Learn to make pizza at the California Pizza Kitchen and snack on your very own hand-made pizza!

Lunch Take a food tour through Historical Ghent or along Granby Street. Your taste buds will be satisfied with each tour sampling over four different local favorites.

P.M. Tour the stately Moses Myers House and its peerless collection that creates an exceptionally accurate picture of the late Federal period and the life of a prosperous Jewish family. Passing through several generations, the house began to be restored to its original beauty in 1892. Then step in the Norfolk History Museum, the Norfolk Police and Fire Museum, and the Hunter House along the way.

Dinner Authentic Italian cuisine awaits you at Il Colosseo. The menu also offers an array of paninis, salads, house made fresh mozzarella, and a wide variety of seafood, poultry, and veal dishes, all cooked-to-order. The restaurant offers comfortable and cozy dining with an airy Mediterranean feel, showcasing the culture of Italy.

Day 4

A.M. Stroll through 5,000 years of art history at the Chrysler Museum of Art, home to Walter Chrysler Jr.’s world-class collection of more than 30,000 pieces. The museum features the world-renowned Tiffany-glass collection, Art Nouveau furniture and works of art from African, Egyptian, Pre-Columbian, Islamic and Asian cultures. (Educational guided tours are available)