Located at the mouth of the James River on Chesapeake Bay, Newport News was the site where the first Jamestown Settlers set foot. Among the city's major industries are shipbuilding and drydock and large coal piers by CSX Transportation, the railroad company. As the fourth largest city in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Hampton Roads triangle, it’s part of a metropolitan area with nine cities that offer many historic and cultural venues including museums, festivals, indoor and outdoor concerts, theater, art shows, lectures and performances.

Accommodations from inns to luxury resorts include the Mulberry Inn, Boxwood Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Mulberry Inn, Howard Johnson Express, Days Inn Oyster Point & Meeting Center, Holiday Inn Express, Omni Hotel, Kiln Creek Golf Club & Resort, Hilton Garden Inn, Ramada Inn, and the Point Plaza Suites & Conference Center.

A few favorite dining spots are Schlesinger's Chop House, Al Fresco Italian Restaurant, Crab Shack Restaurant on the James, Harpoon Harry’s Oyster Bar, Rocky Mount Bar-B-Q House, and Cheers Steak & Seafood.

Events: Bird Festival, July 4th Stars in the Stars Celebration, 100 Miles of Lights, Lee Family Christmas, Antebellum Holidays, Celebration of Lights and Holiday Militaria Show.

Museums and landmarks to visit include the Virginia Living Museum, Mariner’s Museum at Fort Eustis Army Base, the Virginia War Museum, Lee Hall Mansion, the Victory Arch built in 1919 for returning troops from World War I, the USS Monitor Center, the Newsome House Museum & Cultural Center, and the Hampton Carousel, one of only 70 working wooden carousels in the nation. A major player in the Civil War where America’s Navy began, the city’s historic homes, battle sites, fortifications, monuments and collections of personal artifacts are popular attractions for those interested in learning about the past.