Things to Do in Ocean View, Norfolk

Atmosphere

A weather-beaten coastal neighborhood where wind chimes and boat motors set the tempo and life ticks to the rhythm of the tide.

Price Level

$$

Safety

good

Ocean View Beach Park

Seven miles of surprisingly uncrowded sand stretch ahead, smelling of sunscreen and marsh grass, with nothing but waves for company. At sunrise, walkers press the first footprints into tide-polished sand that glitters with crushed shells; at sunset, locals step up to cast lines into orange water.

Tip: Slide into the 4th Bay Street lot before 9am on weekends—fishermen claim every slot by 9:30, and you’ll burn twenty minutes circling side streets.

Doumar's Drive-In

The neon has glowed since 1934, and curb runners still ferry barbecue sandwiches and limeade to your open window. Inside, the original waffle-cone machine spins cones that smell like caramelized sugar and vanilla, while the counter displays yellowed Polaroids of Norfolk families who’ve been ordering here for three generations.

Tip: Ask for the limeade with extra crushed ice—that icy jolt is what makes the summer drive-through line worth the wait.

Hermitage Museum & Gardens

This 1908 Arts and Crafts mansion commands twelve acres of bayfront gardens where boxwood mazes hide quiet corners and the old boathouse groans with every wave. Inside, Tiffany glass meets maritime folk art, and open windows let in the mingled scent of seasoned wood and salt air above the Lafayette River.

Tip: Come on weekday mornings when the resident cat curls on sunny windowsills—that’s your best shot at a photo that doesn’t need a filter.

Ocean View Fishing Pier

Wooden planks thud underfoot for 1,700 feet into the bay, past anglers with taut lines and couples watching dolphins arc in the distance. The tackle shop reeks of salted bait and stocks the same brand of frozen squid it sold in 1985, while barbecue smoke drifts from the pier’s tiny grill shack.

Tip: Bring cash for the pier fee—the card reader is famously moody, and they won’t let you cast while someone sprints to the ATM.

Sarah Constant Park

This pocket park sits where the Lafayette River kisses the bay, picnic tables angled to catch sunset reflections on the water. Kids still swing on the same 1970s metal playground, and you may share the view with old-timers who tote their own chairs and reminisce about oyster beds that once reached the horizon.

Tip: Pack a blanket and linger past sunset—the gates stay open until 10pm and the water turns every surface lavender.

The Dirty Buffalo

Chicken wing joint

Specialty: Buffalo wings with Old Bay dry rub, served with blue cheese that tastes like it was made this morning

Ocean View Fishing Station

Seafood market with outdoor seating

Specialty: Soft shell crab sandwich on buttered roll, caught that morning from the bay you can see from your table

Luna Maya

Coastal Mexican

Specialty: Fish tacos with locally-caught rockfish and cabbage slaw that snaps with citrus

Doumar's Drive-In

Classic American diner

Specialty: Hand-rolled waffle cones with vanilla ice cream, made on the original 1904 machine

The Stockpot

Modern Southern comfort

Specialty: She-crab soup thick enough to stand a spoon in, served with warm cornbread

The Cogans Pizza

Neighborhood pizza place that turns into a locals' hangout after 9pm, with craft beer taps and regulars who've been drinking here since it opened

Beer-swilling regulars, pizza slices, sports on TV

Ocean View Fishing Station (Bar Side)

The attached bar serves the same fresh catch as the restaurant but with a full liquor license and Chesapeake Bay views from plastic chairs

Waterfront drinking, fishing stories, sunset crowd

Toast

Tiny wine bar on East Ocean View Avenue with exposed brick and bartenders who remember your usual after two visits

Intimate wine spot, couples' date night, quiet conversations