Nightlife

When the sun goes down, you don’t have to call it a day. Hampton Roads has a number of after-dark delights geared to every age and demographic. There are the pounding clubs and the endless parade of young people down at the Oceanfront. There’s another, only slightly more mature, set of watering holes off Shore Drive and the hopping new downtown at Town Center.

Norfolk is full of clubs, restaurants, and live music venues around Granby Street and Colley Avenue. Portsmouth’s High Street offers a neighborhood feel to its action, and in Hampton, the new Town Center is packing them in.

Nightspots come and go fast enough to make restaurants look downright stable, so you’ll want to give a call before heading to a specific club. Even if it’s still there, there’s a chance it has changed its M.O. or lost its mojo. Don’t despair, many of the places are located in clusters. So just take a short stroll and you should find something suitable. Most clubs have dress codes. Many won’t allow patrons with saggy pants or boots.

One thing to remember: Virginia has no bars, only restaurants that serve drinks. And there’s a quota they have to meet to keep their food and drink revenue in balance. So you’re going to find stuff to eat no matter where you go.

Let’s look at what’s out there.

Nightlife - Performing Arts

Hampton Roads is blessed with a vibrant performing arts schedule. The resident opera and orchestra companies are both nationally ranked. A number of indoor and outdoor venues annually attract some of music’s top acts. In the spring, facilities come alive with the Virginia Arts Festival.

Although there really isn’t a New York style theatre district in Hampton Roads, many of the region’s cultural palaces are located within a few blocks in downtown Norfolk.

But the biggest acts often play under the stars at amphitheaters in Virginia Beach or Portsmouth or in the scifi–looking Scope and Coliseum stadiums in Norfolk and Hampton. Here’s a breakdown of major players and the places where you can see live entertainment.