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Suffolk Tour Program
The Suffolk Division of Tourism offers a variety of guided tours, with something for history buffs, nature lovers, adventurers, and even for those folks who are seeking the “supernatural” side of Suffolk.
All Suffolk Tourism tours depart from the Suffolk Visitor Center (with a few exceptions noted). Reservations are required and cancellations are expected no less than 48 hours prior to scheduled tour. Custom group tours are available and may require a partial deposit. To reserve your space, please contact the Suffolk Visitor Center.
Cedar Hill Cemetery Guided Stroll
Departs at 4:00 PM; please arrive by 3:45 PM.
Departs at 11:00 AM; please arrive by 10:45 AM.
Historic Suffolk Narrated Bus Tour
Bus boards at 1:45 PM; tour runs 2:00 - 3:30 PM.
Kayak Excursions
Bus boards at 9:15 AM (transportation for the Nansemond River at Constant’s Wharf and Bennett’s Creek Excursions are not available. Participants must meet on site for these particular tours.)
Legends of Main Street: A Suffolk Ghost Walk Departs at dusk (see individual times on website).
Great Dismal Swamp Guided Nature Walk
Meet at Washington Ditch, located off of White Marsh Road: 3100 Desert Road, Suffolk, VA 23434. Tour departs at 10:00 AM
Great Dismal “Swamp Safari”
Bus boards at 9:15 AM and departs at 9:30 AM.
Cedar Hill Cemetery Guided Stroll
Dates: Check Tourism Website Time: 4:00 - 5:30 PM Ages: 8+ Cost: $7 adults; $5 seniors (60+), military, and children (ages 8-12). Not recommended for children under 12. Enjoy a 60-minute stroll of Cedar Hill Cemetery’s 32 acres of hilly terrain and ancient cedar trees. Home to one of Suffolk’s official Virginia Civil War Trail sites.
Dates: Check Tourism Website Time: 11:00 AM Ages: 12+ Cost: $7 adults; $5 seniors (60+), military, and children. This 60-minute walking tour highlights and honors the graves and memorials of soldiers from Suffolk and old Nansemond County who died in combat during the two World Wars, Korean War, and Vietnam War. Comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate dress are recommended.
Historic Suffolk Narrated Bus Tour
Dates: Check Tourism Website Time: 2:00 PM Ages: 8+ Cost: $8 adults; $6 seniors (60+), military, and children (ages 8-12). Trace Suffolk’s legacy through our historic homes and neighborhoods, churches, and Virginia Civil War Trails. This windshield tour’s highlights include Cedar Hill Cemetery, College Court, Constant’s Wharf, and the historic Lakeside neighborhood.
Kayak Excursions - Various Locations
Dates: Check Tourism Website Time: 10:00 AM Ages: 8+ Cost: $40 per person; equipment included. Participants must be 10 years of age or older.
Legends of Main Street: A Suffolk Ghost Walk
Dates: Check Tourism Website Time: varies Ages: 9+ Cost: $10 adults; $8 seniors (60+), military, and children (ages 9-12). Follow a costumed guide through the shadows of historic Main Street, discovering stories, legends, and “unexplained occurrences” by lantern light.
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Hours: Daily, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM; headquarters closed on weekends and federal holidays; the hiking and biking trails remain open. Location: 3100 Desert Road For more info: fws.gov/refuge/great_dismal_swamp
The Great Dismal Swamp is anything but dismal. Despite its foreboding moniker, the Great Dismal Swamp is one of few remaining American wildernesses and the largest intact remnant of a vast habitat that once covered more than one million acres of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. This nature preserve encompasses over 111,000 acres where visitors enjoy wildlife observation, history, mystery and lore.
Because of its geographic location and climate, the Great Dismal is known for its unique blending of northern and southern species, and is a haven for black bear, bobcats, rare plants, rattlesnakes, and river otters. Less fearsome creatures include 200 species of birds, frogs, lizards, salamanders, toads, and yellow-bellied and spotted turtles.
Lake Drummond, a 3,108-acre lake located near the center of the swamp, is the largest of only two naturally occurring lakes in Virginia. It stands only 18 feet above sea level, and though it is three miles wide, it is only five to six feet deep, allowing great cypresses to rise from its still, shallow waters. Tannic acid from forest vegetation stains the water.
Despite its impressive size and age, the Great Dismal Swamp remains a mystery to most people; its foreboding forests protect its wildlife and ward off intruders. For those who venture in, the Dismal Swamp shelters a wealth of history and lore, flora and fauna. Visitors may participate in biking, fishing and boating, hiking, hunting, nature photography, and wildlife observation.
Great Dismal Swamp Guided Nature Walk
Dates: Check Tourism Website Time: 10:00 - 11:30 AM Ages: 8+ Cost: $7 adults; $5 seniors (60+), military, and children (ages 8-12). Meet the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in a new way—up close and personal! Enjoy a biologistled nature walk as you learn about the flora, fauna, wildlife and history that abound in the 111,000-acre wilderness.
Great Dismal “Swamp Safari”
Dates: Check Tourism Website Time: 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM Ages: 8+ Cost: $10 adults; $8 seniors (60+), military, and children (ages 8-12). This four-hour tour, which fills up quickly, is led by a biologist specializing in the unique habitat of the Great Dismal. A small snack and beverage provided; sunscreen, insect repellent, comfortable clothes and shoes are recommended.
