4 minute read
26
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.
Legends of Main Street: A Suffolk Ghost Walk Departs at dusk (see individual times on website).
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.)
Cedar Hill Cemetery Guided Stroll
Departs at 4:00 PM; please arrive by 3:45 PM.
Departs from the Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad Museum at 11:00 AM; please arrive by 10:45 AM.
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.
Legends of Main Street: A Suffolk Ghost Walk
Dates: October 24 & 31; November 7 Time: varies; see website Ages: 9+ Cost: $10 adults; $8 seniors (60+), military, and children (ages 9-12). Not recommended for children under 9. Follow a costumed guide through the shadows of historic Main Street, discovering stories, legends, and “unexplained occurrences” by lantern light.
Lake Drummond Kayak Excursion
Dates: September 20 Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Ages: 8+ Cost: $40 per person; equipment included. Participants must be 10 years of age or older. Experience the unusual and breathtaking Lake Drummond, a 3,108-acre bowl-shaped lake located near the center of the Great Dismal Swamp.
Bennett’s Creek Kayak Excursion
Dates: October 18 Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Ages: 8+ Cost: $40 per person; equipment included. Participants must be 10 years of age or older. Explore the tidal wetlands along Bennett’s Creek while viewing a variety of bird and plant species. *Transportation for this tour is not available.
Lone Star Lakes Kayak Excursion
Dates: November 15 Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Ages: 8+ Cost: $40 per person; equipment included. Participants must be 10 years of age or older. Located in the Chuckatuck section of Northern Suffolk, explore one of the many freshwater lakes that make up this beautiful park.
Cedar Hill Cemetery Guided Stroll
Dates: September 14 & 26; October 31 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.
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
Dates: September 19; October 17; November 21; December 19 Time: 10:00 - 11:30 AM Ages: 8+ Cost: $7 adults; $5 seniors (60+), military, and children (ages 8-12). wilderness. 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,
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.
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
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 and yellow-bellied and spotted turtles.
Great Dismal “Swamp Safari”
Dates: Contact Suffolk Visitor Center for availability Time: 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM Ages: 8+ Cost: $10 adults; $8 seniors (60+), military, and children (ages 8-12). Not recommended for children under 8. 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.
Dates: September 19; October 17; November 21 Time: 11:00 AM Ages: 12+ Cost: $7 adults; $5 seniors (60+), military, and children. Not recommended for children under 12. 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.
