In 1963, Chesapeake was created as an independent city when South Norfolk’s former independent city consolidated with Norfolk County. The consolidation was approved, and the new name of the city was selected by voters from each community through a referendum authorized by the Virginia General Assembly. Norfolk County was formed in 1691 in the Virginia Colony and covered the area that included the cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, and South Norfolk. South Norfolk was incorporated as a town within Norfolk County in 1919 and in 1922, it became an independent city. By the late 1950s, South Norfolk was close to losing all the county land adjoining it to the city. The consolidation of South Norfolk and North Norfolk was part of a wave of changes in local government structure in southeastern Virginia. Before the early 1990s, much of Chesapeake was suburban or rural, serving as a “bedroom community” of the adjacent cities of Norfolk and Virginia Beach. In the early 1990s, the city began to grow, attracting numerous industries and businesses of its own. However, this sudden explosive growth led to strains on the municipal infrastructure, which was constructed to serve residential housing units only. The strains on municipal infrastructure included saltwater intrusion into the city’s water supply, congested roads, and overcrowded schools.

There are so many things to do in Chesapeake, Virginia, and it could take you a lot of time to do them all. However, the first thing you should do after buying real estate in Chesapeake is visit the Chesapeake Arboretum. The Chesapeake Arboretum sits on a 48-acre piece of land, and here you can learn about flora and fauna found in Virginia. The Chesapeake Arboretum has lots of history, starting in the 18th century as a farmhouse. It includes a fragrance garden, an antique rose garden, and a hardwood forest. Other places you can go to learn about different aspects of Chesapeake include the Chesapeake Planetarium, Battlefield Park, Hickory Ridge Farm, and the Chesapeake 9/11 Memorial.

You can also visit some of the best tourist attractions in the city. Some of the tourist attractions in Chesapeake include Lake Drummond, Northwest River Park, Great Bridge Lock Park, Chesapeake Park, the Great Dismal Swamp, and Fun Forest, among others. You can go boating and fishing in Lake Drummond. If you love outdoor activities like exercising, biking, hiking, camping, and picnicking, you can find lots of space and trails in Chesapeake Park, Great Bridge Lock Park, and Fun Forest.

If you are an ice hockey fan, you can watch the game at the Chilled Pond Ice Sports Complex. This arena is one of the premium ice sports complexes in Virginia, and a huge number of activities happen here throughout the year. The Chilled Ponds Ice Sports Complex is open to the public. If you or your children are interested in learning how to skate, this is the place you should go. After skating on the ice, you can stick around for a while because you might be lucky to watch the Norfolk Admirals train.