Tour/Travel
People from across the world will attend Sail250® Virginia – to see the fleet of more than 60 vessels, experience an incredible display of fireworks, and participate in celebrations extending across Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay region between June 12-23, 2026.
This trip planner page is designed to help you plan your Sail250® Virginia experience and answer the most common questions we receive about the event. The page will be updated regularly as more details are announced. No matter where you are joining us from, we look forward to having you in Virginia as part of Sail250® Virginia. We hope you have a fun and memorable experience!
PUBLIC TRANSIT & FREE FESTIVAL SHUTTLE
FRIDAY, JUNE 19: RIDE FREE ALL DAY — JUNETEENTH NATIONAL HOLIDAY
Friday, June 19 is both the Juneteenth federal holiday and the opening day of Sail250® Virginia. Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) is once again making all its services completely free for the entire day. Buses, light rail, the Elizabeth River Ferry, Paratransit, and OnDemand ridesharing will all operate at no charge on June 19, making it the easiest and most affordable day to get to the waterfront for the spectacular Parade of Sail, which begins its passage into Norfolk that morning.
SUMMARY: On Friday, June 19: No ticket purchase or pass is required to board any HRT service. HRT buses will operate on regular weekday schedules, while light rail and the Elizabeth River Ferry will run on expanded service schedules in direct support of expected Sail250® Virginia demand.
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, JUNE 20–21: FREE LIGHT RAIL AND FREE FERRY CONTINUE
In partnership with the City of Norfolk, HRT will also provide free service on The Tide light rail and Elizabeth River Ferry on Saturday, June 20, and Sunday, June 21, to accommodate continued demand for Sail250® Virginia. If ridership on light rail exceeds capacity on either day, free overflow shuttle buses will be deployed to keep festivalgoers moving.
SUMMARY: Fare-free benefits continue Sat. June 20 - Sun. June 21, for localized festival-related travel. The fare-free weekend benefit applies specifically to The Tide light rail and the Elizabeth River Ferry. For routes, schedules, and real-time service information, visit gohrt.com.
SAIL250® VIRGINIA FREE FESTIVAL SHUTTLES: CONNECTING DOWNTOWN VENUES
Getting between the multiple festival venues along the Elizabeth River waterfront is easy with the Sail250® Virginia Free Festival Shuttle — a continuous circulator service connecting all major docking and festival locations throughout the event. Shuttles run continuously during festival hours, so there is no need to move your car or retrace your steps on foot between venues.
Sail250® Virginia Festival Shuttle Stops
- Boush & Main at Nauticus — entrance to Town Point Park, the main festival hub, downtown Norfolk waterfront
- The Pagoda on Harbor Street — tall ship docking and waterfront viewing
- Front Street — southern docking location and official Parade of Sail reviewing stand
- Look for clearly marked shuttle stops at each festival venue
The Free Festival Shuttle operating hours:
- Friday, June 19 – 11:00 AM – Midnight
- Saturday, June 20 – 11:00 AM – Midnight
- Sunday, June 21 – 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
SHUTTLE SERVICE TO NORFOLK NAVAL STATION FOR SHIP TOURS
Sail250® Virginia will provide dedicated shuttle bus service to Norfolk Naval Station for attendees wishing to take advantage of the limited public ship tour opportunities aboard participating U.S. Navy and international military vessels stationed at the base in connection with FleetEx 250.
- Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21 with departures from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm each day.
- Shuttles will board from the Front Street Lot (at base of Colley Ave, Norfolk) • All guests and their belongings are subject to search before boarding the shuttle bus. Go here to learn more about security regulations and tour information.
- This shuttle is separate from the downtown festival circulator and will operate on a designated schedule. Access is on a first-come basis only.
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Boarding locations, departure times, and any access requirements will be posted at www.sail250virginia.com prior to the event.
WHERE TO PARK
All city parking garages are available for use. Special Event rates apply. Go here to find parking garage locations and fees.
Paid Parking — Sentara Lots
Additional paid parking is available in Sentara-operated parking lots near the Front Street festival venue. Parking rates will be posted upon entry. Sentara lots provide a convenient alternative for attendees who prefer to park close to the main waterfront venues.
Free Parking — EVMS Front Street Lots
FREE parking is available in the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) lots on the Front Street side of the festival footprint. These lots provide convenient access to the Front Street venue and the Sail250® Virginia Free Downtown Shuttle, which serves all other festival locations.
Free parking in these lots is available:
- Beginning at 6:00 PM on Friday, June 19
- All day Saturday, June 20, during festival hours
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All day Sunday, June 21, during festival hours
GETTING HERE FROM VIRGINIA BEACH / THE OCEANFRONT
Visitors staying at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront have two convenient options to reach downtown Norfolk and the Sail250® Virginia waterfront:
- Drive & Ride Light Rail: Drive to Newtown Road Station (Newtown Road and Kempsville Road), park for free, and board The Tide light rail — also free all weekend for festival travel.
- Express Bus — HRT Route 960: Board HRT Route 960 at Parks & 19th Street near the Virginia Beach Convention Center for an express ride directly to the Downtown Norfolk Transit Center. The bus also stops at Newtown Road Station, where riders can transfer to The Tide light rail for additional destinations. Route 960 is free on Friday, June 19; standard HRT fares apply on Saturday and Sunday.
- Plan your trip, visit: gohrt.com.
- E-scooters are permitted as a means of arriving at the festival but are subject to geofencing and reduced speed limits within the event footprint.
- Bicycles are welcome for arriving at Sail250® Virginia. Bike racks will be available at festival venues. BICYCLES MAY NOT BE RIDDEN WITHIN THE FESTIVAL FOOTPRINT — plan to lock it at a designated rack before entering the crowd.
- See the city ordinance for details on restrictions on bikes and e-scooters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q - What national ports are participating in the Sail250® events?
A - New Orleans, Norfolk, Baltimore, New York, and Boston will all be hosting Sail250® events during the summer of 2026. Click on the city’s name to visit their webpage or learn more about the national events by visiting Sail250.org.
Q - Where can I see the tall ships in Virginia in June 2026?
A - The international fleet of tall ships will visit the Sail250® Virginia host city of Norfolk between June 19-23, 2026. This fleet will consist of 60+ vessels from 20+ countries, and more than 10,000 sailors.
Nine Sail Virginia℠ 2026 harbors will also host smaller numbers of tall ships, mostly from the United States. The schedule for these events is below and you can learn more about the Sail Virginia℠ 2026 events here – Sail Virginia℠ 2026 Affiliate Harbors.
Q - Where will the ships anchor prior to the Parade of Sail?
A - The international fleet of ships will anchor at the Lynnhaven Roads anchorage off the Lesner Bridge on the Chesapeake Bay side of Virginia Beach. Ships may begin anchoring as early as Tuesday, June 16, 2026, with the entire fleet gathering by the afternoon of Thursday, June 18, 2026. The ships will remain at anchor in the Lynnhaven Roads anchorage until 7AM on the morning of Friday, June 19, 2026, when the Sail250® Virginia Parade of Sail begins.
Q - What is the route of the Sail250® Virginia Parade of Sail?
A - The Sail250® Virginia Parade of Sail is a 26 nautical mile parade, starting in the Lynnhaven Roads anchorage off the Lesner Bridge in Virginia Beach. The first ship will depart from the anchorage at 7AM on Friday, June 19, 2026. From the anchorage, the ships will proceed west through Thimble Shoals Channel, through the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, past Old Point Comfort, through Hampton Roads, and up the Elizabeth River. The first ship in the parade will arrive off Town Point Park in downtown Norfolk at noon. The image below shows the parade route and gives an estimated time on when the first ship will pass various points along the Sail250® Virginia Parade of Sail route.
Q - Is there seating provided in Norfolk for the Parade of Sail?
A - The public is invited to view the Parade of Sail from several public vantage points along the parade route in Norfolk. Viewers must provide their own seating if desired as no bleachers or other seating will be provided. Please see the information below for public viewing locations and parade of sail timeline for viewing locations around Hampton Roads.
Please visit the Affiliate Harbors page to inquire about Parade of Sail viewing options in other cities.
Q - When will the tall ships arrive and depart Norfolk, VA?
A - The international fleet of ships will arrive in downtown Norfolk beginning at noon on Friday, June 19, 2026. The ships will take a few hours to securely dock and prepare for tours. The fleet will remain in Norfolk until the morning of Tuesday, June 23, 2026. The schedule of some ships may require them to depart prior to Tuesday. We will update departure information as it becomes available.
Q - When will the ships be open for public tours?
A - The international fleet of ships will be open for free public deck tours during their time in Norfolk. A general schedule may be found below. Please know that this schedule will vary by ship and day based on the operational requirements of each vessel. Specific schedules will be posted on our webpage as they become available and throughout the festival grounds during the event.
Norfolk Sail250® Virginia Free Public Deck Tour Schedule (Subject to change)
Friday, June 19, 2026 / 3pm – 6pm
Saturday, June 20, 2026 / 12pm – 6pm
Sunday, June 21, 2026 / 12 pm – 6pm
Monday, June 22, 2026 / 12pm – 6pm
Q - What will the security requirements be for visiting ships docked in downtown Norfolk?
A – Basic rules must be followed when boarding Sail250® Virginia tall ships for public tours in downtown Norfolk. Please see the list of requirements below. Individual ships may require additional security screening including (but not limited to) requiring adults to provide picture ID (not photocopies or pictures of ID), conducting bag searches, and use of metal detectors/wands.
Q – What security requirements will be in place for visiting Norfolk Naval Station during public tours of the U.S. and international naval vessels?
A – Naval Station Norfolk has provided the following information regarding security for visiting Naval Station Norfolk on June 20-21, 2026.
Q - Where can I find information about Group Tours, accommodations and other tourist information about the Virginia region?
A - General information about Virginia tourism can be found at this website 
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Visitors planning to attend Sail250® Virginia will find a wide range of hotel accommodations available throughout Norfolk. From waterfront properties to convenient downtown locations, Norfolk offers lodging options for every traveler. To view a complete list of hotels and explore special hotel packages created for this historic celebration, please visit the VisitNorfolk website and start planning your stay today. If you are having difficulty finding the accommodations you need, feel free to email VisitNorfolk, and their team will be happy to help. If you’re looking for ideas on things to do, shopping, or places to dine, be sure to request a Norfolk Visitor Guide.
For information about specific Virginia localities, please click on their name below.
Celebrate Sail250 with the Virginia Zoo!
Show or mention SAIL250 for $2.50 OFF your ticket.
Valid June 19 – 23, 2026
Can be combined with most discounts*.
Not valid with College Student, PowerUp!, or AZA Reciprocity. These programs already reflect our maximum discount and are not eligible for the Sail 250 $2.50 off promotion.
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Q - How can I receive updates on the Sail250® Virginia events?
A - There are many ways to keep up with Sail250® Virginia news! You can visit our webpage at www.sail250virginia.com.
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