Sail250® Virginia – June 18-22, 2026
2026 marks the 250th anniversary of our nation’s birth in 1776- The United States of America’s Semiquincentennial. International tall ships and military vessels will sail into the port of Virginia as part of Sail250® America. Four thousand officers, cadets, and crews of over 40 ships from 20 nations will engage in events along Virginia’s waterfront.
Day One - Thursday, June 18, 2026 - Norfolk
Arrive in Coastal Virginia, and check into your group-friendly hotel.
Once your group arrives in Norfolk, head over to The MacArthur Memorial. The memorial is dedicated to preserving and presenting the story of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur's life. It also pays tribute to the millions of men and women who served with General MacArthur in World War II and the Korean War. A visit to the memorial explores the life of one of America’s most significant and most complex leaders.
Day Two – Friday, June 19, 2026 - Hampton
Head off to Hampton, Virginia, for a front-row seat with reserved seating for the Parade of Sail. The Parade will mark the arrival of a fleet of more than 60 tall ships, historic character vessels, and military ships from 20 countries at the port of Coastal Virginia.
Then tour Fort Monroe. With over 400 years of history, Fort Monroe is a unique and diverse place surrounded by water. Military forces have long chosen it as a strategic point from which to protect our country.
In the afternoon, visit the Virginia Air and Space Center. The center is the official visitor center for NASA Langley Research Center and features hands-on aviation and space exhibits spanning 100 years.
Head back to Norfolk to end the evening with a stroll through Sail2025® Virginia with more than 40 international tall ships, characters, and military vessels, and more than 20 countries docked along Norfolk’s waterfront. Enjoy dinner and shopping at one of many vendors, explore Navy exhibits and demonstrations, artisan foods and beverages, national and regional live entertainment, and more. Festival and ship tours open at noon.
Day Three – Saturday, June 20, 2026 - Norfolk
Kick off the day at Nauticus and step aboard the largest and last battleship, Battleship Wisconsin. Battleship Wisconsin was commissioned 75 years ago and is the largest and last battleship of the USS Iowa class. She saw action during the Luzon Attacks in World War II and earned five battle stars. During Operation Desert Storm, the battleship served as a training ship and engaged in active assignments several times until Feb. 27, 1991. It reached its final assignment on Dec. 7, 2000, when it docked in Norfolk to become a floating museum. And do not forget to stop on the second floor and visit the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. The Hampton Roads Naval Museum is an official museum of the United States Navy. The museum interprets the history of the U.S. Navy in and around Hampton Roads, Virginia, from the American Revolutionary War to the present day for service members and the general public.
Or see a live glass demonstration at The Perry Glass Studio. Artists from around the world blow glass art in a theater from noon to 1 p.m. Then, take a guided themed 250th tour of The Chrysler Museum of Art. Make sure your tour includes two copies of works in the museum that celebrate famous moments from the American Revolution, such as Washington at the Delaware. These two copies pay homage to John Trumbull's Declaration of Independence and Thomas Sully's Passage of the Delaware.
Spend the afternoon at Sail2025® Virginia with more than 40 international tall ships, characters, and military vessels, and more than 20 countries docked along Norfolk’s waterfront. The festival and ship tours open at noon. Do not forget to grab lunch and continue shopping at one of the many vendors throughout the festival. Each day, there will be different Navy exhibits and demonstrations to explore, as well as national and regional live entertainment to enjoy. Festival and ship tours open at noon.
Enjoy dinner at Omar’s Carriage House. Omar’s Carriage House is a historic site in Norfolk. The original Carriage House was built in the early 1840s. Its patrons then were horses. From the first floor, if you look up at the center of the room, you’ll see the large opening where hay used to be loaded into carriages.
Day Four – Sunday, June 21, 2026 - Norfolk
Before departing for home, stop at The Norfolk Botanical Garden for a narrated tram tour. Learn how the garden started a Works Progress Administration (WPA) grant for the Azalea Garden project. Since most of the male labor force was at work on other projects for the city, a group of more than 200 African-American women and 20 men were assigned to the Azalea Garden project. Today, Norfolk Botanical Garden includes 175 acres, with more than 60 themed gardens that can be viewed by tram, boat, or foot.