In an earlier day, the term "roads" described waterways. It was only natural then that settlers who traveled here by ship described the area, now comprised of Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Suffolk, Newport News, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach, as Hampton Roads.

If there's one common denominator in this region, it's that water seems to touch just about everything. Ask for directions and it's likely there will be some reference to a body of water in one way or another. Fortunately for those that have a fear of bridges, underwater tunnels connect many of the landmasses. While the novelty may quickly wear off, anyone who has never experienced these man-made wonders may be intrigued, especially children.

Tunnels in the Hampton Road area include:

Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (MMMBT) or Interstate 664 (I-664) connects Newport News (north) with Chesapeake (south). According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, it carries less traffic than the HRBT and is less congested.

As indicated by its name, the famous Civil Water battle between two ironclad warships occurred not too far from this structure. Look for the marker on the bridge.

Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) or Interstate 64 (I-64) connects Hampton (north) with Norfolk (south).

The Downtown Tunnel or Interstate 264 (I-264) connects Portsmouth to the (west) with Norfolk (east) and is one of the oldest tunnels in Hampton Roads.

The Midtown Tunnel or U.S. Highway 58 connects northern Portsmouth to western Norfolk.

The Chesapeake Bay-Bridge Tunnel or U.S. Highway 13 connects Virginia's Eastern Shore with Virginia Beach.

As another option, passenger ferries offer service between downtown Portsmouth and Norfolk.

Virginia Department of Transportation