River Forest Shores/Wayside Manor - Norfolk, VA

The neighborhood’s proximity to the water and to the aptly titled Military Highway tells much of the region’s history. This coastal location resulted in some of the earliest North American settlements and maritime industries. The geography also resulted in military engagements during wartime, including the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War. The location attracted important U.S. military installations, including the U.S. Naval Operating Base in 1917, which brought soldiers, military support and families here during two world wars, doubling Norfolk’s population. As would be expected, the nearby water in this temperate climate also attracted plenty of recreation along beaches as well as boating and fishing.

You find most of Norfolk’s art and museums downtown, including D’Art Center, Nauticus, The National Maritime Center and the USS Wisconsin, and the Chrysler Museum of Art.

Downtown also hosts Harborfest, providing annual seasonal entertainment at First Fridays and Festevents.

About a mile up Military Highway/Route 13, you'll find a wide variety of restaurant choices, including national names like McDonald’s, Chuck E. Cheese’s, Logan’s Roadhouse, Uno Pizzeria and Genghis Kahn Mongolian Bar-BQ.

For white-tablecloth dining and great international food, visit Nawab Indian Cuisine. Here, you find traditional Indian foods such as naan, samosa, kababs and much more. Local favorites include the naan sampler platter, crab masala, fish tikka, chicken dhansak, palak paneer and lamb vindaloo. Nawab serves Kingfisher Indian beer on draft and other beers in bottles. For a taste of many Indian flavors in one meal, come for Nawab’s lunch buffet.

Sawasdee Thai Cuisine opened in 2012 and soon began creating buzz around the region for its authentic Thai food. The fact the kitchen grows herbs on the premises demonstrates its commitment to freshness. You can enjoy Thai favorites like pad Thai, pad see-ew, tom yum soup and green curry chicken. Vegetarians can enjoy the vegetable delight, a mix of seasonal vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms, baby corn, zucchini, and celery. The food comes in four different spiciness levels: mild is truly mild, but to enjoy the extra hot spice, you should have a native Thai or other heat-acclimated palate.

When craving Mexican, head to El Rodeo. The huge menu includes an explanation of Mexican food for the uninitiated. Start with tortilla chips served with fresh salsa and white sauce — some of the best white sauce around, according to the locals. Recommended dishes include the pork carnitas, shrimp chimichangas, steak fajitas and seafood quesadilla. The tasty margaritas here proffer sufficient potency to ensure a good time.

When in the mood for entertainment, check out Q-Masters Billiards, by some measures the largest billiard room in America. When you see its 25,000-square-foot facility and 73 pool tables, you can believe the claim. Q-Masters accommodates players of all levels, from beginners to advanced, and has a retail department, two bars and a restaurant.

For the latest movies, go to Cinemark at Military Circle Mall. With 18 screens and $4 early-bird prices, Cinemark can make your night.

Personal automobiles comprise the most common form of transportation for residents in this area. Although the immediate neighborhood consists of quiet roads safe for walking and casual biking, the main roads don't have sidewalks or bike lanes. Nearby shopping centers don't have a range of everyday conveniences. Bus stops for Hampton Roads Transit, the public transportation option, lie along Curlew Road and North Military Highway, but they don't proffer convenience to area homes. Given these considerations, the neighborhood doesn't rate high on a walkability scale.

Free public parking along the suburban streets and business districts make finding a spot for your vehicle simple. Drivers can access the highways that skirt the neighborhood — Military Highway/Route 13, I-264, and I-64 — from entrances just outside the neighborhood.

Cabs can be hailed by phone and Uber drivers by the Uber smartphone app.

The closest park to the neighborhood, 15-acre Poplar Hall Park, provides locals with basketball courts, picnic shelters, a playground and a softball field.

In Norfolk on the Chesapeake Bay, Ocean View Beach Park provides waterfront access for fishing, swimming, windsurfing, jet skiing, kayaking and canoeing. The beach allows leashed dogs except during peak use: in short, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, no dogs allowed in the park from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

The downtown Norfolk green space, Town Point Park, provides a place for the city to host festivals and special events throughout the year, especially in the summer months, set in an urban space of fountains, lawns, trees and shrubbery. The park welcomes children, but doesn't provide playgrounds or welcome dogs.

The city doesn't charge for access to and basic use of these parks. Although the parks don’t provide exercise-centric equipment, some activities can give you your aerobic activity for fun and fitness.

The cost of living in the River Forest Shores/Wayside Manor neighborhood hovers slightly above the city average, with the median rent for a one-bedroom residence at $900. The typical price for a beer rests around $2.50 for domestics, $3.50 for imports and $3.50 and up for craft beers. To get to downtown Norfolk on the HRT bus costs $1.75 for a single trip, while the one-day HRT GoPass costs $4. The fare takes you throughout the greater Hampton Roads region. Gas prices here generally lie about 7 percent lower than the national average.

Major shopping areas near the neighborhood run primarily up and down Military Highway, centered on the Gallery at Military Circle mall. Retail stores contain a mix of value, moderately priced and specialty stores, including Ross Dress for Less, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Victoria’s Secret, and Zales. The Gallery at Military Circle features JCPenney and Macy’s department stores as the anchors, with a wide variety of other shops, from accessories to gifts and music to women’s apparel.

Two targeted specialty shops that service the area appeal to fans and to hobbyists. The 1st Down Shop in the Gallery at Military Circle features products that show off your loyalty to your favorite teams, NASCAR driver or military branch, displaying logos on area rugs, game-room accessories, lawn décor, apparel, team car flags, steering wheel covers, car seat covers, floor mats, and more.

Dale’s Train Station, the go-to place for anyone young or old who appreciates model trains, features a wide variety of trains, collector toys and memorabilia as well as a giant working model train layout. You can enjoy browsing, but you can have even more fun purchasing a train and track to set up for long-term at-home enjoyment.

Walmart Supercenter provides the most comprehensive grocery shopping for the neighborhood, supplemented by BJ’s Wholesale Club and Costco member discount stores as well as international markets, such as Oriental Market and Brahmani Indian and Asian Market.