Virginia Beach
A three-mile boardwalk resort at the mouth of the Chesapeake, next to the cape where the first English colonists landed in 1607.
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The oceanfront runs a three-mile boardwalk with a separate cycle lane, hotels along its length and a bronze King Neptune at the centre. Just north, First Landing State Park covers the cape where the Virginia Company colonists came ashore in April 1607 before continuing up the James to found Jamestown; the park has cypress swamp and maritime forest with Spanish moss at close to its northern limit. Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape to the south are undeveloped barrier beach reachable only on foot, by bicycle or by tram, which keeps them nearly empty. The Virginia Aquarium sits behind the resort strip. Naval and air traffic overhead is constant.
What you actually see
- A three-mile boardwalk - with a separate cycle lane.
- First Landing State Park - the 1607 landing cape, with cypress swamp.
- Back Bay and False Cape - undeveloped beach, no car access.
- Constant military air traffic - from the surrounding bases.
When to go
May to September. A full day.
Honest expectations
The resort strip is heavily commercial and crowded in summer. Military jet noise is frequent and loud. Hurricane season affects late summer. False Cape requires real effort to reach - that is why it is empty.
Nearby
Norfolk is west; the Outer Banks are south.
What to pack for Virginia Beach
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.