VISITORS GUIDE

HAMPTON ROADS BEACHES

Our insiders’ guide tells you everything you need to know for enjoyable days of surf and sand in Virginia and on the Outer Banks. Click the map below for video from some of South Hampton Roads' most popular beaches, or scroll through our listings for more.

^{Video: BRIAN CLARK — Interactive: OLIVIA HUBERT-ALLEN — Map: BOB VOROS}

MORE BEACHES

Virginia Beach

The Narrows
A secluded beach on Broad Bay, inside First Landing State Park. Access off 64th Street. Parking $4 on weekdays, $5 on weekends and holidays. No surf, but no designated swimming area, either. Open 8 a.m. to dusk. Dogs allowed on leashes. Directions and map.

Rudee Inlet
At the southern end of the strip, this area is for folks who like to be on the water rather than in the water – fishing, boating, jet skiing, eating at waterside restaurants. Directions and map.

Croatan
Beach area south of Rudee Inlet to Camp Pendleton. It’s about three-quarters of a mile long with designated surfing areas. Considered more of neighborhood beach; parking is limited. From Memorial Day week-end until Labor Day, leashed dogs are allowed only before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m. Directions and map.

Camp Pendleton
Whip out your military ID, because you’ll need it. No frills, which means no bathroom, just a porta-potty. Plenty of parking, picnic area with tables. Laugh at the hordes of tourists you can see to your left. No dogs are allowed and no surfing. Directions and map.

Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge/False Cape State Park
Because Back Bay is a refuge, beach activities are supposed to be wildlife-related, so no swimming, surfing or sunbathing. You can walk or bike for miles. Fishing is allowed. No dogs at any time, which is a new policy. Open dawn to dusk, $5 per car, $2 to hike or bike in. Some people have driving permits, so watch out for vehicles on the beach. Directions and map.

False Cape is hard to get to, so leave your beach chair behind and walk, bike or boat through Back Bay to reach the state park. Another option is the tram, which will take you in for a couple of hours. No designated swimming areas or lifeguards. Restrooms at visitor contact station. Dogs are allowed, but you can’t bring them through Back Bay. Figure that one out.

Peninsula

Yorktown
The historic area has a 2-acre beachfront at 425 Water St. for swimming and fishing from a pier. Restroom facilities are open throughout the summer but close at dusk. No lifeguards. No dogs allowed on the beach. Yorktown Victory Center, a museum of the American Revolution, is nearby. Directions and map.

Grandview Nature Preserve
The preserve forms the northeast corner of the city of Hampton and covers more than 475 acres of salt marsh, tidal creeks and bay beachfront. It is open to the public but has limited parking along State Park Drive. Visitors can stroll the beach and observe the migratory birds. Directions and map.

Buckroe Beach and Park
Not too crowded and offers a clean beach, kayak and paddleboat rentals. Local events are held there. Picnic shelters with grills, a playground, and restroom facilities that are open during the summer. Dogs are not allowed in the park during the summer. Directions and map.

Fort Monroe
Two beaches – one for dogs, the other for humans – are open to the public, but rules for the military installation apply. Dog beach is not open to swimming, but Lookout Beach, which is located near the Quarters One Sallyport, is. Lookout Beach also has lifeguards. Access rules for Fort Monroe: Anyone 18 years and older will be required to have a valid government-issued ID card. Vehicle drivers must present a valid vehicle registration and proof of insurance. Vehicles with occupants who do not present valid ID cards will be inspected. Directions and map.

Eastern Shore

Savage Neck Dunes Natural Area Preserve
Empty beach with a scalloped edge at low tide, open to walkers but, because this is protected wildlife habitat, no swimming, coolers, sand toys, beach blankets, umbrellas, etc. are allowed. To access the beach, follow a short trail through grass and forest. This 298-acre preserve features some of the only tall sand dunes left along the Chesapeake Bay, but they are in the forest, and folks are asked to stay off them. This beach is one of the only places in the world to see the federally threatened northeastern beach tiger beetle, and it’s actually pretty easy. They’re the fast-flying bugs zipping ahead of your footsteps along the water’s edge. Directions.

Eastern Shore barrier islands
The Nature Conservancy owns many of the islands, but day visitors are allowed. Access is by boat only. Only Hog, Cobb, Myrtle, Smith, Sandy, Rogue, Godwin and Mink islands, plus Dawson Shoals and portions of Metompkin and Cedar islands, are open. Visitors must stay near the waterline so nesting birds are not disturbed. No pets, no fires, no camping. Activities such as surf fishing, hiking, bird watching and photography are allowed. No lifeguards, no restrooms, no concessions, just miles of deserted ocean beaches. Parramore, Little Cobb, Ship Shoal and Revel islands are closed to the public. Map and contact information (PDF).

Cape Charles
Half a mile of Bay beach with a paved walkway, described by the town as the kind of uncrowded beach where you can spread out. No lifeguards. Dogs on leash allowed after 9 p.m. One volleyball setup and a town-owned pier. Directions and map.

Kiptopeke State Park
A mile of waterfront, split into two parts. The north side allows swimming; the south side allows fishing, boating and pets. It’s Bayside, so the waves are low, and the water is shallow for a ways out, making it good for small children. Plus, you can see the breakwater made from World War II surplus concrete ships. No lifeguards. Entry fee for cars $3 weekdays, $4 weekends and holidays. Open dawn to dusk. Directions and map.

Outer Banks

Corolla
You can see it from Virginia, but it will take you several hours to get there, because you have to go ’round. One website describes it as having “homes of astounding size and grandeur.” The paved road dead-ends in the village, but you’ll have to endure the gridlock at Duck first. Access to northern beaches is by four-wheel-drive only. There are “wild” horses, though. Don’t hit ’em. Leashed dogs allowed. Directions and map.

Duck/Southern Shores
Vacation rentals, good shopping and lots of traffic. If you want to get away from it all, this probably isn’t the place. No public beach access unless you’re a resident or renter. Unleashed dogs OK in Duck, but adjacent Southern Shores prohibits dogs from mid-May to mid-September and requires leashes at all other times. No beach fires allowed. Lifeguards on duty. Directions and map.

Nags Head/Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills
This area is more like Virginia’s resort strip, only farther away from souvenir shops. Dog laws vary, but the basic requirement is leashes most of the time. Nags Head allows pit fires with a permit from the fire department but the other cities don’t, so be aware of where you are. Lifeguards on duty. Lots of public access points; a matted walkway at 8th Street is best for wheelchairs and strollers. Directions and map.

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge/Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Miles of mostly undeveloped beaches, plus the famous Cape Hatteras lighthouse. Dogs allowed on 6- or 10-foot leashes, depending on where you are; no pets on designated swimming beaches. Surfing, fishing, beachcombing. The wreck of the Laura Barnes is on Coquina Beach and is visible when the wind or surf uncovers it. Lifeguards at three spots: Coquina, Buxton and Ocracoke. Pea Island open only during daylight. Directions and map.

Ocracoke
Sixteen miles of undeveloped beach, reachable only by ferry or small plane. Ranked No. 1 on Dr. Beach’s “Best Beaches” list in 2007. Lifeguards in one area, wild horses at the north end, limited cell phone service. Dogs allowed on leashes. Because the Gulf Stream is offshore, you can pick up Scotch bonnets, the state seashell of North Carolina, which are usually found in more tropical waters. Directions and map.

Got a favorite beach we left out or tips for others? Leave them in the comments below.

Related Projects

• A photographic study: Where the sea meets the shore
• Tired of the beach? Splash around someplace else
• Visitors Guide