Best Beaches of Virginia: Exploring the Pristine Gems

Home to a beautiful coastline and an exotic wildlife, beaches of Virginia remain a popular destination for tourists. If you are someone looking for a complete guide on beaches of Virginia, I have got you covered.

True nature lovers like myself will never get tired of visiting every single beach in the world. Surprisingly, each has something unique to offer in terms of topography and ambiance. However, life isn’t all rainbows and unicorns. Unfortunately, all of us have time or budget constraints.

Therefore, in this article, I will share the 12 Best Beaches of Virginia and what they offer to tourists. In addition to this, I will discuss their location, their pet-friendliness, crowd, and attractions.

List of 12 Best Beaches of Virginia

As we all know, Virginia doesn’t have a very long coastline. In fact, it is hardly 112 miles. However, this houses pristine beaches along the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay. Plus, a few more also sit outside these boundaries within Virginia. Below is the list of all the beaches of Virginia covered in this article.

• Virginia Beach
• Sandbridge
• Ocean View Beach
• Assateague Island National Seashore
• Buckroe Beach
• Croatan Beach
• Willoughby Beach
• Chic’s Beach
• First Landing State Park
• False Cape State Park
• Colonial Beach
• Cape Charles Beach

1) Virginia Beach

Location	Atlantic Coastline, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Crowd Density	High
Pet Friendly	Yes
Attractions	Restaurants, Theme Parks, Affordable Rentals, Topography, Bird watching, Snorkeling

Virginia Beach isn’t Number 1 randomly. It is a fan-favorite and welcomes over 19 million visitors annually. The beach is located along the Atlantic Ocean Coastline and is a sight to look at.

Plus, I must mention that Virginia Beach in itself is a large city. It covers most of the beaches I will discuss here. However, in this section, I will talk about the main beach only.

There’s a lot you can do here from watching scenic beauty to enjoying restaurants and theme parks. Plus, don’t leave without clicking some photos with the iconic Neptune Statue and some surfing. Overall, it is very family-friendly. But, that’s not even the best part!

Virginia Beach is a welcoming spot for your furry friend as well! Leashed dogs are allowed on the boardwalk, but they can roam freely on the beach.

However, as this beach is pretty crowded, I would not suggest it to someone who’s looking forward to spending some alone time by the sea.

2) Sandbridge Beach

Location	Currituck Banks Peninsula, Virginia Beach
Crowd Density	Low
Pet-Friendly	Yes
Attractions	Privacy, topography, Little Island Park, and Wildlife Refuge nearby

Sandbridge Beach is on the Currituck Banks Peninsula which is found in the south of the main Virginia Beach. One side of the beach faces the Atlantic Ocean and its raging beauty. On the other side, however, you will find the False Cape State Park and the Backbay Wildlife Refuge.

This beach is very famous amongst locals in Virginia. However, tourists don’t know much about it. Therefore, you can expect much lesser crowd. So, if you are looking for a more private getaway with your partner, nothing could be better than a stroll on the sand of the Sandbridge beach.

The beach is about 4.5 miles long, and there are no proper hotels. There might just be a few beach rentals available and moving a little south, you will find the Little Island Park.

All these qualities make it perfect for a tropical adventure. Luckily, Sandbridge Beach is also pet-friendly. However, there are some time restrictions.

Read full Sandbridge Beach review for a better insight.

3) Ocean View Beach

Location	Norfolk, Virginia Beach
Crowd Density	Medium to High on weekends
Pet-Friendly	Yes
Attractions	Green and Marine, Fishing Pier, Ocean View Park, Surfing, Snorkeling, sunbathing, live music, and dance

Ocean View is a breath-taking green and marine coastline located in Norfolk, Virginia. It is largely a part of the Chesapeake Bay line.

I am deeply blown away by the overall vibe of this place. Tall lush green coconut trees, a marvelous fishing pier, banging waves, seafood, and some local music are the highlights of this popular beach. The 1690-foot-long fishing pier, here, has become a popular tourist destination for people visiting Norfolk, VA.

In addition to this, Ocean View Beach Park is also quite famous as a major landmark of this place. I would especially suggest you visit it on weekends when the traditional Big Bands on the Bay show says goodbye to the old week. Live music and dancing by the beach-isn’t that all one wants in a tropical getaway?

The Ocean View is mostly popular amongst Virginians. Tourists, however, mostly tend to drive straight to the Virginia Beach. But, you can still expect a medium to high crowd density over here on the weekends. Plus, yes this place welcomes your dogs with open paws as well.

Plus, there are many pet-friendly rentals near Ocean View.

4) Assateague Island National Seashore VA

Location	Eastern Shore, Virginia and Maryland
Crowd Density	Medium to High
Pet-Friendly	Yes
Attractions	Exotic Wildlife, Birds, Seafood, Lighthouse, and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

This seashore is located on the Eastern shore partly in Virginia and partly in Maryland. Thanks to the exotic wildlife and pristine landscape, Assateague Island easily makes it to the list of best beaches in Virginia.

The beach has countless attractions. However, the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is the main jewel of the place. It stretches for almost one mile and OH MY GOD! I can’t tell you what a mini-heaven you can find within this small stretch of land. The most exotic wild horses stroll on the Assateague Island National Seashore.

Plus, you will also find the best lighthouse in Virginia here, the Assateague Lighthouse.

5) Bukroe Beach

Location	Hampton, Chesapeake Bay, Virginia
Crowd Density	Low
Pet-Friendly	Not really
Attractions	family-friendly, good for fishing

Bukroe Beach is located in Hampton on the Chesapeake Bay. So far, it is one of the most family-friendly beaches in Virginia.

However, all the present-day attractions aren’t the only interesting thing about this area. Bukroe Beach also has a very interesting history. In 1619, English settlers came and began to use this site for fishing. To this date, it is a great place for fishing. Nearly every fishing season, you will find many fishermen looking forward to catching their prey.

As it is a small beach, you will not find much crowd or hotels here. However, it has many other things to offer like kayaks, food vendors, and umbrella rentals.

But, there is one thing that I don’t like about this beach. Bukroe is not the most pet-friendly beach you’ll find. Dogs and other pets are completely prohibited in the area from May 15 to September 15. Also, even in the allowed months, they must be leashed! You can view their policies here.

6) Croatan Beach

Image Credits: Croatan Beach, Trip Advisor

Location	North of Camp Pendleton and South of the Rudee Inlet, Virginia
Crowd Density	Medium
Pet-Friendly	Yes- Dogs are not permitted from 10AM-6PM
Attractions	Surfing

Croatan Beach comes on Number 6 in the list of best beaches in Virginia. It is popular for surfing and other water activities.

The beach is located to the north of Camp Pendleton and south of Rudee Inlet.

If you love surfing, I suggest you visit this beach as a must! The waves, the weather, and the vibe-all these things are simply perfect for surfing. The East Coast Surfing Championship has also been held here for the past 40 years.

Plus, don’t fear drowning! (Fear it a little, just adding this for a dramatic effect). There are life guards throughout the shore to help you out. Moreover, most surfing camps also take place at this amazing location.

7) Willoughby Beach

Image Credits: Yelp

Location	Norfolk, Virginia
Crowd Density	Medium to High
Pet-Friendly	Yes- Seasonal Permission (April 15th to September 30th)
Attractions	Family-friendly, Pet-friendly, restaurants

Willoughby Beach is located in Norfolk, Virginia. It is a beautiful sandy beach that is full of tourists all year.

This pristine location is family friendly and the locals of the area are also friendly. Therefore, don’t worry if you need some company.

For me, friendly locals are very important when it comes to visiting any location. My grandmother often said that no matter how good a place is, the inhabitants of the place increase or decrease its grace. So, yeah, I plan to stand by this!

Plus, note that since this beach is for families, drinking is strictly banned in the area.

8) Chic’s Beach

Image Credits: Trip Advisor

Location	Chesapeake Bay Beach
Crowd Density	Low to Medium
Pet-Friendly	Yes
Attractions	Family-friendly, Pet-friendly, restaurants, paddleboarding, etc.

Chic’s Beach, also popularly known as the Chesapeake Bay Beach, is a famous spot in Virginia. The beach is about 2 miles long and stretches from the Lynnhaven Inlet to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Inlet.

The beach is very family-friendly spot and there are a dozen activities to do! Many people go their for swimming, paddleboarding, and kitesurfing.

Plus, Chic’s Beach is pet-friendly as well!

Also, don’t forget to enjoy an early dinner at some of the best restaurants nearby Chic’s Beach.

9) First Landing State Park

Image Source: Trip Advisor

Location	Chesapeake Bay, North Virginia
Crowd Density	Medium
Pet Friendly	Yes
Attractions	Hiking, camping, boating, fishing, picnic, good for school trips

Do you wish to visit an all-in-one location? If yes, then First Landing State Park is a great choice. Not only can you go swimming at Chesapeake Bay Beach, but also hike and camp in the park.

First Landing’s Beach is about one and a quarter miles along the Chesapeake Bay and is daily.

If you are an adventurous person, it is one of the best locations to visit. You can go biking, camping, hiking, fishing, and boating. Plus, there are no lifeguards so you are pretty much all by yourself. Also, note that you will not be allowed to swim in the boat launch area or the Narrows.

As for accommodation, don’t worry either. There are over 200 camps available at different costs. I personally went for the minimum camp rental. But if you are planning to take your family along, go for a better option.

10) False Cape State Park

Image Source: Trip Advisor

Location	Currituck Banks Peninsula, North Carolina
Crowd Density	Medium
Pet Friendly	Yes
Attractions	Hiking, camping, boating, fishing, picnic, good for school trips, wildlife

A local told me how the name of this park has a fun story behind it. So basically, False Cape was named ‘False’ because it was misunderstood to be a part of Cape Henry. Originally, it is a part of the Sandbridge Beaches.

At the time of my visit, the park was a little crowded. However, it really comes down to the time of the day at which you visit.

Plus, I must be a little honest here. False Cape State Park is not a usual beach for tourists. The beach is in a pristine state and is meant for a little adventurous travelers who wish to see some wildlife as well.

There are some amazing camping and hiking trails as well. I think it will be a good spot for school trips. So, do pay a visit and drop your feedback in the comments!

11) Colonial Beach

Image Source: Google

Location	Northern Neck Peninsula, Westmoreland
Crowd Density	Low to Medium
Pet Friendly	Yes
Attractions	Hiking, camping, boating, fishing, picnic, good for school trips, museum tour

Colonial Beach is also one of the best beaches in Virginia. In fact, it is the second largest beach coastline in Virginia.

In my opinion, it is the perfect place to relax. Go fishing, boating, cycling, and golfing! You will find some decent golf courses here. Plus, obviously there are some great opportunities for water sports.

But, hold on! Colonial Beach isn’t all about camping and swimming. The beach also a rich historic value. Sir George Washington and James Monroe were born here. So, don’t forget to pay a worthwhile visit to the Colonial Beach Museum.

12) Cape Charles Beach

Image Source: Trip Advisor

Location	Cape Charles, Eastern Shore
Crowd Density	Low to Medium
Pet Friendly	Yes
Attractions	Unique topography, family-friendly, boating, fishing, picnic, good for school trips, museum tour

Cape Charles Beach on the Eastern shore is the final beach on this list. Cape Charles Beach captures the beauty of the sea and the coastline beautifully. Plus, I met a very friendly group here, so it stayed on my mind.

I don’t know how, but when I first saw Cape Charles, I felt like it had a unique aspect to itself. The sand of this beach is white and the water is clean and blue. Plus, the beach is extremely pristine. I saw some other families as well. However, there was not much crowd at that time.

Now, let’s talk about about some of the fun activities you can do here. Fortunately, Cape Charles has a lot to offer in this aspect. You can do the typical beach activities like swimming, snorkeling, boating, fishing, and even golfing. But, just like the Colonial Beach, Cape Charles Beach has historic museums like the Welcome Center and Cape Charles museum.

Plus, there are pretty good room rentals, shopping places, and restaurants in the area. So, don’t worry as there is a lot in a single spot!

Beaches of Virginia-Parting Thoughts

These are the top 12 beaches of Virginia according to myself and many other travel bloggers. Each one of them has at least one unique thing to offer. Therefore, if you are a Virginian, then you must visit them all. However, if you are a tourist with a very short deadline, then I will recommend you to visit the Virginia Beach and one of the parks as must.

Nevertheless, let me know about your experiences at the beaches of Virginia through email or comments.