Virginia Beach is Virginia’s largest city and its biggest seaside resort, where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean in the southeast corner of the state. Most visitors head for the Oceanfront, a long, wide sandy beach backed by a 3-mile (5 km) boardwalk, hotels, seafood restaurants and summer concerts, with lifeguards, a bike path alongside and a giant statue of King Neptune at 31st Street. Beyond the resort strip, the city is surprisingly green: First Landing State Park’s cypress swamps and dunes sit at Cape Henry, where English colonists first landed in 1607, while to the south Sandbridge, Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park offer quiet beaches and marshes. Add the Virginia Aquarium, surfing, dolphin-watching cruises and fresh seafood, plus easy day trips to Norfolk and Williamsburg, and it is a family-friendly base for a few days or a week. Summer is hot and busy; September and early October are often the sweet spot.
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Virginia Beach at a glance
- Best months: June to September for swimming, when the city’s lifeguards are on duty from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend; May, September and October for warm, quieter days at lower prices.
- Time needed: 2–3 days for the Oceanfront, the aquarium and First Landing; a week for a beach holiday with day trips to Norfolk, Williamsburg or the Eastern Shore.
- Getting there: Norfolk International Airport (ORF) is about 20–30 minutes by car from the Oceanfront; Washington, D.C. is about 4 hours by car via Interstate 64.
- Hotel taxes (as of October 2026): 15% of the room rate (9% city lodging tax plus 6% Virginia sales tax) plus a flat $2 per night; 16.5% plus $2 in Sandbridge.
- Before you go: entry rules for international visitors (ESTA or visa), driving and tipping are in our United States travel guide.
Virginia Beach’s areas and who each one suits
The Oceanfront (Resort Area)
The busy heart of the resort, from Rudee Inlet north to about 40th Street, with the boardwalk, most of the oceanfront hotels, surf shops, arcades, the Neptune Festival Park at 31st Street and summer stages for free concerts. It suits families and first-time visitors who want everything within walking distance. In summer, Atlantic Avenue and the boardwalk are lively until late.
North End and Cape Henry
North of the boardwalk, the beach continues past quieter residential streets and smaller hotels toward Cape Henry, First Landing State Park and the military base at Fort Story. Good for a calmer stay, with the bay beaches and the state park’s trails nearby.
Chesapeake Bay beaches and Shore Drive
Along Shore Drive, the bayside beaches near Lynnhaven Inlet and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel have gentler water than the ocean, sunsets over the bay, marinas and seafood restaurants. A good choice for young children and paddlers.
Sandbridge and the southern beaches
About 15 miles (24 km) south of the resort, Sandbridge is a strip of beach houses and vacation rentals with no high-rise hotels, next to Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. It suits families and groups renting a house for a week. Croatan, just south of Rudee Inlet, is a smaller neighborhood beach popular with surfers.
Top things to see in Virginia Beach
The beach and the boardwalk
The boardwalk runs about 3 miles (5 km) along the Oceanfront, with a separate bike path beside it, so it’s ideal for an early-morning walk, run or rented-surrey ride. Along the way you’ll pass the giant King Neptune statue at 31st Street, small parks, public restrooms and playgrounds. Bicycles and surreys must use the bike path, and skates belong on the boardwalk. Lifeguards watch the Oceanfront, Croatan and Sandbridge from 9:30 a.m. to at least 6 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, and the North End from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
Just inland from Rudee Inlet on General Booth Boulevard, the Virginia Aquarium has two buildings joined by a nature trail through the salt marsh, with sharks, sea turtles, river otters, harbor seals and a large Chesapeake Bay exhibit. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last general entry 3:30 p.m.), closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. As of October 2026, admission is $35 for adults (18 and over), $30 for seniors 70+ and youth 5–17, and free for under-5s; active military and veterans get $2 off. Online reservations are strongly recommended. The city charges $6 per vehicle to park in the aquarium lots from 1 April to 31 October; parking is free from November to March.
First Landing State Park
Virginia’s most visited state park covers the end of Cape Henry between the bay and Broad Bay. Its trails wind through maritime forest, dunes and swamps of bald cypress hung with Spanish moss, including the boardwalked Bald Cypress Trail, and its quiet Chesapeake Bay beach is good for swimming and sunsets. The park has a campground and cabins, and a parking fee is charged per vehicle; check rates on the Virginia State Parks website before you go. A cross marks the spot near Cape Henry where the Jamestown colonists came ashore in April 1607.
Cape Henry Lighthouse
Completed in 1792 as the first public works project funded by the new federal government, the old sandstone Cape Henry Lighthouse stands inside Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story, an active military base, next to its black-and-white 1881 successor (which is closed to the public). Run by Preservation Virginia, it is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., by timed ticket only: as of October 2026, $22 for adults, $20 for seniors 60+, AAA and military, and $8 for students. Visits include a climb up the tower (at least 79 steps and a final ladder; climbers must be 42 in / 107 cm tall) and a 45-minute guided walk.
Base security rules are strict: every visitor 18 or older must submit a Navy security form between 30 and 5 days before the visit, through a link sent after you buy your ticket, and everyone over 16 must show a REAL ID or passport. You park at the base gate and ride a shuttle. Under the base’s policy, foreign nationals without US defense-department security passes are not allowed on base, so international visitors can’t tour the lighthouse; you can still see it from a distance on the drive along Atlantic Avenue toward the state park.
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape
South of Sandbridge, Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge protects barrier-island dunes, beaches and marshes that fill with migrating snow geese, tundra swans and ducks in late fall and winter. It has a small visitor center, short boardwalk trails and an entrance fee; check the US Fish and Wildlife Service website for current fees and seasonal closures. Beyond it, False Cape State Park is one of the most remote beaches on the East Coast, reached only on foot, by bike or by boat.
More to see
- Mount Trashmore Park: a landfill turned into a hill park with lakes, a skate park and playgrounds, popular with local families.
- Military aviation: jets from Naval Air Station Oceana roar over the city; the Military Aviation Museum near Pungo flies vintage aircraft at events.
- Historic houses: the 1720s Thoroughgood House is one of the oldest surviving homes in Virginia.
- Pungo: the rural south of the city, with farm stands, strawberry picking in spring and pumpkin patches in fall.
Zoos and aquariums
- Virginia Aquarium
Protected areas
- Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
- False Cape State Park
- First Landing State Park
Parks and gardens
- Mount Trashmore Park
Museums
- Military Aviation Museum
Other things to do in Virginia Beach
- Surfing: the East Coast Surfing Championships have been held here for decades. In summer, surfing is restricted to set areas and hours while lifeguards are on duty; surf schools and rentals cluster near 1st Street and the North End. See our surfing guide.
- Dolphin and whale watching: bottlenose dolphins swim off the beach from spring to fall, and boat trips leave from Rudee Inlet; humpback whales are sometimes seen offshore in winter. See our boat trips guide.
- Kayaking and paddleboarding: calm water in Broad Bay, Lynnhaven River and Back Bay, with guided tours that often meet dolphins.
- Cycling: ride the Oceanfront bike path or the trails of First Landing State Park. See our cycling guide.
- Seafood: try Lynnhaven oysters, she-crab soup and steamed blue crabs, especially at the restaurants around Rudee Inlet and Lynnhaven Inlet.
- Events: the Neptune Festival with its sandcastle contest at the end of September, and summer concerts and fireworks at the Oceanfront.
Day trips from Virginia Beach
Norfolk
The neighboring city, 20 miles (32 km) west, is home to the world’s largest naval base, the battleship Wisconsin at the Nauticus maritime center, the Chrysler Museum of Art with its glass collection, and a walkable downtown and waterfront. Harbor cruises pass the naval piers.
Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown
Virginia’s Historic Triangle is about an hour up Interstate 64: the restored 18th-century capital of Colonial Williamsburg, the 1607 settlement site at Historic Jamestowne, and the Revolutionary War battlefield at Yorktown. Allow a full day, or stay a night.
The Eastern Shore and the Outer Banks
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, a toll road of bridges and tunnels about 17.6 miles (28 km) long, crosses the mouth of the bay to Virginia’s rural Eastern Shore and on to Chincoteague and Assateague, famous for wild ponies, about 2 hours away. To the south, the beaches and lighthouses of North Carolina’s Outer Banks are about 1.5–2 hours by car.
Nearby destinations
- Outer Banks150 km
- Washington, D.C.246 km
- Shenandoah National Park280 km
Getting there and getting around
By air: Norfolk International Airport (ORF) is the closest, with flights to major hubs; the Oceanfront is about 15 miles (24 km) away, roughly 20–30 minutes by car or taxi. Newport News/Williamsburg (PHF) and Richmond (RIC) are alternatives about 45 minutes and 2 hours away.
By car: Interstate 64 runs east from Richmond through Hampton Roads, then Interstate 264 continues straight to the Oceanfront. Traffic backs up at the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel on summer weekends; leave early or late.
| From | Distance | Time by car |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk International Airport (ORF) | about 15 miles (24 km) | 20–30 minutes |
| Williamsburg | about 60 miles (97 km) | about 1 hour |
| Richmond | about 110 miles (177 km) | about 2 hours |
| Washington, D.C. | about 210 miles (338 km) | about 4 hours, often longer with traffic |
By train and bus: Amtrak’s Northeast Regional trains run to Norfolk from Washington, D.C. and the Northeast; from Norfolk station, continue by taxi or ride-share. Locally, Hampton Roads Transit buses connect the Oceanfront with Norfolk. See our Washington, D.C. travel guide if you’re combining the two.
Parking: the city runs municipal lots and garages along the Oceanfront; most charge in season, and street parking is metered. Many hotels charge for parking too.
When to go and how long to stay
Virginia Beach has hot, humid summers, mild autumns and cool, damp winters with only occasional snow. Summer thunderstorms are frequent, and July is the wettest month. The ocean is warm enough for most swimmers from late June to September. The table uses NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals for the weather station at Naval Air Station Oceana, in the city: average daily highs and lows, and days with at least 0.1 inch (2.5 mm) of rain.
| Season | Average high / low | Wet days per month | What it’s like | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | 50–54 °F (10–12 °C) / 32–35 °F (0–2 °C) | 6 | Cool, windy and quiet; light snow some years | Low prices, birding at Back Bay, whale trips |
| Spring (Mar–May) | 59–76 °F (15–24 °C) / 39–56 °F (4–13 °C) | 7 | Warming fast; the water is still cold | Walking, cycling, state parks |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | 83–87 °F (28–31 °C) / 66–70 °F (19–21 °C) | 7–8 | Hot, humid and busy, with afternoon storms | Swimming, surfing, boardwalk nights |
| Fall (Sep–Nov) | 80 °F falling to 61 °F (27–16 °C) / 64 °F falling to 42 °F (18–5 °C) | 5–5.5 | Warm September, pleasant October, fewer crowds | Beach days, festivals, fishing |
Oceana averages about 46.6 inches (1,184 mm) of rain a year. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November according to NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, with the most activity from mid-August to mid-October. Direct hits are uncommon, but tropical storms and nor’easters bring heavy rain, flooding and dangerous surf; follow the city’s emergency alerts and any evacuation orders, and consider travel insurance for late-summer trips.
Weather month by month
How long to stay: 2, 4 and 7 days
2 days: a morning on the boardwalk and beach, the Virginia Aquarium in the afternoon and seafood at Rudee Inlet; the next day, hike First Landing State Park and swim at its bay beach. 4 days: add a dolphin cruise or kayak tour, an evening on the bay at Shore Drive and a day in Norfolk. 7 days: rent a house in Sandbridge, visit Back Bay and False Cape, and take a day trip to Williamsburg or across the Bridge-Tunnel to the Eastern Shore.
Where to stay in Virginia Beach and the hotel tax
- Oceanfront: rows of hotels with balconies over the sand between Rudee Inlet and 40th Street; book “oceanfront” rather than “ocean view” for a direct view.
- North End: quieter, with a few hotels and many rental homes near the beach.
- Chesapeake Bay / Shore Drive: bayfront hotels and condos with calmer water and sunsets.
- Sandbridge: weekly beach-house rentals, often Saturday to Saturday in summer.
- Camping: First Landing State Park has campsites and cabins near the bay; book early for summer.
Prices peak from late June to Labor Day and on holiday weekends, then fall sharply. Room rates are quoted before tax. According to the City of Virginia Beach Commissioner of the Revenue, short-term stays outside Sandbridge pay 15% of the total rental (9% city lodging tax plus 6% Virginia sales tax) plus a flat $2 per night, and stays in the Sandbridge Special Service District pay 16.5% (10.5% city plus 6% state) plus $2 per night, as of October 2026. The percentage applies to cleaning, pet and service fees as well as the nightly rate. Some hotels also add a resort or parking fee.
Practical tips for Virginia Beach
- Alcohol and glass: drinking alcohol or marijuana in public, and carrying glass or alcoholic drinks, is banned on the beach, boardwalk, bike path, sidewalks, parks and grassy areas (except at permitted events).
- Beach rules: swim within 50 yards (46 m) of the shore; no sleeping on the beach between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.; from 1 May to 30 September, ball games between the lifeguard stands and the water, and fishing from the resort beaches, are not allowed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Don’t swim within 200 ft (61 m) of a fishing pier.
- Dogs: from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, dogs are banned from the sand and water of the Resort Area (Rudee Loop to 42nd Street), allowed on the boardwalk on a leash from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., and allowed on other city beaches before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m. Off-season, dogs may use all public beaches.
- Safety: rip currents are the biggest danger at the beach and can form on calm, sunny days. Swim near a lifeguard, never alone, and if caught, stay calm and swim parallel to the shore before heading in. Watch for jellyfish in late summer, use strong sunscreen and drink plenty of water in the heat. Call 911 in an emergency.
- Tipping and tax: 18–22% is usual at sit-down restaurants; shop prices exclude Virginia sales tax (6% here). More in our United States travel guide.
- Time zone: Eastern Time with daylight saving time.
What to pack for Virginia Beach
For summer, bring swimwear, a sun hat, high-factor reef-friendly sunscreen, sunglasses, flip-flops and a light cover-up, plus a beach umbrella or rent one on the sand. Pack insect repellent for evenings and the state park’s marshes, and a light rain jacket for thunderstorms. In spring and fall, add a sweater and a windbreaker for breezy evenings on the boardwalk; comfortable walking shoes are useful for the trails at First Landing and Back Bay. If you plan to visit the Cape Henry Lighthouse, bring your REAL ID or passport.
Virginia Beach travel FAQ
What is the hotel tax in Virginia Beach?
15% of the room charge (9% city lodging tax plus 6% Virginia sales tax) plus $2 per night, or 16.5% plus $2 per night in Sandbridge, as of October 2026.
Can you drink alcohol on Virginia Beach?
No. Public drinking and carrying glass or alcoholic beverages are prohibited on the beach, boardwalk, bike path, sidewalks and parks, except at permitted special events.
Are dogs allowed on Virginia Beach?
In summer, not on the Resort Area sand (Rudee Loop to 42nd Street); leashed dogs may use the boardwalk from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and other beaches before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m. After Labor Day, dogs may use all public beaches.
When are there lifeguards at Virginia Beach?
From Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, from 9:30 a.m. to at least 6 p.m. at the Oceanfront, Croatan and Sandbridge, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the North End.
How much is the Virginia Aquarium?
$35 for adults, $30 for seniors 70+ and youth 5–17, and free for children under 5, as of October 2026. Parking costs $6 per vehicle from April to October. It opens daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Can you visit the Cape Henry Lighthouse?
Yes, with a timed ticket ($22 for adults), a Navy security form submitted 5–30 days ahead and a REAL ID or passport, because it stands on a military base. Foreign nationals without US defense passes are not allowed on the base.
When is hurricane season in Virginia Beach?
From 1 June to 30 November, according to NOAA, with the most activity from mid-August to mid-October. Check forecasts and follow local emergency instructions.
What is the best time to visit Virginia Beach?
September is often ideal: the water is still warm, crowds and prices drop after Labor Day, and the Neptune Festival takes place. June to August is best for guaranteed beach weather and lifeguards.
How far is Virginia Beach from Washington, D.C.?
About 210 miles (338 km), or around 4 hours by car via Interstate 95 and Interstate 64, longer on summer weekends. Amtrak trains run to Norfolk, about 20 miles from the Oceanfront.
Plan your trip
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Sources · last reviewed 4 October 2026
Researched and last reviewed on 4 October 2026. Hotel taxes come from the City of Virginia Beach Commissioner of the Revenue; beach rules, lifeguard hours, dog rules and rip-current advice from the City of Virginia Beach; sales tax from Virginia Tax; aquarium hours, prices and parking from the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center; Cape Henry Lighthouse hours, prices and base-access rules from Preservation Virginia; hurricane season from NOAA’s National Hurricane Center; climate from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for Naval Air Station Oceana. First Landing State Park and Back Bay fees could not be read directly and are left for you to check; distances, drive times, the Bridge-Tunnel length and some sights are general references flagged for checking. Rules and prices change, so check the official sites before you go. For entry rules, ESTA, tipping and driving, see our United States travel guide.
Also: NOAA NCEI normals 1991–2020, NAS Oceana (climate)
Data: Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Sea temperature: NOAA CoastWatch · Air quality: OpenAQ · Rates: ECB · Holidays: Nager.Date · Costs: World Bank ICP and price levels · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODBL) · Wikidata (CC0)