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At 31st Street, the bronze sea god—King Neptune— throws long shadows across his namesake park, trident pointing you toward a day that can go in a dozen directions. That’s your cue. Ride toward Rudee Inlet to watch charter boats idle out for the morning bite.
Detour for a cinnamon roll on Atlantic Avenue. Or keep your wheels rolling until the sand tells you to stop, kick off your shoes, and step straight into the story you came for.
VISIT
GO BACK TO TOP
Follow Virginia Beach
Boardwalk to Bay
A Day in Virginia Beach
Oceanfront, Center Stage
Along three miles of shoreline, rollers, runners, and sea breeze are stitched to the planks. The Virginia Beach Boardwalk moves like a parade you can join at any speed: sunrise bikes, noon beach bands, twilight buskers turning the walk into a pocket festival. The adjacent Rudee Inlet Marina District adds horsepower and salt spray—parasail lines rising like kites and fishing captains coiling rope for the next run.
Sun comes up on a glassy Atlantic as the Oceanfront wakes up—bicycles rolling over planks, joggers trading nods, gulls watching the surf.
Tide-to-Table Temptations
When cravings hit, fresh, local options abound. Start briny with raw bars, steamed shrimp, and oyster happy hours. Go classic with crab cakes and she-crab soup, or keep it casual—fish-and-chips, smash burgers, and baskets of boardwalk fries. Prefer light? Opt for sushi rolls, poke bowls, or big salads with fresh-catch toppers. Breakfast is its own scene—giant pancakes, beach-town diners, and third-wave coffee within flip-flop range.
Atmosphere-wise, Rudee Inlet is all boat wakes and patio shade; along the Atlantic, rooftops and balconies trade ocean breeze for people-watching. Between bites, wander for saltwater taffy or snap a pic with King Neptune. And if you’re here in-season, cap it with a free set at Neptune Park or an Oceanfront stage.
A few blocks inland, a new chapter rises where the historic Dome begins its second life. Atlantic Park reimagines that storied site with venues, dining, and year-round activity—and adds something VB fans have dreamed about for decades: Atlantic Park Surf, an urban surf experience designed for consistent, rideable waves. It’s a natural pairing with a Boardwalk day: session, shower, show, repeat.
If you’d rather chase real ocean sets, locals point to the First Street Jetty where the structure helps shape waves, especially on the right swell and wind. Beginners find friendly breaks, lessons, and board rentals; pros hunt the sweet spot and paddle out like it’s a second home.
Chesapeake Bay: Gentle Water, Local Soul
Turn north, and the water goes a little easier. On Chesapeake Bay—Chic’s Beach to those in the know—the surf settles, the scene turns neighborly. Shallows suit small swimmers, SUPs slide by in no rush, and skiffs angle for the day’s last light. Order something cold at a waterfront spot and watch the Bay do its evening show—gulls tracing slow circles, ships sliding by like moving postcards. It’s the kind of beach where “one more minute” becomes another hour without anyone noticing.
Sandbridge:
Quiet Dunes, Wide Sky
South of the resort area, dunes and tall beach grasses rippling like wheat take over. Sandbridge feels like a deep breath—about five miles of softer pace at the city’s edge. Vacation homes tuck behind the ridgeline; porches look out to a horizon that feels unclaimed. Families come for forgiving surf and elbow room, and Little Island Park next door loads the day with extras: a fishing pier made for long casts, courts (yes—pickleball) for friendly bragging rights, a playground, and shaded picnic shelters and grills.
Nature’s Edit:
First Landing to the Wild South
When breakers fade to background, make for First Landing, a braid of Chesapeake shoreline, maritime woods, wind-cut dunes, and tide-sweet marsh. The boardwalks do the threading—through cypress rooms and spears of light—while egrets commute like clockwork above. At The Narrows—the slim cut where two bays meet—paddlecraft slip into glassy water made for sunrise glides and the kind of quiet that resets a day.
Push farther and the map turns wild. Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge fans out cattail corridors and high lookouts built for long gazes—scope for birders, sky for everyone. Beyond the refuge, False Cape State Park keeps an Atlantic edge blissfully unbothered. No road, no rush: arrive by boat, by bike, on foot (or ride the seasonal tram through the refuge), and six miles of near-empty shoreline unspool like a kept secret. Otter prints. Ghost-crab hieroglyphs. Wind that smells of salt and pine. Down here, time keeps the tide.
Sand & Smiles for Every Child
Oceanfront fun should belong to every body, and JT’s Grommet Island Park makes good on that idea. Set at the south end of the Boardwalk, it’s a fully accessible beach playground—soft surfaces, adaptive equipment, raised sand tables, a sensory board—all against a backdrop of blue water and steady breeze. Families base-camp here, splitting the day between shade and surf.
A Few Grace Notes
In summer, the towers are staffed; once the crowds thin, you’re your own lookout. Getting to the sand is easy—ramped walkovers and access mats dot the Oceanfront and several parks. Parking changes by neighborhood: garages and city lots by the Boardwalk, dedicated lots in Sandbridge and at Little Island Park, tighter street options around the Bay. Keep it easy out there: ditch glass and alcohol, heed the surf/fishing markers, and confirm the latest pet rules before paws hit sand. Remember, two minutes of homework beats an afternoon of do-overs.
That’s the puzzle piece most beach towns can’t offer: in Virginia Beach, scenes sit close enough to swap on a whim. Boardwalk bustle for breakfast, Bay hush by afternoon, dunes at dusk. You finish barefoot, sand cuffing your ankles, already plotting tomorrow’s shoreline. The Boardwalk settles, the Bay dims to glass—and at 31st Street, the bronze sea god waits where you left him, tide curling at his feet, King Neptune keeping watch.
The Virginia Beach Boardwalk moves like a parade you can join at any speed: sunrise bikes, noon beach bands, twilight buskers turning the walk into a pocket festival.
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Oceanfront
The New Wave
Surf, Shows, and
Many Shores
One Coast,
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VisitVirginiaBeach.com
By Monica Vanover on November 13, 2025
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