Hampton Roads Kid-Friendly Beach Guide

It's officially beach season in #HRVA! With so many beaches to choose from in our area, it can be hard to pick, but with little ones in tow, finding the right beach is important. There are tons of great beach lists out there, but we've compiled a list of all of the beaches in the area from a kid-friendly perspective. Read on to check them out (and be sure to let us know if there are any we've missed)!


Virginia Beach

Oceanfront: From Grommet Island Park all the way up to 40th Street, the Virginia Beach Oceanfront offers the mainstream Virginia Beach experience. There's always a festival to check out (Chalk the Walk is a great one) and the Virginia Legends Walk, one of the best-kept secrets of VB, is right nearby. We like to grab breakfast at Pocahontas Pancake and Waffle Shop and make a day of it. Lifeguards are on duty during the season.

North End: Running from 40th to 86th Streets, the North End is surrounded mostly by beach cottages, quieter than the Oceanfront, with more of a locals vibe. We included it on our weekend Hampton Roads travel itinerary last summer -- it's a great beach to take out-of-towners who want the Oceanfront experience, but don't want to get lost in the crowds. Lifeguards are on duty during the season.

Chic's Beach: Chic's Beach has a sportier feel than the other Virginia Beach beaches -- you'll see just as many people fishing and boating as sunbathing. It has great views of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and is close to some of the best dining the area has to offer. Parking can be ridiculous on narrow neighborhood streets, but it's worth trying. (Sidenote: Little ones should be warned about steering clear of fishing lines set up on the sand.)

Croatan Beach: Just south of Rudee Inlet, Croatan Beach is home to the US East Coast Surfing Championship each year. The beach is in a residential neighborhood, with almost nothing in the way of accommodations (no restrooms, no lifeguards) but home to some great waves. Park where you can.

First Landing State Park: The beach at First Landing is a gentle bay beach, perfect for paddling with the littlest beachgoers or launching kayaks or paddleboards. Restrooms and showers are available, hooray! There's a great view of the container ships waiting to go through the shipping lanes, which is pretty neat to watch. When you tire of sunbathing and swimming, drive across Shore Drive to visit the Nature Center and hike the Bald Cypress Trail. Parking fills up quickly on the weekends, so get there early. Admission is $4 per vehicle on weekdays and $5 on the weekends.

Sandbridge: To get to Sandbridge, you have to drive almost all the way to North Carolina, but it's worth it. Sandbridge, which started out as a resort destination, features the wonderful Little Island Park (with restrooms, concessions and playground) and a bustling Farmer's Market. Bonus points: It's close to Back Bay and False Cape State Park. It also features some of the best waves in Virginia (in our humble opinions). A great location for a weekend staycation. Lifeguards are on duty from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM.

Norfolk

Community Beach Park: Can you say GIANT WATER SLIDE? Specifically, a four-story inflatable slide that extends for 170 feet along the shore. Single rides are $3, with a day pass for $25. I've been told the slide can be difficult for the youngest kids to climb so budget in some extra time for that. Lifeguards on duty in the season, picnic shelters available.

East Beach: Still our personal pick for most kid-friendly beach in the area, East Beach has a quiet, residential vibe. The water is shallow and warm, and the breakwaters keep things from getting too rough for the little ones. Perfect for wading, with lots of sandbars to explore at low tide. Restrooms close to some entrances (within the East Beach neighborhood itself).

Ocean View Beach Park: OV Beach Park hosts tons of events through the season, including music and dancing in the pavilion, and the can't-be-missed Crab Fest. Cross the street to visit the Ocean View Station Museum on the ground floor of the Mary D. Pretlow Library for a dash of local history. Lifeguards on duty in the season from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Sarah Constant Beach Park: Visit the memorial to the ship that brought the first English settlers to Jamestown and walk the Ocean View Fishing Pier (their sunsets and their fried oysters are both highly recommended). Lifeguards on duty in the season from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Hampton

Buckroe Beach: Hampton's version of Ocean View -- a bay beach with a strong local vibe. It's a family-friendly beach, with a playground, bandstand, observation pier, and RESTROOMS, along with an enclosed Bark Park for canine friends (though dogs aren't allowed on the beach itself from May to September). Lifeguards are on duty.

Grandview Nature Preserve: This small, off-the-beaten-path bay beach is fine for swimming but especially good for shell hunting and beachcombing. No lifeguards, no restrooms, but a good destination to cool off after hiking some of the park's trails. Pack light -- or you'll end up having to haul all your gear a fair way to reach the beach.

Outlook Beach at Fort Monroe: Surrounded by the bay on all sides, the decommissioned Fort Monroe offers some of the best views of the Chesapeake Bay in the area. The public beach, Outlook Beach, is great for swimming, with lifeguards on duty from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Besides the beach, you can tour the Casemate Museum while at Fort Monroe, or have Sunday brunch at the historic Chamberlain hotel. Or else just walk around the old historic houses (General Lee's old army quarters among them!) and take in views of the Point Comfort lighthouse. Lifeguards are on duty in the season.

Newport News 

Huntington Park Beach: The town's public beach on the James River features a wooden playground, a fishing pier (the longest fishing pier on the East Coast!) and a children's pier that juts out into Lake Biggins. The park itself features a rose garden, and memorials to Vietnam veterans and the Holocaust, and the Virginia War Museum is close by. There's also a boat ramp and snack bar and lifeguards are on duty from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Nearby

Cape Charles Beach (Eastern Shore): This quiet bay beach has a half-mile paved walkway, a beautiful pavilion, volleyball setup, and a town-owned pier to stroll. There are barely any waves, which makes this a great swimming beach for little ones. Getting to Cape Charles won't take too long (it's about an hour from Norfolk), but you will have to pay the $18 toll to cross the Bay Bridge, so plan to carpool or at least spend a little time exploring nearby attractions to get your money's worth out of the trip.

Fossil Beach at York River: This isn't really a swimming type of beach but is beautiful and fascinating all the same. Fossil Beach, a picturesque river beach littered with fossils from the Cenozoic Era, is accessed off of a trail at York River State Park and requires a climb down (and then up) steep steps, so you can't bring much, but should go all the same.

Jamestown Beach Park (James City County): This river beach is shady and beautiful, with picnic tables and a grilling area (the park provides charcoal grills but you can bring your own gas grill if you'd rather). Right next to the Jamestown Ferry, which means it's just a short ride to one of our favorite summer destinations, Bacon's Castle.

Kiptopeke State Park (Eastern Shore): The secluded beach at Kiptopeke is split into two parts: north side for swimming and south side for fishing. It's a beautiful walk over a raised walkway to reach the shore, and once there, you can see the old breakwater made from World War II surplus ships! No lifeguards, so make sure everyone's a strong swimmer. Only three miles north of the Bay Bridge Tunnel, you won't have to spend too long in the car to get there (a big plus with little kids who love to ask if you're there yet).

Yorktown Beach (Yorktown): This tiny river beach is open for boating, swimming, and fishing, and has restrooms and showers and a 10-acre picnic area nearby. The swimming area is small (more like a wading area) but protected. You might catch a glimpse of a tall ship coming by! It's also near the Yorktown Victory Center.


And if you're looking for things to do once you're at the beach, why not try some of our favorites: sandcasting, sea glass hunting, or making some sand clay. To see what we bring in our beach bag, click here.

What's your favorite kid-friendly beach on the list? Let us know in the comments!