Grandview Nature Preserve

Would it surprise you to learn that one of the prettiest and remote beaches in the HRVA area is just a few minutes from Downtown Hampton? Grandview Nature Preserve starts out with a walk down a gravel path that begins in a neighborhood but by the time you reach the beach, a half mile away, you have left it all behind. The two-mile stretch of beach is pristine, covered with driftwood and shells and clean fresh sand. You hear the cheeps of birds and the grasses moving in the breeze but not much else. It's like a world into itself.

Grandview wasn't always so remote. Back in the 1800s, Grandview was a swinging social destination. There were parties and dances in the glow from the old lighthouse and dozens of painters set up their easels to paint it. You can walk to what remains of that old lighthouse from when it finally succumbed to erosion and disrepair in the '50s, a lonely pile of rocks standing a few yards offshore. It's kind of eerie to look at them -- if you stare long enough you can almost see the old light standing up from them again.

The nature preserve covers 475 acres of salt marsh and wetlands, and there is excellent canoeing through the inlets. Besides that, it's a good place to observe migratory birds and sea turtles (be sure to save this number in your phone before you go  -- it's not out of the ordinary to see wildlife stranded and in need of help). In summer the swimming is great but the walk down to the beach may be too far for very little ones in the heat.

To read another local blogger's take on Grandview (and see her gorgeous pics), click here! Have you been to Grandview Nature Preserve? How did it compare to other area beaches, in your view?