Are you looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and relax in solitude on the beach? If so, then Virginia is the perfect destination for you.
What’s The Least Crowded Beach In Virginia?
To find you a sandy piece of tranquil heaven, these are the most uncrowded beaches in Virginia.
- Cape Charles Beach
- Outlook Beach
- Assateague Island National Seashore
- Buckroe Beach
With over 3,000 miles of coastline to explore, there’s no shortage of beautiful beaches in Virginia. However, some beaches are more crowded than others. To help you find the best spot for your next beach getaway, I’ve done the hard work of scouring Virginia’s coastline. Here are four of the least crowded beaches in Virginia.
Cape Charles Beach
Cape Charles Beach is a small but beautiful beach located on a peninsula across from the much more highly trafficked Virginia Beach. Unlike many other popular beaches along Virginia’s coast, it is uncrowded and peaceful.
What To Expect
Cape Charles Beach is located at the mouth of Cape Charles Harbor, making it great for watching the boat traffic. Clean white sand and rolling waves make it an ideal spot for swimming, fishing, kayaking, or simply lounging in the sun.
It is part of a greater Historic District and accessible to plenty of local restaurants and shops nearby if you need a break from the beach itself.
No waves here mean that it is perfect for families where parents can relax while kids play safely in the water.
Kite-flying areas, as well as volleyball courts, make for great group activities. In addition, there are several nearby restaurants where visitors can grab a bite after spending time at the beach!
How To Get There
Getting to Cape Charles Beach is easy; it’s just a short stroll off Bay Avenue in the Historic District of Cape Charles.
You can park here and walk directly onto the beach.
Outlook Beach
If you’re looking for a beach vacation that offers some peace and quiet, look no further than Outlook Beach in Virginia.
Just outside of Hampton, this is Fort Monroe’s public beach. While it is easily accessible and ticks all the beautiful beach boxes, it is often overlooked by tourists.
The long stretch of sand makes it easy to get space between other beach goers.
What To Expect
Fort Monroe is a bit of a beach paradise as it is surrounded by water on three sides. There is no shortage of stretches of sand.
However, Outlook Beach, which looks out into the bay, is the quietest of the bunch.
The sand here is pristine, and the wildlife doesn’t disappoint.
Almost 90 species of birds, and 250 species of flora can be found around the shoreline, so the nature lover will feel right at home.
How To Get There
This is another incredibly accessible beach. Take Gullick Drive around the Fort Monroe Monument, and the road runs just in front of the shore.
Assateague Island National Seashore
If you have ever dreamed of exploring a completely wild island, look no further than Assateague Island National Seashore.
This seashore extends 37 miles along the Maryland/Virginia border and is home to some truly breathtaking beaches.
While this area does see some amount of tourism annually due to its beauty, it’s still much less crowded than other popular Virginia beaches. Because the shoreline is so vast, it’s easy to find a spot that feels uncrowded.
What To Expect
This area is known for its wild ponies, which roam freely across its wide open spaces, and its abundance of seabirds like ospreys which nest among its dunes.
Its unique ecosystem supports many different wildlife habitats, such as sand dunes, forests, wetlands, and salt marshes.
Where the other beaches on this list are best for lounging, this seashore offers many activities.
Camping, swimming, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, bird watching, horseback riding, and hiking trails are all popular pastimes here.
In addition, it has a few points of interest that are fun to find. There is an old lighthouse and the odd old shipwrecks to be found on beach strolls.
How To Get There
There are two ways to get to this seashore destination.
The north entrance is at the end of Route 611, south of Ocean City, Maryland, while the south entrance is at the end of Route 175, just east of Chincoteague, Virginia.
Buckroe Beach
Like Outlook Beach, Buckroe Beach is located outside of the Hampton area. While stunning, it has made many lists of uncrowded beaches for the occasionally agoraphobic beach go-er.
Perhaps it is its 8-acre size or the fact that its small size has kept big development away that usually attracts crowds.
What To Expect
Buckroe Beach faces the opening of the Chesapeake Bay. Its generally calm waters are great for swimming and water sports.
This is a great family destination for a quiet day at the beach.
Crabbing and sandcastles are on the agenda here. There are picnic table rentals, lifeguards, kayaks, and paddleboards for rent.
This uncrowded beach option, in particular, may not see the crowds but does have comfortable amenities. For example, there are numerous food trucks located near the beach where you can find delicious local seafood dishes as well as other snacks and meals.
There are also several souvenir shops where you can purchase trinkets. Conveniently there are public restrooms located near this beach area
Lastly, there is a great boardwalk for strolling the coastline.
How To Get There
Located along the Chesapeake Bay, Buckroe Beach is easily accessible from Route 134. The beach also has plenty of public parking available.
Key Takeaways
- Virginia has over 3,000 miles of coastline full of beach opportunities.
- Because there are so many beaches, it’s not hard to find a quiet one.
- The town of Hampton has several great options for escaping the crowds.