Hike within the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Although most visitors correlate Virginia Beach with its strip of resorts, outdoor enthusiasts find peaceful beach hiking opportunities within close proximity to the hotels and main beach. Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge contains 4,608 acres of untouched habitat that is home to migrating and wintering waterfowl. More than 20,000 snow geese and a wide variety of ducks visit Back Bay during the peak of the fall. Stroll the miles of shoreline while viewing the diverse wildlife and land formations on the barrier island. Or launch a kayak or canoe from a 1-acre site that connects them to the vast marshlands and shorelines of the refuge. This boat launch is available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and motorized crafts are prohibited.
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
4005 Sandpiper Rd.
Virginia Beach, Virginia 23456
(757) 721-2412
fws.gov/backbay
Mountain Bike at First Landing State Park
Featuring dirt roads with a few small hills, mountain biking in First Landing State Park provides exceptional scenery and nearby beaches for swimming on warm summer days. Ideal for novice mountain bikers, combine a weekend of riding the 19 miles of trails with camping within the state park.
First Landing State Park
2500 Shore Drive
Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451-1415
(757) 412-2300
dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/fir
Parasail in the Chesapeake Bay
Rudee Inlet, located in within the city of Virginia Beach, offers an ideal location for first-time and experienced parasailing enthusiasts. Several guide and rental services within close proximity to the inlet offer packages to get you sailing up to 1,200 feet over the Chesapeake Bay.
Surf in the Atlantic Ocean
Home to the annual Eastern Surfing Championship, Virginia Beach is a haven for playful waves and a classic surfing tradition. From the 1st Street Jetty to 42nd Street, novice surfers and experienced shredders find waves to suit their skill level. Several downtown surf shops and schools offer board and wetsuit rentals as well as surf lessons providing the basic foundations for riding waves in the Atlantic Ocean.
