Virginia Beach Boardwalk
Virginia Beach Boardwalk is a attraction in Oceanfront, Virginia Beach, best for first-time visitors, sunrise walks, biking, people-watching, free evenings out.
The Boardwalk is Virginia Beach's spine: three miles of oceanfront promenade running from 2nd to 40th Street, poured in concrete rather than planked in wood, with a separate parallel bike path so cyclists, skaters, and surrey riders aren't weaving through walkers. Along it you pass the city's open-air landmarks in sequence — JT's Grommet Island Park at 2nd Street, the Virginia Legends Walk at 13th, the Norwegian Lady and Naval Aviation Monument at 25th, King Neptune presiding over 31st — plus the fishing pier, oceanfront restaurant patios, and four beachfront stages where the summer 'Live! On Atlantic' program puts on mostly free music and entertainment. It is the staging ground for the city's signature events, including the Neptune Festival's sand-sculpting championship each September. Sunrise is its best hour: joggers, dog walkers (leashed dogs are allowed on the Boardwalk 6am-7pm), and the Atlantic doing its thing before the crowds arrive. In winter it goes quiet and locals reclaim it. Completely free, always open, and the single most reliable thing to do at the Oceanfront.
Amenities
- Separate parallel bike path
- Four beachfront entertainment stages
- Oceanfront dining along the route
- Bike and surrey rentals nearby
Know Before You Go
- Best for: first-time visitors, sunrise walks, biking, people-watching, free evenings out
- Parking: Paid municipal lots, garages, and meters throughout the Resort Area; fills fast on summer weekends.
- Accessibility: Flat, paved promenade along its full length; JT's Grommet Island Park at 2nd Street is a fully accessible oceanfront playground with beach wheelchairs available.
- Dogs: allowed — Leashed dogs allowed on the Boardwalk 6am-7pm year-round; dogs are prohibited on the resort beach sand during summer (Memorial Day-Labor Day).
- Location: Oceanfront, 2nd Street to 40th Street, Virginia Beach, VA
Last verified 2026-07-10.
More Attractions Nearby
Virginia Legends Walk
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King Neptune Statue
Virginia Beach's most-photographed landmark is a 34-foot bronze King Neptune rising out of Neptune's Park at 31st Street and Atlantic Avenue, trident in hand,…
Virginia Beach Fishing Pier
Pier fishing right in the middle of the resort area: this 15th Street pier extends straight out into the Atlantic from the Boardwalk, and no fishing license is…
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Virginia Beach Law Enforcement Memorial
Dedicated June 23, 2012, and designed by Paul DiPasquale — the same sculptor behind King Neptune — this 19-foot bronze memorial at the end of 35th Street…
While You're in the Area
17th Street Surf Shop
Virginia Beach's original surf shop since 1970 — a Pacific Avenue retail store plus Seth Broudy School of Surf camp sessions from 1 to 4 days.
Abbey Road Pub & Restaurant
Beatles-themed pub a block off the beach at 22nd Street — 42 taps, live music, a dog-friendly patio, and a Monday military discount.
- Dog Friendly
- Live Music
- Outdoor Seating
- Military Discount
Adventure Parasail & Rudee Inlet Jet Ski
Virginia Beach's original watersports operator since 1985 — parasailing, jet ski and kayak/SUP rentals, and banana boat rides at Rudee Inlet.
Afishinado Fishing Charters
Capt. Kevin Perry's 31-foot Ocean Master out of Inlet Station Marina — inshore speckled trout and cobia trips, offshore game-fish runs, and seasonal dolphin/whale watching.
Angie's Guest Cottage Bed & BreakfastHidden Gem
An early-1900s former Coast Guard surfmen's boarding house two blocks from the Boardwalk, run under the same family lore that gave it its name.
AquaMan Sportfishing Charters
Two-boat Rudee Inlet charter operation — The Flat Line and The Game On — running inshore, nearshore, and offshore deep-sea trips around the clock.
Upcoming Events Nearby
Neptune Festival Boardwalk Weekend
September 25, 2026 – September 27, 2026 · annual
Virginia Beach's signature festival closes out September with its 52nd Boardwalk Weekend, spreading across the Oceanfront between 1st and 35th Streets. The headline draw is Neptune's International Sandsculpting Championship — 22 large-scale works by sculptors from around the world — alongside an art and craft show with more than 200 artisans, twenty-plus musical acts across festival stages, the Grand Parade, Neptune's 8K, and a surfing competition at the jetty. Most of it is free to attend, and it reliably fills the resort area for one last big weekend of the season.
Virginia MOCA Boardwalk Art Show
October 9, 2026 – October 11, 2026 · annual
One of the longest-running outdoor art shows on the East Coast marks its 70th year along the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. Produced by the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, the juried show brings artists from across the country to sell painting, sculpture, photography, glass, and fine craft directly to visitors with the Atlantic as the backdrop. Hours run 10am–6pm Friday, 10am–5pm Saturday, and 10am–4pm Sunday, and October's thinner crowds make it an easy, walkable browse.
Wicked 10K Weekend
October 30, 2026 – October 31, 2026 · annual
Coastal Virginia's largest Halloween race weekend starts at the Convention Center on 19th Street and finishes on the Boardwalk near 20th, with runners in costume covering the flat, fast oceanfront course for the 10K, a Wicked 5K, or the shorter Monster Mile. A costume contest and a post-race beach party with food and drink follow the finish line. Presented by Sentara and run by J&A Racing — the same organizer behind the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon Weekend — it's the Halloween counterpart to that spring race on the same stretch of Boardwalk.