Chic's Beach (Chesapeake Bay Beach)
Chic's Beach (Chesapeake Bay Beach) is a beach in Chic's Beach, Virginia Beach, best for families with small kids, sunset watching, calm-water swimming, low-key local beach days.
Chic's Beach — officially Chesapeake Beach, never called that by locals — is the bay answer to the Atlantic beaches: gentle, shallow water with small waves, views of the Bay Bridge-Tunnel stretching over the horizon, and a laid-back residential neighborhood behind the sand. The calm water makes it the best pick in the city for small kids who aren't ready for ocean surf, and because the beach faces west-northwest it is Virginia Beach's genuine sunset beach — the Atlantic side only gets sunrises. No boardwalk, no hotels; a handful of Shore Drive bars and restaurants a short walk inland give it a low-key local scene.
- Free
- Dog Friendly
- Family Friendly
- Hidden Gem
Amenities
- Calm, shallow bay water
- Sunset views over the Chesapeake Bay
- Bay Bridge-Tunnel views
- Shore Drive bars and restaurants nearby
Know Before You Go
- Best for: families with small kids, sunset watching, calm-water swimming, low-key local beach days
- Parking: Street parking only, on residential blocks off Shore Drive and at limited public access points — tight in summer, especially weekends. Respect posted residential restrictions.
- Accessibility: Access is via sand paths at street ends; no boardwalk or ramps. Limited accessibility infrastructure.
- Dogs: allowed — City summer beach rules apply outside the resort area: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, keep dogs off the sand between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.; leashed or voice-controlled otherwise. Off-season, dogs are welcome anytime. Bay-beach signage governs — check posted signs at each access.
- Location: Chesapeake Bay shoreline near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, off Shore Drive, Virginia Beach, VA
Last verified 2026-07-10.
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While You're in the Area
Amura Sushi Café
Shore Drive sushi cafe at the Chic's Beach/Pleasure House Road corner, serving sashimi, poke bowls, and noodles.
Brue Coffee
Chic's Beach's neighborhood coffee shop — Italian-style espresso, rotating seasonal drink boards, and bakery items a short walk from the bay.
- Hidden Gem
Buoy 44 Seafood Grill
Casual bayfront seafood grill on Chic's Beach with a waterfront deck overlooking the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel — try the bacon-wrapped scallops.
- Waterfront
- Outdoor Seating
C.P. Shuckers Cafe & Raw Bar — Shore Drive
Family-owned Shore Drive sports bar and raw bar since 1995 — 39 TVs, daily 3-7pm happy hour, 99-cent wing Mondays, and Friday patio music.
- Happy Hour
- Live Music
- Outdoor Seating
- Open Late
Commonwealth Brewing Company
Acclaimed brewery in a converted Chic's Beach fire station — Wapatoolie IPA, wood-fired pizza, and a bistro-lit beer garden with a dog-friendly patio.
- Dog Friendly
- Outdoor Seating
Hot Tuna Bar & Grill
Shore Drive seafood restaurant and bar in Chic's Beach since 1992, with live music and one of the latest kitchens in the area.
- Open Late
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Upcoming Events Nearby
Lynnhaven River NOW Oyster Roast
May 1, 2027 · annual (first Saturday in May)
Lynnhaven River NOW's signature fundraiser turns the waterfront lawn at the Brock Environmental Center into an all-you-can-eat oyster roast, marking the nonprofit's multi-decade push to bring the Lynnhaven's namesake oyster back from near-collapse. Roasted and raw oysters pulled from the restoration reefs anchor the spread, backed by barbecue, local beer and spirits, live music, and a shucking contest, with proceeds funding the group's oyster-reef and water-quality restoration work. It's a rare chance to eat Lynnhaven oysters within sight of the reefs that grew them, at a bayfront green building a few minutes off Shore Drive.