Croatan Beach
Croatan Beach is a beach in Croatan, Virginia Beach, best for surfing, escaping resort crowds, experienced swimmers.
Across Rudee Inlet from the Resort Strip, Croatan is Virginia Beach's surf beach: the Croatan Jetty is one of the city's two classic breaks, a left-hander locals prize for its unpredictability against 1st Street Jetty's more consistent right. The neighborhood behind it is quiet and residential, and limited public parking keeps the sand noticeably less crowded than the Boardwalk blocks a few hundred yards north. Summer dog hours are the friendlier non-resort rules. Camp Pendleton borders the beach to the south, so the shoreline dead-ends rather than running on for miles.
- Free
- Dog Friendly
Amenities
- Croatan Jetty surf break
- Public beach access lot with seasonal restrooms
Know Before You Go
- Best for: surfing, escaping resort crowds, experienced swimmers
- Parking: A public beach lot off Vanderbilt Avenue serves the beach; it is small and fills early on summer weekends. Street parking in the neighborhood is limited and enforced.
- Accessibility: Access is via sand paths from the public lot; no boardwalk. Limited accessibility infrastructure compared with the Resort Beach.
- Dogs: allowed — Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, dogs are allowed on the sand south of Rudee Loop only before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m., leashed or under voice control. Off-season, dogs are welcome anytime and may be off leash on the beach.
- Location: Atlantic Ocean beach south of Rudee Inlet, off Croatan Road / Vanderbilt Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA
Last verified 2026-07-10.
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While You're in the Area
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.
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.
Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum at the de Witt Cottage
Built in 1895 as a wedding gift from Bernard Peabody Holland — Virginia Beach's first mayor — to his bride, the de Witt Cottage is the oldest remaining private…
- Hidden Gem
- Family Friendly
Barclay Cottage Inn
The oldest lodging in Virginia Beach still open to guests — an 1895 cottage with five rooms and wrap-around porches two blocks from the boardwalk.
- Hidden Gem
Barclay Towers Resort Hotel
All-suite Boardwalk tower at 9th Street — 138 two-room suites, every one with a full kitchen and ocean-view balcony, plus a heated indoor pool.
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Upcoming Events Nearby
Neptune's Coastal Craft Beer Festival
August 15, 2026 · annual
The Neptune Festival's 11th annual beer afternoon takes over 31st Street Park with more than 60 beers from around 30 breweries, heavy on the coastal Virginia scene. Two bands play through the 3–8pm session and local food trucks handle the eating. It's a compact, single-day festival — an easy add-on to a mid-August beach day, a block off the boardwalk at Neptune's Park.
Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships
August 23, 2026 – August 30, 2026 · annual
The world's oldest continuously running surfing competition returns for its 64th year, turning the south end of the Oceanfront — from the 1st Street Jetty up to 10th Street — into a week-long surf carnival. More than 850 competitors surf pro and amateur divisions, including a WSL qualifying event, while the beach fills out with skate and BMX demos, live music, and tournament games. It's the anchor event of late summer at the beach and the best week of the year to watch serious surfing at the 1st Street break.
Virginia Beach Funk Fest Beach Party
August 28, 2026 – August 29, 2026 · annual
A free two-day beach party on the Oceanfront closing out August with funk, R&B, and soul acts on the sand. Part of the official Beach Events season, Funk Fest draws a big, dance-heavy crowd to the resort beach for one of the last major music weekends before Labor Day — no ticket needed, just claim a patch of sand.