Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a park in Sandbridge, Virginia Beach, best for birding, walking and cycling, winter waterfowl viewing, quiet ocean-and-bay scenery.
Immediately south of Sandbridge, Back Bay NWR protects thousands of acres of barrier-spit habitat — beach, dunes, maritime forest, and freshwater marsh — that host huge concentrations of migratory waterfowl in winter and shorebirds much of the year. Visitors walk or bike the entrance roads and dike trails between the bay and the ocean; the interior dike trails close November 1 through March 31 to protect wintering birds, leaving the beach route open. The refuge is also the gateway to False Cape State Park beyond. Entrance is $5 per vehicle April 1–October 31 and free the rest of the year; walkers and cyclists with a federal lands pass enter free.
- Hidden Gem
- Family Friendly
Amenities
- Visitor contact station
- Dike trails and beach walking route
- Boardwalk to the beach
- Major waterfowl and shorebird viewing
- Gateway to False Cape State Park
Know Before You Go
- Best for: birding, walking and cycling, winter waterfowl viewing, quiet ocean-and-bay scenery
- Parking: Visitor lot at the refuge entrance off Sandpiper Road. Vehicle entrance fee $5 April 1–October 31, free November 1–March 31; America the Beautiful passes accepted.
- Accessibility: Visitor contact station and the beach boardwalk are accessible; dike trails are flat gravel roads. Check with refuge staff for current accessible-route conditions.
- Dogs: not allowed — The refuge restricts pets on its trails and beach for much of the year to protect wildlife — do not plan on bringing a dog without first checking the refuge's current rules page or calling ahead.
- Location: 4005 Sandpiper Rd, south of Little Island Park, Virginia Beach, VA
Last verified 2026-07-10.
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While You're in the Area
Back Bay Getaways
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Baja Coffee Co
Sandbridge's morning coffee counter alongside Baja Restaurant, pouring Fair Trade Organic Peruvian coffee and cold brew from 7am to noon.
Baja Restaurant
Sandbridge's end-of-the-road seafood spot right on Back Bay, with live entertainment and sunset water views.
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Boardwok Restaurant
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False Cape Beach
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Upcoming Events Nearby
Sandbridge Pig Pickin'
September 12, 2026 · annual
The Sandbridge Volunteer Rescue Squad's all-you-can-eat pig roast at Little Island Park has been the neighborhood's signature fundraiser for more than four decades, paying for the advanced life-saving equipment behind the squad's 1,000-plus annual emergency calls. Barbecue, beer and wine, live music, local art vendors, and a bounce house for kids fill the park for an afternoon, with free admission for children under 10. It's Sandbridge at its most neighborly -- a beach-community fundraiser rather than a tourist draw, held at the same park that anchors the south end of the beach.
Cherry Blossom Festival
March 26, 2027 – March 28, 2027 · annual
Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation's spring showcase fills Red Wing Park's cherry tree grove with live cultural performances, martial arts demonstrations, and hands-on crafts timed to peak bloom in late March. The 2026 edition added a first-ever Nighttime Hanami, lighting the blossoms after dark on opening evening before the daytime festival took over the weekend. Admission and parking are free, with an overflow grass field opening for weekend crowds -- a genuinely photogenic, low-key alternative to the Oceanfront festival circuit, along General Booth Boulevard.