Mount Trashmore Park
Mount Trashmore Park is a park in Kempsville, Virginia Beach, best for families, kite flying, walking and jogging loops, skateboarding.
Virginia Beach's most famous non-beach landmark started as a landfill: opened in 1974 as one of the first parks in the world built on converted waste, Mount Trashmore's main hill rises 60 feet and runs 800 feet long, with a second mound (Encore Hill) beside it. The 165-acre park wraps two lakes — brackish Lake Windsor (kayaks permitted) and freshwater Lake Trashmore (fishing with a license, from land only) — around the huge Kids Cove playground, a renowned skate park, walking paths, and a water-wise xeriscape garden. The hilltop is the city's default kite-flying and sunset-view spot. It's free, it's beloved by locals, and most out-of-town visitors have never heard of it.
- Free
- Family Friendly
- Dog Friendly
- Toddler Friendly
- Fishing
- Walking Trails
- Sunset Views
- Restrooms Available
Amenities
- 60-foot converted-landfill hill with paths to the top
- Two lakes (kayaking on Lake Windsor, land fishing on Lake Trashmore)
- Kids Cove playground (nearly 26,000 sq ft)
- Skate park
- Picnic shelters
- Water-wise xeriscape garden
- Public restrooms
Know Before You Go
- Best for: families, kite flying, walking and jogging loops, skateboarding
- Parking: Free lots inside the park off Edwin Drive; note the former South Boulevard lot at Windsor Woods has been permanently closed, so use the main entrances. Busy on sunny weekends.
- Accessibility: Paved paths circle the lakes and reach major features; Kids Cove includes a one-of-a-kind wheelchair swing. The hilltop is reached by sloped paths.
- Dogs: allowed — Dogs must be on a leash at all times in Virginia Beach city parks.
- Location: 310 Edwin Dr, Virginia Beach, VA
Last verified 2026-07-10.
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While You're in the Area
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Upcoming Events Nearby
Autumn in the Air
November 7, 2026 · annual
A newer addition to the city's Parks & Recreation calendar, this single-day fall festival takes over Mount Trashmore Park with folk, americana, and rock bands on an outdoor stage, food and drink for purchase, and activities scattered across the lakefront lawn. Now in its third year, it's grown into the city's answer to a proper autumn street festival without the Oceanfront crowds -- bring a lawn chair or blanket, since tents and large coolers aren't allowed in the event area. Free admission and parking make it an easy afternoon add for anyone already in Kempsville.
Santa's Stocking Old Fashioned Craft Bazaar
November 14, 2026 – November 22, 2026 · annual
Now in its 48th year, Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation's holiday craft bazaar splits across two weekends and two recreation centers: Princess Anne Recreation Center hosts November 14-15, then Kempsville Recreation Center takes over November 21-22. Crafters sell handmade items ranging from stocking stuffers to fine art at budget-friendly prices, with Saturday hours 9am-4pm and Sunday hours 10am-3pm each weekend. Admission and on-site parking are free at both locations, making it an easy holiday-shopping stop regardless of which side of the city you're on.
Mount Trashmore July 4th Celebration
July 4, 2027 · annual
Virginia Beach's inland Independence Day tradition fills Mount Trashmore Park -- the converted landfill hill that gives the park its name -- with live music, food trucks, and family activities before a fireworks show over the lake at 9:30pm. It's the free, low-key alternative to the Oceanfront's Stars & Stripes Celebration the same night, drawing families from the Kempsville and Town Center side of the city who'd rather skip beach traffic. Free admission and free parking, with the park's grassy hill doubling as a natural amphitheater for the fireworks.