Pleasure House Point Natural Area
Pleasure House Point Natural Area is a park in Bayside, Virginia Beach, best for birding, easy nature walks, kayak launches on the Lynnhaven, photography.
One hundred eighteen acres of tidal marsh, sandy shore, and maritime forest on the Lynnhaven River just south of the Chesapeake Bay — a rescued piece of waterfront that nearly became a condo development and is now one of the city's best close-in nature walks. The Meadow Trail and Beach Trail combine into a roughly two-mile loop, with the Beach Trail ending at a small sand beach on the river's edge; the whole area is a standout for birding and marsh views. Bikes and motorized vehicles are prohibited to protect the sensitive ecosystem, but leashed dogs are welcome, and paddlers can launch kayaks from the beach.
- Free
- Dog Friendly
- Hidden Gem
- Family Friendly
Amenities
- Two-mile loop (Meadow Trail + Beach Trail)
- Small river beach at the trail's end
- Kayak/canoe launching from the shore
- Birding and marsh wildlife viewing
- Adjacent Brock Environmental Center
Know Before You Go
- Best for: birding, easy nature walks, kayak launches on the Lynnhaven, photography
- Parking: Main parking at the Brock Center entrance, 3663 Marlin Bay Dr (includes ADA spaces); additional parallel parking along Marlin Bay Drive at the soft-trail access points.
- Accessibility: Trails are soft sand and dirt — scenic but not paved; ADA parking exists at the Brock Center but the loop itself is unimproved.
- Dogs: allowed — Dogs welcome but must remain on a leash at all times due to the sensitive marsh ecosystem.
- Location: 3957 Marlin Bay Dr, on the Lynnhaven River, Virginia Beach, VA
Last verified 2026-07-10.
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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.
Town Center Summer Fest Music Series
May 22, 2026 – September 7, 2026 · seasonal (nightly concerts, late May-early September)
The Central Business District Association's free concert series takes over Town Center's Fountain Plaza most nights from late May through early September, with cover bands, tribute acts, and local musicians playing against the backdrop of the plaza's high-rises. Restaurants ringing the plaza put out sidewalk seating within earshot of the stage, turning a weeknight downtown into an impromptu outdoor show. It's the closest thing Virginia Beach's inland downtown has to the Oceanfront's summer concert culture -- free, walkable, and parked in the Town Center garages rather than beach lots.
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.