Sandbridge Beach and Chesapeake Bay Beaches Compared

Sandbridge Beach pairs an ocean shoreline with public facilities and a beach park near Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. For guests at this Virginia Beach hotel, it offers a different setting from the Oceanfront.

The Sandbridge Beach Facility is at 2549 Sandfiddler Road in the northern part of Sandbridge. It has parking, restrooms, outdoor showers, foot washes and changing areas, with beach access directly across the street. Parking fees apply from May 1 through September 30.

At Little Island Park, at 3820 Sandpiper Road just north of Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the beaches are divided by a 400-foot fishing pier. The 775-foot stretch north of the pier is for surfing; the 2,000-foot stretch to the south is for swimming and fishing. The park also has public restrooms and parking.

Ocean Park Beach is a Chesapeake Bay beach reached by a walkway under the Lesner Bridge. The Lynnhaven Boat Ramp & Beach Facility has car parking for beach access, restrooms with shower and foot-rinse areas, and changing areas.

That makes the access setup a useful point of comparison: Sandbridge Beach access is across the street from its facility, while the route from the Lynnhaven facility to Ocean Park Beach goes under the bridge. The details here support comparing access and facilities, but not a claim about water conditions at either beach.

Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a protected coastal area where beach recreation is limited to activities that do not include swimming, surfing or sunbathing. Established in 1938 to protect and provide habitat for migrating and wintering waterfowl, the refuge allows hiking, biking, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography and shell collecting on its beach.

About three miles of beachfront are open to visitors. The northernmost mile, known as the North Mile, is closed to recreational activity to protect wildlife. Reach the beach by the Seaside Trail, a 0.25-mile walk from the parking area, or by the Dune Trail, which begins about 0.3 miles from the Visitor Center and parking area.

The refuge grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset. The East and West Dike Trails are open for hiking or biking from April 1 through October 31, then close from November 1 through March 31 to reduce disturbance to wintering waterfowl. Pets are not permitted, except service dogs; stay on marked trails and follow signs.

Choose Sandbridge for ocean beach access and facilities, Ocean Park for a Chesapeake Bay beach reached beneath the Lesner Bridge, or Back Bay for marked trails and wildlife-oriented activities.

At Little Island Park, the pier separates a surfing beach from a beach designated for swimming and fishing. For a different kind of outing, how to get to First Landing State Park from the Virginia Beach Oceanfront is a separate trip-planning question.

Parking fees apply at the Sandbridge Beach Facility from May 1 through September 30. Back Bay charges entrance fees from April 1 through October 31, and the refuge directs visitors to its fees-and-passes information for amounts.

The refuge Visitor Center is at 4005 Sandpiper Road; its seasonal schedule varies between Memorial Day to Labor Day and Labor Day to Memorial Day.

Check the official site before you go for current fees, facility hours and access details; use the City of Virginia Beach site for beach facilities and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service site for refuge information.