Best Day Trips from Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is America’s largest naval station and one of the longest beaches on the East Coast. Surrounding it are the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the colonial Tidewater region, and the entry point to the Chesapeake Bay. History, nature, and water recreation are all accessible within an hour’s drive.
Norfolk & Naval Station Norfolk — 20 Miles / 30 Minutes
A working naval base with the world’s largest concentration of active military ships. Tours available by boat from Nauticus, the maritime museum.
Why go: You sail past aircraft carriers, destroyers, and submarines. The scale is staggering—an aircraft carrier is 1,100 feet long. The Naval Tour & Information Center provides context about what you’re seeing. Adjacent downtown Norfolk has museums, restaurants, and a revitalized waterfront.
Must-see: The Naval Station tour (book in advance). The Chrysler Museum if you want art and glass works. The Maritime Museum.
Cost: Naval tours are $16-22. Museum admissions vary.
Williamsburg — 70 Miles / 1.5 Hours
Colonial Williamsburg, America’s first capital, with living history interpretation and genuine historic architecture. Also home to the College of William & Mary.
Why go: This is serious American history presented with scholarship and nuance. Colonial Williamsburg employs hundreds of interpreters in period clothing performing 18th-century trades and professions. The historic area is 301 acres. Three days wouldn’t be enough to see it all.
Must-see: The Governor’s Palace, the Capitol building, and walking the colonial streets. Eat at one of the period taverns (fireside dining is authentic).
Cost: Colonial Williamsburg admission is $49 for a day pass. Add-ons for specific buildings run $5-10 each.
Outer Banks, North Carolina — 80 Miles / 2 Hours
A barrier island chain stretching 200 miles along the North Carolina coast. Towns like Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, and Manteo offer beaches, the Wright Brothers National Memorial, and a distinctive maritime culture.
Why go: The OBX is a world unto itself. Wider, less developed beaches than Virginia. The Wright Brothers site is genuinely historic—Kitty Hawk is where powered flight was invented. Hatteras Island and Cape Hatteras offer some of the most dramatic coastal scenery on the East Coast.
Must-see: Wright Brothers National Memorial (if flying interests you). Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and the cape itself. The beaches—they’re less crowded than Virginia Beach.
Cost: Beach access is free. Wright Brothers site is $7 per person. Lighthouse climb is $5. Standard lodging/food prices.
Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel — 30 Miles / 45 Minutes
A 17.6-mile engineering marvel connecting Virginia Beach to the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The structure includes bridges, tunnels, and artificial islands. Drive it for the experience or stop at the visitor center midway.
Why go: The drive itself is the attraction. You’re suspended 200 feet above water in some sections, submerged in tunnels in others. The views of ships in the channel, the open water, and the bridge structure are striking. Stop at the mid-point for photographs.
Cost: Toll is $14 per vehicle (south-bound only, no toll returning). Parking and museum access at the visitor center are free.
Newport News — 30 Miles / 45 Minutes
Home to the Virginia War Museum and the Mariners’ Museum, two of the finest regional museums in the state. Also home to colonial-era Fort Eustis.
Why go: The Mariners’ Museum has an exceptional collection of maritime artifacts and boat models spanning centuries. The War Museum covers Virginia military history comprehensively. Both are accessible from downtown with waterfront walks.
Must-see: The Mariners’ Museum (world-class). The War Museum if you’re interested in military history.
Cost: Mariners’ Museum is $14. War Museum is $10.
Sandbridge & First Landing State Park — 15 Miles / 25 Minutes
A quieter beach community just south of Virginia Beach proper. First Landing State Park offers trails, beach access, and the site where English colonists first landed in 1607.
Why go: Escape the main Virginia Beach boardwalk. Sandbridge is less developed, more residential. First Landing has 3.5 miles of trail through maritime forest to the beach. The beach here feels removed from tourism infrastructure.
Must-do: The Bald Cypress Trail at First Landing (1.5 miles, boardwalk through cypress swamp). Sandbridge beach walk.
Cost: First Landing State Park parking is $5. Beach access is free.
Yorktown & the York River — 50 Miles / 1 Hour
A historic waterfront village at the mouth of the York River. Site of the final major Revolutionary War battle and ongoing maritime history.
Why go: Yorktown Battlefield preserves the siege site with interpretive trails. The town waterfront has seafood restaurants with river views. The Yorktown Victory Center museum tells the story of the siege and surrender.
Must-see: The battlefield itself (park and walk). The waterfront restaurants for crabmeat and oysters.
Cost: Battlefield parking is free. Yorktown Victory Center is $14.