Enjoy the Beach

For your enjoyment, safety and security, the City provides:

  • Permanent public restrooms located at 2nd, 17th, 20th, 24th, 30th and 31st streets; Croatan Beach; Little Island Park and Sandbridge Beach Facility; Lynnhaven Boat Ramp & Beach Facility
  • Playground equipment located at 2nd, 15th and 35th streets; and Little Island Park
  • Parks located at 17th, 24th and 31st streets; Little Island Park
  • Information kiosks located at 17th and 24th streets
  • Beach Ambassadors in bright yellow uniforms are available for information and assistance

Oceanfront Regulations

Please adhere to the following:

  • Stay within 50 yards of the shore when swimming (VBCC § 6-20)
  • Ride bicycles and surreys ONLY on the bike path (VBCC §§ 7-59.3, 7-71)
  • Use roller blades/skates ONLY on the boardwalk (VBCC § 7-59.2)
  • Park street legal vehicles in marked parking spaces
  • Use waste and recycle containers to help keep the beach clean

Prohibited

The following activities are prohibited on the beach, boardwalk, bike path, sidewalks, parks or grassy areas:

  • Public consumption of alcohol, marijuana and/or illegal drugs
  • Possessing glass or alcoholic beverages (exception for permitted special events)
  • Selling, renting, or offering goods and foodstuffs without a City permit
  • Operating non-permitted or service-related personal motorized devices, with exception for disabled persons, on the beach or boardwalk (VBCC § 7-59.1)
  • Sleeping on the beach or park benches between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.
  • Littering
  • Possessing unrestrained dogs, losing control of dog, or failing to remove and properly dispose of animal waste
  • Shark fishing

The following activities are prohibited May 1 through Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays:

  • Playing ball and throwing aerial objects between the lifeguard stands and the ocean (between Rudee Loop and 42nd Street and Croatan Beach only)
  • Launching or landing personal watercraft
  • Fishing from sand beaches (from 42nd Street to Rudee Inlet and at Little Island Park from the northern boundary at Sanctuary Condominiums southward to 1,400 feet from the southern boundary at Back Bay Wildlife Refuge and no shark fishing)

Surfing in the following areas is prohibited May 1 through Sept. 30 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays, weekends and holidays:

  • Little Island Park to the southern boundary of the designated lifeguard-patrolled swimming area located at the end of Sandbridge Road
  • Sandbridge Road to the southern boundary of Dam Neck Fleet Combat Training Center
  • 42nd Street to 56th Street
  • 58th Street to the southern boundary of Fort Story

Pets & Animals

The following pertain to pets/animals Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend:

  • Dogs are allowed on the Boardwalk between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m.
  • Pets must be on a leash at all times
  • Human companions are required to clean-up after their pet
  • Dogs are still prohibited on the sandy beach and in the water in the Resort Area (between Rudee Loop and 42nd Street)
  • Dogs are permitted on the sandy beaches north of 42nd Street and south of Rudee Loop (Croatan and Sandbridge) before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m., provided they are leashed or under the control of their owner if unleashed
  • Service animals are exempt from these prohibitions under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The following pertain to pets/animals after Labor Day and before Memorial Day weekend:

  • Pets are welcome to enjoy the public beaches and Boardwalk at any time
  • Pets must be on a leash on the Boardwalk
  • Dogs may be off leash on the beach
  • For the safety of all beachgoers, canine and human alike, please supervise your pet carefully when off leash and only unleash on the sand with reliable voice command and recall