The Virginia Beach Boardwalk stretches three miles along the Atlantic from 2nd Street to 40th Street, making it one of the longest pleasure boardwalks in the United States. Wide enough for cyclists, joggers, and strolling families at the same time, it runs parallel to a broad sandy beach that ranks consistently among the most visited in the country. The resort strip behind the boardwalk is dense with hotels, restaurants, arcades, and souvenir shops — unabashedly commercial, occasionally tacky, and entirely comfortable with what it is.
The centerpiece of the boardwalk is the King Neptune statue at 31st Street, a 34-foot bronze figure rising from the sand that has become the unofficial symbol of the city. Nearby, the 34th Street Park area hosts concerts and festivals throughout the summer. The Atlantic Avenue corridor running parallel to the boardwalk connects the beach to the restaurants and bars of the resort strip; side streets heading inland lead to quieter neighborhoods. At the north end of the boardwalk near Cape Henry, the density of development thins and you start to feel the openness of the bay entrance.
The beach itself is wide and well-maintained, with lifeguards on duty throughout the summer season. The surf is generally mild compared to the Outer Banks to the south, which makes it excellent for families and casual swimmers. Parking is expensive and competitive in summer; arriving early or using the trolley from satellite lots off Atlantic Avenue makes a real difference.