If the way you do math is Warm Weather + Sunshine = Beach, then you are SO my people! There is something therapeutic about crashing waves and the vast lack of civilization in front of me that calms and centers my soul. (Side note: How I survived in NYC for as long as I did is beyond me! Oh, wait. They have Broadway. Never mind…)
If you are like me and want to find that picture perfect moment away from everyone else having their picture perfect moment (and avoid $10+ a day to park a standard car) then I highly recommend Little Island State Park in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Surrounded by summer homes, a national park, and one rather large condominium complex, Little Island State Park is a quiet stretch of beach that, I am told, is similar to the Outer Banks. Having yet to travel to the Outer Banks, I can not attest to this myself. What I can say is that it is beautiful, quiet, and filled with some of the best, non broken shells I’ve found in Hampton Roads.
This little slice of serenity located in the Sandbridge area of Virginia Beach, is less than ten miles from the touristy oceanfront but a world away from its hustle and bustle. A very similar experience to visiting the center of New York City’s Central Park after spending the morning in Times Square; I highly recommend it!
The cost of visiting Little Island State Park is minimal at best. Free if visited from Labor Day weekend to Memorial Day weekend, during the summer months it is $3 for Virginia Beach residents, $5 for Non-Virginia Beach Residents, and $10 for Buses/RV’s. If you go, make sure to bring a bucket for all of your shells… or you’ll end up like me and have to siphon sand out of your purse as well as convince your companions to add to their pocket hull and bring in your shells! Totally worth it, in my opinion. Though I have had this purse for at least five years and the people I begged to carry my shells were my parents so… pick your poison! 😉
So, pack a lunch, bring your sand toys, and travel off the beaten path to Little Island State Park, a viable and affordable alternative to the busy Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
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