Bike the Virginia Beach Boardwalk's Three Miles of Monuments
The holder of the Guinness World Record for the world's longest pleasure beach, Virginia Beach consists of a 28-mile stretch of frontage on the Atlantic Ocean plus an additional 10 miles along Chesapeake Bay. The busiest and best-known section is reached from the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. This wide three-mile paved path runs alongside the beach from 2nd Street to 40th Street and was constructed with dedicated lanes for walking and for cycling. All of which means exploring VB, as the city's known to locals, by bike can be enjoyed without having to worry about pedestrians or cars.
Getting Started
My Virginia Beach biking adventure began at The Historic Cavalier Hotel & Beach Club. Built in 1927 and still referred to as the "Grand Dame of the Shore" for its elegance, it's just a short ride north of the Boardwalk's starting points. Hotel perks include three hours of complimentary bike rental, which is plenty of time to cover the entire length and back. And if you need your bike longer, a reasonable hourly fee applies.
Collecting a bike from the concierge services at The Cavalier's partner hotel, the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront Resort, is a breeze. And be sure to ask for a bike with a basket for your water, sunscreen, and that layer of clothing you'll shed as you warm up.
Minutes later, I was off to visit the major monuments and attractions along the Oceanfront Bike Path, the parallel route that runs alongside the main boardwalk for its entire length. That means three whole miles of one of the world's most spectacular beachfronts to explore. So don't pedal too fast, as there's a lot to see and do here.
Navy SEAL and Law Enforcement Memorials
The Virginia Beach Boardwalk is where you'll find several evocative memorials dedicated to America's military and police. You don't have to go too far along the bike path before you come across the first of these, the Navy SEAL Monument at 38th Street.
Donated to the city by the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida, its centerpiece is a life-size bronze known as "The Naked Warrior" depicting a World War II Underwater Demolition Team swimmer crouched on a beach obstacle. Sand gathered from places around the world where SEALs and their forerunners trained and fought surrounds the base, while the surrounding wall carries a star for every SEAL and a paw print for every SEAL K-9 killed in the line of duty.
Three blocks further along, at 35th Street, you'll come to the Virginia Beach Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. This 19-foot monument features three larger-than-life bronze officers representing the Virginia Beach Police Department, the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office, and the state and federal agencies that serve the city. Their hands interlock above, while their free hands reach down toward the names of officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Neptune's Park and Neptune Statue
The most famous (and most photographed) of VB's oceanfront statues is located adjacent to Neptune's Park at 31st Street, between the beach and the boardwalk. The statue, 34 feet tall and weighing in at 12 tons, depicts a buff King Neptune holding a trident in his right hand while his left rests on a loggerhead turtle. Look closely, and you'll also see two dolphins, an octopus, and several fish circling the statue's 12-foot rock base.
Handy benches are placed directly opposite Neptune and are perfect places to park your bike and watch the world go by. Better still, grab a Starbucks and a sweet treat from Duck Donuts, both just a few steps from the beach. Neptune's Park also hosts concerts and events, so it's worth checking the city's events calendar to see what's on.
The Norwegian Lady
Suitably refreshed, carry on pedaling south until you come to the Norwegian Lady at 25th Street, a nine-foot bronze of a woman gazing out to sea. One of the most intriguing monuments on the Virginia Beach Boardwalk, it commemorates the wreck of the Norwegian bark Dictator, which ran aground on a sandbar off present-day 37th Street in 1891.
Carrying pine from Pensacola, Florida, to England, seven of those aboard died, among them the captain's wife and their four-year-old son. Located here since 1962, the statue stands as a symbol of friendship between Virginia Beach and Moss, the ship's home port in Norway.
I was especially interested to see the statue as my Norwegian uncle hails from Moss, south of Oslo, and told me that a second, identical Norwegian Lady stands there looking back towards the United States. Take the time to read the plaque that details the history of the shipwreck and how it led to this unique international bond.
The Naval Aviation Monument
One of the larger monuments on VB's seafront, the Naval Aviation Monument Park is tucked away just behind the Norwegian Lady and features a series of sculptures depicting milestones in aviation history.
The focus, of course, is on the region's long connection to the military and flight. Bronze figures represent early aviators, modern pilots, and flight crews who trained or served near Virginia Beach. It's a location that's particularly apt, as you'll often see and hear fighter jets from the nearby Naval Air Station Oceana passing overhead.
The Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum
Back on the Virginia Beach bike path, carry on a block further south to 24th Street and the Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum. Set in the original 1903 Seatack station of the United States Life-Saving Service, the building was moved from its original location a short distance, turned 90 degrees, and reopened to the public as a museum in 1981.
Inside, you'll find displays and photos of dramatic rescues, along with exhibits detailing how rescue equipment has evolved down the decades. Check out the antique surfboards used by early lifeguards, as well as a Lyle gun used to fire lifelines out to stricken vessels. Public restrooms are located just behind the museum in case you need a pit stop.
Virginia Beach Fishing Pier
Nearly a mile further along the bike path, you'll find yourself at the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier at 15th Street. Erected in 1950 and open to the public from April through October, it's a favorite spot for locals and visitors hoping to catch a variety of species such as flounder and Spanish mackerel.
You'll want to lock up your wheels at the nearby bike rack and walk the 1,000-foot length of the pier for superb views over the Atlantic. Then, swivel around and capture a few photos of that epic VB beachfront.
The pier is also home to one of Cherie's Bike & Blade Rentals' several locations. Renting bikes here since 1984, the company describes itself as Virginia Beach's oldest and largest rental operation. If you don't have access to a complimentary hotel bike as I did, they offer beach cruisers, kid-friendly bikes, and quad-cycle surrey bikes for families.
Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum
Three blocks south of the pier at 12th Street is another attraction worthy of a visit, the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum. Set in the de Witt Cottage, built in 1895 and the oldest private structure on the Virginia Beach oceanfront, it was the work of Bernard Peabody Holland, famous locally as the city's first mayor.
Now operated by the Back Bay Wildfowl Guild, the museum focuses on the wildfowl that migrate through this region each year, and on the carving traditions that grew up around them. Exhibits include carved decoys ranging from antique working birds to contemporary competition pieces, memorabilia from old hunt clubs, and original paintings.
If you're lucky, you might even find a volunteer carver at work. A small gift shop is located on-site.
Virginia Legends Walk
Although slightly off the main path and requiring a few minutes of cycling inland from the pier, the Virginia Legends Walk at 13th Street Park is well worth the minor diversion. Running between Atlantic and Pacific Avenues, it's a place that holds special significance to VB residents as it honors Virginians (by birth or by residence) who've made significant contributions to the nation and the world.
I was lucky to bump into a very helpful city employee who gave me the low-down on some of the names. He also pointed out the plaques dedicated to notable Virginians, including poet Edgar Allan Poe, singer Ella Fitzgerald, tennis champion Arthur Ashe, and President George Washington, just to name a few.
He was also keen to point out the city's connection to local boy made good, Pharrell Williams. The popular song maker of hits like Happy was born in Virginia Beach and continues to be a strong advocate of the community.
Grommet Island Park
Your three-mile ride along the Oceanfront Bike Path ends at JT's Grommet Island Beach Park and Playground For EveryBODY at 2nd Street. It's a bit of a mouthful, so locals simply call it Grommet Island Park. Overlooking Rudee Inlet where it meets the Atlantic, the park was the first fully accessible oceanfront park of its kind in America.
Special features include raised sand tables as well as accessible seating, a sensory board, wood polymer decking out to accessible seating, and free beach wheelchairs. There are picnic areas here, too, with great views of the boats coming and going through the inlet.
And it's here that your exploration of Virginia Beach Boardwalk by bike ends. Well, it would if you didn't have to cycle back to your starting point at The Cavalier. But hey, you get to see those wonderful Virginia Beach monuments and views all over again.
