False Cape State Park

Bike or hike in through a wildlife refuge to six miles of empty Atlantic beach, dunes and maritime forest on a spit with no road access.

4001 Sandpiper Rd., Virginia Beach, VA 23456 (reached on foot, bike or boat through Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge) · Virginia Beach, VA

About False Cape State Park

False Cape covers 4,321 acres on a narrow spit between Back Bay and the Atlantic, south of Sandbridge to the North Carolina line. No cars are allowed, so visitors arrive by foot, bicycle or boat through Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge; the Barbour Hill visitor center is 5.6 miles from the Little Island City Park lot. Five trails total 15.3 miles past dunes, maritime forest, marsh and the site of Wash Woods, a village built from shipwreck timber. From November through March the refuge's interior trails close, so the beach is the only land route. A reserved tram runs in some seasons.

#state park
#beach
#biking
#primitive camping
#barrier spit

What's around here?

The closest stops to False Cape State Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

Museums
Military Aviation Museum
$25–$50
A Virginia Beach museum with a large group of vintage military planes, many able to fly.
9.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums
Attractions
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
$25–$50
A Virginia Beach aquarium and marine science center with hundreds of species across indoor exhibits and outdoor programs.
17 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions
Shopping
Lynnhaven Mall
Check prices
Large enclosed shopping center in Virginia Beach with many stores, a movie theater, and dining options.
18 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping
Sports & Outdoors
Family Favorite
Virginia Beach Boardwalk
No admission fee
Stroll or bike a three-mile oceanfront promenade lined with hotels, restaurants and the King Neptune statue.
Transit: reachable by public transit
19 mi awayMore like this
Sports & Outdoors
Outdoor Adventure
First Landing State Park
Under $25
Hike cypress swamp and maritime forest trails, then hit 1.5 miles of Chesapeake Bay beach where English colonists landed in 1607.
23 mi awayMore like this
Sports & Outdoors
Norfolk Botanical Garden
$25–$50
A large public garden and arboretum in Norfolk, Virginia, known for its conservatory, children's garden, and seasonal holiday light display.
28 mi awayMore like this