The park is where English colonists first landed in 1607. Native American canoes, Colonial settlers, 20th-century schooners and modern cargo ships have navigated the park's waterways. Its cypress swamps were a source of fresh water for merchant mariners, pirates and military ships during the War of 1812.
The Virginia Beach Boardwalk stretches three glorious miles from Second Street to 40th Street, offering gorgeous ocean views. This 28-foot-wide marvel is a wonderful place to go for a stroll, run or bike ride. Along the way, watch surfers catching waves, anglers reeling in the day’s catch, and little ones playing in the sand or having fun at Grommet Island Park, a fully accessible playground at 40th Street.