Virginia Beach, VA: The Complete Lowdown on Accessibility!

Quality accessibility found in quaint Virginia Beach

When you research the best beaches in the United States and accessible beaches, one of the names on both lists is Virginia Beach. Let’s dive into what makes this beach a hidden gem. 

I have traveled to several beaches in the US, from the West Coast to the Gulf of Mexico, and even a black sand beach in Santorini. While they all have something special, they did not compare it to what I found in Virginia Beach. This was my first trip to the Atlantic and I did notice several differences, the sand, the waves (the water was much cooler), and the measures Virginia Beach had taken to make this place not only accessible but usable. 

Beach Access

You can arrive from multiple areas from Atlantic Ave. and many of the main entrances have ramps, however, the entrances at 8th, 16th, 24th, 30th, and 40th Streets have extended wooden walkways to allow you closer access to the beach, you will find public restrooms at many of the significant entrance areas.

If you have children of any ability, check out Grommet Island Park on 2nd Street and the boardwalk. Here you will find a very well-designed and accessible playground right on the beach. The 15,000-square-foot park has poured-in-place surfacing, raised activity tables, sensory boards, and a swaying boat.

From here you can travel down the concrete boardwalk that extends the entire length of the beachfront. The boardwalk is large and allows for plenty of room for walking, running, wheelchairs, etc. Speaking of wheelchairs, the city of Virginia Beach has a great service where you can call and reserve a beach wheelchair on a first come first serve basis. I will say the information I found online prior to our trip stated you could access these at the 17th Street entrance; however, they have changed how to obtain wheelchairs. Beachgoers now call 757-439-9565 (between 8 AM and 8 PM) and reserve a wheelchair and the city delivers it to you wherever you are on Atlantic Ave. You can keep the wheelchair overnight, but you must reserve it in advance. Information on reserving a beach wheelchair will be attached below. 

Accessible traveling in Virginia Beach 

After you explore the beach, restaurants, and boardwalk, and if you want to explore the area further you can catch a FreeBee or the Wave Trolley. Both have accessible vehicle options. The FreeBee is a door-to-door on-demand transportation service and the cars are 100% electric. This service prides itself on catering to all ages, children, seniors, and all types of pets. FreeBee also offers booster seats as appropriate for children who exceed the requirement to travel in a car seat. You can use the app to reserve a ride or by flagging an available vehicle. They also have a number for accessibility accommodations that are provided at the bottom. 

The Wave Trolley is made up of four routes, Atlantic Ave, Aquarium & Campground, Oceanfront Connector, and Bayfront Trolley. There is a paratransit option that is $3.50 per trip, and you do have to apply to utilize the paratransit option. This is simple and can be done on the mobile app or by calling. The Atlantic route will take you up and down the main road along the beach, there are shops, restaurants, and museums you can choose to stop at along the way. The Aquarium route takes you to campgrounds, tennis courts, parks, and the aquarium and marine center. The Oceanfront Connector provides access to the convention center, Virginia Beach sports center, and the Vibe Creative District (this is where Pharrell Williams is building a huge surf park). Lastly, Bayfront travels through Atlantic Ave/3rd Street, Pleasure House Road, First Landing State Park, Fort Story, North End Beaches, and Chesapeake Bay beaches and Bayfront restaurants. 

Accessibility Score for Virginia Beach 

Overall, the accessibility of Virginia Beach receives an 8.5 out of 10. The beachfront and downtown area were very clean, with many public and accessible restrooms, an inclusive playground, an oversized boardwalk with easy access from the street and beach areas, and free/low-cost travel options around the area. A couple of the cons I did find for this beautiful beach, were that while it is accessible, finding the accessibility information online was not up to date and incorrect, I found answers by asking the helpful beach staff. The ramps are easy to find and take you onto the sand, however, there are no access ramps into the water directly. While I am not a wheelchair user myself, I went there with accessibility and useability in mind and when I encountered a person utilizing the accessible features, I asked them about their experiences and their feedback was positive. If you have traveled to this beach, share your experience to help spread the word. 

Extra Info:

While you’re on the beach check out Cavalier Beach Club and Tulu’s Seaside Bar and Grill. These are right on the beach, beautiful, great food (allergen-friendly menu), and allow for accessible beach access as well. 

Virginia Beach is also a central location for tons of aviation and American history, we spent a day in Colonial Williamsburg. We did not pay for the museums or attractions, but we explored the beautiful William and Mary campus, marketplace area, brunch at the Amber Ox, and drinks at the Precarious Beer Project. Entering the visitors center in Colonial Williamsburg provides ramps downhill (for an inexperienced wheelchair user this could be steep and there is a semi-sharp turn towards the bottom), there is a bus that takes you around the large area that provides wheelchair/scooter access, and all buildings in the marketplace area were accommodated with accessible entrances. 

Check out Boundless Travel Planning on Facebook and Instagram for more information or contact Madicyn Huddleston. 

Accessibility information:
FreeBee- https://ridefreebee.com/service-areas/virginia-beach 
Wave Trolley- https://gohrt.com/paratransit/ 
Grommet Island Park- https://www.visitvirginiabeach.com/listing/grommet-island-park/663/ 
Beach wheelchair rental (US number)- 757-439-9565

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