Updated August 2026
Best beaches in Virginia by water quality
Virginia has 52 public beaches in the EPA monitoring dataset, 44 of them with enough bacteria samples to grade. 20 earn an A for consistently clean water, while 2 grade an F for frequently exceeding the safe-swimming limit. Full ranking below. National lists: cleanest beaches in the US and beaches that exceed bacteria limits most often.
Virginia beaches on the map
Ways to pick a Virginia beach
Cleanest water (Grade A)
- Captains Quarters — Norfolk
- Gloucester Point Beach — Gloucester
- Lesner Bridge East — Virginia Beach
- Sea Gate — Virginia Beach
| Grade | Beach | County | % over limit | Samples | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Captains Quarters | Norfolk | 0% | 84 | Excellent |
| A | Gloucester Point Beach | Gloucester | 0% | 83 | Excellent |
| A | Lesner Bridge East | Virginia Beach | 0% | 60 | Excellent |
| A | Sea Gate | Virginia Beach | 0% | 58 | Excellent |
| A | Assateague Island National Seashore | Accomack | 0% | 41 | Excellent |
| A | 13th View, North End | Norfolk | 0% | 40 | Excellent |
| A | East Community Beach, End Of East Ocean View Ave. | Norfolk | 0% | 34 | Excellent |
| A | Chick's Beach | Virginia Beach | 0% | 29 | Excellent |
| A | Little Island Beach South | Virginia Beach | 0% | 27 | Excellent |
| A | Little Island Beach North | Virginia Beach | 0% | 25 | Excellent |
| A | Dam Neck North | Virginia Beach | 0% | 24 | Excellent |
| A | Fort Story South | Virginia Beach | 0% | 24 | Excellent |
| A | Dam Neck Middle | Virginia Beach | 0% | 24 | Excellent |
| A | Sarah Constant Park, East End | Norfolk | 0% | 22 | Excellent |
| A | Buckroe North | Hampton | 0% | 22 | Excellent |
| A | 5th Bay St., North End | Norfolk | 0% | 20 | Excellent |
| A | Salt Ponds | Hampton | 1.1% | 87 | Excellent |
| A | Town Of Cape Charles Public Beach | Northampton | 1.2% | 86 | Excellent |
| A | Assateague Virginia | Accomack | 1.4% | 287 | Excellent |
| A | Festival Beach | Mathews | 2.6% | 38 | Excellent |
| B | 45th Street | Virginia Beach | 3.3% | 90 | Good |
| B | North Community Beach | Norfolk | 3.6% | 84 | Good |
| B | First Landing State Park | Virginia Beach | 4% | 25 | Good |
| B | Kiptopeke State Park | Northampton | 4.3% | 23 | Good |
| B | Ocean View Park, East Side Of Parking Lot | Norfolk | 4.4% | 45 | Good |
| B | 63rd Street | Virginia Beach | 4.7% | 86 | Good |
| B | Dam Neck South | Virginia Beach | 4.8% | 21 | Good |
| B | Huntington Beach | Newport News | 5% | 80 | Good |
| B | Buckroe Mid | Hampton | 5% | 20 | Good |
| B | Yorktown Beach | York | 5.1% | 78 | Good |
| B | Guard Shore | Accomack | 5.8% | 52 | Good |
| B | Sandbridge South | Virginia Beach | 6% | 84 | Good |
| B | 15th Street | Virginia Beach | 6.1% | 163 | Good |
| C | Camp Pendleton | Virginia Beach | 7.1% | 42 | Fair |
| C | Fort Monroe | Hampton | 7.1% | 28 | Fair |
| C | King/Lincoln Park | Newport News | 8.6% | 81 | Fair |
| C | Anderson's Beach | Newport News | 9.5% | 21 | Fair |
| C | 78th Street | Virginia Beach | 9.6% | 52 | Fair |
| C | Back Bay Beach | Virginia Beach | 10.5% | 133 | Fair |
| D | Buckroe South | Hampton | 17.5% | 40 | Poor |
| D | Sandbridge North | Virginia Beach | 20.5% | 83 | Poor |
| D | Chesapeake Beach | Virginia Beach | 21.1% | 152 | Poor |
| F | 28th Street | Virginia Beach | 30.2% | 63 | Failing |
| F | Hilton Beach | Newport News | 50% | 34 | Failing |
Download the full Virginia beach safety ranking
All 44 graded Virginia beaches with their Beach Safety Grade, exceedance rate, sample counts, and program status — from EPA monitoring data. Enter your email to download. A grade is a multi-year classification, not a same-day safety clearance.
Virginia beach grade updates
Get new grades and water-quality updates for Virginia beaches by email.
Where to stay near Virginia beaches
Find beachfront hotels, condos, and vacation rentals across Virginia — live availability and prices.
Top-rated places to stay near Virginia beaches
Prices for Oct 2–4, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Watch Virginia beach grades
Get an email when a graded Virginia beach posts a new sample or swim advisory.
Frequently Asked Questions
The table ranks Virginia beaches by Beach Safety Grade from EPA bacteria samples. Grade A beaches have the fewest exceedances of the safe-swimming limit.
Hotels, condos, and vacation rentals for Virginia beaches are on the map on this page. Compare water quality in the table, then book from the town you actually want to swim from.
Virginia beaches vary. Of 44 graded beaches, 20 earn an A for the fewest bacteria exceedances and 2 earn an F for exceeding the safe-swimming limit most often. A grade is a multi-year record, not a same-day clearance — check the county advisory the day you swim.
The day you swim. A grade is a history of samples, not a same-day clearance — check the county advisory before you get in.