Virginia Beach (First Street)

At a glance

About this spot

Beach-break peaks by the jetty at the south end of VB — small most of the year, best on hurricane swell.

Location

36.8533, -75.9783

Trip overview

First Street Jetty is the heart of Virginia Beach surfing — the rock-and-sand setup on the north side of Rudee Inlet, at the very south end of the resort strip, where the city's surfers have been gathering for more than 30 years. The jetty traps sand and focuses what swell there is, so when the rest of town is a flat, gutless shorebreak, First Street usually still has a wave. That's the whole reason it matters: this is the most reliable, best-organized peak in a city that is not, most of the year, a wave-rich destination. Expect mainly rights peeling off the rocks, best on a SE or E swell with a SW or W wind, and a crowd of locals, groms, military surfers and contest hopefuls jockeying for the same handful of peaks.

Be honest with yourself about the conditions. This is an East Coast beach break: small, weak and often blown out for long stretches, with summer flat spells where ankle-snappers are the norm and a longboard or fish is the only thing that makes sense. The spot comes alive on two windows — late-summer and fall hurricane swells (the September–October sweet spot, when a well-placed storm can make Virginia Beach look like it doesn't belong on the mid-Atlantic), and winter nor'easters that deliver cold, raw, often-disorganized power. Either way you're surfing around tide and wind more than chasing perfection.

What First Street lacks in wave quality it makes up for in convenience and infrastructure. It's a five-minute drive from a real airport (ORF), surrounded by oceanfront hotels, a three-mile boardwalk, surf shops that have been here for 50-plus years, and the East Coast Surfing Championships — the longest continually run surf contest in the world — held at the 1st Street Jetty itself every August. Come for a cheap, easy, surf-when-it's-on trip with plenty to do on flat days, not for a guaranteed score.

Local vibe & lineup etiquette

First Street is known as a serious, established local peak — the focal point for the whole city's surf scene and host to decades of contests — so the lineup runs on real pecking order, especially on the rare good days. Visitors are expected to read the rotation, not drop in on the obvious set wave off the rocks, and not paddle straight to the prime peak and snake. Quiet competence and waiting your turn earn you waves; entitlement does not. It's an urban beach-break crowd, not a hostile reef tribe, but it is competitive.

In the lineup: The best, most organized peak forms right off the rock jetty on the north side of Rudee Inlet, mostly rights; it works best on SE/E swell with SW/W winds and is often best around high tide. Sit too deep by the rocks and you're in the contest zone and the rip; less-experienced surfers should sit well up the beach away from the jetty. Beware the permanent rip current at the inlet — it runs hard when NE winds and 3–5 ft surf hit the rocks. Enter and exit on the beach, not over the slick jetty boulders. One rule shapes everything here: from May through September, Virginia Beach bans surfing on the main resort beach (1st–41st St) during the day — 10am–4pm weekdays, 10am–6pm weekends — except in the designated year-round surf zones (1st Street Jetty, 5th Street, Croatan and Camp Pendleton). The 1st Street Jetty is one of those zones, which is exactly why the city's whole summer crowd funnels onto it; a leash is required at all times.

The Virginia Beach oceanfront is a classic American resort strip: a three-mile boardwalk, oceanfront hotel towers, mini-golf, t-shirt shops, bars and a summer crush of tourists and convention-goers, with a Navy town's energy behind it. The south end around 1st Street and Rudee Inlet is the quieter, more surf-and-fishing-flavored corner, with the marina, the jetty crew and the Croatan neighborhood just across the inlet. It's not a charming surf village — it's a big, busy beach city — but it's clean, easy, safe and packed with things to do when the ocean's flat.

Getting there

Fly into Norfolk International Airport (ORF) — about 20 miles from the break, 25–35 minutes. Newport News/Williamsburg (PHF) is ~40 min away with fewer flights; Richmond (RIC) is ~1h45m and sometimes cheaper for a longer trip. ORF is almost always the right call — it's the closest major airport and a short, simple drive.

• rental car$40–80/day25–35 min via I-264 East

  The default and easiest option, especially with boards — every major chain has a desk at ORF. I-264 East runs straight to the oceanfront; First Street is at the south end near Rudee Inlet. Request an SUV or wagon if you have anything over 7'0", or bring soft racks for a sedan.

• rideshare$30–55 one way25–35 min

  Uber and Lyft both run reliably from ORF to the oceanfront. Fine if you're staying on the boardwalk and not planning to drive around, but a board bag may need an XL/SUV request and not every driver will take a longboard — message ahead.

• taxi$45–65 one way25–35 min

  Metered cabs queue at ORF arrivals. Comparable to rideshare; confirm the driver can fit a board bag before loading.

• shuttle$20–40 per person35–50 min with stops

  Shared airport shuttle/van services serve the oceanfront hotels; cheapest solo but board bags are hit-or-miss and you'll wait for other drops. Book ahead online.

Getting around

A rental car ($40–80/day) is the practical pick — it gets you to groceries, the state park, Sandbridge and alternate breaks, and lets you check the jetty before committing. If you base yourself oceanfront, you can manage car-free: Uber/Lyft are reliable, the seasonal VB Wave trolley runs Atlantic Avenue in summer, and beach-cruiser bike rentals are everywhere along the boardwalk. Parking near 1st Street is metered/paid lots in season — factor that in.

Boards: Rental cars are the simplest way to move boards; ask for an SUV or bring soft racks for a sedan. Rideshare/taxi drivers can usually fit a shortboard but request an XL vehicle for longboards and message ahead. If you're walking from boardwalk lodging you can simply carry your board to the jetty — that's how most people do it.

Where to stay

• Schooner Innhotel$ budget

  ~0.1 mi from Rudee Inlet — short walk to the First Street jetty · About the closest budget bed to the break, right at the quiet south end by Rudee Inlet. Simple, well-reviewed and walkable to the jetty — a sensible base for a surf-first trip without paying boardwalk-tower prices. (Booking.com, direct)

• Coastal Hotel & Suites Virginia Beach - Oceanfronthotel$ mid-range

  ~20th Street oceanfront — ~1.5 mi / short bike or 5-min drive south to the jetty · Well-reviewed oceanfront hotel mid-strip with direct beach access, oceanfront balconies, indoor pool and free breakfast. A solid, reliable middle option on the boardwalk; you'll bike or drive the short stretch south to the First Street jetty. (Booking.com, Expedia, direct)

• Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfronthotel$$ high-end

  ~31st Street oceanfront — ~1.7 mi / short bike or 5-min drive north of the jetty · Upscale oceanfront tower in the mid-north 31st Street district with a 21st-floor Sky Bar, rooftop pool and the Catch 31 raw bar downstairs. The comfortable splurge; you'll bike or drive the boardwalk south to First Street. (Hilton.com, Booking.com)

• The Cavalier Resort (Marriott / Embassy Suites campus)resort$$ high-end

  ~40th–42nd Street — ~2 mi / 5–10 min drive north · The historic landmark resort complex at the north end, anchoring the Marriott and Embassy Suites by Hilton — top-rated on review sites. Worth it if the trip is half surf, half a polished oceanfront stay; you'll drive or bike the boardwalk south to the jetty. (Direct (cavalierresortvb.com), Hilton.com, Marriott.com)

• Oceanfront vacation rentals & condosvacation rental$ mid-range

  Varies — many in the 1st–20th Street boardwalk corridor, walk to short drive · Airbnb/Vrbo condos and beach houses are plentiful along the resort strip and into Croatan just south of the inlet. Best value for groups or longer stays — pick a 1st–10th Street place for the shortest walk to the jetty and a kitchen for self-catering. (Airbnb, Vrbo)

• First Landing State Park campground & cabinscamping$ budget

  ~7 mi north at Cape Henry — 15–20 min drive · Wooded oceanfront campsites and rental cabins inside the state park at the north end of the city. The cheapest, most outdoorsy base — you'll drive to the jetty, but you trade that for trails, quiet and Chesapeake Bay beach on flat days. (Reserve America (Virginia State Parks))

Eat & drink

• Doc Taylor'srestaurant$ mid-range

  Breakfast and brunch — grits, Bloody Marys, beachfront-cottage classics — Local favorite for the post-dawn-patrol breakfast, set in an old beach cottage that once held a doctor's office. A few blocks off the boardwalk; go early on weekends or wait.

• Pocahontas Pancakes & Waffle Houserestaurant$ budget

  Pancakes and waffles — Food Network 'best pancake house' pick — Oceanfront breakfast institution running since the 1970s, family-friendly and cheap. The reliable pre-surf carb-load on Atlantic Avenue.

• Rudee's on the Inlet Restaurant & Cabana Barrestaurant$ mid-range

  Fresh local seafood, crab, and the marina-side Cabana Bar — A 40-plus-year south-end institution right on Rudee Inlet marina, in a replica Coast Guard station — the closest sit-down spot to the jetty. Great post-surf with views over the inlet; busy happy hour.

• Gringo's Taqueriarestaurant$ budget

  Fish tacos with habanero cream, burritos, margaritas — Cheap, locally loved Tex-Mex near the oceanfront — the easy budget refuel after a session. Fast, casual, good margaritas.

• Three Ships Coffeecafe$ budget

  House-roasted coffee and breakfast — Local roastery and coffee bar a few blocks back from the oceanfront — the spot for a real flat white before a dawn check, not the hotel-lobby drip.

• Catch 31 Fish House & Barrestaurant$$ high-end

  Raw bar and fresh fish, oceanfront — Upscale oceanfront seafood at the Hilton near 31st Street, a short bike or drive north of the jetty. The night-out splurge with an oyster bar and ocean views.

• Waterman's Surfside Grillerestaurant$ mid-range

  Famous Orange Crush cocktail and local seafood — Long-running oceanfront bar-restaurant (around 5th Street) known statewide for the Orange Crush. Reliable casual seafood and a deck — a classic VB après-surf hang near the south end.

Cooking for yourself

• Food Lion (Laskin Road / nearby oceanfront)supermarket

  Full supermarket a short drive inland from the oceanfront — everything you need for self-catering a condo: produce, meat, dairy, snacks, beer. The practical stock-up if you've rented a place with a kitchen.

• Harris Teetersupermarket

  Larger, slightly nicer grocery chain with locations a few minutes' drive from the resort strip — good deli, prepared foods and a broad selection for longer stays. Pair with a quick boardwalk-area convenience store for water and snacks near your room.

• 7-Eleven / oceanfront convenience storesminimart

  Multiple convenience stores along Atlantic and Pacific Avenues for water, ice, snacks, sunscreen and beer within walking distance of the boardwalk — handy when you don't want to drive, but pricier than the supermarkets.

Surf shops & rentals

• 17th Street Surf Shopwaxleashesfinsboard salesapparelwetsuits

  Virginia Beach institution since 1970 (oceanfront location around 16th–17th Street, a short walk or quick drive north of the jetty). Deep board selection from top shapers plus all the hardware, wax, leashes, fins and cold-water wetsuits you'll need — the go-to for last-minute gear. Confirm rental availability by phone in season.

• Wave Riding Vehicles (WRV)board salesboard rentallessonswaxleashesfinswetsuitsapparel~$25–40/day for board rentals (call to confirm)

  Iconic Virginia Beach surf brand and shop since 1967, on Cypress Avenue a few minutes from the oceanfront. Their own shaped boards, full retail, rentals and the well-run WRV Surf Camps and lessons (now merged with the Jason Borte school) — the best one-stop for visitors needing a board or coaching.

• Coastal Edgeboard salesapparelwaxleashesfinswetsuits

  Local surf/skate chain and title sponsor of the East Coast Surfing Championships, with an oceanfront store. Strong for apparel, hardware and boards; useful backup if 17th Street or WRV don't have what you need.

When you're not surfing

• Virginia Beach Boardwalknaturefree

  Three miles of oceanfront promenade from 1st Street north, with a separate bike path, street performers and food. The default flat-day stroll, run or cruiser-bike ride right from the jetty.

• Rudee Tours dolphin-watching boat tripwater$30–45 per adult

  90-minute bottlenose-dolphin watching cruise out of Rudee Inlet (May–Sept), departing steps from the First Street jetty. The easy water activity for flat spells; whale-watching trips run in winter.

• First Landing State Parknaturefree–$10 parking

  20 miles of trails and the 6-mile Cape Henry Trail through live oak and salt marsh at Cape Henry, ~15 min north. Hike, bike or kayak the Chesapeake Bay side on a flat day; campground on site.

• Cape Henry Lighthouseculture$5–10

  Climb the 1792 original lighthouse (and see the 1881 'new' one) at Fort Story, ~20 min north, for big Atlantic-and-bay views. A quick history stop where the first colonists landed in 1607.

• East Coast Surfing Championships (late August)culturefree to watch

  The longest continually run surf contest in the world, held at the 1st Street Jetty itself every August since 1963, with the festival footprint sprawling north to about 10th Street — a week-long beach party drawing 100,000-plus. Time a trip around it if you want the scene at full tilt (expect peak crowds and prices).

• Rudee Inlet watersports (jet ski, parasail, fishing charters)adventure$ (jet ski ~$80–120/hr; charters vary)

  The marina at Rudee Inlet, right by the jetty, is the hub for jet-ski rentals, parasailing and deep-sea fishing charters — the obvious adrenaline/flat-day options without leaving the south end.

Practical notes

Know before you go — United States

Other passports: entry rules differ — check the official source before booking.

Frequently asked questions

Guide researched and verified 2026-06-17. Details change — confirm bookings and entry requirements before travel.

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