Free things to do in Virginia Beach: the beach and Boardwalk, city parks and natural areas, free festivals and concerts, library programs and museum days.
Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. Sources: Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation, the Virginia Beach Public Library, Virginia Beach History Museums, Beach Events VB and the City of Virginia Beach. Dates are for 2026 unless we say otherwise.
A lot of Virginia Beach costs nothing: the ocean and the bay beaches, about 3 miles of Boardwalk, trails in more than 230 parks and natural areas (the city’s count), and a steady calendar of free city festivals and concerts. Here is where to start, with the small print on parking.
Who to call
- Parks and Recreation: 757-385-1100; special events 757-385-2990
- Virginia Beach Public Library: 757-385-0150
- City information: VB311, 757-385-3111
The beach and the Boardwalk
- The Boardwalk runs about 3 miles from 2nd to 40th streets past the King Neptune statue at 31st Street. See our Oceanfront and Boardwalk guide.
- Grommet Island Park, Boardwalk and 2nd Street: a fully accessible beach playground with free beach wheelchairs.
- Public beaches are free to use. Parking is the cost: Resort Area meters and city surface lots are mostly free from Nov. 1 to March 31.
Parks and natural areas
- Mount Trashmore Park, 310 Edwin Drive: the nation’s first landfill park, the city says, with two man-made hills, two lakes, the Kids Cove playground, a skate park and fitness stations.
- Red Wing Park, 1398 General Booth Blvd.: the Miyazaki Japanese Garden, a fragrance garden, a pollinator garden and a dog park.
- Stumpy Lake Natural Area, 4797 Indian River Road: 1.65 miles of soft trails around a 278-acre lake with an ADA overlook.
- Pleasure House Point Natural Area, 3957 Marlin Bay Drive: marsh and maritime forest trails on the Lynnhaven River, open dawn to dusk.
- Great Neck Park, 2513 Shorehaven Drive: wooded paths and a Lynnhaven Bay overlook.
- Six fenced dog parks: see our dog-friendly guide.
- Level Green Park sprayground, 1520 Level Green Blvd.: free water play, Memorial Day to Labor Day, when it is 75 degrees or warmer.
The park office at Little Island Park lends balls, frisbees and volleyball sets free with a photo ID, and Mount Trashmore’s office lends carts and wheelchairs.
Free festivals and events
Coming up this season (2026):
| Event | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sanctuary light and flower art installation | Through Dec. 16; until 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, except Halloween | Mount Trashmore Park |
| Spook-y Ghoul-y Family Extravaganza | 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 | Princess Anne Recreation Center |
| Town and Treat | 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 | Town Center Fountain Plaza |
| VBPD Mounted Patrol Trunk or Treat | 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 | 2089 Indian River Road |
| Autumn in the Air | Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 | Mount Trashmore Park |
| Farmers Market Fall Festival | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 | 3640 Dam Neck Road |
| Santa’s Seaside Cinema | Noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 21, Nov. 28, Dec. 12, Dec. 19 | 31st Street Park |
| Chill at the Hill, with the city’s first drone show | 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12 | Mount Trashmore Park |
| Last Night on the Town | From 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 31 | Town Center |
Summer: Live! On Atlantic on four beachfront stages (most events free), Party at the Pier movies and concerts at Little Island Park, Summer Fest concerts in Town Center’s Fountain Plaza and Play All Day VA at Mount Trashmore. The Farmers Market’s Friday Night Hoedowns, with free live music, run 7 to 10 p.m. through October; the last two are Oct. 23 and Oct. 30.
Library programs
The Virginia Beach Public Library’s storytimes, StoryWalks, teen game nights and craft programs are free; most need registration two weeks ahead. Its Library of Things lends nature kits and state park backpacks, board games, telescopes and more with a library card. See our kids’ activities guide.
Free museum days
Virginia Beach History Museums hold free First Saturday Community Days at the Francis Land House, 3131 Virginia Beach Blvd., 10 a.m. to noon, with crafts and storytimes; in 2026 they had Halloween and 1920s automobile themes. The Francis Land House also offered free tours in January 2026, Thursday through Sunday. The city’s monthly History Lunch and Learn talks at the Lynnhaven House, 4409 Wishart Road, are free; bring your own lunch.
What costs a little
Not free, but cheap: the Little Island Fishing Pier charges $1 for residents and $2 for nonresidents to sightsee, and First Landing State Park charges a parking fee for its 20 miles of trails and bay beach.
What this means for you
- Go in the off-season for free Oceanfront parking.
- Check the Parks and Recreation special events page each month; most city festivals are free.
- Get a library card for storytimes and the Library of Things.
Related: things to do this month and walking and biking trails.
Frequently asked questions
What can you do for free in Virginia Beach?
Walk the 3-mile Boardwalk, use the public beaches, visit city parks such as Mount Trashmore and Red Wing, hike Stumpy Lake or Pleasure House Point, and go to free city festivals, summer concerts, library programs and free museum days.
Is parking free at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront?
From Nov. 1 to March 31 most on-street meters and city surface lots in the Resort Area are free. In summer, parking charges apply; Town Center garages are free all year.
Are Virginia Beach city parks free?
Yes, city parks are free to enter. Little Island Park in Sandbridge charges for parking from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, and First Landing State Park charges a parking fee.
What free events are coming up in Virginia Beach?
The Sanctuary art installation at Mount Trashmore runs through Dec. 16, 2026; Autumn in the Air and the Farmers Market Fall Festival are Nov. 7; Santa’s Seaside Cinema is on four Saturdays from Nov. 21; and Chill at the Hill with a drone show is Dec. 12.
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