Swimming Beaches Close to Richmond, Virginia

With the hot summer days in Richmond, I am always looking for fun ways to keep my children cool and entertained. And the beach is one of my go-to places to take them in the summer - my children love playing in the sand and swimming in the water. While I love Virginia Beach oceanfront and Cape Charles Town Beach, sometimes we can't swing a 2+ hour day trip or weekend getaway.

Luckily, Virginia has a bunch of beaches at lakes and rivers that are really easy for Richmond families to get to! I've rounded up 5 Virginia beaches for you to try with your family, and all of them are less than 2 hours from RVA. With each beach recommendation, you'll also find things to do nearby and places to eat, so you can find the perfect Virginia beach for your family!

Follow @thewestendmom for things to do with kids in Richmond, Virginia!

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Here are 5 beaches to visit this summer that are less than 2 hours from Richmond, Virginia.

1.Lake Anna State Park: This 3,127 acre state park has 10 miles of lake frontage, and it's just over an hour from Richmond, Virginia. It's open from 7 am to dusk, and the beach has guarded swimming at select times between Memorial Day and Labor Day. This is one of Virginia's most popular beaches, and this is a great spot for families.

The park also has a snack bar that is open Memorial Day through Labor Day next to the beach. Parking is in front of the beach, but there are a lot of stairs down to the beach. You could pull a wagon down the hill, but a stroller wouldn't work.

If we don't stay at the park all day, we love adding a meal at The Cove to our trip. You can eat on their deck overlooking the lake plus there is a lot of activity for little ones to see! We have also rented boats from Sturgeon Creek Marina during our day trips. The pontoon boats are fun for special occasions like Memorial Day, Father's Day & July 4th.

What I love about this Virginia beach with kids: We love it because it has very small waves (think Cape Charles style waves), and it's pretty shallow. I also love that there are two playgrounds right behind the beach, so you have water views while you play. You will find some shade around the playground area too - thanks to large trees! There is a 3rd playground at Ware Cove that is also on the lake, but you cannot swim near it.

Just so you know: Parking fills up quickly during the summer. The park rangers will close the park road when the parking lot is full - it won't reopen to new guests until people leave.

Location: 6800 Lawyers Road, Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia 22551

Distance from RVA: 1 hour and 11 minutes

Cost: It costs $7 for parking ($10 on weekends in April-October). Swimming fees apply too: ages 2 and under are free, ages 3-12 are $3 (weekdays) & $4 (weekends), and over 13 costs $4 (weekdays) and $5 (weekends). Check here for ways to visit a Virginia State Park for FREE.

*Check here for my full review of Lake Anna with kids.

*If you drive through Mineral, you will find this cute playground and LOVEworks sign!

2. Yorktown Beach: Located in Historic Yorktown, this local beach has 2 acres of beachfront on the York River. This beach is incredibly family friendly with lots of room to play in the sand and shallow water. The only waves come from boats leaving the docks - these are so much fun to watch! Next to the beach are public bathrooms and outdoor showers to rinse off sand. There is a new Mobi-Mat that accommodates strollers, wagons and wheelchairs, making this beach accessible for everyone. It is free to park, and the walk from the different parking lots is stroller/wagon friendly.

When we visit, we enjoy eating at Yorktown Pub. The outdoor patio is tented & overlooks the beach. The food portions are generous & my children loved the grilled cheese & chicken tender meals. We also never miss visiting Ben & Jerry's; it's just a short walk from the beach.

What I like about this Virginia beach with kids: This is one of our favorite local beaches because of the quaint town atmosphere, the free trolley, and the restaurants along the Riverwalk. I also love the small waves and shallow water for children to play in.

Just so you know: There are a lot of jellyfish around the end of July and August.

Location: 425 Water Street, Yorktown, Virginia 23690

Distance from RVA: 1 hour and 20 minutes

*Check here for my full review of Yorktown Beach with kids, and check here for more things to do in Yorktown with kids.

3. Bear Creek Lake State Park: Located in Cumberland County, this Virginia State Park is less than an hour from Richmond, next to Cumberland State Forest! It has trails for hiking, biking & horseback riding trails, archery ranges & two playgrounds. Bear Creek Lake State Park also has cabins & camping sites.

What I like about this Virginia beach with kids: The highlight of this park, especially in the summer, is the 40-acre lake with a boat launch, fishing pier, boat rentals & swimming! It also has playgrounds on the beach. This makes playing at both the playground and in the water really easy with kids. There is also guarded swimming between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Location: 22 Bear Creek Lake Road, Cumberland, VA 23040

Distance from RVA: 1 hour

Cost:  It costs $7 for parking ($10 on weekends in April-October). Swimming fees apply too: ages 2 and under are free, ages 3-12 are $3 (weekdays) & $4 (weekends), and over 13 costs $4 (weekdays) and $5 (weekends). Check here for ways to visit a Virginia State Park for FREE.

*Check here for my full review of Bear Creek Lake State Park with kids.

4. Colonial Beach: Located about an hour from Richmond, this beach is on the banks of the Potomac. Colonial Beach is a river and beach town with the second longest public beach in Virginia! It's also experiencing so much growth - a new boardwalk with shops and restaurants just opened, there are lots of new vacation rentals, and you can even drive a golf cart around town!

What I love about this Virginia beach with kids: We like this beach because the waves are small, so it's perfect for children and families. It's the second largest beach in Virginia, and there are a bunch of fun things to do around it. Colonial Beach has over 20 restaurants, and the boardwalk has shops & a golf cart LoveWorks sign on it. We like eating at Dockside Restaurant & Tiki Bar, and the outside patio is family friendly. There's sand under the tables - my littles loved playing in it while we eat. We also like the new pizza and acarde spot on the boardwalk: Muse Pizzeria Arcade. It has a patio with water views plus arcade games for the kiddos to enjoy.

Just so you know: While this beach gets crowded on summer days, we can usually find street parking before 10 in the morning even on weekends. My kids also prefer to wear water shoes on certain sections of the beach - some parts have sand that resembles small rocks.

Location: Colonial Beach, Virginia 22443

Distance from RVA: 1 hour 22 minutes

Cost: Free to swim

*Colonial Beach is less than 20 minutes from Westmoreland State Park. It has trails and beaches, including the popular Fossil Beach.

5. Jamestown Beach Event Park: This beach is just over an hour from Richmond in Jamestown, Virginia. Jamestown Beach is ADA accessible, family & dog-friendly. The beach is open from 8AM to sunset. The bathrooms & concession stand are open from Memorial Day to Labor Day from noon to 5 (week days) and noon to 6 (weekends). This beach has kayak rentals & a designated fishing area.

What I like about this Virginia beach with kids: We like this beach because the waves are very small, and there are so many family-friendly attractions in the Historic Triangle.  Also, Billsburg Brewery is nearby, and it's on the Jamestown Yacht Basin. Parking is relatively close & there is a drop off location (stroller/wagon friendly).

Location: 2205 Jamestown Road, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185

Distance from RVA: 1 hour 12 minutes

Cost: There is a parking fee from Memorial Day to Labor Day: $4 (weekdays) and $7 (weekends & holidays). There is also a 2.95% fee on credit/debit cards.

*Check here for my full review of Jamestown Beach & here for my review of VDOT's Ferry.

At just over 2 hours from RVA, you will find a family-friendly beach at First Landing State Park.

First Landing State Park:  First Landing State Park is the most visited state park in Virginia! There’s a lot of history here - it’s the location where the first English colonist landed in 1607. Legend also has it that Blackbeard (the pirate) hid in the Narrows area of the park. The park was built in part by an all African American Conservation Corps between 1933-1940. It has over 20 miles of trails & 1.5 miles of beach front. It has really easy beach access!

What I like about this Virginia beach with kids: The waves are very small, making it kid friendly (it’s on the Chesapeake Bay side of Virginia Beach). It is also a short, stroller-friendly walk from parking to the beach. We used a stroller from the car to the beach (just leaving it on the boardwalk).

Location: 2500 Shore Drive, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451

Distance from RVA 2h, 22m (a little more than 2 hours, but it's worth it!)

Cost: $7 parking on weekdays and $10 on weekends. This is cheaper than most Virginia Beach oceanfront day parking options!

Tips & Tricks for Visiting these Virginia beaches with kids:

1) These beaches are popular. Arrive early to find parking & to beat the crowd, especially on holidays and weekends.

2) Colonial Beach & Yorktown Beach both have a traditional beach atmosphere with a boardwalk & restaurants close by. Jamestown Beach Event Park, Bear Creek Lake State Park & Lake Anna State Park both have concessions open from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

3) Make sure you bring your own tent or umbrella for shade! It gets really hot on these beaches because they have full sun. Most of our lake & river beaches don't have a place to rent these items either.

4) My children stay in the shallow water where we can see the bottom. If you're more adventurous, be careful of the beaches with rocks (sharp!) & wear water shoes.

5) All state parks have a parking fee. If you have a REI receipt, it has a coupon for free parking at state parks at the bottom of it. You can learn more about visiting Virginia State Parks for free at this guide too.

*Check here for my summer must-haves!

things to do with kids in Virginia, Virginia beaches, beaches close to Richmond, Virginia

For more things to do with kids around Richmond, follow me on @thewestendmom on Instagram!