Hiking in Virginia Beach: Pleasure House Point Natural Area

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This week’s hike was at Pleasure House Point Natural Area. This is located in Virginia Beach in the Chesapeake Bay Beach area. When I started hiking I thought it would be a good idea to check out all the local trails and find out what hiking in Virignia Beach is like.

So far I have not been disappointed. I have been on quite a few trails and Pleasure House Point Natural Area is one of my new favorites. It is about a 15-20 minute drive from the Oceanfront. Definitely worth a visit.

Pleasure House Point Natural Area

Pleasure House Point is a large area of land that has been designated a natural area. At one time, it was slotted for development but thankfully the community was able to stop the land from being developed. The Natural area is 118 acres and has sandy beach areas, marshes and forest area.

Activities

Pleasure House Point has activities besides hiking. There are designated areas for fly-fishing, there is a children’s playground by the parking lot with picnic benches.

Kayaking is allowed in the water around the Natural Area however, you will need to enter the water from the launch area by the Lessner Bridge. Motor boats are not allowed in the area.

The Brock Environmental Center is located behind the gates of the parking lot. This center is considered one of the greenest buildings in the world. It is the hub of education and information on being environmentally friendly and saving the bay. The building is touted to have a “net zero” impact on its environment. If you are interested in more information on the Brock Environment Center, please visit their website.

Things to Know

There is parking at the entrance of Pleasure House Point, however it is very limited. There is additional parking on Marlin Bay Drive. It is parallel parking.

There are other entrances to the trails however, they appear to be from housing areas and I did not walk to the end of the paths to see where they led.

Dogs are permitted but must remain on their leash. Remember to clean up after your pet. This area and trails are very kid friendly. The trail is easy to moderate. The moderate is because of the sandy area and the small incline where it dips where water passes through.

The trail is approximately 2.5 miles and is a loop.

NEED TO CARRY GEAR: Check out our backpack review

The Trail

Today was a particularly windy day. The windmill in front of the trail was whirring loudly. It was quite impressive to be standing near it. The path from the parking lot leads to the beginning of the sandy trail. The beginning of the trail is very sandy. I found it hard to walk on with shoes. However, it is just at the beginning of the trail and if you go off to the left for a bit. I walked along the shore area on the trail.

I did see a few people fishing in the water. There was quite a bit of people out today. It was a beautiful day, high of 79 and with the breeze it was perfect. I enjoyed the view by the bay before heading back up the trail to go to the right and head out.

It wasn’t long before the trail became hard packed sand. I found it more pleasant to walk on. I passed several families and couples. For some reason, there were a lot of new born babies out today as well. The initial part of the trail is not conducive for strollers however once you get to the packed sand, it works well.

There is a small dip that crosses the water. When I was there, the water was very low and easily crossed. I did not check the tide so I am not sure if the water rises significantly.

The trail is about 2.5 miles and parallels the bay for the most part. There are a few little ponds and the trail does go into the woods in a loop. There are a few other entrances to the trail. I noticed them as I was walking trying to decide which way to go.

Overall, this was a beautiful hike. The marsh area is beautiful and the hike was very pleasant.

 

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Plant and Wildlife

I didn’t see many animals. Just some birds. The area is known for its plant and wildlife. I did see a sign that said there are river otters. I plan to do some research and find out when the best chances are to see them are and return with a friend.

Many species of birds have been seen in the Natural Area. Turtles have also been seen in this area. The Pleasure House Point Natural Area has a list of animals and plants that have been sited along the Chesapeake Bay Region.

If you are lucky enough to see any of the wildlife, please do not feed them or interact with them.

Conclusion

I definitely recommend hiking the trail at Pleasure House Point Natural Area. It is very peaceful and quiet. I took my time with this trail and just enjoyed it. There were a few benches a long the way and I did stop and relax for ten minutes. I wanted to enjoy the beautiful day and the sounds of nature. I could hear the water gently moving against the shore as well as the birds chirping in the trees. Of course, since it was a bit of a windy day, I could also hear the rustling of the trees. It was a perfect day to be out and enjoying the trail at Pleasure House Point Natural Area.

If you have any questions or would like to share your own experience with this trail, or a trail you enjoy, please comment below. I would love to hear from you.

Happy Hiking,

Michelle Louise

e. michellelouise@hikingnewbies.com

Hiking Newbies is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases linking to Amazon.com and affiliated links. When you use the links on this page to make a purchase, I may get a small commission. You don’t pay anything extra by purchasing through these links. It’s a win-win all around. See our Full disclosure for more info. Thank you for your support!