Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
4.5
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
This Virginia Beach wildlife refuge offers visitors hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking/canoeing and nature photography in a completely natural environment. The Refuge grounds are open sunrise to sunset daily. The Visitor Center hours of operation are the following: Memorial Day - Labor Day: Tuesday-Friday 8am-4pm, Saturday & Sunday 9am-4pm Labor Day - Memorial Day: Tuesday-Friday 8am-4pm, Saturday 9am-4pm
Duration: 2-3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles372 reviews
Excellent
250
Very good
93
Average
22
Poor
4
Terrible
3

VB Explorer
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Family
Great place! Very pretty. I enjoyed watching the sunset over the water with my family. A great free destination for visiting.
Written 10 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nancy L
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Couples
Staff was so polite & very helpful. They took their time to answer our questions. We didn't feel rushed. Beautiful park.
Written 13 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LAC
85 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
Well, we did not see any wildlife, but sure enjoyed the trails. Well marked and easy to get around, so anyone could easily enjoy the nature and scenery. The $5 entrance fee for the car was well worth it. Bring toilet paper though, as the bathrooms were out.
Written 28 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Khanasifm
Timbuktu, Mali37 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Solo
Visited on Juneteenth morning, 🐝 u t fulll views, option to walk, bike and fish r kayak , free for anyone biking or hiking 🥾 or kayaking otherwise pay a fee spent good couple of hours , worth a visit and weather was not too hot 🥵 just make sure you carry water with you.
Written 22 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marshall B
Ferney-Voltaire, France3,678 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022 • Couples
If you are in the area and want something a bit more natural, and a lot less crowded, than the beaches just a couple of miles to the north, Back Bay Wildlife Refuge, and in particular the Dune Trail, will give you an opportunity to see what the wildlife are experiencing on a 24/7 basis. We saw some wildlife - a snake came up close and, as he had the right of way, we let him pass - but for the most part the trails seem to be recognized by the local inhabitants as reserved for humans. Well-marked paths, well-staffed ranger center - great to see this refuge so well preserved and protected. We spent a couple of hours there and walked several miles up and down the oceanfront. Back to the snake - we think it was a water snake - but did not get up close enough to say for certain - see the attached photo -perhaps we were luckier than we had realized.
Written 31 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Diana D
6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023
A natural, extremely beautiful area in Virginia Beach. You can hike and bike in the refuge, but you can also just walk some very nicely laid out trails. Take time to read abt the wild life there - from bald eagles and loggerhead sea turtles to snakes and ospreys.
Written 3 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael A
Chesapeake, VA1,099 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022 • Couples
Beautiful spot south of Sandbridge in Virginia Beach. It's very pristine and natural. Good place to bike. Walk over to the beach to see an unspoiled ocean view.
Written 30 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andy L
Allen, TX1,157 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022 • Couples
Nice gem of a National Wildlife Refuge. Nicely maintained trails and protected wildlife of all kinds. Today we saw ospreys. sandpipers, plenty of flowers, and even a turtle. Nice place to enjoy the open air and ocean breezes.
Written 28 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JLG
123 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
Why isn't the visitor center open? We were disappointed in this. The refuge is wonderful, with many trails for biking or hiking in a very pristine area.
Written 3 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SpyderWitch
Baltimore, MD506 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022
I suspect my rating would be higher if I had been here during season instead of off-season. A lot of the trails were closed (understandable since they are supporting wildlife). The bathrooms were closed so, I had to use the porta-pot which thankfully was clean. I hope to go back when it is warmer and during season so I can explore it more. Lovely area.
Written 27 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 367
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Frequently Asked Questions about Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge is open:
  • Tue - Fri 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  • Sat - Sat 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM


Restaurants near Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge: View all restaurants near Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge on Tripadvisor