Take a guided tour to get a closer look at Virginia Beach’s history, culture, wildlife and more.
Image from ViBe District Creative District
Explore Virginia Beach on a Guided Tour
Virginia Beach is almost 500 square miles, including 248 square miles of water. While it may be hard to cover that much ground and see everything this coastal city has to offer, there are plenty of tours that can help. By land or by sea, take a guided tour to get a closer look at Virginia Beach’s history, culture, wildlife and more. These tours are perfect for if it’s your first time in Virginia Beach or your 50th.
Virginia Beach Guided Tours
Here are our favorite companies offering guided tours in Virginia Beach.
Walking Tours
Immerse yourself in Virginia Beach’s culinary on Taste Virginia Tours. This is the only craft brewery, winery and food tour in the area, led by expert locals. Take a walking tour of the ViBe Creative District where you’ll stop at a local distillery, bakery and several restaurants.
Boat Tours
In nearby Norfolk, hop aboard the Victory Rover for tours of the harbor and naval base. Departing from Nauticus, in downtown Norfolk, you’ll ride along the waters of the Elizbeth River to see one of the busiest seaports and largest naval bases in the world. Observe destroyers, submarines and other vessels as you take in the sights and sounds of Norfolk’s harbor.
For over 35 years, Rudee Tours has offered dolphin watching tours out of Rudee Inlet. You’ll certainly want to bring your cameras to capture dolphins swimming in the surf. During winter, Rudee Tours offers a Winter Wildlife Tour which is the perfect opportunity for whale watching. The company also has a relaxing 90-minute sunset cruise.
Nature and Eco Tours
Chesapean Outdoors offers several types of kayak and stand up paddleboard tours that give you a closer look at Virginia Beach’s natural aquatic setting. Get up close with bottlenose dolphins at the North End of the Oceanfront or explore First Landing State Park on a small, guided tour. Watch the sun set over the Chesapeake Bay on a Sunset Dolphin or Sunset SUP tour.
Image from Chesapean Outdoors
Paddle the waters of Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge or First Landing State Park on a tour from Kayak Nature Tours. This is a great way to spot the area’s wildlife and see a different side to Virginia Beach’s waters. Kayak through salt-water marshes, Cypress swamps, maritime forests and more.
Self-Guided Tours in Virginia Beach
Looking to venture out on your own? Virginia Beach offers maps, apps and other guides for taking a self-guided walking tour of the area. Discover the city’s enclaves, attractions and more on your own time with a self-guided tour.
Rent a kayak and tour the area’s waterways. Bring your own or rent a bike to peddle down the boardwalk and view all of the monuments along the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. Head to the ViBe District, Virginia Beach’s arts and cultural enclave, and tour the beautiful murals that adorn the local businesses. There are so many experiences that await on a self-guided tour of Virginia Beach.
