South Beach Trail Boardwalk | Virginia Beach, Virginia

The South Beach Trail Boardwalk provides a critical pedestrian and bicycle link that connects the popular multi-use trail along Norfolk Avenue with Winston-Salem Avenue, 5th Street and the Rudee Inlet Bridge. The project was largely funded by a grant administered by the Federal Highway Administration under the Transportation and Community Systems Preservation Program, with additional contributions from the Tourist Growth Investment Fund and the Department of Parks & Recreation Capital Improvement Program for Bikeways/Trails. Managed jointly by staff in the Departments of Public Works and Parks & Recreation, the boardwalk was a joint design effort, under a design/build contract. The lighting on the boardwalk is state-of-the-art LED technology that is energy-efficient and low maintenance. As part of a larger Master Plan for Rudee Walk that was conceived over 20 years ago, the South Beach Trail Boardwalk is one of the first steps in realizing the new vision for the South Beach/Marina District put forth with the Resort Area Strategic Plan adopted by City Council in 2008.

The South Beach Trail Boardwalk, formerly known as the Pacific Avenue Trail Project, provides a critical pedestrian and bicycle link that connects the popular multi-use trail along Norfolk Avenue with Winston-Salem Avenue, 5th Street and the Rudee Inlet Bridge. The 1,400-foot elevated boardwalk crosses the edge of Lake Holly alongside Pacific Avenue, and features a gazebo midway through the structure to provide shade and a scenic overlook. The boardwalk gives walkers, joggers and bikers a picturesque path where they won’t have to compete with traffic.

The trail is part of an eight-mile loop from Pacific Avenue to General Booth Boulevard to Birdneck Road to Norfolk Avenue.