Best Places to View the Moon in Virginia Beach, VA
Virginia Beach has something most cities in this series don't: an open ocean horizon facing roughly east. The Oceanfront's beaches look out over the Atlantic in almost the same direction the moon rises from, which is a genuinely rare setup — most cities have to work with skylines, lakes, or hills instead of open water pointed the right way. The date and your observing location together determine the moon's rise time and direction; your viewpoint determines how much of that horizon is actually unobstructed. Several of the spots below follow sunrise/sunset-linked hours or a seasonal schedule, so check each entry's current status against your date. Here are six Virginia Beach locations that offer different ways to experience or photograph the moon.
Virginia Beach Boardwalk (near King Neptune)
A 3-mile concrete boardwalk running from 2nd to 40th Streets along the Oceanfront, with a statue of King Neptune (reported at 34 feet tall) near 31st Street as a well-known landmark and photo anchor. Access is generally open, though seasonal rules, events, and parking availability can vary — check current conditions before a late visit. Because the beach faces the open Atlantic to the east, this is one of the few spots in this whole series where the moon can rise directly over open water. Near 31st St & Atlantic Ave.
Mount Trashmore Park
A park (commonly cited at 165 acres) built in the late 1960s and early 1970s by compacting a 640,000-ton landfill into two man-made hills — the main mound now stands 60 feet tall, with two lakes (Windsor and Trashmore) at its base. Open from 7:30 a.m. until a posted closing time that shifts through the year — check current signage, since it's earlier in winter than summer. Address: 310 Edwin Dr.
First Landing State Park
Virginia's most-visited state park at nearly 2,900 acres, marking the site where English colonists first came ashore in 1607, with trails running from bald cypress swamp to dunes along the Chesapeake Bay. Day-use areas are open 7 a.m. to dusk — since it closes at dusk, this is a golden-hour destination rather than one for an after-dark moonrise; check the park's current schedule before visiting. Address: 2500 Shore Dr.
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
A refuge of marsh, dunes, and beach at the city's southern tip (commonly cited at roughly 9,200 acres), with boardwalk trails and a canoe/kayak launch, bordering the Atlantic on one side and Back Bay on the other. Official hours run 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset daily — this rules out any moonrise after full dark, so it's a golden-hour and early-evening destination rather than a late one. A vehicle entrance fee (around $5) may apply seasonally; check the refuge's current fee information before visiting. Address: 4005 Sandpiper Rd.
14th Street Fishing Pier
A pier extending out over the ocean from the Boardwalk, giving a straight-on eastward view with nothing but water between you and the horizon. Hours vary seasonally, and there's a fee for pier access — check the current operating schedule and prices before planning around it. Near 14th St & Atlantic Ave.
Rudee Inlet Marina District
A working marina area where Rudee Inlet meets the ocean at the south end of the Boardwalk, with fishing charter boats, waterside restaurants, and open views toward both the inlet and the Atlantic. This is a mixed commercial waterfront rather than a single gated park, so hours vary by business — check individual restaurants and charter operators for current hours. Near Mediterranean Ave & Winston Salem Ave.
Best Times for Moon Photography
Quick Photography Tips
The moon phase today in Virginia Beach is shown in detail above — complete with exact illumination percentage, moonrise/set times, and the best local spots to see it. For the moon phase today in any other city worldwide, visit our Dynamic Moon Phase Calculator on the home page.
What the Experience Actually Feels Like
Along the Boardwalk near King Neptune, evenings can bring a steady mix of joggers, cyclists, and couples out for a walk, with restaurant patios filling in behind the dunes. Since this stretch is famous for sunrise rather than sunset, an evening moonrise over the water can feel like a quieter, less-crowded version of the same view most visitors only catch at dawn.
Up on Mount Trashmore's main hill, the climb is short but the payoff is real — one of the only true elevated views in a flat coastal city, looking out over the lakes and playgrounds below. It's easy to forget the ground under your feet used to be a landfill.
Out at Back Bay, the refuge can feel remote in a way little else in Virginia Beach does — herons and egrets working the marsh, the boardwalk trails quiet, and the sound of the ocean audible from the dune line even when it's out of sight. Since the refuge closes at sunset, this is best treated as a golden-hour destination rather than one for a late moonrise.
"Since this stretch of the Boardwalk is famous for sunrise rather than sunset, an evening moonrise over the water can feel like a quieter, less-crowded version of the same view most visitors only catch at dawn."
Your Virginia Beach Moon Chase Checklist
Before You Go
- Check the moonrise time and rise azimuth for your date — the date and your observing location together determine the moon's rise time and direction, while your viewpoint determines how much of that horizon is unobstructed
- Check both the moon's rise time and the venue's hours — First Landing State Park's day-use areas close at dusk, and Back Bay closes 30 minutes after sunset, so neither works for a true after-dark moonrise; Mount Trashmore's closing time also shifts seasonally
- Verify Site Access: the 14th Street Fishing Pier's hours vary seasonally — check current status and pricing before planning around it
- Use PhotoPills or Stellarium to check whether the moon will align with a specific landmark on your date
- Check the forecast for coastal haze and humidity, a common consideration for shoreline photography generally
- Confirm current rules on tripods and photography at your chosen venue, especially for anything beyond personal use
What to Bring
- A telephoto lens, often 200mm or longer, can help frame the moon tightly against the horizon or a pier structure
- A lens cloth — ocean humidity and salt spray can fog or coat a lens quickly near the water
- A remote shutter release or a 2-second timer to avoid shake on tripod shots
- Cash or a card in case Back Bay's seasonal vehicle fee (around $5) is in effect, and for the fishing pier's entry fee
- Insect repellent, especially at Back Bay and First Landing in warmer months
On the Night
- As a general recommendation, arrive at your viewpoint at least 30–45 minutes early, especially along the Boardwalk on clear weekend evenings
- Focus manually on the moon's edge — boardwalk lighting and pier lights can confuse autofocus at dusk
- Bracket your exposures — one for the bright lunar disc, one for the darker ocean, marsh, or park below
- If the moon looks soft or hazy right at moonrise, consider waiting until it climbs higher above the horizon, when atmospheric effects are often less pronounced
- Plan to be back at your vehicle before each venue's posted closing time — don't count on staying past it
Virginia Beach Moon Phase — Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the moon phase today in Virginia Beach?
The moon phase today in Virginia Beach is a New Moon with 0% illumination. The next full moon is in 16 days, on Oct 26. Moonrise is at 7:11 AM and moonset at 6:27 PM.
Q. Where is the best place to view the moon in Virginia Beach?
The Boardwalk near King Neptune is the signature spot, with the beach facing the open Atlantic almost due east — one of the few places in the region where the moon can rise directly over open water. Mount Trashmore Park gives the only real elevated view in an otherwise flat coastal city, First Landing State Park and Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge add quieter natural settings, and the 14th Street Fishing Pier or Rudee Inlet's marina district offer further straight-on ocean or working-waterfront alternatives.
Q. Do these viewing spots stay open after dark?
Not all of them — First Landing State Park's day-use areas close at dusk and Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge closes 30 minutes after sunset, so neither works for a true after-dark moonrise. The Boardwalk, Mount Trashmore, the fishing pier, and Rudee Inlet all keep varying but generally later hours — check each venue's current schedule before planning a late visit.
Q. Does Virginia Beach observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Virginia Beach runs on Eastern Time — EST (UTC−5) in winter and EDT (UTC−4) in summer, since Virginia observes daylight saving time on the standard U.S. schedule.
Q. What's the best time of year for moon photography in Virginia Beach?
The moon's rising azimuth shifts substantially through the year, so the exact alignment with the Boardwalk's eastward horizon depends on the specific date rather than the season. Whatever the date, it's worth checking the forecast for coastal haze and humidity, since ocean air can soften a low moon and reduce contrast.
Q. Does this page work for cities besides Virginia Beach?
This page is set up specifically for Virginia Beach, Virginia. For the moon phase in any other city or location worldwide, use the Dynamic Moon Phase Calculator on the moonphase.today home page.
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