Photo: NPS Photo / Neal Lewis
Virginia
Shenandoah National Park
- Straight line
- 178 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 4 h 10 min
- Quiet month
- November
- Entrance
- $30 / vehicle
Virginia Beach · Virginia
National parks near Virginia Beach
Last verified Straight-line miles · drive times estimated
The closest national park to Virginia Beach is Shenandoah National Park, about 178 miles away as the crow flies, or roughly 4 h 10 min by road on our estimate. 2 national parks are within 300 miles. Here are the nearest 8, a few road trips, and the Park Service sites even closer to home.
At a glance
Virginia Beach to the parks
| Closest national park | Shenandoah National Park 178 mi straight-line |
|---|---|
| Within 150 / 300 / 500 miles | 0 / 2 / 5 national parks |
| Day trip (≤ 3 h, est.) | None |
| Closest NPS site of any kind | Cape Henry Memorial Part of Colonial National Historical Park, 10 mi |
| Metro population | 1,797,213 (Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro, Census 2025 est.) |
The closest three
Nearest to Virginia Beach
Photo: NPS photo/Louise McLaughlin
West Virginia
New River Gorge National Park & Preserve
- Straight line
- 283 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 6 h 40 min
- Quiet month
- September
- Entrance
- Free entry
Photo: NPS
South Carolina
Congaree National Park
- Straight line
- 337 mi
- Drive (est.)
- ≈ 8 h
- Quiet month
- February
- Entrance
- Free entry
The nearest 8
National parks by distance from Virginia Beach
Straight-line miles from the city to each park's NPS reference point (often its center, not an entrance). Drive times are a rough estimate: miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route.
| # | Park | Straight line | Drive (est.) | 2025 visits | Quiet month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenandoah National ParkVA | 178 mi | ≈ 4 h 10 min | 1,682,152 | November |
| 2 | New River Gorge National Park & PreserveWV | 283 mi | ≈ 6 h 40 min | 1,958,440 | September |
| 3 | Congaree National ParkSC | 337 mi | ≈ 8 h | 287,833 | February |
| 4 | Great Smoky Mountains National ParkNC · TN | 425 mi | ≈ 10 h | 11,527,939 | November |
| 5 | Cuyahoga Valley National ParkOH | 429 mi | ≈ 10 h 10 min | 3,025,325 | November |
| 6 | Mammoth Cave National ParkKY | 558 mi | ≈ 13 h 10 min | 660,734 | May |
| 7 | Acadia National ParkME | 666 mi | ≈ 15 h 40 min | 4,079,318 | October |
| 8 | Indiana Dunes National ParkIN | 680 mi | ≈ 16 h 10 min | 2,629,497 | September |
Make it a road trip
Park pairs within reach of Virginia Beach
Groups of parks where every pair is within about six hours of each other by our drive estimate.
3 parks · OH · VA · WV
Cuyahoga Valley, New River Gorge & Shenandoah
- Cuyahoga Valley
- New River Gorge+ ≈ 5 h 40 min
- Shenandoah+ ≈ 3 h 20 min
≈ 9 h of driving between parks · the nearest is 178 mi from Virginia Beach
See the route →
Closer to home
National Park Service sites within 100 miles
Not national parks, but run by the same Park Service: monuments, historic sites, seashores and recreation areas. Links go to nps.gov.
- Cape Henry Memorial Part of Colonial National Historical Park10 mi · VA
- Fort Monroe National Monument22 mi · VA
- Yorktown Battlefield Part of Colonial National Historical Park40 mi · VA
- Colonial National Historical Park45 mi · VA
- Historic Jamestowne Part of Colonial National Historical Park50 mi · VA
- Wright Brothers National Memorial56 mi · NC
- Fort Raleigh National Historic Site61 mi · NC
- Petersburg National Battlefield85 mi · VA
- Richmond National Battlefield Park85 mi · VA
- Maggie L Walker National Historic Site94 mi · VA
Straight-line miles to each site’s NPS reference point. Long-distance trails are left out.
FAQ
National parks near Virginia Beach, answered
- What is the closest national park to Virginia Beach?
- Shenandoah National Park, about 178 miles from Virginia Beach in a straight line. By road, figure roughly 4 h 10 min on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Next closest: New River Gorge (283 mi) and Congaree (337 mi).
- Can you visit a national park on a day trip from Virginia Beach?
- Not easily. The closest, Shenandoah, is about 4 h 10 min away by our rough estimate, so plan on at least one night.
- How many national parks are within a day's drive of Virginia Beach?
- 3 by our rough estimate (up to 8 hours of driving): Shenandoah, New River Gorge and Congaree. 2 national parks are within 300 straight-line miles.
- Are there National Park Service sites closer to Virginia Beach?
- Yes. Within 100 miles there are at least 10 other NPS sites, the nearest being Cape Henry Memorial Part of Colonial National Historical Park (10 mi), Fort Monroe National Monument (22 mi) and Yorktown Battlefield Part of Colonial National Historical Park (40 mi).
Sources · 5
- 1.Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area Population Totals: 2020-2025 · U.S. Census Bureau
- 2.City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2025 · U.S. Census Bureau
- 3.2025 Gazetteer Files: Places · U.S. Census Bureau
- 4.NPS Data API — /parks (all park units) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- 5.NPS Visitor Use Statistics — monthly recreation visits, 2021–2025 (IRMA stats REST service) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior) — Visitor Use Statistics Program
City location: the U.S. Census Bureau’s internal point for Virginia Beach city, Virginia. Metro: Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC (2025 estimate).
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