The Jamestown Beach is a beautiful park containing a strip of beach, picnic areas, a concession stand, and kayak rentals.
The Jamestown Beach is located in Jamestown, Virginia, right down the road from the Jamestown Settlement and Historic Jamestowne.
This makes it a great addition to a day of site seeing at the historical sites in Jamestown, or a perfect destination on its own.
If you’re looking for a water or park adventure during your visit to Jamestown or Williamsburg, keep reading for all the details on the Jamestown Beach.
Things to Do at Jamestown Beach
There are a variety of things to do at Jamestown Beach.
At the Jamestown Beach, you can swim and wade in the water. The shore has gentle waves and a soft grade, making it a perfect spot for little children and families.
The sand is slightly pebbled, but feels nice under your feet and is great for building sandcastles.
The Jamestown Beach is ADA accessible, and has a Mobi-mat to assist people with mobility challenges to the shoreline (such as those in wheelchairs or strollers).
Aside from swimming and enjoying the sand, you can also take a picnic lunch and enjoy one of the many picnic tables they have in grassy areas around the park. Each picnic table also has a charcoal grill that you can use for hotdogs or hamburgers.
If you’re looking to fish, Jamestown Beach allows fishing off the fishing pier. In the James River, there are smallmouth bass, muskellunge (muskie), redbreast sunfish, rock bass, bluegill, channel catfish, and flathead catfish.
During the summer, Jamestown Beach has a concession stand where you can buy snacks and ice cream.
They also have a kayak rental where you can rent kayaks to take out into the James River.
There is a little shed to change your clothes when you’re finished too.
Our Visit to Jamestown Beach
Recently, we visited Jamestown Beach to check it out.
The beach had just recently been combed, making the sand clean and neatly lined. Despite it being a warm day in the fall, there was no-one there other than our family.
The concessions were closed and you weren’t able to rent kayaks, but our family enjoyed it just the same.
The water was beautiful, and we watched the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry come and go.
In addition to enjoying the water and the sand, my family also had fun running around the grassy areas.
Which Is Yorktown Beach or Jamestown Beach Better?
If you’re looking for a beach that has more of a park-like feel, the Jamestown Beach is a nicer option. The grounds are larger and feel like a little retreat away from civilization.
A long path from the car lot is lined with trees and picnic areas, ending at the beach area.
In contrast, the Yorktown Beach has a road right behind it with a few bars. Additionally, there are shops and restaurants at the end of the strip of beach. Altogether, the feel is very different from the Jamestown Beach.
That being said, I prefer the sand and view at Yorktown Beach. It’s a very picturesque spot with white, soft sand.
Really, both the Jamestown Beach and Yorktown Beach are beautiful, but you should consider whether you want more of a secluded river type beach one that has shops and restaurants around.
Here are all the details on the Yorktown Beach.
Final Thoughts on the Jamestown Beach
The Jamestown Beach is a great spot for outdoor fun. You can pack a picnic lunch and spend the day there in the sand and water, or can make it a stop on a day packed with activities around Historic Jamestown.
Either way, the Jamestown Beach should be on the shortlist of things to do while you’re visiting Jamestown and Williamsburg.
