Neighborhood Spotlight Community Norfolk /On October 15, 2026

Living in East Beach, Norfolk

Back

Find An Agent

Sandy beaches, sailboats and colorful coastal homes set the scene in East Beach, one of Norfolk’s most sought-after communities. The neighborhood is surrounded by water on three sides, with the Chesapeake Bay to the north, Little Creek to the south and a channel connecting the two to the east.

Development of East Beach began in the early 2000s, transforming this section of East Ocean View into the master-planned community you see today. The neighborhood’s New Urbanist design was created with walkability and community in mind. Homes sit close together along tree-lined streets with sidewalks leading to the beach, marinas and other gathering spaces. You’ll often see residents walking their dogs, riding bikes and driving golf carts around East Beach.

“In the summertime, I feel like there are more golf carts than cars on the streets,” said Anne Oliver, who moved to East Beach in 2019.

The neighborhood also hosts several events that bring the community together throughout the year.

Colorful coastal homes and classic Tidewater architecture

Colorful coastal homes in East Beach.

Mature trees dot the East Beach landscape.

Many homes in East Beach feature attached or detached carriage houses.

Larger homes in East Beach offer three stories of living space.

Back alley with driveways and attached garages

Back alleys provide access to driveways and attached garages.

Waterfront homes overlooking the Chesapeake Bay.

Pink home with a front porch decorated for Halloween.

Locals enjoy decorating their homes for Halloween and other holidays.

East Beach offers stately townhouses.

A neighborhood green surrounded by coastal homes

Many homes sit along neighborhood greens.

Village Square Apartments at East Beach.

East Beach offers a mix of single-family homes, townhouses and condominiums, with architecture inspired by traditional Tidewater Virginia homes. Common styles include Tidewater Colonial, Victorian, Shingle and Arts and Crafts, with everything from small cottages to large houses with wraparound porches. Architectural guidelines help maintain a consistent look throughout the community while allowing for differences in colors, materials and details.

Many homes have carriage houses accessed by rear alleys, with garages on the ground floor and additional living space above. These spaces can be used for guests or long-term rentals, offering another housing option within the neighborhood. Short-term rentals are not permitted under East Beach HOA rules.

Oliver says the alleys are among her favorite places to explore.

“When I walk my dogs, I actually find it more fun to walk through the alleys and see the carriage houses. There's a really cool little courtyard near 26th Bay Street and Maiden Lane. It's kind of hidden, like a secret garden."

Homes along the Chesapeake Bay offer open-water views, while others overlook Little Creek Channel. Nearby apartment and senior living communities include East Beach Marina Apartments, The Port at East Beach and Acclaim at East Beach, although these are not part of the HOA. Village Square Apartments, meanwhile, is part of the master-planned community, with residents receiving access to HOA amenities.

East Beach HOA amenities and community events

The Bay Front Club features a tower overlooking the Chesapeake Bay.

A view of the Chesapeake Bay from the Bay Front Club tower

A scenic view from the Bay Front Club tower.

Residents can swim in the outdoor pool at the Bay Front Club.

Garden Pergola Park offers a relaxing space for residents.

A playground for kids to play on in East Beach.

The East Beach Homeowners Association oversees the community’s shared amenities, maintains recreational facilities and helps organize events throughout the year.

One of the neighborhood’s main amenities is the Bay Front Club, a waterfront clubhouse overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. Residents have access to a swimming pool, fitness center, library, gathering spaces and an observation tower with views of the bay. Other amenities include tennis courts, parks, gardens and a pavilion with a stage and outdoor movie screen.

The HOA hosts outdoor concerts, golf cart drive-in movie nights and a Fourth of July parade featuring decorated golf carts. Art shows and other gatherings also take place on the neighborhood greens. Oliver also mentioned that neighbors host gatherings in their homes, including game nights, trivia and seasonal celebrations.

HOA fees vary by property type, and condominium owners may have additional association dues. Current assessments are available through the East Beach Homeowners Association’s website.

Sandy beaches, boating and outdoor adventures

Two people watching a sunrise on the beach

Locals watch the sunrise on Ocean View Beach.

Ocean View Beach is a popular spot for walking dogs.

Family gathering for an outing at the beach

Ocean View Beach offers sandy shores and gentle waves along the Chesapeake Bay.

There are several marinas along Little Creek with dozens of boats.

East Beach offers many access points to Ocean View Beach on the Chesapeake Bay, where locals can swim and relax by the water. Kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing and boating are all popular activities, with several marinas along Little Creek offering boat slips and direct access to the bay through Little Creek Channel.

Small parks are also scattered around the neighborhood. Some overlook the bay, while others, such as Garden Pergola Park and Pleasant Avenue Park, offer quiet, relaxing green spaces.

Just outside East Beach, Bay Oaks Park has walking paths, a playground and plenty of open green space. Ocean View Beach Park is another nearby option, featuring public events throughout the year, while the Ocean View Fishing Pier is a popular spot for fishing and crabbing.

Local shops, waterfront dining and everyday conveniences

Longboards with outdoor dining by marina

Longboards is a popular seafood restaurant and tiki bar with beautiful marina views.

Surf Rider restaurant with outdoor seating by marina

Surf Rider serves southern seafood with views of the marina.

Locals can check out several businesses at East Beach Shoppes.

East Beach Square is full of stores and restaurants.

Groceries, restaurants and fitness centers are all close by.

East Beach has a small collection of shops, restaurants and other businesses, with even more options in the surrounding Ocean View area. Within the neighborhood, you’ll find Crystal Palate Wine & Gourmet, Little Lemon Arts and several other locally owned businesses.

For Oliver, having so many conveniences nearby is one of the benefits of living in East Beach.

“I can go days without leaving the neighborhood and still go shopping, go out to eat and do other things.”

Some restaurants offer waterfront dining along Little Creek, including Longboards at East Beach Marina, Surf Rider at Bay Point Marina and Stony’s Dockside Bar & Grill.

For everyday necessities, residents have several stores nearby, including Food Lion, ALDI, Walmart Neighborhood Market and Harris Teeter, all within a 5- to 10-minute drive.

Getting around Hampton Roads and commuting to nearby military bases

East Beach is located along Shore Drive, near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and about 5 miles from Interstate 64. Downtown Norfolk, Norfolk International Airport and Virginia Beach are all within driving distance.

The neighborhood is a convenient location for military personnel. It’s close to several installations, including Naval Station Norfolk and Naval Air Station Oceana. Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story sits directly across Little Creek.

Living so close to an active military installation comes with some unique sights and sounds. The national anthem can be heard each morning at 8 a.m. during morning colors. Navy vessels and military hovercraft are also common sights, although the latter can be particularly noisy.

“The hovercraft are very loud. They make my bones rattle, and they like to operate at night. Sometimes I’ll be watching TV and wonder, ‘What is that sound?’”

Before major hurricanes, Navy ships typically leave port to ride out storms at sea. Oliver says that’s the best time to see them.

“You can just sit and watch all the ships go out, and when it’s over, they all come back in again.”

Find An Agent

Nikko Stuart

Previous Post View All Next Post

Browse by topics

About the company

Liz Moore & Associates is a boutique real estate agency renowned for having the region's top agents, with extensive market knowledge and local expertise that is only achieved through relentless training coupled with Liz's extremely high standards for professionalism. When you're buying or selling a home, experience matters.

9 min read

Neighborhood Spotlight Community Virginia Beach

Living in Alanton, Virginia Beach

By Nikko Stuart on October 16, 2026

7 min read

Neighborhood Spotlight Virginia Beach

Living in Great Neck, Virginia Beach

By Nikko Stuart on October 21, 2026

9 min read

Neighborhood Spotlight Midlothian Chesterfield

Living in Midlothian, VA

By Nikko Stuart on October 23, 2026

How VADeed Alert helps Virginia property owners monitor deed fraud

4 min read

Buyers Sellers Homeowners

How VADeed Alert helps Virginia property owners monitor deed fraud

By Nikko Stuart on September 29, 2026

You probably have alerts set up for your bank account, credit card and other financial accounts. But what about your...

Living in West Point, VA: A guide to life between the rivers

10 min read

Buyers Sellers Community Peninsula West Point

Living in West Point, VA: A guide to life between the rivers

By Nikko Stuart on October 6, 2026

3 min read

Locals - 101 Reasons lizlocal lizlocal-Richmond lizlocal-Williamsburg lizlocal-Peninsula relo-williamsburg-local relo-peninsula-local relo-richmond-local lizlocal-NorthernNeck-livelocal lizlocal-peninsula-livelocal lizlocal-williamsburg-livelocal lizlocal-richmond-livelocal

Day Tripping: Virginia Beach

By Lynnette Tully on March 18, 2019

Virginia Beach has all the elements of a classic seaside resort town all within a short drive making it the perfect day...

3 min read

Buyers Sellers New Homes relo-williamsburg-local relo-peninsula-news relo-richmond-news RVA Home Building lizlocal-NorthernNeck-realestate lizlocal-richmond-realestate lizlocal-williamsburg-realestate lizlocal-peninsula-realestate