Colonial Beach
Colonial Beach, VA
Colonial Beach stretches more than two miles along the Potomac River in Westmoreland County, split into five distinct sections from the lively Downtown Boardwalk Beach down to the quieter Castlewood and Irving Avenue stretches. It's the second largest beach in Virginia, and the whole town, one of the last small seaport towns left on the Potomac, is built around it.
A small town beach feel that's rare this close to Washington, D.C., with real variety across its five sections, though only having a lifeguard four days a week is worth knowing before a weekday swim.
How we score beachesHead for the Downtown Boardwalk Beach if restaurants and a lively summer evening are the goal, or drive a few blocks to Castlewood or Irving Avenue for the same river and a fraction of the crowd.
Free street parking is available throughout town near each of the five beach sections.
The downtown section has a paved boardwalk with flat access to the sand; the quieter sections further from downtown are simple street end beach access.
Lifeguards staff the beach Thursday through Sunday in summer, with Potomac River water reaching the mid to upper 70s by August and hurricane season running June through November.
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