Gloucester Point Beach Park
Gloucester Point, VA
Gloucester Point Beach Park sits on the York River just below the Coleman Memorial Bridge, with a 310 foot fishing pier and a swimming area marked off in front of the sand. There are no lifeguards, and the river current runs strong enough that the park posts warning signs about it.
A real fishing pier and a useful county park beach, though the unguarded water and strong current keep it from being a carefree swim spot.
How we score beachesStay inside the marked swimming area even if the water looks calm near shore. The current picks up fast once you're past the buoys, and there's no lifeguard to help if it does.
Free parking is available at the entrance, though it's limited and fills up on weekends. A separate lot handles boat trailers only.
A flat, direct path leads from the parking area to the beach and pier, with restrooms and an outdoor shower on site.
Water reaches the mid to upper 70s by August, with the York River's current strongest during outgoing tide, worth checking before swimming out past the shallows.
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