5701 S Virginia Dare Trail Public Beach Access

This is one of the numbered public beach access points that dot South Virginia Dare Trail, the road that runs along the ocean side of Nags Head just east of the Croatan Highway strip. Look for the access here and you're within a short walk of open Atlantic sand — no ticket, no gate, no private stretch to negotiate.

Access points like this one are how most visitors and cottage renters without direct oceanfront reach the beach in Nags Head: a marked pull-off or crossover connecting the road to the dune line, with parking that fills up fast in summer and opens right back up by mid-morning on weekdays. Expect sand underfoot almost immediately — the barrier island here is narrow enough that the ocean is never far from the road.

• Located directly on South Virginia Dare Trail (Beach Road) in Nags Head
• Best used early morning or evening during peak summer months, when nearby parking is tightest
• No lifeguard, restroom, or amenity details are on file for this specific access — treat it as a straightforward sand entry point rather than a full beach park
• Beach driving isn't permitted on this stretch of the Outer Banks; this is a walk-in access only

If you're staying nearby and just need a fast, uncomplicated way onto the beach, this is it.