wellness
Outdoor Pools and Rock Pools Perfect for Lap Swimming
Virginia Beach parks maintain dedicated lap lanes and natural formations that support consistent outdoor training through the summer months.
How we reported this
Virginia Beach parks opened additional lap lanes at two outdoor sites on June 15 for the 2026 season to handle rising demand from local swimmers.
City wellness programs have expanded outdoor options this summer because indoor facilities report wait times that stretch past 30 minutes on weekday mornings. Residents in neighborhoods from Oceanfront to Great Neck now use these spots to maintain training schedules without relying on gym memberships.
Mount Trashmore Park on Edwin Drive provides a 25-yard pool with four permanent lap lanes marked for continuous swimming from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. daily. First Landing State Park along Shore Drive maintains a rock pool section near the 64th Street entrance where swimmers complete 500-yard repeats in shallow tidal channels cleared by park staff each morning.
Access and Schedules
Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation runs the lap program at both sites with resident day passes sold for $5 at entry kiosks. Nonresidents pay $8, and annual passes cost $120 for unlimited access through September 30. The department added evening sessions at Mount Trashmore on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 6 p.m. after June attendance logs showed 2,800 visits in the first two weeks.
Local data from the parks department recorded 18,650 lap swim visits across all outdoor facilities between May 1 and July 1, 2026, up 19 percent from the same period in 2025. Water temperature at the Mount Trashmore pool averages 82 degrees, while the rock pool at First Landing stays near 78 degrees during afternoon high tides.
Practical Steps for Swimmers
Swimmers should confirm lane availability through the department’s online calendar before travel because rock pool access closes during red flag conditions at the adjacent beach. Parking at Mount Trashmore fills by 8:30 a.m. on weekdays, so early arrival or use of the nearby bike path from Rosemont Road is recommended. Those new to open-water rock pool swimming are advised to start with the marked 25-yard course and wear visible caps during peak sunlight hours.