About Back Bay Getaways
Back Bay Getaways sits at the southern end of Sandbridge Beach, at the doorstep of more than 12,000 acres of protected coastal marsh and maritime forest. Positioned at the entrance to Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the outfitter is the closest launch point for exploring one of the East Coast's most pristine estuary systems, about 20 minutes south of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
Guided kayak tours paddle the refuge's quiet channels, where herons, osprey, river otters, and the occasional bald eagle share the marsh, and guided mountain bike tours follow the dike trails that thread between bay and ocean toward False Cape State Park. Daily rentals — kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and bikes — let confident explorers set their own itinerary on the same waters and trails.
The location is the differentiator: no other Virginia Beach outfitter operates this close to the refuge boundary, and the guides' familiarity with its seasonal wildlife — wintering snow geese, summer wading birds, resident raptors — turns each trip into a naturalist outing. For visitors who want the wild, undeveloped side of Virginia Beach rather than the boardwalk, Back Bay Getaways is the gateway.
