Pleasure House Point Natural Area

Pleasure House Point Natural Area is a hotspot for kayakers and canoers looking to enjoy the waterfronts of the Chesapeake Bay. But without Trust for Public Land, the City of Virginia Beach, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, it wouldn’t be the beloved green space it is today. Its 122 acres were highly sought after by developers in the early 2010s because of its prime location and mile of frontage on Pleasure House Creek and Lynnhaven River. Instead of a park for everyone to enjoy, it had been slated for a 1,000+ unit housing development that would put a major block between the public and their beloved waterfront.

With the help of the local community, TPL helped protect this space as an addition to Virginia Beach’s natural recreation areas. Our work not only helped keep this space publicly accessible with recreational opportunities like fishing, hiking, and birding, but we’ve also helped improve and protect the water quality in the Lynnhaven watershed, which is home to half of Virginia Beach’s residents.