- Highlights: Fort Monroe, Chesapeake Bay views
- Distance: 3.4 miles out and back
- Elevation Change: 36 feet
- Trail Surface: Paved
- Difficulty Level: Easy (smooth surface, no elevation gain)
- Trailhead Parking: Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center, 30 Ingalls Rd, Fort Monroe, VA
- Website: AllTrails and National Park Service
- Beer Pairings: 1865 Brewing Co.—High Noon Pale Ale & Bust it Big IPA
The Hike:
This easy walk begins near the Fort Monroe Visitor Center. The Visitor Center has restrooms and you can pick up a walking map describing a longer loop around the fort. For this walk, continue on Ingalls Road to Fenwick Road. The bandstand in Continental Park will be on your left. On your right is the Chamberlin Hotel building, now a retirement community. Cross the park to reach the seawall walkway.
Turn left on the walkway. The Chesapeake Bay will be on your right. After the Engineer’s Fishing Pier, the cement wall gives way to sand and beaches. The Old Point Comfort Lighthouse on the left dates from 1802 and is still in operation. The thick walls of Fort Monroe loom large behind the lighthouse.
Follow the walkway past sand dunes and beaches. At 1.6 miles, the walkway ends at the private Paradise Ocean Club. Retrace your steps back to the Fort Monroe Visitor Center. Be sure to visit the fort and the museums.
Hike Photos:
Click on an image below for an enlarged view.
Beer Pairing:
1865 Brewing Co. is a black-owned brewery just minutes from Fort Monroe. 1865 is a coffee shop and a brewery. They also serve wine and cocktails and have indoor and outdoor seating. They have a variety of food option including really good flatbread pizza.
Pete enjoyed a pint of High Noon Pale Ale (6% ABV & 20 IBU). Brewed with Simcoe, Citra and Calypso hops it’s a clean, crisp beer—perfect on a hot summer day. Kathy likes hazy IPAs and she was happy to find Not Too Lazy (7.3% ABV & 30 IBUs), a New England Style IPA brewed with Citra, Galaxy and El Dorado hops. The hop blend gives this beer flavors of tropical fruits and citrus aromas without the addition of real fruit.
Hike and drink responsibly. Never drink and drive. Stay safe, be responsible, and leave no trace.