Jamestown Beach vs Yorktown Beach

Maybe its just the present coldness outside but recently I’m already looking forward to the spring when it will once again be appropriate beach-going weather. At William and Mary there are two beaches within a 15-20 minute radius; Jamestown Beach and Yorktown Beach. But which is the better beach? You’ll get different opinions on this but here is the breakdown from my perspective. Jamestown beach is roughly 10 minutes away and is pretty bare bones as far as beaches go. It has sand and water…although the water is gross and I’ve never been in it. What’s great about Jamestown beach is that its really close and its the perfect destination for a late afternoon after-class excursion. When the weather is nice you always run into groups of other William and Mary students and its a great change of scenery as well as a cool place to hang out with friends on otherwise uneventful days.

The other beach nearby is Yorktown beach. This one is a little bit more of a drive but, in my opinion, it’s well worth it. Yorktown beach is about 20 minutes away and it’s much nicer than Jamestown. The beach area is larger and well maintained as opposed to Jamestown beach which can sometimes be a little dirty. There are also cool little shops located right off of the beach which are fun to explore if you get tired of chilling on the sand. The water is nicer and I always take a swim before heading back to the Burg. There is even an ice cream place to cool you down on especially hot days. Add to all this the fact that historic Yorktown is a stones throw from the beach and you have a winner in the beach war in my book.

While on the topic of beaches its worth mentioning that if you want an even more legit beach experience, Virginia beach, a popular vacation destination for families across the east coast, is a mere hours drive away. Complete with campy beach-side attractions, major hotels, and a sprawling beach area VA Beach is in a different ballpark than the more casual Yorktown and Jamestown. Even so its worth mentioning. So if you’re ever in need of something to do on a sunny day while at the College William and Mary, take your pick of the beaches nearby and don’t forget to bring a towel.

Jack Starcher

Class of 2009