Surf spot

81st Street

Forecast conditions and map view for 81st Street in USA, North East, Virginia. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, North East, Virginia
Coordinates: 36.9068, -75.9892

Metric
Metric	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00
Wave height (m)	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.3	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.5	0.6	0.8	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.4	0.5	0.3	0.5
Wave direction	NE	NE	ENE	NE	ENE	ENE	ENE	SE	ENE	SE	SE	SSE	SSE	SSE	ESE	SSE	SE	SE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	NNW	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	E	E	ENE	ENE	E	E	E	E	E	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	E	ENE
Wave period (s)	2.8	2.8	2.8	2.9	2.9	3	3.3	2.9	3.9	3.5	5.2	5	3.4	4	7.8	4.8	5.2	5.2	8	7.4	7.7	6.9	4.2	4.1	4.3	4.5	4.5	4.9	4.3	5	5.6	5	4.7	5	5	4.5	4.7	5	5.2	5.3	5.3	5.3	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.3	5.3	5.4	5.2	3.8	4.9	5.5	5.3
Wave energy (kJ)	1	1	2	2	2	2	1	2	2	2	4	5	3	3	8	3	5	4	7	7	8	6	1	3	5	6	9	20	24	20	21	26	30	33	28	20	23	26	28	29	26	25	24	22	21	19	17	15	13	10	8	6	6	10	5	13
Wind speed (km/h)	15.2	19.1	18.5	21.1	20.9	22.2	23.1	10.7	12.8	15.6	17.6	16.6	6.1	3.9	9.3	9.3	10.2	11.1	14	33.5	33.6	31	28	28.7	25.3	25.3	25	23.2	19.4	22.9	20	16.7	14.1	14.3	17.4	19.9	17.5	19.2	20.5	21.4	17	15.2	12.9	10.9	11.8	13.2	12.5	12.2	11.5	12.7	12.2	7.4	18.3	27.7	24.7	21.1
Wind direction	ENEOnshore	EOnshore	EOnshore	ESEOnshore	SECross-on	SECross-on	SECross-on	WSWOffshore	SCross	SSWCross-off	SWCross-off	WSWOffshore	WOffshore	SWGlassy	SSWCross	SSWCross-off	WSWCross-off	SWCross-off	WNWOffshore	NCross	NCross	NCross	NNECross-on	NNECross-on	NNECross-on	NECross-on	NECross-on	NECross-on	NECross-on	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	NECross-on	NECross-on	ENECross-on	NECross-on	NECross-on	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	EOnshore	ENEOnshore	NECross-on	ENEOnshore	ESEOnshore	SECross-on	SSECross	SWCross-off	SWCross-off	SWCross-off	SSWCross-off	SECross-on	SSECross-on	SSECross	SSWCross

81st Street surf spot overview

81st Street is a well-known Virginia Beach beachfront break that can offer fun, fast waves when conditions line up. It’s a sandy beach break, so the sandbars shift often and the wave quality can change from day to day.

What it’s like

Break type: Beach break
Wave quality: Can be playful and rippable on the right swell
Best for: Beginners to advanced surfers, depending on size and conditions
Crowds: Often busy, especially in summer and when conditions are decent
Bottom: Sandy, which makes it generally more forgiving than reef or point breaks

Best conditions

Swell direction: Typically works well with east to southeast swells
Wind: Offshore or light wind is best; strong onshore winds can make it messy
Tide: Often changes with tide; many beach breaks in this area prefer mid to mid-high tide, but it depends on the sandbars
Season: Fall and winter usually bring the most consistent and powerful surf, while summer tends to be smaller and softer

Hazards and local notes

Shifting sandbars: Can make the break inconsistent
Crowded lineup: Respect local surfers and swimming zones
Rip currents: Common on the East Coast, especially after bigger swells
Storm activity: Tropical systems and nor’easters can produce the best waves but also stronger hazards

Overall vibe

81st Street is a classic East Coast beach break: accessible, fun when it’s on, and heavily dependent on weather and sand movement. It’s a good spot for surfers who want a convenient Virginia Beach session without needing a reef or point break.