​​​​​​The Virginia Beach Outdoors Plan is the master plan for our 7000+ acre parks and recreation system.​ The 2016 Outdoors Plan includes information and recommendations for the future of the outdoor recreational system regarding parks and natural areas; golf courses and athletic facilities; public access to greenways, beaches, and scenic waterways; trail linkages; and historic and cultural areas.


The original Outdoors Plan was introduced in 1994, with subsequent updates in 2000 and 2008. The goals emphasized in 2008 for improving connectivity through bikeways and trails and providing a park within a ten-minute walk from home for every resident are again the main goals for the 2016 update. 

The Department has made excellent progress in both of these areas, but there is still much more to be done. Recommendations in the 2016 ​Outdoors Plan address park acquisition, property management, facility asset management, park planning, operations, and maintenance.

This Outdoors Plan is an integral part of the Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation's Strategic Plan as well as a reference document to the city’s Comprehensive Plan. ​

Download the entire document (without the appendices).

Appendices

• A. Parks & Recreation Inventory
• B. Parks and Recreation Design Standards Manual
• C. Capacity Demand Standards Model TM