Remove Ads
4.5
586 votes

Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel

32386 Lankford Hwy, Cape Charles, Virginia 23310-1206 USA

$
Budget
Open Now
Thu 12a-11:59p
  • Independent
  • Credit Cards
    Accepted
  • Pet Friendly
  • Wheelchair
    Accessible
  • No Public
    Restrooms
Add to Trip

Local Favorite

Our Take

At nearly 20 miles long, there will be points during a drive on the bridge where you feel like you’re just out in the middle of the ocean, with no land in sight (other than the bridge, of course.) There are spots where you can stop off and fish, and even if you don’t have fishing gear, it’s still cool to stop and look around and chat with whoever is there. There used to be a restaurant/rest stop along the bridge as well, but even though it’s closed due to construction, it’s still cool that that’s even a thing that was deemed necessary. The bridge is definitely worth detouring to cruise, and the areas it links in Maryland and Virginia are really unique, more rural expanses of the East Coast.

Remove Ads

“a modern engineering wonder”

For over 50 years, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel has captured worldwide attention as a modern engineering wonder and an important East Coast travel convenience. Crossing over and under open waters where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, the Bridge-Tunnel provides a direct link between Southeastern Virginia and the Delmarva Peninsula (Delaware plus the Eastern Shore counties in Maryland and Virginia), and cuts 95 miles from the journey between Virginia Beach and points north of Wilmington, Delaware. Following its opening on April 15, 1964, the Bridge-Tunnel was selected "One of the Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World" in a worldwide competition that included more than one hundred major projects. In addition, in 1965, it was distinguished as "The Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement" by the American Society of Civil Engineers. To date, over 115 million commercial and passenger vehicles have crossed the Bridge-Tunnel. In order to meet future traffic demands and provide for a safer crossing, construction of a parallel crossing project began in summer 1995, and opened to four-lane traffic on April 19, 1999. No less challenging than construction of the original span, this project once again drew focus to a remarkable achievement in engineering and construction.

Read More >
Add Review
Thanks!
Your Rating
1
2
3
4
5

Reviewed by
FragileEarth

  • 7 Reviews
  • 11 Helpful
May 16, 2014
Rated

really cool experience going from a bridge to a tunnel underwater - twice! nice view too! i wouldn't go out of my way to do it again, but if you get the chance, you've gotta do it at least once

3 people found this review helpful
  • 1 Review
  • 1 Helpful
April 17, 2019
Rated

Photo #2 is NOT the CBBT but the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland.

1 person found this review helpful

Reviewed by
jerelleann

  • 13 Reviews
  • 2 Helpful
May 09, 2016
Rated 3.0

Beautiful drive. Fascinating infrastructure. It's a toll road. Didn't know until we got there and we were just making the drive across and back. There are places to turn around though so at least it was only one way pay.

1 person found this review helpful

Reviewed by
bradjohnson7

  • 1 Review
  • 0 Helpful
December 19, 2019
Rated

I crossed this beautiful bridge in July, 2019 on the way to the Delaware State Fair. As I was taking in the sights a surfacing whale was spotted under the oncoming bridge. Breathtaking to say the least. Well worth the money spent to travel the bridge.

Was this helpful?

Reviewed by
Ronni8879

  • 20 Reviews
  • 1 Helpful
January 06, 2017
Rated 4.0

It cost $14 to go on, but wow! So cool! Worth it!

Was this helpful?

Reviewed by
joygrn

  • 16 Reviews
  • 3 Helpful
December 12, 2015
Rated

Really neat. I recommend doing this at least once. We stopped in the middle at the gift shop and observation. The views are great. Like the other reviewer said, i wouldn't go out of my way to do it again.

Was this helpful?

Be the first to add a review to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel

32386 Lankford Hwy
Cape Charles, Virginia
23310-1206 USA
Remove Ads

Hours

Open 24 hours today
  • Sun - Sat: 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Problem with this listing? Let us know.

Has RV parking changed? Let us know.

Remove Ads
  • Check
    Parking
  • Check
    Pets Allowed
  • Unavailable
    Restrooms
  • Unavailable
    Wifi
  • Check
    Wheelchair Accessible
  • Check
    Credit Cards Accepted
See More Details (15)

Parking

Remove Ads

Nearby Hotels

Virginia Beach, Virginia
FastBook

Click to discover a
great deal!

Norfolk, Virginia
FastBook
$$

Click to discover a
great deal!

Virginia Beach, Virginia
FastBook
$$

Click to discover a
great deal!

Warrenton, Virginia
Remove Ads

Related Trip Guides

  • Trip Guide
  • 1 Week

The top things to do on a Blue Ridge Parkway road trip

  • 85 Places
  • 36:11
  • 1,293 mi
  • Trip Guide

The top things to do on an I-95 road trip

  • 50 Places
  • 41:46
  • 1,983 mi
  • Trip Guide

The top things to do on an East Coast road trip

  • 32 Places
  • 48:54
  • 2,584 mi
Remove Ads
43291