Cape Charles, Virginia
Cape Charles is a town of 1,201 people in Northampton County, Virginia, founded in 1884.
Why visit Cape Charles
Townapedia lists 10 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 17 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 5 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cherrystone Bar Light, Old Plantation Flats Light, Cape Charles Historic District and Custis Tombs.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 32°F.
Weather in Cape Charles
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Cape Charles
Cape Charles is a town/municipal corporation in Northampton County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,178 as of the 2020 Census.
From the Wikipedia article Cape Charles, Virginia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do5
Cherrystone Bar Light
Lighthouse · 1.3 mi
Lighthouse in Virginia, United States
Old Plantation Flats Light
Lighthouse · 2.6 mi
Lighthouse in Virginia, United States
Palace Theatre
Cinema and theater · 1.2 mi
Performing arts venue, a former movie theater, in Cape Charles, Virginia, United States
Historic Palace Theatre
Cinema and theater · 1.2 mi
305 Mason Avenue, Cape Charles
Museums and landmarks10
Cape Charles Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Historic district in Virginia, United States
Custis Tombs
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Place in Virginia listed on National Register of Historic Places
Stratton Manor
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Place in Virginia listed on National Register of Historic Places
Cape Charles Museum and Welcome Center
Museum · 1.2 mi
Museum in Virginia, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Restaurants and cafes17
Brown Dog Ice Cream
Ice cream · 1.3 mi
203 Mason Avenue, Cape Charles
Su-Th 12:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 12:00-22:00
5 more on the map.
History
Cape Charles, located close to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, on Virginia's Eastern Shore, was founded in 1884 at a place formerly known as "Cherrystone Harbor" as a planned community by railroad and ferry interests. In 1883, William Lawrence Scott became president of the New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad Company (NYP&N), and purchased three plantations, including "Old Plantation Neck", comprising approximately 2,509 acres from the heirs of former Virginia Governor Littleton Waller Tazewell. Of this land, he ceded 40 acres to the NYP&N, and 136 acres to create the Town of Cape Charles (technically known as the "Municipal Corporation of Cape Charles") named Cape Charles for the geographical cape found on the Point and headland to the south. In that same year, construction of the railroad began. In Cape Charles, the Railroad Company built a harbor port to handle steamships and freighters from Cape Charles to Norfolk.
The original Town was surveyed, platted, and laid out with approximately 136 acres divided into 644 equal lots. Seven wider avenues which run from east to west were named for Virginia statesmen and political leaders; the streets which run north and south were named for fruits. The original layout of the Town is still very visible today, and was inspired by the layout of Erie, Pennsylvania, a city in which Scott was formerly mayor.
From the History section of Cape Charles, Virginia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship6
Shopping15
BayView Engraving & Art Glass Studio
Shop · 1.2 mi
309 Mason Avenue, Cape Charles
Schools, colleges and libraries4
Healthcare2
Map of Cape Charles
67 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°F | 32°F | 3.4 in |
| Feb | 49°F | 33°F | 2.9 in |
| Mar | 55°F | 39°F | 3.5 in |
| Apr | 65°F | 48°F | 3.4 in |
| May | 72°F | 58°F | 3.5 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 66°F | 3.8 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 71°F | 4.7 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 69°F | 4.1 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 64°F | 4.2 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 53°F | 4.3 in |
| Nov | 59°F | 43°F | 3.1 in |
| Dec | 51°F | 36°F | 3.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Cape Charles 5 Ene 74590 (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Northampton County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-12-18: Tropical Storm Michael (Hurricane)
- 2018-09-11: Hurricane Florence (Hurricane)
- 2012-11-26: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Langley Air Force Base (LFI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 22 miles away.
- Poquoson 18 mi southwest, about 29 min by car
- Hampton 21 mi southwest, about 34 min by car
- Bethel Manor 25 mi southwest, about 41 min by car
- Norfolk 26 mi southwest, about 42 min by car
- Gloucester Point 27 mi west, about 43 min by car
- Newport News 31 mi southwest, about 49 min by car
- Virginia Beach 33 mi south, about 52 min by car
- Portsmouth 33 mi southwest, about 53 min by car
- Williamsburg 38 mi west, about 1 h by car
- Chesapeake 43 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Bloxom depot Cape Charles VA, Dadadata, Public domain
- Cape Charles harbor - south side of harbor - panoramio, David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles harbor - yacht harbor - panoramio, David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles harbor - east side of harbor - panoramio, David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles, Virginia - leaving harbor looking east - panoramio, David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles, VA 23310, USA - panoramio, olekinderhook, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles, Virginia - sunset from the Shanty restaurant - panoramio, David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles - Railway lines leading to rail ferry - panoramio (1), David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles - Railway lines leading to rail ferry - panoramio, David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles - Railway lines lead to rail ferry to Norfolk - panoramio, David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles, Virginia - leaving harbor looking south - panoramio, David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles, Virginia - leaving harbor looking north to the main town - panoramio, David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles, Virginia - gas station on Mason Avenue - panoramio, David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Palace Theatre, Cape Charles, Packer1028, CC0
- Cape Charles, Virginia - leaving harbor looking east - panoramio (1), David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles, Virginia - leaving harbor looking west to old mooring dolphin - panoramio, David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles, Virginia - leaving harbor looking south - panoramio (1), David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles, Virginia - leaving harbor looking north - panoramio, David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles, Virginia - leaving harbor looking north to marker ^1 - panoramio, David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles, Virginia - Cape Charles House bed and breakfast - panoramio, David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles harbor - north side breakwater - panoramio (1), David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- Cape Charles, Virginia - leaving harbor looking north to port marker ^3 - panoramio, David Broad, CC BY 3.0
- CapeCharles-church-library, Joel Bradshaw, CC0
- John Custis IV tomb J.S, James Shelton32, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Star-transit-cape-charles, Wmtribe2015, CC0
- Offshore breakwater system (6070419810) (2), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region, CC BY 2.0
- Photo of the Week - WW II Gun Barrel (VA) (8880860829), U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region, Public domain
- Offshore breakwater system (6070419724), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region, CC BY 2.0
- Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, VA. Credit- USFWS (11803670733), U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region, Public domain
- Aerial view of the refuge (11803669813), U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region, Public domain
- Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, VA. Credit- USFWS (11803839394), U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region, Public domain
- Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge (4752172352), U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region, Public domain
- Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, VA. Credit- USFWS (11803412935), U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region, Public domain
- Tree swallow swarm (11804175946), U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region, Public domain
- Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, VA. Credit- USFWS (11804180236), U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region, Public domain
- CapeCharles-Mason305-palacetheatre1, Joel Bradshaw, CC0
- Bay-coast-railroad-car-cape-charles, Wmtribe2015, CC0
- Cape-charles-mason-avenue, Wmtribe2015, CC0
- Mason-street-cape-charles-east, Wmtribe2015, CC0
- Cape-charles-mural, Wmtribe2015, CC0
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