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First Landing State Park, Virginia Beach, VA

Photo: Virginia State Parks staff, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureHistory BuffFamily Favorite

First Landing State Park

2500 Shore Dr · Virginia Beach, VA

Why you should go…

First Landing State Park sits on Cape Henry where English colonists first landed in 1607 before settling Jamestown. You can follow 20 miles of trails through bald cypress swamps, lagoons and maritime forest, then swim along 1.5 miles of Chesapeake Bay beach. The park was built in part by an all African American Civilian Conservation Corps company between 1933 and 1940, is a National Natural Landmark, and offers yurts and campsites while its cabins are renovated.

  • #state park
  • #hiking trails
  • #beach
  • #camping
  • #cypress swamp

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to First Landing State Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Cape Henry Lighthouse

    Under $25

    Climb the 1792 sandstone lighthouse at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay on a guided tour inside Fort Story.

    1.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    Virginia Beach Boardwalk

    Free

    Stroll or bike a three-mile oceanfront promenade lined with hotels, restaurants and the King Neptune statue.

    3.8 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Free

    Chrysler Museum of Art

    Free

    A free art museum spanning 5,000 years, with one of the largest glass collections in America and live glassmaking demos.

    16 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Fort Monroe

    Free

    Walk the moat and ramparts of a six-sided stone fort at Old Point Comfort, then visit the Casemate Museum and Chesapeake Bay beaches.

    17 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Yorktown Battlefield

    Under $25

    Tour the earthworks, Moore House and Victory Monument where the 1781 siege ended the Revolutionary War's fighting.

    35 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Busch Gardens Williamsburg

    $50+

    Ride coasters like Loch Ness Monster, Griffon and Pantheon in a theme park laid out as European hamlets.

    41 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions