First Landing State Park

First Landing State Park This historic oasis within urban Virginia Beach is where English colonists first landed in 1607. A campground and cabins offer overnight lodging Vulgar language.
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Explore trails and enjoy 1.5 miles of Chesapeake Bay beach frontage at one of Virginia’s first state parks. DCR's social media activities are intended to present agency matters of public interest to clients, businesses and visitors. DCR encourages users to submit questions and comments but asks users to remain civil and on topic.

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Summer is right around the corner and Virginia State Parks offer plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors for all ages. No m...
05/20/2026

Summer is right around the corner and Virginia State Parks offer plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors for all ages.

No matter where you are in Virginia, there is a state park within an hour drive of you, making for a quick getaway for you and the family.

Explore endless opportunities for a summer of fun here: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/other/summer-fun

Mark your calendars and celebrate Virginia’s rich stories, traditions, and communities during History & Culture Weekend ...
05/18/2026

Mark your calendars and celebrate Virginia’s rich stories, traditions, and communities during History & Culture Weekend at Virginia State Parks!

Visit your favorite Virginia State Park June 13-14 and enjoy hands‑on experiences and guided programs that bring our past to life.

To explore our History and Culture Weekend events, visit: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/history-culture-day

🌳 Celebrate National Kids to Parks Day with us! We're hosting a Bay Blast adventures to help our younger visitors connec...
04/29/2026

🌳 Celebrate National Kids to Parks Day with us! We're hosting a Bay Blast adventures to help our younger visitors connect with nature and discover the joys of being outside.

🗓️ Saturday, May 16
🕛 1 p.m.

Sharpen your casting skills with Backyard Bass Beach Edition, a sandy twist to this fun fishing game. 🎣

Come enjoy a day filled with fun, learning and fresh air!

🔗 https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/event?id=2026-03-02-15-30-17-287856-nj8

Congratulations to Lynn Ailsworth who completed her Master Hiker designation at Mason Neck State Park!Here is what she s...
04/28/2026

Congratulations to Lynn Ailsworth who completed her Master Hiker designation at Mason Neck State Park!

Here is what she said about her journey:

“I have been visiting Virginia State Parks since 2013 but I just learned about Trail Quest in the spring of 2024 from an amazing ladies Facebook group I follow, Girls Who Hike Virginia. I visited 21 state parks in 2025 to finish my Quest! It’s been a fun challenge!

I’m so impressed with all of the parks and how different and unique they are! The staff are always friendly and knowledgeable, the trails are marked well, and the facilities are always clean.

A few of my favorite memories of some of the parks are:

Natural Tunnel State Park – being down inside the tunnel was incredible!
Kiptopeke State Park – kayaking out to the concrete ships was amazing!
First Landing State Park – hiking in the snow and seeing snow on the beach was magical!
False Cape State Park – bike riding and photo op to see the Southernmost state park buoy was fun!
Sweet Run State Park – learning what our wing span was educational!
Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park – seeing it decorated for Christmas was beautiful!

I love telling everyone about our parks and I can’t wait to go back and visit them again!”

Thank you for sharing your journey and for being part of the Trail Quest and Virginia State Park family!

Explore Virginia State Parks one step at a time with Trail Quest, learn more: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/trail-quest

Congratulations to Vivian & Brad Jefferson who completed their Master Hiker designation at Mason Neck State ParkHere is ...
04/21/2026

Congratulations to Vivian & Brad Jefferson who completed their Master Hiker designation at Mason Neck State Park

Here is what they said about their journey:

“We received our first Trail Quest pin at the First Day Hike at Mason Neck State Park in 2018. After a slow start, we took our first “State Park Vacation” in March 2021, visiting 4 parks around Farmville. We gradually logged more state parks each year and then set a New Years Resolution to finish the Trail Quest challenge in 2025. We met our goal of 13 parks for the year in September.

Since we are both data people, we analyzed patterns in our Trail Quest journey:

• 77% of our park visits occurred in the past three years.

• We prefer hiking in colder weather, with a total of 9 park visits in December, 8 park visits in March, and 6 park visits in January (all First Day hikes). No bugs, no humidity, and no crowds!

The Trail Quest challenge was the perfect activity for us to share together. Brad enjoys photographing birds and Vivian appreciates the peace of exploring nature. We both like to travel so the road trips to all of the different parts of Virginia were especially fun. Some of our favorite experiences were:

• Viewing the habitats of migrating birds at False Cape State Park during the tram tour.

• Listening to the songs of 34 bird species at Staunton River Battlefield State Park and at many other parks, we saw peregrine falcons, herons, ducks, geese, and even a lone slithering snake.

• Hiking to expansive views of mountains and rivers at Grayson Highlands State Park, New River Trail State Park, Shenandoah River State Park and James River State Park. The trails at First Landing State Park lead through diverse ecosystems, from dunes and marshes to forest.

• Learning the history of Virginia at parks that feature civil war battlefields, pioneer experience, the ties of indigenous people to the land, and the remnants of Civilian Conservation Corps projects.

We feel fortunate to have such well-maintained Virginia State Parks. All of the parks are accessible to people of different hiking levels and the park rangers are knowledgeable and eager to share helpful advice.”

Thank you for sharing your journey and for being part of the Trail Quest and Virginia State Park family!

Explore Virginia State Parks one step at a time with Trail Quest, learn more: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/trail-quest

This month, we're bringing the history of Cape Henry Lighthouse to First Landing State Park! Due to current base securit...
04/07/2026

This month, we're bringing the history of Cape Henry Lighthouse to First Landing State Park! Due to current base security restrictions at Fort Story, Cape Henry Lighthouse is closed to civilians. It is only open to active/retired military and DoD card holders.

So come down to the Trail Center on Thursdays at 2 p.m. for history programs presented by interpreters from Cape Henry Lighthouse and the First Landing Park Rangers.

Preposterous Pirates - 4/9
https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/event?id=2026-04-02-14-30-04-935682-trj

400 Years of History - 4/16
https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/event?id=2026-04-02-14-31-06-328178-hmr

Cape Henry Wildlife - 4/23
https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/event?id=2026-04-02-14-31-54-162716-286

The Village of Cape Henry - 4/30
https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/event?id=2026-04-02-14-32-36-231607-8gz

We're hiring! If you want to help others enjoy one of Virginia’s most beautiful state parks, we’d love to have you on ou...
04/02/2026

We're hiring! If you want to help others enjoy one of Virginia’s most beautiful state parks, we’d love to have you on our team. Explore these positions and apply today! 💚

🏕️ Camp Counselor Interpreter
🙋‍♀️ Contact Ranger
🧹 Housekeeping Ranger
🛠️ Maintenance Ranger
🛠️ Maintenance Ranger Senior
🙋‍♀️ Overnight Contact Ranger
🌳 Seasonal Interpretive Ranger

Learn more: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/park-jobs?park=2013-10-18-21-10-41-00011

03/26/2026

First Landing State Park is home to a wide variety of wildlife and rare plants due to our many unusual habitats, including bald cypress swamps, lagoons and maritime forests. 🌳

As Virginia's most-visited state park, we offer 20 miles of scenic trails and 1.5 miles of sandy Chesapeake Bay beach frontage. You can enjoy many recreational and educational activities during the year such as crabbing, nature hikes and Bay lab exploration in The Chesapeake Bay Center. 🌊

Consider making your visit a getaway! We offer yurts, water and electric hook-up campsites, and tent campsites. Plus, our ongoing cabin renovations are set to be completed in 2027. 🤩

Follow us for updates on events and recreational opportunities, and learn more about our special park here: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/first-landing

📍 2500 Shore Dr., Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Congratulations to Milena Smith who completed her Master Hiker designation at Natural Bridge State ParkHere is what was ...
03/24/2026

Congratulations to Milena Smith who completed her Master Hiker designation at Natural Bridge State Park

Here is what was said about her journey:

“Milena Smith began her Trail Quest journey in May 2021 at Chippokes State Park with her parents. Living in Hampton Roads, she and her parents thought Trail Quest would be a great way to explore other areas of Virginia. While some parks were easy day trips, others required longer vacations to visit all the parks within a region.

Her favorite park was First Landing State Park because it was her neighborhood park and one she could visit regularly. Her favorite park experiences are tied between enjoying the excellent tour guide on the tram ride to False Cape State Park and touring Timberneck House at Machicomoco State Park. She was excited to complete her final park visit and celebrate her Trail Quest ceremony at Natural Bridge State Park, one of the parks she had most looked forward to visiting when she began Trail Quest."

Included are a photo of Milena receiving her Trail Quest certificate and a photo of Milena and her parents, who completed their Trail Quest a few months earlier at Sweet Run State Park.

Thank you for sharing your journey and for being part of the Trail Quest and Virginia State Park family!

Explore Virginia State Parks one step at a time with Trail Quest, learn more: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/trail-quest

🦇 Did you know some bats migrate while others hibernate right here in Virginia? These incredible creatures play a vital ...
03/24/2026

🦇 Did you know some bats migrate while others hibernate right here in Virginia? These incredible creatures play a vital role in our ecosystem, and they need our help to thrive.

Learn how bats survive the winter, why they matter and simple ways you can make a difference in our blog post.

👉 https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/blog/virginias-bats-hibernation-migration-and-how-you-can-help-them

📷 Tri colored bat: Rick Reynolds, Wildlife Biologist, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

Address

Virginia Beach, VA

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 7pm
Tuesday 7am - 7pm
Wednesday 7am - 7pm
Thursday 7am - 7pm
Friday 7am - 7pm
Saturday 7am - 7pm
Sunday 7am - 7pm

Telephone

(757) 412-2300

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