First Landing State Park

First Landing State Park is the most visited state park in Virginia, and it earns that status. Covering 2,888 acres where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic coast, it offers 19 miles of hiking trails through ecosystems that range from cypress swamps to maritime forest to sandy dunes. This is the site where English colonists first set foot in 1607 before heading up to Jamestown, and the landscape still feels wild despite being minutes from the Virginia Beach resort strip.

For families, the park's trail system is the main draw. The Cape Henry Trail (a paved multi-use path) works for strollers and bikes. The Bald Cypress Trail is a 1.

5-mile boardwalk loop through a swamp environment where kids can spot turtles, frogs, herons, and the towering bald cypress trees draped in Spanish moss — it looks like something out of a different state entirely. The trail is flat and manageable for kids as young as 4 or 5 who can walk a mile.

The park has a sandy Chesapeake Bay beach that's calmer and shallower than the Atlantic oceanfront, making it better for younger kids and weaker swimmers. There are also campgrounds (cabins and tent sites) if your family wants to extend the visit overnight.

A parking fee applies year-round, and the park can fill to capacity on summer weekends — arriving before 10AM is critical on hot-weather Saturdays. There are restrooms at the main visitor area but not deep in the trail system, so plan accordingly with small children.

First Landing is the kind of place where you can spend two hours on a quick trail walk or make a full day of it with hiking, beachgoing, and a picnic. It's a strong counterpoint to the commercial attractions in Virginia Beach — real nature, real quiet, real exploration.