First Landing State Park

First Landing State Park occupies 2,888 acres along the Chesapeake Bay in northern Virginia Beach, and it's one of the most ecologically diverse and scenically stunning state parks on the East Coast. Named for the site where English colonists first landed in 1607 (before continuing to Jamestown), the park preserves a remarkable landscape of bald cypress swamps, maritime forests, dunes, and salt marshes — all within a 10-minute drive of the Virginia Beach oceanfront.

The cypress swamps are the park's signature feature. Guided and self-guided kayak routes take families through channels flanked by ancient bald cypress trees, their trunks and knees rising from tea-colored water. Spanish moss hangs from the branches, turtles slide off logs as paddlers approach, and the cathedral-like silence of the swamp creates a meditative experience that's strikingly different from the beach-party energy of the boardwalk.

The park's trail system includes 19 miles of paths ranging from easy boardwalk loops to longer sand and dirt trails through the forest. The Bald Cypress Trail (1.5 miles, easy) is the most popular family hike, following boardwalks through the swamp with interpretive signs explaining the ecosystem. The Osprey Trail and Cape Henry Trail provide longer options for more adventurous families.

The Chesapeake Bay beach on the park's north shore offers calm, warm swimming in protected bay waters. The beach is wide and sandy with a gentle slope, making it ideal for young children. The views across the bay to the Eastern Shore and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel are expansive and calming. This beach is consistently less crowded than the oceanfront.

First Landing is also one of Virginia's best camping destinations. The campground offers 189 sites (many with water and electric hookups) shaded by towering pines and set within walking distance of the bay beach. Camping here provides families with easy access to both the park's natural beauty and Virginia Beach's tourist attractions — the best of both worlds.