Visiting First Landing State Park, Virginia
First Landing State Park is located on Cape Henry in North Virginia Beach. This 2,888 acre park offers a wide range of activities for visitors. You can go swimming, hiking, biking, boating, fishing, or enjoy a picnic when you visit First Landing. Regardless of how long you can stay, for a few hours or for a full day, you can have a nice time visiting the park. You can also stay in the park overnight, at a campsite or in one of in one of the park's cabins. By planning an overnight stay you can escape the busier pace of the more heavily developed areas of Virginia Beach yet still remain in close proximity to all that the local area has to offer.
This page provides an brief overview detailing how to get into First Landing State Park and what you can do and see once you have arrived. You can use the navigation links to the left or the links found in the text below to learn more about specific aspects of the park.
Entering First Landing State Park
Admission to the park is $4 per vehicle on weekdays and $5 on weekends. The grounds and trails are open daily, from 8am until dusk, to day visitors .
- Main entrance - located off of Route 60 / Shore
Drive (driving directions). From here you can access parking, the bay beach, restrooms, the information center, the Environmental Education Center, and the campgrounds. The information center is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM. On the other side of Route 60, opposite the main entrance to First Landing State Park, is a secondary entrance to the park. You can access trailheads, the park's cabins, parking, restrooms, and the Trail Center from this entrance. - 64th Street entrance - on the south side of the park, located off of Route 60 / Atlantic Avenue. This entrance provides access to the Narrows boat launch and beach, the bike trail, and hiking trails. There is a fee of $4 fee for use of the boat launch (free for overnight park visitors).
First Landing Camping and Cabin Rental
Camping - There are more than 200 campsites in First Landing State 
Park. Fees range from $24 to $32, plus tax. Pets are allowed for an additional $5 per night charge.
Are you wondering about about bringing your dog with you but need some more info? Take a look at this blog post that discusses a positive "camping-with-dog" experience at First Landing.
Cabins – There are 20 cabins available for rent. Fees range from $94 to $139 a night, plus tax and reservation fees. Prices vary by season and according to your state residency status. Pets are welcome but there is an additional $10 charge per night.
The Chesapeake Bay Beach
There is 1 1/4 miles of beach located along the Chesapeake Bay. First Landing's beach is open every day. There are no lifeguards, you swim at your own risk. There is no swimming allowed in the Narrows or at the boat launch area.
Hiking and Biking
There are 19 miles of trails in the park. With the exception of the Chesapeake Bay beach, the trail system traverses most all of the habitats found in First Landing State Park - cypress swamp, salt marsh, maritime forest, freshwater wetlands, dunes, and bay shoreline. A single First Landing trail allows bicycles - the Cape Henry Trail. Fortunately it runs right through the park and is 5.9 miles long. You can rent bicycles at the park store or from businesses in Virginia Beach.
Fishing and Boating
There is a boat launch located at the end of the 64th street park road. The road ends at the Narrows, which is an section of bay between Broad Bay and Linkhorn Bay. The boat launch fee is $4 but if you are staying overnight in the park it is free. The most popular fishing and crabbing area is at the narrows. A valid Virginia saltwater fishing license is required for fishing.
Picnics
There is a picnic area near the main entrance to the park. It is located off of the road that leads to the cabins and Trail Center. First Landing State Park's picnic area has drinking water, fire grills, trash cans, picnic tables, a group camping pavilion, and a restroom facility.
First Landing State Park contact information:
This website is not affiliated with the state of Virginia or First Landing State Park. The park's contact information:
First Landing State Park
2500 Shore Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23451-1415
Phone: (757) 412-2300
website
First Landing State Park Distinctions
The name First Landing commemorates the 1607 landing of the Virginia Company on Cape Henry. The group of settlers that made landfall here eventually moved west and formed Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America. The park name was changed from Seashore State Park to reflect the historical significance of Cape Henry. The cape was originally named by the settlers to commemorate the Prince of Wales, Henry Frederick, who was the eldest son of King James.
Another First Landing State Park distinction is a botanical one - the park is the northernmost east coast location where subtropical and temperate plants can be found growing together.
