First Landing State Park

First Landing State Park is a park in Virginia Beach, Virginia, that covers nearly twelve square kilometers and includes cypress swamps, coastal forest, and about 2.5 kilometers of Chesapeake Bay shoreline. The site offers more than 200 campsites with hookups, 20 cabins, hiking paths, and a boat ramp at the 64th Street entrance.

English settlers came ashore at this spot in 1607 before moving on to Jamestown. Workers from the Civilian Conservation Corps built the current facilities between 1933 and 1940.

The official name refers to the arrival of English settlers in 1607, which is marked today by monuments and interpretive panels along the trails. Visitors can walk through areas built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, where stone bridges and pathways remain visible.

The park sits directly on the Chesapeake Bay and can be reached from Virginia Beach through several entrances. Visitors can choose between campsites near the shore or in wooded areas, with trails mostly flat and suitable for families.

Old cypress trees grow here in freshwater swamps just a few meters from coastal dunes and salt water. This rare forest structure formed because of the unusual position between ocean and mainland.

Location: Virginia

Inception: 1933

Email: firstlanding@dcr.virginia.gov

Website: https://dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/first-landing

GPS coordinates: 36.90610,-76.01530

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:29