First Landing State Park

Located in the coastal city of Virginia Beach in southeastern Virginia, First Landing Beach – also called First Landing State Park Beach and First Landing State Park Chesapeake Bay Beach – is a one-and-a-quarter mile long beach that has light brown sand and a few wooden pilings.  First Landing Beach is a part of a larger state park named First Landing State Park.

First Landing Beach is open between 7 am to dusk.

First Landing Beach does not have lifeguards.  However, the area around this beach has many other amenities including picnic areas, showers, restrooms, concession stands, boardwalks, a nearby campground, a playground, bike rental facilities, hiking trails, boat launching areas, a courtyard with a gazebo and an amphitheater.  Dogs on a leash are allowed at First Landing Beach before 10 am and after 6 pm between the Friday preceding Memorial Day and the Labor Day weekend.  Dogs on leash are allowed on First Landing Beach at any time for the rest of the year.

First Landing Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, picnicking, hiking, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, surf-skiing, and boating.   First Landing Beach is ideal for beginner swimmers, kayakers, canoers, and paddleboarders because the nearshore water here is known to be usually calm and mostly shallow.  If you are planning to swim, kayak, canoe, or paddleboard near First Landing Beach, we recommend being careful because the water here can have unpredictable dangerous rip currents.  In addition, please note that swimming here is usually allowed between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. 

If you like hiking and biking, the area near First Landing Beach has a vibrant landscape comprising of many habitats including maritime forests, wetlands, and lagoons.  You can explore this amazing coastal landscape through hiking and biking trails.  If you like birdwatching, you can see many kinds of birds near First Landing Beach including mergansers, gulls, pelicans, plovers, and cormorants.  If you like taking pictures with beautiful views, First Landing Beach offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the Chesapeake Bay and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel.

First Landing Beach has a boardwalk with wheelchair access mats for visitors with disabilities – this boardwalk is located near First Landing State Park’s visitor center.

In addition, First Landing Beach also has a beach wheelchair for visitors with disabilities – you can contact the authorities at First Landing State Park by phone at (757) 412-2320 for more information about the beach wheelchair.

Getting to First Landing Beach is easy – this beach is located near 2500 Shore Drive and it is easily accessible from United States Route 60.  There is a parking lot near First Landing Beach and from there you can easily walk to the beach through a trail named Live Oak Trail.

Please note that you need to pay a fee for entering at First Landing State Park.  You need to pay a $10 entrance fee on weekends between April and October and a $7 entrance fee for the rest of the year.  In addition, we recommend carrying insect repellent while visiting First Landing Beach because this beach is known for seasonally having many insects.

First Landing Beach and First Landing State Park got their name – First Landing – because the first English colonists in Virginia first landed on this area in 1607.  In addition, First Landing State Park, which is part of First Landing Beach, also has many other fun things to explore including The Chesapeake Bay Center that has interesting exhibitions, a campground, a few historic buildings from the 1930s, freshwater ponds, and two gift shops.

There are many attractions near First Landing Beach.  Cape Henry Lighthouses are a pair of historic lighthouses that were built in 1792 and 1881.  These lighthouses offer an interesting insight into Virginia Beach’s history – in addition, one of the lighthouses here also offers amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean.  Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is a 21-minute-drive away and it is home to more than 10,000 animals from over 500 species including sharks, crabs, turtles, snakes, and cuttlefish.  This aquarium also has an adventure park and it also offers fun educational programs.  Atlantic Fun Park is a popular amusement park that is a 17-minute-drive away and has many thrilling and family friendly rides including a Ferris wheel and a slingshot.  This amusement park also has a fun go kart track. 

Pleasure House Point Natural Area is a 118-acre recreational area that has many kinds of habitats including tidal marshes and maritime forests – it also offers many fun activities including boating, wildlife watching, hiking, canoeing, and kayaking.  You can see many animal species here including many migrant and resident birds, turtles, crabs, oysters, and amphibians.  If you are looking for another attraction near First Landing Beach, Bayville Farms Park is a recreational park that offers many fun activities including a disc golf course, tennis courts, basketball courts, softball fields, picnic areas, charcoal grills, shuffleboard courts, a playground, volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, walking paths, restrooms, and picnic tables.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near First Landing Beach within a 23-minute drive.  Il Giardino Ristorante is an Italian restaurant that offers amazing dishes including Italian-style pork chops, pasta, chicken Tuscany, frutti di mare, and veal chops.  Waterman’s Surfside Grille is known for serving amazing seafood – this restaurant also serves many other excellent dishes for lunch and dinner including fries, salads, burgers, sandwiches, and pastas, along with delicious cold beverages.  The Atlantic – also called The Atlantic on Pacific – offers delicious seafood from the Eastern and Western Coast of the United States including oysters, lobsters, and crabs – this restaurant also offers excellent burgers, Southern-style dishes, pasta, and Asian dishes.  Shorebreak Pizza & Taphouse offers excellent pizzas, along with a variety of other dishes including burgers, salads, chicken wings, tacos, and sandwiches – this restaurant also offers excellent beer.  If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near First Landing Beach, Bay Local Eatery is known for serving excellent dishes for brunch including sandwiches, eggs, burritos, wraps, salads, and burgers.

If you are looking for a hotel near First Landing Beach, there are many great nearby options within a 20-minute drive.  The 4-Star Cavalier Virginia Beach, Autograph Collection is a historic hotel that offers many amenities including a beach club, a spa, a bourbon distillery, a pool, multiple restaurants, a hot tub, gift shop, bike rental facilities, and a fitness center.  Another great upscale hotel is the 4-Star Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfrontthat offers many amenities including multiple pools (including an infinity pool), fitness center, and a restaurant.  The 4-StarDelta Hotels by Marriott Virginia Beach Waterfront is another great upscale hotel that offers many amenities including a restaurant, a pool, a fitness center, rental facilities for bikes and watercraft, and a convenience store.  A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Sandcastle Resort – On the Beach that offers many amenities including a cocktail lounge, a gym, a gift shop, bike rental facilities, a pool, and a hot tub.  If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near First Landing Beach, Country Inn & Suites By Radisson, Virginia Beach (Oceanfront), VA offers many amenities including a pool, a fitness center, and complimentary breakfast.