First Landing State Park with Kids: The 2026 Family Guide

Which Entrance to Use: Shore Drive vs. 64th Street

First Landing has two entrances, and this is the detail most guides skip. The two sides are physically separate, and you cannot drive between them from inside the park. Pick one before you leave the hotel, because backtracking costs real time. The Shore Drive entrance sits on the north side of the park. It leads to the Bay beach, the Discovery Center, picnic pavilions, and markers noting the 1607 landing site. The 64th Street entrance sits on the south side. It leads to the Narrows boat launch and the main trailheads for hiking and biking. Standard per-vehicle entry costs less on weekdays than on weekends and holidays. Check the Virginia State Parks website for the current rate before your visit, since prime-season pricing applies through the summer.

Top Kid-Friendly Trails: Bald Cypress and Cape Henry

The Bald Cypress Trail is the headline hike for families. It runs a 1.5-mile loop from the 64th Street side, and long boardwalk sections carry you over the swamp itself. Kids tend to slow down here on their own, pointing out the knobby cypress knees poking up through the water. The boardwalk stretches handle a stroller well. Other sections of the loop cross packed dirt, so plan on carrying a toddler for part of the walk rather than pushing the whole way. That mix of boardwalk and shallow water lines up closely with the guidance in a toddler-focused Virginia Beach guide. The Cape Henry Trail is the better pick for older kids on bikes, since it runs flat and wide with fewer roots underfoot. On either trail, stay on the marked path. Ticks and poison ivy both turn up off-trail in the maritime forest.

• Bald Cypress Trail: 1.5-mile loop, mostly boardwalk, starts near the 64th Street entrance
• Cape Henry Trail: flat and wide, a better fit for kids on bikes
• Stay on marked trails to limit tick and poison ivy exposure

The Chesapeake Bay Beach: Calm Water for Young Swimmers

The Bay beach is the real reason to bring young kids to First Landing instead of, or alongside, the main oceanfront. Depth increases gradually here, and there is no real surf to knock a toddler over. That is a sharp contrast with the Virginia Beach oceanfront boardwalk, where breaking waves and a steeper drop-off suit older kids better than toddlers. Restrooms and outdoor showers sit near the Shore Drive beach parking lots, close enough to reach quickly during a diaper emergency or a sand-covered meltdown. One seasonal warning matters here: yellow flies bite hardest in late June and July. Pack a heavy-duty repellent for that window, since standard mosquito spray does little against them.

• Restrooms and outdoor showers near the Shore Drive beach parking lots
• Water deepens gradually with minimal wave action, unlike the open Atlantic
• Yellow flies peak in late June and July; bring a strong repellent

The Discovery Center: Touch Tanks and the 1607 Story

The Discovery Center pairs well with a beach morning, especially if the group needs an indoor break. Inside, touch tanks let kids handle Bay wildlife under staff supervision, and exhibits cover the 1607 landing that gives the park its name. Hours shift by season, so check the current schedule on the Virginia State Parks site before you plan around it. A Junior Ranger program has run at First Landing in past seasons; ask at the visitor center about current availability and how to sign up on the day of your visit.

Planning Your Visit: Fees, Timing, and What to Pack

Arrive before 10:00 a.m. on weekends and holidays. Both entrances fill their lots by mid-morning once the weather turns warm, and the park does not always let cars queue once a lot is full. Per-vehicle entry costs less on weekdays, so a weekday trip is the easier option if the schedule allows it. If a forecast turns to rain, the Virginia Aquarium works as a nearby indoor alternative rather than losing the day entirely. Pack light for the terrain: a sand-free mat saves cleanup time at the Bay beach, and water shoes help on the rockier edges of the Narrows.

• Sand-free mat for the Bay beach
• Heavy-duty bug spray, especially late June through July
• Water shoes for the Narrows side, where the bottom is uneven
• Refillable water bottles; the maritime forest offers shade but few water fountains
• A stroller for boardwalk sections, plus a carrier for dirt-trail stretches

Nearby Add-Ons: Cape Henry Lighthouse and Rainy-Day Options

Cape Henry Lighthouse sits inside Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story, next to the park. Every adult in the vehicle needs a valid photo ID to clear the base gate, so check current visitor-access rules before adding it to the plan. Pair a lighthouse stop with the Shore Drive side of First Landing, since both sit close to that entrance. On a day the forecast turns bad, drop the park entirely and swap in the aquarium instead, keeping the rest of the trip on schedule.