First Landing State Park Campground

A good family campground, but not as secluded from the lights of the street and parking lots. Nice bathrooms and showers and someone working the front entrance into the night for late arrivals. Good if you're going to the beach and exploring Virginia Beach, not great if you're looking for a true camping experience.

The water is calmer here and there are far less people. We loved taking our young children here.

I've stayed here three times now, and enjoyed all three visits. As with all the beaches on the Atlantic seaboard, there are dunes which basically prevent you from actually SEEING the beach from any campsite unless you're really high (like on top of your RV) but most of the sites are literally a five minute walk over a crossing point from a really nice sandy beach. They started for the first time this year to allow certain spots to be reservable, but there aren't very many of these, and I've found that I actually like the spots at the non-reservable end to be nicer anyway. So, most of the spots are first come-first served, so picking your time on arrival day is particularly important here. There's a great little store right on premise which sells everything from food items to soda drinks to RV essentials to clothing and firewood. It's really nice having a store right there. Also, if you're in a motorhome with no other transportation, you are an easy walk or bike ride (about a mile or so) from a grocery store, drug store and some decent restaurants. As for the sites, they tend to be pretty compact. If a site says it's large enough for a 30 foot camper, they mean a 30 foot camper. The reservable spots are at one end of the campground, and the store and entrance are at the other end -- quite a walk if you don't have any easy transportation available which is why I like to stay in "H" which is literally right next to the store, a very nice bath house, and closer to a walkway to the beach than many of the other areas. The state park itself is awesome as far as trails and is huge -- you won't be hurting for things to do here. Because you're in a pretty major metro area, TV reception via an antenna and cell phone service won't be an issue.

We stayed in Nov. and it was pretty quiet, very few other folks around. The camp store and laundromat were closed. We had a pull through site, which was great because we were staying in our RV for the first time and were nervous about backing in or out. We were a couple sites from the closest bathhouse and boardwalk to the ocean. I believe there were 4 boardwalks in the entire campground. The boardwalk takes you across the dunes to 1.5 miles of beautiful sand beach at Chesapeake Bay Beach. This is calmer than the "ocean side" around the corner on Virginia Beach. The bathhouse was rustic and could be cleaner. We had water and electric hook-up and had no complaints about either. The campground is located in the First Landing State Park which includes numerous trails. We biked the Cape Henry Trail and enjoyed the opportunity to experience the cypress swamp. The picnic table was pretty "seasoned" and we didn't use it. We bought wood at the office at the Visitor Center when we checked in. It wouldn't burn without our own kindling. But we did enjoy a fire one night. All in all we found it a good spot to camp, despite being a little rough around the edges. One thing that is worth mentioning is that the noise from the nearby military base is almost non-stop.

Their electrical outlet was broken causing us issues in our camper. Took 3 people at different times who work at the campground to figure that out.

Its extremely loud by Shore Dr with cars all night!

No sewage.

Arrived for the first time, when check-in received crime prevention tips flyer suggesting to protect belongings. The site was separated from 4 lanes road by high fence and couple feet bushes. Bathrooms are outdated and not very clean. Beach lovers will appreciate walking distance to the beach. Campground is not worth the price but it is one of the cheapest options to visit Virginia Beach. Try to choose sites far away from Shore Drive.

My family started vacationing here when I was a kid, in the late 1960's. Since retiring, my wife and I have returned most every year in late September to early October. A wonderful time to be there after the bugs and all the people. Love the simple remoteness of a place so close to the ocean. Perhaps the facilities are not up to the standards of some folks, but show me another state park so close, yet remote and inexpensive.

Very nice park with multiple points of beach access via nice boardwalks. Next to military base so you hear reveille and planes fly overhead. There is dull road noise from our site but not problematic. Nicely shaded, but trees overhang so may be close for big rigs. Site 140 had the best privacy. We were fairly close to neighbors in 138.

First Landing is one of our top camping experiences so far. The site we booked backed up to an expansive area of beach vegetation. It was deeply secluded and had ample space for our three kids to roam and play. We stayed in March, so the vegetation wasn't fully grown in. We imagine the sites are even better with full growth.

Our camp hosts were phenomenal. Not only were they helpful and patient when we pulled in early by accident, but they recommended two amazing restaurants and checked in on us frequently. We didn't interact with much of the other staff but everyone else we spoke with was very kind and helpful.

The showers are hot and strong, and private if you're planning a trip during the pandemic. Cell coverage is strong enough across multiple carriers if you're a remote worker and/or home schooling. AT&T seemed to be the strongest.

We have no complaints but we do want to mention the noise from the nearby air base. The jets and helicopters run frequently throughout the week. It can be quite noisy, sometimes into the evening or early morning. We weren't bothered by it. However, if you're looking for serene quiet, they will likely be disruptive.

We'll be planning a return trip during warmer months so we can really take advantage of the beach.

This campground was in the perfect location, just a short walk from our camper and we were at the beach. The Virginia Beach boardwalk is also just a short drive away.

Our campsite was in direct sun for the majority of the time, so it did get fairly hot. However there are many sites that offer more shade. One of the bonuses to this site was that it offered a great amount of privacy.

Be aware on your drive in - Our GPS directed us to go to the state park entrance, and the signage on the busy road doesn't give you ample time to get over to the campground side. We ended up pulling into the state park entrance and had a mildly difficult time turning around and we do have a smaller rig. So just keep in mind that the campground is on the opposite side.

We would definitely stay at this campground again!