When I booked our campsite at First Landing State Park, a park frequently listed as one of the most beautiful in Virginia, I had no idea that it would be so exciting and memorable. With gale force winds, near-freezing temperatures, and coyotes howling in the distance in the middle of the night, this was not necessarily the sort of “memorable” I had in mind. Yet, honestly, I’d go again in a heartbeat.
We rolled Shirley Jean into one of the most beautiful beach campsites I’ve been to. We were just off the dunes, near the boardwalk out to the beach. It felt so private and remote, while still giving us easy access to the bath house and neighboring campers.
We were all excited to be at the beach, our youngest determined to put his feet, at least, in the frigid waters.
But that night, we hunkered down. The wind whipped outside, blowing our canvas around. In the distance, we heard coyotes howling at the moon. Our electric heater worked hard and kept us warm enough, but we still snuggled under the blankets.
Which makes me wonder: when are we not really camping? Or, alternatively, when is camping for hobby just a step too far?
When we bought Shirley Jean, we were set on a pop up camper not only for budget, but also as a lifestyle choice. We knew there were more comfortable options out there. But we specifically wanted to be out in nature, away from all of the creature comforts we generally take for granted. Those comforts can remove us from the world around us. It seems as though in our modern lives we stop really seeing and feeling because we are filled and served rapid fire entertainment and vapid opportunities to leave our immediate environment. So when looking for opportunities to extend the camping season, we made a conscious decision to get AWAY from TVs, electronics, and the things that pull us away from the world. We felt like a pop up provided us a good opportunity to be out in nature safe and secure and also connected to the things that matter.
So, did our gamble work? I honestly don’t know. Our night at First Landing was slightly uncomfortable yet also not miserable. I don’t know where “fun” ends and just plain “adventure” begins, but I suspect we were teetering right on the edge.
The next morning shined brighter and calmer, so we popped over to the other side of First Landing State Park (a car ride away across a busy road). It was here we hiked. There are 19 miles of trails across almost 3,000 acres.
First Landing State Park is incredibly popular – in fact, in addition to being on “most beautiful parks” lists, it is also frequently on “most visited parks” lists. It is estimated that the park gets over 1 million visitors a year. The park is in Virginia Beach, increasing its popularity, and they do, indeed, close the park to visitors once capacity is reached. (Which, as you know, I am becoming a proponent of.)
Of course, the weekend we were there the campsite was quite sparsely populated. But the trails side of the park was pretty dense!
We hiked very close to Broad Bay (see hiking map here), and found the scenic trail a little too short. We weren’t ready to quit hiking yet, soaking in the sun. The marshy vegetation reminded us so much of our lives in Wilmington, NCÂ and we were nostalgic.
But then we flew a little too close to the sun. In the middle of the woods, at the point of return on our planned hiked, we made a whimsical decision to go further and make it a loop. Yet it ended up being way too long (and slightly monotonous as we were on a fire road for awhile). The complaints weren’t too bad (all things considered) and we eventually made it. But I wouldn’t recommend the second half of our loop.
This park is a significant spot in the history of our nation and was fun to explore. First Landing State Park is actually the first park to planned by Virginia to be a state park due to its importance and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
It was, as its name implies, a spot of first landing. Here, in 1607, Christopher Newport landed his boat before he and his group went to create Jamestown. It is hard to conceive what those early settlers thought when they stepped onto the dunes we were now camping near.
Back at the campsite, clearly in nicer digs that those early settlers despite my insistence on no electronics, we enjoyed a considerably calmer evening. It was still cold, yet devoid of the wind that shook us the night before.
While at First Landing, we noticed how one slight shift by Mother Nature can make all of the difference in the world. When not isolated from the elements, it is amazing to feel in your bones how the smallest fraction of movement can make the weather easier or unbearable.
First Landing State Park offers cabins and yurts for rent as well, and it is one of the prettiest campsites we’ve seen.
Being able to walk to the beach for a phenomenal sunset was worth it all – even the eerie sound of coyotes wandering the hills far away.
Campers should also know that there is a Navy installation immediately adjacent to the campsite on the east side. And yes, reveille calls everyone to line around 8:00 am. We tend not to sleep in (like, EVER since we had kids, but particularly while camping), so we thought it was fun. But we know other families who bemoan this detail.
There is also a really well-stocked and lovely camp store (where we bought our traditional sticker for Shirley Jean’s bumper).
All things done, I want to go back to First Landing State Park. I want to experience it in warmer weather, when the beach is ours for the taking. But, for now, I will sing gratitude for creature comforts and electric heaters.
For more on First Landing State Park in Virginia, visit dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/first-landing.
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