First Landing State Park Beach
First Landing State Park Beach is a beach in Bayside, Virginia Beach, best for calm-water swimming, dog owners in summer, combining beach and trail days, campers.
First Landing State Park fronts 1.5 miles of sandy Chesapeake Bay beach — calmer water than the Atlantic side, backed by dunes and maritime forest instead of houses or hotels. Swimming is at your own risk (no lifeguards), which keeps the mood closer to a wild beach than a resort one, and campers at the park's bayfront sites walk straight over the dune line to the sand. A standout for dog owners: unlike the city beaches, leashed pets are allowed on this beach year-round, including summer daytime — the park requires a leash no longer than 6 feet and proof of rabies vaccination. The park's 20 miles of trails start just inland.
- Dog Friendly
- Family Friendly
- Wheelchair Accessible
Amenities
- 1.5 miles of Chesapeake Bay beach
- Backed by dunes and maritime forest
- Campground with bayfront sites
- Park restrooms and bathhouses
- All-terrain and beach wheelchairs available
Know Before You Go
- Best for: calm-water swimming, dog owners in summer, combining beach and trail days, campers
- Parking: State park parking fee applies (per-vehicle daily rate; see Virginia State Parks fee schedule). Day-use areas open 7 a.m. to dusk; lots fill on summer weekends.
- Accessibility: The park offers an all-terrain wheelchair for children and adults and a specialized beach wheelchair; the Cape Henry Trail is universally accessible from Kendall to 64th Street.
- Dogs: allowed — Leashed dogs are allowed on the park beach year-round, including summer daytime — leash no longer than 6 feet, with documentary evidence of rabies vaccination required in Virginia Beach. This is the notable exception to the city beaches' summer dog restrictions.
- Location: 2500 Shore Dr, inside First Landing State Park, Chesapeake Bay side, Virginia Beach, VA
Last verified 2026-07-10.
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While You're in the Area
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Chef-driven farm-to-table gastropub in Bayside with local craft taps, small-batch bourbon, and a dog-friendly patio known for housemade pork rinds.
- Dog Friendly
- Outdoor Seating
- Hidden Gem
Aberdeen Barn Steak House
Bayside steakhouse since 1966 serving in-house aged USDA Angus beef, seafood, and Sunday brunch.
- Date Night
American Brew
Bayside's coffee-and-whiskey cafe on East Stratford Road, serving 100-plus drink options, acai bowls, and a signature Brewrito wrap since 2016.
Bay Local Eatery — Shore Drive
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Shore Drive hole-in-the-wall running happy-hour drink pricing every day, with a rotating weekly food calendar and weekend DJ nights.
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Upcoming Events Nearby
Lynnhaven River NOW Oyster Roast
May 1, 2027 · annual (first Saturday in May)
Lynnhaven River NOW's signature fundraiser turns the waterfront lawn at the Brock Environmental Center into an all-you-can-eat oyster roast, marking the nonprofit's multi-decade push to bring the Lynnhaven's namesake oyster back from near-collapse. Roasted and raw oysters pulled from the restoration reefs anchor the spread, backed by barbecue, local beer and spirits, live music, and a shucking contest, with proceeds funding the group's oyster-reef and water-quality restoration work. It's a rare chance to eat Lynnhaven oysters within sight of the reefs that grew them, at a bayfront green building a few minutes off Shore Drive.
Town Center Summer Fest Music Series
May 22, 2026 – September 7, 2026 · seasonal (nightly concerts, late May-early September)
The Central Business District Association's free concert series takes over Town Center's Fountain Plaza most nights from late May through early September, with cover bands, tribute acts, and local musicians playing against the backdrop of the plaza's high-rises. Restaurants ringing the plaza put out sidewalk seating within earshot of the stage, turning a weeknight downtown into an impromptu outdoor show. It's the closest thing Virginia Beach's inland downtown has to the Oceanfront's summer concert culture -- free, walkable, and parked in the Town Center garages rather than beach lots.
Autumn in the Air
November 7, 2026 · annual
A newer addition to the city's Parks & Recreation calendar, this single-day fall festival takes over Mount Trashmore Park with folk, americana, and rock bands on an outdoor stage, food and drink for purchase, and activities scattered across the lakefront lawn. Now in its third year, it's grown into the city's answer to a proper autumn street festival without the Oceanfront crowds -- bring a lawn chair or blanket, since tents and large coolers aren't allowed in the event area. Free admission and parking make it an easy afternoon add for anyone already in Kempsville.