First Landing State Park

Or call (757) 412-2320 or email firstlanding@dcr.virginia.gov for more information.

• Shannon
  Mar 15, 2024
  Fabulous Day on the Beach

  We had a fabulous day @ First Landing State Park. It was a perfect day to play in the sand. Wallie our sweet doodle loves to dig. He doesn’t get the opportunity to dig very often. He had a blast. The bay water was cold but created a perfect cool breeze off the water on a sunny day. All the dogs on the beach were controlled by their owners and everyone was following the pet rules. I didn’t see any pet poop on the beach and several pet owners had their clean up bags. We went during the off season so the parking was not problem all day. We paid $7 dollars for our parking pass in the office. Everyone in the park office was kind and courteous. It would be a great park to camp. Since it was off season the souvenir shop closed early. We will definitely come back to First Landing State Park!!

• Minnie
  Aug 18, 2023
  Make first landing your FIRST Landing!

  Excellent dog and human beach. Plenty of space, calm waters on the bay make for excellent swimming spot for our doggo. Dolphins swim not to far from shore! ( early am between 8-10am. Clean facilities. Water was great to cool down and not freezing. Showers on way out to hose down sandy salty doggos. Stay for the sunset views they are unmatched.

• Bernadette
  Jul 3, 2023
  Pogie’s first beach swim!

  Pogie my Rottie loved swimming here! Water is calm, beach is clean, and people were very friendly to him. We arrived around 9:30am on a Saturday and parking was getting full. We paid $10 for a full day of beach fun. We will definitely be back!

• Angie
  Jun 11, 2023
  Great Day

  we had an awesome day here. we went early and had no problems parking. the parking area didn’t start filling up until 9:30am

• Deb
  Dec 15, 2022
  Great off season

  Stayed here in November and it was great, no crowds, no smells, no garbage….just a good time. Beach was clean, only a few people on the entire stretch. We even saw a pod of dolphins not far from shore. It was magical for me, my dog didn’t care, she was having a grand ole time running and digging. campground is nice and people working there are even nicer. Close to everything. I will be back!

• Kate
  Aug 29, 2021
  Great Beach - took our dog

  We drove over 3 hours to First Landing and we were not disappointed. Beach was clean & beautiful. Dogs were on leashes and people friendly. Great place to rinse off right by parking area. It was $7 for day parking, but gets you in the VA park/beaches nearby. Opposite side of the road were beautiful wooded area and trails. Will return in the future.

• Shannon
  Jul 31, 2021
  Great beach for dogs during summer season

  This beach welcomes dogs even in prime summer season. They should be kept on a 6ft leash though on the actual beach people had longer leashes to let the dogs play in the water. It was fairly crowded by the entry area but if you are willing to walk a bit there was plenty of space.

• Brooke
  Jul 17, 2021
  Dog friendly

  Great place to take your dog during the day. Dogs are supposed to stay on a leash no more than 6ft long. There were some dogs off leash but luckily listened to their owners commands when being called. There are showers to rinse off sand and bathrooms. Be prepared to walk a little bit, parking is across the street from the beach. The water is relatively calm for your dog to swim and play. Overall pleased with our day trip there.

• Amy
  Sep 10, 2020
  The STENCH

  Awful. I wish there was a No Bones rating available. $7 to park. When we approached the walkway over the dunes to the beach---I noticed it right away. Strong, pungent odor of dog feces. It was so strong---I thought MY dog had had an accident and I inadvertently stepped in it somehow. That's how bad it was. By the time we got to the beach...it was making me sick to my stomach. I put on my mask. Still could not filter it out. We walked about 1/4 mile down the beach---I couldn't get away from it. I thought it was my dog! I rushed him to the water and washed him down. Nope. Not him. Laid a blanket down and sat---with my full N95 mask on (I'm a Nurse)---and literally had to breathe through my mouth because of the STENCH of dog feces.

  It was the worst. We drove from Roanoke to First Landing just to go to this wonderful 5 bones park! Yeah. We stayed for 20 minutes and left before I puked from the smell. What a trashy place. Humans on this beach clearly bury the feces instead of walking the poop to the garbage bins---like someone here already said... It was just no fun having to walk with a bag of poop! Whine Whine Whine....well then don't bring a dog to a big giant litterbox and expect them to not defecate.

  Filthy, garbage strewn beach---bits of plastic, hair ties, garbage bags, cups...nobody cleaning a thing and the STENCH was overwhelming.

  Virginia Beach seems to have literally turned into a garbage pile. This isn't what I remember from 20 years ago--and I certainly will never visit there again.

• Diana
  Jun 14, 2020
  Wishing My Rate Was Higher

  I visited on June 6-7 it was great to be able to travel with my pet as phase 2 from COVID-19 allowed a quick get away. that being said, the beach was extremely crowded being a nurse desperately needing down time this was stressfull. We walked behind everyone a good distance in order to find a spot with out a trash can in sight to deposit pet waste. Unfortunately my pet had to relieve himself just as we got started on our journey on the beach and carrying pet waste on a hot day without a place until we returned back to the visitor center was not fun. needless to say our stay was short, which was a good thing because as we headed out there was a huge number of vehicles arriving to an already crowded beach. I was happy that at least one beach is available for dogs during the summer. my dog did enjoy it.

• Brian
  Dec 29, 2019
  Excellent State Park beach

  What a great State Park ! The beach where dogs are welcome on one side of the park and lots of shaded hiking trails across the main road . We came in Dec off season ( had a 65 degree weekend) so it was Incredible. Taste is a great place to eat a few miles away and there is a good dog park across from it.

• Tricia
  More than a year ago
  Great day at the beach

  WOW -- we got to bring our dog to the beach -- it was AMAZING. We are from NY so we paid $7 to park which is amazing for us. We had access to the beach and the trails. THe beach was great, everyone welcomed our doggie, the sand was great, clean beach, water was perfect. We met other dogs on the beach, all leashed -- it was a great day had by all.

• Lyndsay
  More than a year ago
  Great

  What a great beach! Loved that the pup could be on the beach all day unlike the rest of VA public beaches during the summer. Had a great time and the park is dog friendly. Beaches were clean and quiet!

• Stephanie
  More than a year ago
  Fun in the sun at the beach for you and your pup

  Our dog had a blast at this beach! Most of the dogs that were there were leashed (which is the rule). Our dog is unsure with some dogs so this was great for us :) we could take him into the ocean and not have to worry about him being attacked by another dog. It was a bit crowded when we went but not so bad that we couldn't find a spot.

• Melanie
  More than a year ago
  great

  I have 2 labs that love the water. This beach is great for people with dogs! They are allowed on the beach all day (not just specific times like most of the rest of VA beach). The rules of the beach state they need to be on leash but in generally everyone has the dogs off leash-especially in the water. You do have to pay to get into the park/park (va state park) but it is low cost and if you leave close consider buying a pass. Every time I have gone even on a Saturday in the summer the beach never seems very crowded. Make sure to take bags to clean up waste and know there are no trash cans on the beach but they have trash/recycle/shower areas just on the parking lot side of the dunes.

• Hunter
  More than a year ago
  Awesome!!!

  Loved it! And so did my pup. The beach was beautiful and no very crowed which always makes it nice. The water was very cool and refreshing for both of us!

• Belladonna the bulldog
  More than a year ago
  first landing of the bulldog!

  dunes with a nice wooden bridge over them lead to an open stretch of beach. went on weekdays around mid day in august and found air and water temps good, beach clean and not very crowded. cost was $4 for the whole car so a very good value. bulldog enjoyed it immensely, playing fetch in the surf, wife n i walked the length of the beach and tired a bulldog out each day. there are trails also but we did not explore them. showers to clean you and your puppy off, bathrooms also and even a visitor's center. definitely 5 bones!

• Belladonna the bulldog
  More than a year ago
  first landing of the bulldog!

  dunes with a nice wooden bridge over them lead to an open stretch of beach. went on weekdays around mid day in august and found air and water temps good, beach clean and not very crowded. cost was $4 for the whole car so a very good value. bulldog enjoyed it immensely, playing fetch in the surf, wife n i walked the length of the beach and tired a bulldog out each day. there are trails also but we did not explore them. showers to clean you and your puppy off, bathrooms also and even a visitor's center. definitely 5 bones!

We dug up 27 pictures of dogs at First Landing State Park.

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