What better way to fall asleep than to the sounds of gentle waves on the shore? Perfectly located at the sweet spot where the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean meet, find your next campsite in the vibrant coastal city of Virginia Beach. Attracting visitors of all ages with its flourishing culinary scene, rich history, and variety of outdoor adventures, you can experience everything from lively and bustling town centers to remote areas surrounded by nature.
Camping is the perfect way to get the most out of your beach retreat. With more than 1,000 campsites in the area, there are plenty of options to choose from. Use this guide to find the one that works best for you.
At Virginia’s most-visited state park, First Landing State Park, there’s a wide variety of ecosystems to explore from your tent. With over 200 tent and RV sites, plus a number of cabins and yurts, you can stay in whatever way is most comfortable. From the campground, it’s just a short stroll across the boardwalk to reach the beach. Plus, you can hike or bike 20 miles of trails through bald cypress swamps, lagoons, maritime forests, and shoreline without ever leaving the park.
The more adventurous campers out there will enjoy the solitude and undeveloped coastline at False Cape State Park. The four primitive campgrounds located between Back Bay and the ocean require anywhere from a five to nine-mile hike, bike, or paddle in from your car. You’ll find the trek is well worth the effort to sleep in this pristine area. Make sure to pack plenty of water and sunscreen. Inexperienced campers and young children are not recommended due to the remote nature of the sites.
If you want to stay close to all of the action on the oceanfront, including restaurants, shops, and entertainment, you’ve got two options that fit the bill. The Virginia Beach KOA Holiday is the perfect base camp for all your activities in the area, featuring RV sites, tent sites, and cabins, plus onsite amenities that include two swimming pools, a zipline course, bike rentals, and a giant jumping pillow. Just across the street, Holiday Trav-L-Park has something for every kind of camper with over 1,000 sites ranging from basic to the full hook up with cable. Plus, with beach parking, four pools, miniature golf, and live music, there’s plenty to keep you busy during the day.
Right on the Virginia-North Carolina border, spend the night by a private beach at North Landing Beach RV Resort and Cottages. Whether you want to park an RV or rent a cottage, you’ll have access to tons of planned activities, like weekend movie nights and holiday cookouts, crafts, and games. You can also explore the extensive marshes and streams around the area with canoe, kayak, and paddleboard rentals.
From your campground home base, there is plenty more to see and do in Virginia Beach. From the aquatic habitats and high flying ziplines at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center to a peaceful stroll along the Virginia Beach Boardwalk, there’s something for everyone to try. Dozens of unique restaurants dot the landscape ensuring you’ll never eat the same thing twice. Don’t forget to try one of the many iconic seafood eateries serving the local catch.
For your next camping trip, try life by the water in Virginia Beach.
