Road Trips Starting from Virginia Beach, VA
Best National Parks Near Virginia Beach, VA
Shenandoah National Park can be found just 210 miles away from Virginia Beach, and it’s home to forests, mountains, and even waterfalls. Part of the Appalachian Trail runs through this park, and additional trails within the park include Little Devils Stairs Trail, Fort Windham Rocks Trail, Millers Head Trail, Old Rag Mountain Trail, and Rose River Loop Trail. There are multiple visitor centers to check out there, and ranger-led programs are offered year-round. In the summer, visitors often enjoy hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and horseback riding in the park while, in the winter, visitors can enjoy cross-country skiing, ice fishing, and snowshoeing.
Popular State Parks Near Virginia Beach, VA
First Landing State Park is Virginia’s most frequently visited state park, and it happens to be situated right in Virginia Beach. Part of this park has been listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places and National Natural Landmark list, and the park itself was the first planned state park in Virginia. At the park, you can check out museums such as the Military Aviation Museum and Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum, or you can see Cape Henry Lighthouse, America’s oldest lighthouse. A campground can be found at First Landing State Park, and it offers water and electrical hookups for RVs. Recreational activities at this park include hiking, swimming, fishing, crabbing, and boating on the Chesapeake Bay, and biking the Cape Henry Trail.
Located near Surry, VA, about 60 miles away from Virginia Beach, is Chippokes Plantation State Park. This park features views of the famous Jamestown Settlement on the James River, and the Chippokes Farm and Forestry Museum can be accessed while in the park. The campground at this state park offers 51 campsites with water and electricity hookups, and there are 12 miles of trails to use, some of which are connected to the campground. Anglers will enjoy fishing for bass, catfish, redbreast, bluegill, and muskies. You can also join a ranger-led ecosystems tour or bike on the Cedar Lane Trail, which is 1.3 miles long.
Merchants Millpond State Park is a North Carolina State Park found 65 miles southwest of Virginia Beach. This park encompasses over 3,000 acres of land, and there is a coastal pond within the area. Animals such as bobcats, alligators, and otters call this park home, and visitors often enjoy hiking the swampy forests whenever they come to use the park’s nine miles of trails.
Must-see Monuments and Landmarks Near Virginia Beach, VA
Visitors can learn about American history at Fort Monroe National Monument, including seeing the place where the first ship carrying enslaved Africans landed in 1619. Visitors can learn about the history of the area by visiting the site’s Casemate Museum and hiking along the Moat Walk, a paved trail that circles the western side of the fort’s iconic moat. You will find Fort Monroe National Monument about 31 miles from Virginia Beach.
Yorktown Battlefield, part of the Colonial National Historical Park, is the site of a 1781 battle of the American Revolutionary War. During your visit, you can hike the Redoubt 10 Trail, which is about a half-mile trail that travels from the park’s visitor center to one of the forts on the battlefield. You can also tour the battlefield and learn about its role in the British army’s surrender to American soldiers. This historical site can be found about 51 miles from Virginia Beach.
The Cape Henry Memorial is another site found at Colonial National Historical Park, and it is also about 51 miles away from Virginia Beach. This memorial site marks the place where English colonists landed in Virginia in the year 1607 after a difficult sea voyage. The focus of the site is the historical dangers of sea travel, and visitors can learn more by touring the site on the Cape Henry Walkway. This trail, which features interpretive signs, leads from the memorial site to the nearby beach area.
RVshare’s Top Picks for Nearby RV Parks & Campgrounds
North Bay Shore Campground is a campground found right on Colchester Road in Virginia Beach. This campground is surrounded by the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and the North Bay can be accessed directly from this location. You can choose from 62 sites for RV camping with full hookups, and amenities of the campground include a game room, concrete parking pads, fire pits, and picnic tables.
The Virginia Beach KOA is a great campground with 120 RV campsites offering full hookups. Other amenities include great cell reception, free Wi-Fi, and access to a pool. There are also playgrounds, zip lines, and yard games offered at this RV park, and it is all within driving distance of local beaches and boardwalks.
Holiday Trav-L-Park, also in Virginia Beach, is an RV park with 687 campsites with full hookups, and there are miles of trails through a wooded area for guests to use. This park is known for its beautiful landscaping, and it has beach volleyball courts.
RV Dump Stations Near Virginia Beach, VA
The Virginia Beach KOA campground offers a dump station for all guests to use for free. Those passing through can also use the dump services here for a small fee.
Another campground within Virginia Beach that offers dump services is the Holiday Trav-L-Park. This dump station is also open to guests for free and for all others to use for a small fee.
The Ocean Pines RV Campground of the Military Park in Virginia Beach has a dump station. For camp guests, this station may be used for free, and all others can use it for a fee of $10 or less.
