North Bay Shore Campground

The Great Outdoors

First Landing State Park offers an excellent mix of nature and history. The waterways here have seen Native American canoes, colonial settlers, 20th-century schooners, and modern cargo ships. It’s the place where English colonists first landed in 1607 hence the park's name. And legend has it that the infamous Blackbeard once used the park’s Narrows as a hiding place. Virginia’s most-visited state park, First Landing has more than 20 miles of nature trails and 1.5 miles of Chesapeake Bay frontage. The park offers many recreational and educational activities as well as a campground with partial hookups.Another popular state park in the area is False Cape State Park. Covering 4,321 acres on the Currituck Banks Peninsula, the park is one of the few remaining undeveloped areas along the Atlantic Coast. Experience nature in a primitive setting, just be sure to bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and bug spray. On the peninsula, you can enjoy guided kayak trips, hiking and biking trails, primitive camping, interpretive programs, and six miles of unspoiled Atlantic Ocean beach. To maintain its pristine nature, the park is only accessible via bike, foot, tram, boat, or beach transport.If you thought you needed a lot of bug repellent at False Cape State Park, you’ll need double the amount if you plan on visiting the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Suffolk, Virginia. The refuge is the largest intact remnant of swampland in this part of the country. Covering over 112,000 acres, the refuge has hiking trails as well as opportunities for biking, nature photography, hunting, wildlife observation, boating, and fishing. The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge also has designations as a natural landmark, Globally Important Bird Area, and Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

Exploring the City

Virginia Beach is a coastal city, and if you’re interested in learning more about local marine life when renting a camper here, pay a visit to the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. With over 800,000 gallons of exhibits, you can view both exotic and local marine life. There are also hands-on exhibits, marshlands, and a nature path. In addition to the wildlife, the museum has special daily events, movies, and an adventure park. The park has a zip line, aerial adventure course, and more.Head inland, and in about half an hour's drive from North Bay Shore Campground, you’ll come upon the Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk, Virginia. The largest botanical garden in Virginia, it spreads across 175 acres and is filled with blooming flowers and plants. There are over 60 themed gardens and the three-acre Children’s Garden. While some gardens focus on collections of plants, others feature plants native to different parts of the world. Perfect for people of all ages, be sure to visit Norfolk Botanical Garden next time you're in town.If lighthouses are more your thing, then Cape Henry Lighthouse is certain to please. The lighthouse marks the southern entrance to the Chesapeake Bay and was the first federally-funded public works project when the United States was first formed. Near the “First Landing” site, the distinctive black and white striped beacon was built in 1881. Today, visitors to the Virginia Beach area can climb the tower for stunning views of the Chesapeake Bay. You can also embark on a walking tour and learn about more than 400 years of history, pack a lunch and enjoy it at the picnic tables, and more.