Virginia Beach's parks offer great biking and hiking
trails, as well as 121 navigable miles of waterways.
First Landing State Park, a 2,888-acre park that fronts the
Chesapeake Bay, features 1.25 miles of beach front and more
than 19 miles of interpretive hiking trails through protected salt marsh habitat, freshwater ponds, beach, dunes, forest, tidal marsh and cypress swamp. A registered Natural Landmark, First Landing is the most visited state park in Virginia and contains one of the most endangered habitat types in the world, the maritime forest community.

Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a 9,108-acre refuge made up of barrier islands, dunes, beach woodland, freshwater marshes, maritime forests, ponds and ocean beaches. Sharing a border is the 4,321-acre False Cape State Park , featuring six miles of unspoiled beaches in an ocean-to-freshwater bay habitat, as well as dunes, woodland, farm fields, salt marsh, maritime forest and wooded swamps. Together, the parks offer numerous hiking trails. The extensive wildlife boasts over 300 species of nesting and migratory songbirds, shorebirds and ducks (inclusive of a returning snow geese population of 10,000), otters, white-tailed deer, red fox, loggerhead turtles, American bald eagles, feral pigs, wild horses, and a number of interesting reptiles. From April through October, visitors may travel into the heart of the parks on a tram and explore by foot from there.

The North Landing River Natural Area Preserve, featuring 2,907 acres and an interpretive canoe trail, is owned and operated by the Nature Conservancy. The preserve is one of the largest and most significant natural area preserves in Virginia, harboring more rare plants, animals and natural communities than any place east of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Want to explore Mother Nature in a new way? There are a variety of outfitters in Virginia Beach that offer everything from guided tours to equipment rental. Look one of them up to plan the perfect escape for you and your family when you come to Live the Life!

Check out these local outfitters to rent a bike, kayak, or Segway and see experience Virginia Beach's natural setting in a whole new way.

Back Bay Getaways
Chesapeake Bay Center
Chesapean Outdoors
Kayak Nature Tours
Rudee Inlet Jet Ski Rentals
Surf and Adventure Company
Wild River Outfitters Touring Company