When we moved to Virginia, we soon realized it’s a camper’s dream. Summer brings warm days to spend by the water, from the ocean to the countless rivers and streams. Fall comes with cool nights by the campfire and stunning fall foliage. We spent our first camping season in Virginia exploring a different park every weekend, with this top five as a result.

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#1- Kiptopeke State Park

Getting there

Once you make it to Kiptopeke State Park, it is hard to believe that civilization is just 25 miles away. The park is located on the Chesapeake Bay, but might as well be a desert island. What stands in between this tranquil camping heaven and the bustle of Virginia Beach is the 17.6-mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Driving over this engineering marvel is an experience in its own right and well worth the toll fees.

Stay

Like most state parks in Virginia, the campground has full hookups and bathhouses with hot showers. The sites are very spacious but right next to each other, with little to no privacy. Since our neighbors are usually inside of their big rigs by the time we start the grill, we don’t mind the limited privacy.

Do

From the campground, a wooden pathway leads straight to a quiet beach. Because the water is shallow and calm, it feels like a hot tub by the end of August.

Kiptopeke is known for its very unique breakwater, which is formed by concrete WWII ships. You can paddle up to the ships for a look up close, if the current permits. Our leisurely paddle out to the ships turned into a full body workout on the way back.

There is a fishing pier in Kiptopeke that offers a spectacle at night. Shiny ribbonfish jump up from the water, with the concrete ships in the background.

#2- First Landing State Park

Getting there

First Landing has a unique location for a state park, inside of the Virginia Beach city limits. Although it’s just miles away from rowdy Oceanfront, the park feels like a world apart. The first English colonists landed in this now city oasis over 400 years ago.

Stay

The easy escape from the city makes First Landing the most visited state park in Virginia. By early spring, the campground fills up for the entire summer season. With large and secluded spots right next to the beach, it’s not hard to see why. The best sites are in the Archer (G) loop, just steps away from the beach. We stayed in site 181, which came with a grill area in the dunes.

We’ve also stayed in the Wingfield Loop (C) in site 152, a large shaded spot under the Live Oak trees that dot the park.

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First Landing consists of two sections, divided by Shore Drive. The campground is part of the beachfront side, which encompasses 1.5 miles of sandy beach and calm waters. The park’s beach is a limited stretch free from any construction, but the public beach continues west for another two miles. Every late afternoon, a pod of dolphins passes by the shore like clockwork.

The other side of First Landing is found inland, but also flanked by water. The scenery is made up of maritime forest, bald cypress lagoons and the incredibly still waters of Broad Bay.

The inland section of the park houses 20 miles of trails. We followed the Long Creek and Osprey Trail along the water, passing pristine bay side beaches that we had entirely to ourselves.

#3- Blue Ridge Parkway

Getting there

On the Blue Ridge Parkway, the drive is the destination. The entire parkway covers 469 miles in Virginia and North Carolina. At an average of 40 miles an hour, that equals over 10 hours of road trip fun without factoring in the countless stops along the way. The Parkway starts at milepost 0 in Virginia and runs for 217 miles to the state line with North Carolina.

Stay

There are eight national park system campgrounds on the Blue Ridge Parkway, three of which are located in Virginia. We stayed on the Peaks of Otter Campground in the last weekend of the season and shared it with just a handful of other campers.

On our summer trip to the parkway, we set up camp at Rocky Knob. There is live music on Saturday nights at the campground, to be enjoyed with a beer and unique mountain backdrop. All parkway campgrounds have basic amenities, but no hookups or showers.

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The Blue Ridge Parkway is named after the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains, a section of the Appalachian Mountain Range. Around every corner looms another viewpoint that seems even more scenic than the last. We captured our favorite 15 stops on the entire Blue Ridge Parkway.

There are plenty of easily accessible hikes along the parkway, offering stunning views in return for limited effort. We hiked to Humpback Gap Overlook and were rewarded with incredible fall foliage.

To relax after hiking, the parkway has several wineries in store. Our favorite one is located in Virginia, at milepost 25. 12 Ridge Winery has beautiful grounds and dazzling views of the surrounding mountains.

#4- Shenandoah National Park

Getting there

Virginia’s only national park starts where the Blue Ridge Parkway ends. Shenandoah’s Skyline Drive adds another 105 scenic miles to the parkway, running along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Coming from the coast, it’s about a three-hour drive to reach Shenandoah National Park.

Stay

There are four campgrounds along Skyline Drive. The largest one is Big Meadows, which is where we stayed twice. None of the campgrounds have hookups, but Big Meadows has a dump station with potable water and coin showers. Shenandoah is known to house a large black bear population, so proper food storage is enforced by the rangers.

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Like most US national parks, Shenandoah boasts spectacular views. Skyline Drive makes them easily accessible, running from north to south with countless overlooks in between. In fall, the Shenandoah Valley displays gorgeous hues of red, orange and yellow.

There are 500 miles of hiking trails in Shenandoah. Most trails fall into one of two categories: summit hikes or waterfall hikes. Of the latter category, Dark Hollow Falls is easily the most popular. It’s a short hike down to a series of waterfalls.

The summit hikes promise the best views of Shenandoah Valley, especially in Fall. For a short and sweet trail, the 1.5-mile Stony Man loop is a perfect pick.

The Bearfence Trail is a fun hike for those who don’t have fear of heights (or can push through it like me). The trail involves some rock scrambling to the top ridge, in return for stunning views.

The Shenandoah Valley’s climate and soils make it the region most suited for winemaking in Virginia. As a result, there are a lot of wineries to visit in the area. Listing all of our favorites requires a separate post, but Veritas Winery is definitely at the top of the list. Our camping guide to Shenandoah includes our favorite hikes and wineries to visit around the national park.

#5- Staunton River State Park

Getting there

Staunton River State Park is tucked away in Southern Virginia, at the crossing of two rivers. From the coast, it took us a little over three hours to reach this quiet state park. The grounds are meticulously maintained and visitors are limited compared to popular Virginia state parks.

Stay

The campground is fairly small, with just 48 sites in total. Yet it provides all comfort, with electric and water hookups and bathhouses with showers. Despite the cozy setup in the woods, the sites are positioned closely together and offer little privacy.

Do

We didn’t know what to expect from this state park, but we were in for several surprises. Hiking enthousiasts as we are, we embarked on the longest trail in the park. At a modest 10 miles, the River Bank and Twin Loop Trail borders both rivers before turning inland through the forest.

During the hike, we discovered a little beach at the crossing of the Dan and Staunton rivers. We returned well-equipped for the sunset. It was incredibly peaceful and beautiful.

As we returned to the campground, we were in for the biggest surprise. Hundreds of fireflies were lighting up the woods. As it turned out, mid-June was peak firefly season. Seeing the fireflies at dusk in this remote area was a truly magical experience. Staunton River is also designated an International Dark Sky Park.