Must-Visit Virginia State Parks to visit with Kids
- The West End Mom
- Feb 24, 2025
- 7 min read
Updated: Mar 17, 2025
With spring sneaking up on us (hello, March 20!!) , you need to add a visit to one of Virginia's 43 state parks to your family's calendar! Many of them offer seasonal water activities, kid-friendly hiking and exploring opportunities and nature centers. Plus, Virginia State Parks usually only charge per vehicle around $5-$10, so they are very budget-friendly.
If you've visited REI recently, save your receipt. There's a free parking pass for any VA State Park at the bottom. If you homeschool your kiddos, make sure you bring your HEAV or HSLDA membership card - you get free parking, too!
If you visit on a Fee Free Day, all entrance fees are covered. The 2025 Fee Free Days are: Saturday, April 19 (the first day of National Park Week), Monday, August 4 (Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act), Saturday, September 27 (National Public Lands Day), and Tuesday, November 11 (Veterans Day).
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My favorite Virginia State Parks to visit with kids:
Let's get to it - here is a quick list of my favorite state parks to visit with kids in Virginia! We've been visiting these state parks with our children since they were babies, so many of them have options for stroller-paths, great playgrounds, and natural wonder of Virginia too! If you'd like more specifics on each park, scroll to my guides below - they are in alphabetical order.
Bear Creek Landing State Park - playground w/ views of lake, the beach & swimming lake
First Landing State Park - the beach and swimming
High Bridge State Park - stroller and bike friendly trails plus views
Lake Anna State Park - playground w/ views of lake, the beach & swimming lake
Natural Bridge State Park - the views
Pocahontas State Park - stroller and bike friendly trails, water fall & pool
Westmoreland State Park - hiking Fossil Beach & looking for shark teeth
York River State Park - hiking on Fossil Beach & looking for shark teeth
Here is everything YOU need to know about visiting these Virginia State Parks with kids!
1.Bear Creek Lake State Park: Located in Cumberland County, this Virginia State Park is less than an hour from Richmond, next to Cumberland State Forest! It has trails for hiking, biking & horseback riding trails, archery ranges & two playgrounds. Bear Creek Lake State Park also has cabins & camping sites.
Why I like this park for kids: The highlight of this park, especially in the summer, is the 40-acre lake with a boat launch, fishing pier, boat rentals & swimming! It also has playgrounds on the beach. This makes playing at both the playground and in the water really easy with kids.
Driving Distance: 1 hour
Cost: Parking costs $7. If you have a REI receipt you can park for free!
When to Visit: all year
*Check here for my review.
2. First Landing State Park: Located in Virginia Beach, First Landing State Park is the most visited state park in Virginia! It has over 20 miles of trails & 1.5 miles of beach front. This state park also has a lot of history - it’s the location where the first English colonist landed in 1607. Legend also has it that Blackbeard (the pirate) hid in the Narrows area of the park. The park was built in part by an all African American Conservation Corps between 1933-1940.
Why I like this park for kids: It has really easy beach access, and with parking costing $7 on weekdays and $10 on weekends, it’s cheaper than most VB oceanfront day parking options. The waves are very small, making it kid friendly (it’s on the Chesapeake Bay). We used a stroller from the car to the beach (just leaving it on the boardwalk).
Driving Distance: 2h, 22m (a little more than 2 hours, but it's worth it!)
Cost: $7 parking
When to Visit: all year
3.High Bridge State Park: Want to hike the longest recreational bridge in Virginia? Visit High Bridge State Park. The High Bridge is more than 2,400 feet long & 125 feet above the Appomattox River! While the complete trail is 31 miles, you can jump on the trail at Camp Paradise. It’s just .3miles from the bridge.
Why I like this park for kids: I love this hike for families, especially with young children. The paths are wide & flat. It’s completely stroller friendly! You can also ride bikes, scooters or horses. A new visitor center is being built at Camp Paradise too. The 2,600 square-foot trail center will resemble a 1900s train station with exhibits & an ADA-accessible path to the trail!
Driving Distance: 1 hour
Cost: Parking costs $5
When to Visit: all year
*Check here for my full guide.
4.Lake Anna State Park: Located in Louisa County, this 3,127 acre state park has 10 miles of lake frontage, and it's just an hour & 5 minutes from Richmond. This is one of Virginia's most popular beaches, and this is a great spot for families! Lake Anna State Park also has trails for biking, hiking & horses plus yurts & cabins.
Why I like this park for kids: It has shallow water & no waves - it's perfect for children of all ages. It also has two play areas, and one is located on the beach. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day the concessions are open - it's right by the beach too!
Driving Distance: 1 hour
Cost: Parking costs $7 in off season & $10 April through October.
When to Visit: all year
*Check here for my review.
5.Natural Bridge State Park: This state park has 7 miles of hiking trails & views of the Blue Ridge Mountains & James River in it’s 1,500+ acres. The main attraction is the 215-foot tall Natural Bridge, a limestone gorge carved out by Cedar Creek. While your hiking, you can also see Monacan Indian Village & Lace Falls. Since it’s located about 20 minutes from Lexington, you can make it a day trip by exploring the city, grabbing something to eat & checking out Virginia Safari Park too!
Why I like this park for kids: It's a unique natural wonder -- the "Natural Bridge" is a rock formation. It's such a cool thing to see at any age. It's also relatively easy to access, so people of all abilities can view this natural wonder. I also love that the visitor center has educational exhibits!
Driving Distance: It’s about 2 hours from Richmond.
Cost: Admission costs $6 for children ages 3-12 and $9 for those 13 & older. Children under 3 are free.
When to Visit: all year
6.Pocahontas State Park: Covering over 7,900 acres, Pocahontas State Park is Virginia's largest state park and it is worth the visit for all families around the Richmond Metro Area. In addition to the aquatic center, it has three lakes where you can fish, and you can rent boats on the 225-acre Swift Creek Lake seasonally. Heads up: lake swimming is prohibited!
The park has over 90 miles of trails for pedestrians, horses and cyclists. There are multiple camp sites and even cabins that are available for rental. Pocahontas State Park also has a Nature Center with turtles and snacks plus an education room with pretend play spaces.
Why I like this park for kids: This park is in Chesterfield, so it's convenient for RVA families. There are plenty of stroller friendly and bike friendly trails, plus the visitor's center has an inside play area and a few animals to visit with. The highlight of this park is definitely the aquatic center, which is open Memorial Day to Labor Day!
Driving Distance: It's in Chesterfield, so 30minutes max depending on your location.
Cost: Parking at Pocahontas State Park costs $7 on weekdays & $10 on weekends.
When to Visit: all year
7. Westmoreland State Park: Located in Montross, this Virginia State Park covers 1,321 acres on the Potomac River. Westmoreland State Park has 6 miles of trails, a playground overlooking the river, boat ramps & rentals, a fishing pier & campsites. With so many amenities, this park is great for children. It’s also close to George Washington’s birthplace & James Monroe’s birthplace, and it’s on the National Register of Historic Places. The biggest draw for families is Fossil Beach. Ancient shark teeth (from 5-25 million years ago!!) can be found along this hiking beach.
Why I like this park for kids: Looking for fossil is such a unique experience - it's for people of all ages. Fossil Beach is about a .6 mile hike, and an all-terrain stroller can make this journey. The playground has views of the river, and it has partial to full sun (great for summer days!).
Driving Distance: 1 hour & 20 min
Cost: Parking costs $7
When to Visit: all year
*Check here for my review.
8.York River State Park: Located in Williamsburg, this park is 2,531 acres. It has more than 30 miles of trails along the marsh, river shoreline and through the woods. This Virginia State Park has two playgrounds, an amphitheater, observation decks, boat rentals, and more. The biggest draw for us is the beautiful shoreline, especially Fossil Beach.
Why I like this park for kids: While most of the trails are not stroller friendly, there are so many unique terrains to explore -- the marsh, the river shoreline, and the forest. My children love all the activities near the water, especially Fossil Beach. Seasonal boat and recreational equipment are available too.
Heads up: The walk to Fossil Beach is about .5 from the playground & bathroom closest to the Rental Office. It is not stroller friendly - bring the baby carrier.
Driving Distance: 1 hour
Cost: Parking costs $7.
When to Visit: all year
*Check here for my review.
Looking for more parks to visit? Check out my guide to RVA's Playgrounds!
Looking for more day trip ideas? Check out my guide The Best Day Trips from RVA.
Looking for more things to do with kids in Richmond? Follow along on our weekly adventures on @thewestendmom !
