BY TAMMIE SMITH Times-Dispatch Staff Writer

No wonder so many people visit First Landing State Park.

There's outdoor camping, cabins for those who don't want to get too close to nature, hiking, boating, fishing, swimming and nature walks, for starters.

State park officials say First Landing draws about 1.7 million visitors annually, making it the most visited of Virginia's 34 state-run parks.

Many park visitors are local residents who appreciate the 19 miles of trails on the park's 2,888 acres. They hike, bike, run and walk, and they come back again and again.

"It's so easy to get to," said Joanne Favre, of Virginia Beach, who regularly bikes the trails. She was at the park's beach on a recent Sunday with friends watching a catamaran race on the Chesapeake Bay.

"I probably come at least two times a month in the spring and fall," said Favre. "It's wonderful to be able to drive 20 minutes and be at a great state park."

Other visitors are from out of town. The Birch family of Paris, Va., visited the park in mid-May for the first time. They like what they experienced.

"The waves aren't as big, so it's good for the kids," said Austin Birch, as he sat on the beach with Anna Birch and their daughters Audrey, 7, and Autumn, 5.

There's better sand for building sand castles, said Anna Birch, who added that the easy parking access was also a plus.

The Birch family was in Virginia Beach for a wedding held the previous day at the park. The park has a courtyard, gazebo and small amphitheater that can be rented for special events. Many weddings take place directly on the beach, park staff said. Special-use permits are required.

The beach stretches for 1.2 miles in the park, off Shore Drive and just minutes from the busy oceanfront resort area along Atlantic Avenue.

"The camping and cabins are both very economical ways to visit Virginia Beach," said state parks spokesman Gary Waugh. "We have our own beach on the Chesapeake Bay. . . . The trails get tremendous use. It really is a unique area with its bald-cypress swamps. The bald-cypress area is about the only place in Virginia you can find that landscape."

The park was previously called Seashore State Park. It was built in 1933 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The park's name changed in 1997 to reflect the historical significance of the location, Waugh explained.

"The Virginia Company did land in that area first," said Waugh, referring to the English settlers who stopped on the shore of Cape Henry in April 1607 before traveling farther north to establish Jamestown.

For those who want to camp outdoors, there are more than 200 sites, many with water and electric hookups. Prices start at $23 a night.

Two-bedroom cabins, which sleep up to six, are rented by the week. Fees are $678 per week during prime season. The Bay Store has groceries and camping supplies, and also rents bikes and crabbing and fishing gear. A private firm rents kayaks and conducts tours.

Pam Kern, who coordinates volunteers, said many visitors take advantage of a program that lets them camp free for up to 90 days in exchange for volunteering 40 hours at the park. They work doing chores such as trail maintenance.

"Most who do it have [recreational vehicles]," Kern said. "Some go from park to park throughout the United States."

Contact Tammie Smith at (804) 649-6572 or tlsmith@timesdispatch.com.