First Landing State Park
State park · Virginia
Where English colonists first came ashore in 1607, now a stretch of Virginia Beach with 20 miles of trail through bald cypress swamp, tidal lagoons, and maritime forest that runs right up to the Chesapeake Bay. The Cape Henry Trail is the easiest way to watch the color change over the water.
Don’t miss
Plan your visit
Peak: November 14–November 18
Color builds from November 1 · mostly bare by December 9
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at First Landing State Park’s own coordinates and elevation (4 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
First Landing State Park on the map
More things to do in Virginia
Skyline Drive
Scenic drivePeak October 21
Shenandoah National Park's 105-mile ridge-top drive along the Blue Ridge crest strings together 75 overlooks of the Shenandoah Valley and Piedmont, with color typically peaking mid-to-late October at the higher elevations near the Front Royal entrance.
Don’t miss: 105 miles along the Blue Ridge crest · 75 scenic overlooks · Peak color mid-to-late October
Old Rag Mountain
TrailPeak October 20
The 9-mile circuit to Old Rag's 3,284-foot summit climbs through a mile-long boulder scramble that's become Virginia's most popular hike, so popular that a capped day-use ticket, bought in advance on recreation.gov, is now required year-round on top of the park entrance pass.
Don’t miss: Signature summit boulder scramble · 3,284-ft summit · Advance day-use ticket required
Cox Farms
FarmColor nearby peaks October 31
This Centreville farm runs a daytime Fall Festival of slides, hayrides, and pumpkins alongside Fields of Fear, a nighttime haunted attraction with a scare-zone cornfield and hayride, on Friday and Saturday nights from late September into early November.
Don’t miss: Fall Festival slides and hayrides · Fields of Fear haunted nights · Cornightmare cornfield maze
Great Falls Park
National parkPeak November 2
The Potomac drops 76 feet over jagged bedrock cascades at this 800-acre National Park Service site near McLean, with cliffside trails past the ruins of George Washington's Patowmack Canal offering some of the region's most dramatic river-gorge foliage views.
Don’t miss: 76-ft Potomac River cascades · Historic Patowmack Canal ruins · Cliffside overlook trails
Plan from a city
Frequently asked
- When does First Landing State Park peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for November 14–November 18 (best estimate November 16). Color starts around November 1 and is mostly bare by December 9.
- What is First Landing State Park best for?
- Virginia Beach visitors who want forest and shoreline in one walk.
- How do I get to First Landing State Park?
- The closest city is Virginia Beach, about 6 mi away (it's right in town). It's part of Virginia's fall lineup.
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