Madison Mellon walking the scenic trails near the water access at the 64th Street entrance to First Landing.
Madison Mellon|Courtesy
With the stress of finals and the end of the semester in sight, many students may find themselves searching for an escape from the anxiety. A great way to destress and unwind is to take a walk in nature.
Lucky for VWU students, there are plenty of great accesses to nature both on and off campus. The campus trails offer some escape, but for those wishing for somewhere they can truly forget about their stress for a while, off campus options may be more appealing.
The water access at the 64th Street entrance to the park is a wonderful combination of waterlife and greenery.
Madison Mellon|Courtesy
“Whenever I need a break from classes I go to First Landing because it feels like a completely separated place from the business of Virginia Beach,” sophomore Haley Cummins said.
A great place to escape to is First Landing State Park. A short, 15-minute drive from campus, First Landing provides a little bit of everything for everyone.
The parking fee varies between seasons and is dependent on when in the week you decide to go, but is no more than 10 dollars at any given time. Especially if you are carpooling with friends and split the cost of parking, the small fee is well worth the experience.
The park has three different “parts”. The first two parts can be accessed from Shore Drive. These parts are right across the street from each other. If you are traveling there from VWU, the left side has a beach access and some small trails. This side also has some picnic areas that might be a good study spot for students that are so inclined.
“It’s cool to have the option between water views and wooded trails within such a close range,” sophomore Madison Mellon said.
The beach side of the Shore Drive entrance might be quiet but it certainly does not lack in the ways of beautiful views (BOTTOM) and interesting features like driftwood (TOP).
Madison Mellon|Courtesy
This side does have approximately a mile or so of beach to explore or relax on, though with the colder weather that might not be ideal. It is significantly less crowded than some of the more popular beaches in the area, especially this time of year.
“The trails on the beach side of First Landing are super nice and typically very quiet in the off season which is nice to decompress and be in a calm nature setting,” Mellon said.
The right side has more extensive trails for both walking and biking. A pretty moderate trail to walk is the Bald Cypress Trail. The trail is relatively short and is positioned in a loop so you can’t get lost. It also has wonderful views of the bald cypress swamps and other parts of the forest.
The trails on the beach side of the Shore Drive entrance are as beautiful as the ones deeper in the park, like the Bald Cypress Trail.
Haley Cummins|Courtesy
There are longer trails on this side of the park as well, if that’s more your style, as well as trails suitable for biking. This side of the park also connects to the third part which can be accessed at 64th Street and offers many of the same amenities as this part.
The 64th Street access has a boat launch located on the Narrows. From here boats can navigate to either Linkhorn or Broad Bay, as well as reaching the ocean by passing through three bays. The boat launch also has an additional fee of four dollars for use.
Regardless of your budget, there are plenty of things to do at First Landing. With extensive trails and places to simply relax, there is something for everyone to take their mind off the stress and anxiety of finals, even if just for an hour.
Part of the Bald Cypress Trail at First Landing State Park that loops around a bald cypress swamp.
Calee Lukowski|Marlin Chronicle
By Calee Lukowski
