A visitor contributed blog by Vel Allard from Wakefield, Virginia

Holliday Lake State Park is named for it’s 150 acre beautiful lake.

Enjoy the waning days of summer at False Cape's Sunset and Early Bird kayak paddling programs.

First there was flooding (there are still sites we can't open). When it was clear that the water just wasn't draining off the sites and we took action to block the sites from rental, we realized we had already booked more sites than...

Take a walk on the wild side this 4th of July and enjoy America's beautiful outdoors!!

First Landing State Park is a truly unique camping destination.  It is a 2,888 acre natural area set within the coastal urban area of Virginia Beach.

Join in the fun with families, friends and communities for the sixth annual Great American Backyard Campout on Saturday, June 26, hosted by Hungry Mother State Park, Marion, VA.

If you are an outdoor enthusiast, you’ll love Holliday Lake State Park.  The park is nestled in the heart of Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest.

Surrounded by two lakes in the heart of Central Virginia, Twin Lakes State Park is an ideal setting for a variety of lakefront activities.

Our cousins arrived in Virginia from cold blustery Ireland (Yes summertime in Ireland!) just in time to enjoy Smith Mountain Lake State Park.

It doesn’t matter what type of camping you do, we have a place for you. Hungry Mother State Park has 4 campgrounds.  Each campground has unique features. 

False Cape State Park is offering some great paddling programs for all levels of ability.

On Saturday, June 19th, Chippokes Plantation State Park will host "James River Day" featuring stewardship activities, beach clean ups, canoe trips, and wagon rides.  Don't forget sunscreen, bug spray, a bag lunch, and bottled water!!

Last month, I challenged readers to make a "Virginia State Parks To-Do List" by visiting our events website at  www.virginiastateparks.gov/ and selecting five things to do at Virginia State Parks.

There's no better way to end a work week than to drive to the Eastern Shore for a camping trip at Kiptopeke State Park.

There are a lot of fun things to do at Occoneechee State Park throughout the upcoming weekend. Hike through the woods, ride a bike, visit the museum, have a picnic, and enjoy these great programs along with many others.

First let me introduce myself, Moose here, a basset hound born & bred in Cumberland County who moved to the big city of Richmond to reign over the West family.

Did you know that Mason Neck State Park has six canoes, four solo (one-passenger) kayaks and two tandem (two-passenger) kayaks available for rental from April through October?

A few years back I took my girlfriend's son on his first camping trip to Westmoreland State Park.

With Memorial Day Weekend upon us, the unofficial kickoff of summer is here and with it comes camping.

I just took a trip to Staunton River State Park in Scottsburg, Virginia.  While at the park I got a tour of their facilities.

On May 15, 2010 Leesylvania State Park was host to 52 Wounded Warriors from local hospitals that came out fishing as part of the Potomac River Wounded Heroes Spring Bass Challange II.

Located only 20 minutes from downtown Richmond, Pocahontas State Park is the largest park in the system with over 7,900 acres. In the heart of two beautiful campgrounds, Pocahontas offers six “camp cabins.” 

Snakehead fish in Virginia.

Part of our "Fishing 101" series, this video outlines a few of the essential things you'll need for your fishing trip.

Part of our "Fishing 101" series, this video demonstrates how to tie a Palomar knot.

Virginia State Parks Director Joe Elton talks with Bob Duncan, Virginia Director of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Thanks to weeks of fairly dry weather, we are going to be able to open another chunk of campsites at First Landing State Park. You may recall that most of the campground has been under water since the winter.

Bedford Parks & Recreation Departments will host their annual Youth Fishing Clinic on Saturday, June 5th at Smith Mountain Lake State Park in Huddleston. Event is free and open to children ages six through fourteen.

Discover Shenandoah at Parkfest!

Join park staff for the first annual "Adult Saltwater Fishing Fanatic Tournament"  at York River State Park in Williamsburg.

Kick off the summer at the York River State Park Outdoor Expo.

One of the benefits of being the Information Manager for State Parks is to be aware of the many events that take place at all of our parks.

Want to do something fun and unique for your mom for Mother's Day? Bring her to Holliday Lake State Park on Saturday, May 8, for our 11:00 am Wildflower Hike.

This has been a bad spring at First Landing. As many of you know, the park had most of its campsites under water this winter.

On Saturday, April 24, 2010, Holliday Lake State Park celebrated Earth Day with a special tree planting ceremony.

Virginia State Parks has joined in a partnership with several agencies including, Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries, Virginia Tourism and numerous County Tourism Agencies to promote fishing in Southwest Virginia.

False Cape State Park staff will conduct a guided exploration of Back Bay and its marshes during the evening sunset hours.

Saturday, May 8 from 10am-2pm False Cape State Park is offering a "Shell & Tell" seashell program.  False Cape boasts an incredible treasure trove of huge whelk, oyster, and moon snail shells.

Kiptopeke State Park’s campground roadway is starting to take shape as crews started removing the tar and chip roadway yesterday.

The Friends of Holliday Lake State Park will hold its second of two organizational meetings in starting a Friends group on April 22nd at 6:30 p.m. at the Holiday Lake 4-H Center.

Have you ever thought of running a triathlon with your kids but the opportunity was not there?  Well that opportunity is now available.

Visitors to Douthat State Park lined Wilson’s Creek and Douthat’s lake in anticipation for 9 o’clock to drop their fishing lines in the water for Douthat’s first day of fee fishing on Saturday, April 3, 2010.

Last year 2009 my husband and I took our two kids ages 3 and 5 on their first camping trip to Staunton River State Park.

We all have favorite signs that spring is finally here to stay.

Catch a glimpse of spring along the coastal forest during the "Back Bay Kayak Paddle" hosted by False Cape State Park on Sunday, April 4 from 3pm-6pm.

I know it's almost spring because a glance at our events database show the beginning of our canoe and kayak programs.

Virginia's State Parks have always been fantastic family vacation spots. The parents can relax and unwind from their normally busy vacations while the kids enjoy swimming, boating, fishing, hiking or a variety of programs offered at the park.

I've done a lot of tent camping in my days and still do, but every now and then I want the camping experience without the tent camping part.

I've been camping at a lot of Virginia State Parks, some by myself, some with a dozen or so Boy Scouts and leaders.

Almost all Virginia State Parks have some sort of body of water associated with them.

At a time when we could sure use the revenue and our visitors sure could use an escape from cabin fever, the winter weather has conspired to put a damper on early spring camping.

This past weekend I went to Douthat State Park and stayed in one of the original CCC log cabins built in the 1930's. 

For those of you that grew up camping, do you remember how good food tasted cooked outside over a campfire?  Wasn’t it the best?

Traditionally spring break - the week before and after Easter - are busy times in Virginia State Parks.

Virginia State Parks kicked off the promotional show season with the Washington Camping and RV Show (Jan. 15-17) at the Dulles Expo Center.

False Cape State Park is hosting Wild Women Weekend on March 5-7, 2010 at their Environmental Education Center.

Sure, it's cold outside here in Virginia.  It's cold at Holliday Lake State Park, but things are happening here!

Okay so this will probably give away how ancient I am, but when I was a girl Alan Sherman did a song called A Letter From Camp: "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh. Here I am at Camp Granada."

A survey done by the NASPD (National Association of State Park Directors) have shown some great results.

On Friday, December 11, the Fish Virginia First steering committee met at beautiful Douthat Lake View Restaurant at Douthat State Park.

Our family LOVES a relaxing week at Claytor Lake.

Everyone knows what rocks and whoppers are, don’t they? Did you answer a rock is a stone and a whopper is a juicy hamburger? Normally you would be correct, but we’re not talking about the same things now.

Douthat State Park will begin lowering Douthat Lake beginning Monday, Jan. 4, 2010 and will begin refilling the lake on Friday, March 26, 2010.

The Park Manager at Staunton River State Park tells of how different the park and cabin guests are in the winter verses the rest of the year.

Take time to read highlights from Tom's visits and to five state Parks on the far west side of the state. This is the last in the series of five articles.

Each year State Park employees, some family members, volunteers and friends of parks get together on the Eastern Shore at Kiptopeke State Park for a very important event, The State Parks Benevolence Fund Fishing Tournament and Raffle.

False Cape State Park invites the entire family for a fun-filled weekend of hiking and exploring Virginia’s Outer Banks while discovering tricks and tips on how to survive in the wilderness.

Staunton River State Park is excited to announce that it will be keeping four cabins open year round starting this winter. 

Regardless of whether you are a lark or owl, False Cape State Park has a kayak program right up your alley during the month of October.

A day of fun in the sun is had at the annual Back to School Beach Bash at Douthat State Park.

Kayaking the Potomac River from Westmoreland State Park

Virginia State Parks Camping Tips

Activities At Bear Creek Lake State Park

Junior Ranger programs will continue this week at Occoneechee State Park. Students who attend all eight sessions will earn a Junior Ranger badge.

Several state parks offer moonlight canoe tours throughout the summer, offering a fun evening of nature and the stars.

The shallop is a handy boat that John Smith and those after him brought with them to Virginia.

Folks don't often spend time outdoors unless someone first takes them under their wing and shows it to them.

A new buoy system on the Chesapeake provides paddlers with real-time conditions as well as historic information.

Kiptopeke will feature the Eastern Shore Birding and Wildlife Festival in September, and birdwatchers the world over will be on hand.

Moonlight canoe ride on the Staunton River

Mathews County, Rebecca Grow

George Klein Fishing Report, 04/16/2009

A plantation has been sacked; burnt to the ground with nothing left but ruins. Legend has it that the souls of the innocent still roam these woods every fall in search of revenge!

After this unspeakable accident years ago, they say the trainsman still roams the tracks at night waving a red lantern. What is his ghost trying to overcome?

The story of how the term Saved by the Bell originated.

The story of Rebecca's Revenge, a woman put to death in 1705 for practicing witchcraft, who is still haunting the area today.

The story of Richard's Haunted House, built in 1856 just prior to the Civil War and taken down in 1975 when all old, insignificant structures in the park were knocked down and destroyed by fire as the Parks facilities were being built.

Canoist Lillie Gilbert takes an active roll in sharing knowledge about the coast backwaters of Virginia that she works to protect.