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Discover your natural passion!

Virginia State Parks offers Women’s Wellness Weekends designed just for women looking to reduce stress, learn about nature and enjoy the great outdoors. Our Women’s Wellness Weekends are offered at various parks across Virginia. Read on for dates, parks and program specifics.

Refresh and relax while enjoying a wonderful weekend in nature in the fellowship of other women. Women’s Wellness Weekends, which run three days, give women a chance to get outside and take part in fun workshops about nature, programs that empower women to take better care of themselves and other interesting sessions, all set in a state park environment. Programs vary by park because we draw on the locality's unique services and presenters. Outdoor sessions focus on activities available in our Virginia State Parks… or in the backyard.

Once you sign up for the weekend, we’ll contact you a few weeks before the event to help you with your preferences for the sessions. Popular sessions fill up so this ensures that you get your favorites. Once you arrive at the park, you can change your mind and switch your selections as long as there is space available. And, of course, participants can always skip a session and enjoy the park on their own.

First Landing State Park weekend April 20-22, 2012. Click here to visit a Flickr photoset featuring First Landing.

There are two optional excursions on Friday, April 20. Both trips leave from First Landing at 10 a.m. sharp. On one, you'll visit False Cape State Park. The park is on a barrier spit island between the Atlantic Ocean and Back Bay. Take a wildlife tram tour through Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, enjoy lunch on the shores of Back Bay, hike one-mile round-trip to the remains of the historic Wash Woods community, and then take our Beach Gator transport vehicle up five miles of pristine, undeveloped Atlantic coastline, from which you might see dolphins, flocks of pelicans or peregrine falcons. It's only $25, and lunch is provided.

On the second trip, you'll go across the 17-mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to Virginia’s Eastern Shore. After a guided hike through Kiptopeke State Park’s native plant garden project and Taylor Pond Trail, enjoy lunch at the renowned Sting-Ray’s Restaurant, which specializes in fresh seafood. After lunch, a kayak trip to the concrete ships or pier fishing program is on the agenda. The return trip to First Landing includes a stop at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel café and gift shop. The fee is only $15, but lunch at Sting-Ray’s is on your own.

Those choosing not to arrive early should check in and get their cabin keys on Friday between 3 and 6 p.m. The program ends at noon on Sunday, but feel free to stick around and enjoy the park. Dinner on Friday, a continental breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday, and a brunch on Sunday are included. The goal is to keep the event affordable so meals are simple. If you want a more elaborate breakfast, cabins have full kitchens so feel free to bring your own food. If you’d rather not spend the night, there’s a commuter option that covers meals and workshops but no overnight accommodations.

We're lining up exceptional presenters for the three Saturday sessions at First Landing, including the popular Swamp Stomp Tour through the park's bald cypress pools. On Sunday, we offer several programs at 8 a.m. You'll have to decide whether you want to attend an early session or just relax and sleep in instead. The program concludes with brunch and a speaker at 10 a.m.

The commuter program is $149. Depending on size of the cabin and the number of people sharing it, full packages with lodging cost as little as $184 for two nights with maximum cabin occupancy. Share your stay with friends or make new ones. All lodging is smoke-free. Reservations are required and may be made by calling (800) 933-7275.

First Landing is popular and likely to have a limited number of cabins available so all reservations associated with Women's Wellness Weekend require a minimum of three people. Campsites are also available for those wishing to pitch tents or bring an RV. The campsites, which are partroled during the evening and night, have water and electric hookups, and are near a full-service bathhouse

Also included are a Women's Wellness T-shirt and goody bag.

Upcoming Women's Wellness Weekends

• First Landing State Park, Virginia Beach, Va., April 19-22, 2012 - on sale starting Dec. 1, 2011.
• Claytor Lake State Park, Dublin, Va., Sept. 28-30, 2012 - on sale starting May 1, 2012.

Join the Women’s Wellness Weekend Facebook Fan Page to keep in touch with other participants. And check out the fun participants had at previous WWWs:

• Natural Tunnel Flickr photo set and YouTube video
• Bear Creek Lake Flickr photo set
• Douthat Flickr photo set

Women’s Wellness mission

The goal is provide educational and recreational opportunities that empower and enlighten women to sustain a healthy lifestyle by nurturing the mind, body and spirit.

Women Wellness Weekends – Discover Your Natural Passion!

Normal cabin reservation payment and cancellation policies apply. If a group shares the cost of a cabin and a participant cancels from the group, it will be the individual’s responsibility to work with other members of the party to adjust cabin cost. Program fees are refundable up until two weeks prior to the event for a $10 cancellation fee. Within the two weeks prior to the start of the event, there will be no refund because we must commit to food service and other expenses.