# Merchants Millpond State Park > Place to go for families in the Virginia Beach–Chesapeake–Norfolk area (VA / NC). Times are Eastern Time. - When: Park hours 8 am–8 pm in October, 8 am–6 pm November–February; the page also says 'open… - Where: Merchants Millpond State Park, 176 Millpond Rd, Gatesville, NC 27938 - Ages: All ages - Price: No day-use fee; boat rentals extra - Schedule: Park hours 8 am–8 pm in October, 8 am–6 pm November–February; the page also says 'open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.' November–February (likely the office/visitor center); closed Christmas Day - Organizer: North Carolina State Parks - Official page: https://www.ncparks.gov/state-parks/merchants-millpond-state-park - Last checked: Sat, Oct 24 Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Oct 24, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-10-24), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/virginia-beach/activities/merchants-millpond-state-park--listing-dc04f3fa9c112a1c716ec25e ## About A Gates County park, just south of the Virginia line, built around a 760-acre millpond more than 190 years old. Families can hike the trails, ride the bike trail, or rent a boat and paddle the shallow, quiet water. Old-growth cypress trees hung with Spanish moss make an 'enchanted forest', especially at Lassiter Swamp, and visitors have spotted American alligators here at the northern edge of their range. The family tent and trailer campground is closed for construction until further notice. ## Similar picks in Virginia Beach - [Autumn Hayride at York River State Park](https://grassyknees.com/virginia-beach/activities/autumn-hayride-at-york-river-state-park--listing-c7e023a7c62af633bac3a0d4) — Sat, Oct 24 (+1 more date) · 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM · York River State Park (Visitor Center), Williamsburg · All ages · With admission · checked Oct 24. Rangers at York River State Park take families on a hayride down the Backbone Trail and talk about why leaves change color, which Virginia animals hibernate and the many ways… - [Build A Bat at First Landing State Park](https://grassyknees.com/virginia-beach/activities/build-a-bat-at-first-landing-state-park--listing-82c7617ffd5358273038de51) — Sat, Oct 31 · 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM · First Landing State Park (Trail Center) · With admission · checked Oct 24. A Halloween-morning nature craft with the rangers at First Landing State Park's Trail Center. Children learn how bats help the ecosystem through pest control, pollination and… - [Halloween Night Hike at False Cape State Park](https://grassyknees.com/virginia-beach/activities/halloween-night-hike-at-false-cape-state-park--listing-9b187a7350c74354caef69a4) — Sat, Oct 31 · 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM · False Cape State Park (meet at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge parking lot) · From $10 · checked Oct 24. A ranger-led Halloween night hike that swaps neighborhood sidewalks for sandy trails. The group sets out after sunset from the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge parking lot and… - [Dismal Swamp State Park](https://grassyknees.com/virginia-beach/activities/dismal-swamp-state-park--listing-6e12dbdcc03bc87a10bbfa6d) — Gates and trails 8 am–5:30 pm in October, 8 am–4:30 pm November–February · Dismal Swamp State Park, South Mills · All ages · Free · checked Oct 24. North Carolina's gateway to the Great Dismal Swamp, the largest remaining swamp in the eastern United States, in Camden County right on the Virginia border. It has hiking and… - [Machicomoco State Park](https://grassyknees.com/virginia-beach/activities/machicomoco-state-park--listing-40f010328be223d3d6ae58ac) — Open daily dawn to dusk; park office Dec–Feb Mon–Fri 9 am–3 pm, Sat–Sun 9 am–4 pm… · Machicomoco State Park, Hayes · All ages · From $5 · checked Oct 24. A 645-acre park on the York River in southern Gloucester County, about 10 miles downriver from Werowocomoco. An open-air interpretive pavilion and a walking path through the… - [First Landing State Park](https://grassyknees.com/virginia-beach/activities/first-landing-state-park--listing-5912cba9d49e690c2d6615a3) — Day-use areas 7 am–dusk; Visitor Center daily 8 am–6 pm; Trail Center daily 8 am–4 pm · First Landing State Park · All ages · Paid · checked Oct 24. Virginia's most-visited state park covers 2,888 acres inside Virginia Beach. It has 20 miles of trails through bald cypress swamps and lagoons, and 1.5 miles of sandy Chesapeake… ## More for families - [This weekend in Virginia Beach](https://grassyknees.com/virginia-beach/this-weekend) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/virginia-beach/this-weekend.md) - [Things to do with kids in Virginia Beach](https://grassyknees.com/virginia-beach) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/virginia-beach.md)