It's only open every other Saturday seasonally, but it was a really unique and interesting Civil…read moreWar site - featuring graffiti. It delivers what it promises. This seemed pretty common for troops to occupy houses on their travels and doodle on the walls, but this was a lucky example to preserve it behind paint which was discovered in time for it to avoid demolishion. Some graffiti is better preserved/readable than others, but it is a recent site to be opened to the public, so it's a work in progress. It's interesting to think of the young men who strolled through here 150 years ago. There was a knowledgeable guide who walked us through a few rooms pointing to some of the writing, a small exhibit, and a small gift shop. It's free, but since it's all volunteers, we gave a donation. It won't take very long to go through, but it's a cool historical site to visit in the area.

Loving history and graffiti, visiting the Graffiti House was a special treat. Built in the middle…read moreof the 19th century, the house is one of the best examples of Civil War graffiti. Used as a hospital during the War and occupied by both the Union and Confederacy, many soldiers signed their names or added drawings of horses, women, men, and more. The first floor has a little shop, a meeting room, and a restroom. (The restroom has some Civil War graffiti.) It's in the second-floor rooms where the majority of the historic graffiti can be seen along with stories of a few of its artists. It's a small museum open to the public thanks to a foundation, but it's worth your time!

This was a little hard to find, especially if you're not from the area like me. I passed it…read moreinitially because of my GPS. But once you see it, the sign is clear as day lol. It's a pretty small museum but it has a lot of stuff inside. It's two trailers, one has donated artifacts from trains and railroads. The other trailer has motorized trains running, and it was amazing. They have about four train cars that you can look at and some you can walk through. They also have a little yellow train that you can ride, depending on the weather. We couldn't ride it today, because it was raining, so that was unfortunate.

Our visit to the Railroad Museum was incredible - we will, undoubtedly, be back! It is entirely…read morerun by volunteers - who are so helpful and friendly that it's impossible not to have a great experience. Our entire family was actually having a not-so-great day (because of some unrelated events) and left there feeling so uplifted and energized... really, though, I have to say that none of us wanted to leave. I also use a wheelchair and they went out of their way to help in anyway they could with accessibility. There is a gravel parking lot - that they hope to pave one day - and ramps to two trailers. They also have a train that can be entered if one can climb stairs. And, they were willing to help me onto the little yellow maintenance car. There are model trains and equipment to view as well as an area for children to play but I thought the best part was actually chatting with the volunteers. Free, but they accept donations.

Hidden gem for Civil War history buffs. You're allowed to touch anything not behind glass. My son…read moreloved being able to touch stuff. $4 Adults, $2 Senior, Kids $1

We went here on a Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. and it was closed. Although all online sources said…read moreit was open, it was not! We were all very disappointed.

I had no idea this was here until my friend indicated he wanted to come here, so quite a neat find!…read more While you will need the patience of a saint to get the parking down (park in the big hospital lot and get parking validation inside the museum), everything else about this visit was excellent. We had a great tour and a very personalized one since only three guests (including my friend and I) were on the tour. The white house of the confederacy is full of history and our guide provided a ton of background on Jefferson Davis and his family, which was particularly cool since I had recently gone with my parents to the historical naval base where he was held prisoner for several years after the end of the civil war. The furnishings were very beautiful and nicely maintained, amazing how often these estates of antiquity had to sell their things to make ends meet and then organizations have to chase them down later to bring everything back together. Still, very cool to be in the rooms where so much history was made. It's so unusual for such an important part of history to be surrounded by hospital buildings, though that is the nature of Richmond: a whole lot of stories in a relatively compact region. Lucky to have been able to learn a bit more about it here! Overall: 4.5 stars ----- Pros: - Excellent tour guide who clearly had made a study of the many features of the house and its former occupants. - White house and its furniture were in beautiful shape, clearly the organization is doing a great job keeping everything maintained. - Price for the tour wasn't too bad considering you get a personalized tour for it. Cons: - The parking situation here is a pain but doable if you plan ahead.

I came to Richmond for the week for a work trip and had some free time so I wanted to check out…read moresome Civil War stuff. Richmond is an amazing city with a rich and vibrant history, so you should make your way here! I was too late to go inside but the exterior oozed history. I could picture the South's generals huddled inside trying to plan their next move. It's a bit weird to see this relic in the heart of the medic district but fitting for such A city.

A great museum for the kids, and it is very well done. There have been several Calvert County…read moremuseums that are much nicer than I expected, and this one is awesome! The Drum Point Lighthouse is so cool and a lot of fun to explore. But honestly, the stars of the show... the otters!!!

Cute little museum! The best part are the otters, you can see them swimming around and they are…read morepretty active. They also have some other aquatic life like turtles and fish that are cool. You can spend a hour or two in here if you wanted to

I was in Dallas not too long ago and took the opportunity to visit the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey…read morePlaza so when I was zipping along US 301 towards Maryland, I noticed this sign and had to turn around to find it again. It's not easy. A "historic site ahead" sign would be more than helpful as you near mile marker 122. The marker denotes the spot where John Wilkes Booth (why do they always have a middle name?) was encountered by a New York cavalry regiment after he escaped Washington following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The marker reads: "This is the site of Locust Hill, Richard Henry Garrett's farm. Early on the morning of 26 April 1865, a 16th New York Cavalry detachment cornered John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln, and his co-conspirator, David E. Herold, as the two men slept in Garrett's tobacco barn. Herold gave himself up, but Booth refused to surrender. The barn was set on fire, and Sgt. Boston Corbett shot the assassin, still inside. Booth was laid on the porch of the Garrett house and died about sunrise. The house and barn stood a short distance from this spot."

People miss these markers and if you actually take time and read them …read more Your knowledge of history changes with every word. Never knew this happened right here and imagined the chase. Bell Grove plantation is just across the river.

Absolutely love this one! I was in the area and had an hour before I needed to hit the road... I…read morewas late hitting the road! There is so much to see you cannot possibly see it all in an hour. There are a ton of aircraft displays, engines, and even a few videos. A good mixture of indoor and outdoor displays. Wear comfortable shoes so you can walk around a lot. I am a history buff, and was stationed at NAS PAX in the 1980's so I was very interested in all the historical information the museum presented. I WILL be back!

My wife and I took a Saturday drive and ended up at the museum mid-afternoon. Approaching the…read moremuseum, we saw all the aircraft parked outside on their ramp. A bonus for EV drivers is their onsite fast charger. Driving here from NoVA, we could use the charge. Admission to the museum is $10 per person. There are a couple of displays inside along with a gift shop. We quickly headed outside though to check out the aircraft. My wife's favorite was the A4 Scooter with its skinny head-on profile and Blue Angels heritage. My favorite was the Osprey. I had no idea the rotors were that large on it. We took a lap inside the gift shop before heading back on the highway with a full charge. We spent about 90 minutes checking out all the aircraft there and enjoyed our visit.

Great historical marker, in its actual setting!…read more Come debate and talk about US history! Great - and accurate in its place at the intersection of William Street - historical resource for all ages, all races, all creeds, all walks of life, all genders, all peoples! An absolute must to understand America in its 'en plein air' scenery. This is where the town of Fredericksburg sold pigs, wheat, rice, white indentured servants and shoes. Since almost all of Fredericksburg was blasted to rubble in the Civil War, this one monument still stands the test of time: not in a dustbin museum showcase, where nobody cares that an item wastes away, but in real life! Erasing history, spells ruin for future posterity. Walk with people who make America, America!! We are our Past. The Rebel review: 5 stars

Sadly another important piece of history not around anymore. Removing historical monuments doesn't…read moretake from our history.would love to know where it went?!

A hidden gem! Friendly, knowledgeable staff, excellent exhibits, great kid section on the top…read morefloor, neat options in the gift shop. All with no admissions fee!

What a well done museum in an unexpected place!! We were looking for a day trip from our home in…read moreNorfolk and saw this one on TripAdvisor. Since it is only about 20 miles from the bridge tunnel up the shore (one of my favorite places on earth!), we decided to check it out. SO glad we did! And since admission is free, it made the bridge tunnel toll worth it! When you walk in you are greeted by the most friendly docent who gives you a brief background of the museum and what it's about. She told us they have several films and asked if we wanted to watch any of them. We did - "Our Island Home" gives you a terrific view of what life on Hog Island was like before it was abandoned from people who were actually born there. After whatever movie(s) you want to watch, you are "free range" to explore the museum. It is SO well done. I could have roamed around for longer than the 2 hours we were there (but I'm a museum reader - I have to check out everything!). Definitely allow yourself a couple of hours to explore. The exhibits are fantastic and laid out well. All artifacts were donated or on loan from actual island families - they don't purchase their artifacts. I like that. Shows the love for the community that these people have. Definitely check out the attic! There are hands on things for the kids - it's hot up there in the summer though! I was fascinated by the twisted chimney (not going to tell you why it was built that way - you'll have to go find out for yourself!). This is a GREAT little stop if you are looking for something cool to do on your way up or down Rt. 13 on your way to your vacation or a great day trip from the VA Beach area. With all their many activities and programs, we will definitely be back!

This was a large and lovely winery. It's a beautiful property with different buildings and spaces…read morefor wine, enjoying wine, listening to music or all sorts of events. The vinard is onsite and I believe they help other local wineries in the area to make wine. The employees were great, so friendly and knowledgeable. There was live music. They have some food on site and they have food trucks. The oyster food truck was wonderful. Can't wait to return.

Pros:This vineyard is a delight for history lovers--it was built in the early 1800s and has served…read moremany purposes over the years, including a boys' school, a Union troop garrison during the Civil War, Washington Academy, a courthouse, and even a dairy farm. The tasting room is spacious and comfortable, with tables and couches perfect for relaxing with friends. There's also a charming gift shop, along with a selection of cheeses and snacks available for purchase. Cons:I tried the five-red tasting for $12, but none of the wines were especially memorable. The pours were inconsistent, with some wines served as one sip, some two, and others three. The cheeses for purchase are pricey, with 4 oz costing $13. The most significant issue was the wine glasses--each sip had a strong odor reminiscent of dirty sponge water, indicating that their glass-cleaning process needs major improvement. Overall: A charming vineyard with rich history and a comfortable tasting space, but the wines didn't impress and snacks are pricey. Great for the atmosphere, less so for the tasting. Based on this experience, I rate this establishment a 2.5 out of 5.