This place is definitely down on its own path and out of the way in the country, but it's…read moreinteresting to hear and see a house and business that's been around 400 years and the oldest family-owned business in the country. The descendants still live here, so only the first floor is tourable. The tour guide was knowledgeable and touched on all aspects of the house's history, so it felt like an all-encompassing informational about the owners of the house and the enslaved people who lived and worked there including photographs to give faces to the names. She went over room highlights and answered any questions that people wanted to better understand. It includes a lot of very old artifacts and paintings of the Hills and Carters who lived there. The view of the river is beautiful, and there are a few outer buildings but most don't have anything to see in them. The gift shop is decent. The price is high for a historic tour, but it is a significant enough house to see to understand more the history of Virginia.

Saw road signs when driving through the area. Well - we just had to stop! Nothing to see or visit…read moreon this rainy day, but we took a few minutes to go off the main road and drive down the lane, past the vineyards and see the buildings (even though from a distance). Would like to go back sometime to see if anything is open and visit what seems like a fun little historical site. Not sure - maybe it's just a destination venue. Wasn't clear in signage.

I visited the eastern front of the Petersburg National Battlefield last month while traveling back…read morefrom a Toyota dealership in the area. The battlefield has several sites in the Petersburg Virginia area including a western front, union and confederate forces encampment sites, remains of makeshift forts, storage depots and landing sites. The battlefield as a whole encompasses many miles in a circular pattern and you can either do a guided or self guided tour. It is well marked and mapped. The site as a whole was the longest siege of the American Civil War. Union forces began the siege in 1864 and it lasted nine months with many battles that resulted in victories for both sides. Petersburg VA at the time was a major hub for Robert E Lee's army with extensive rail lines and supply depots. It was also pivotal in the defense of Richmond which was the Confederate capital during the war. The eastern front battlefield is well preserved and also serves as a park which is managed by the National Park Service. There are walking and hiking trails as well as bike lanes. There is parking at each of the eight sites on the eastern front. Each site is well maintained and marked and it is quite educational. You could spend a few hours here exploring. Just a note, bring bug spray with tick repellent. Several of the sites I had to swipe a tick off my legs. It was a bit wet and it was very humid so the bugs were out in force. Overall it was a great experience. On the next visit I'll check out the western front which is roughly eight miles away on the other side of town.

Often overlooked but a hidden gem national park…read more Our national parks and battlefields are some treasured areas. This park is often in the shadow of others, but had long and bloody trench warfare. The history and earthworks are simply incredible! Definitely read about it and look up closure times before coming. (8pm during the summer and sunset/sunrise throughout the year) 33-odd miles of trails, good to recreate and the tour road is perfect for cycling/running.

I love visiting historic sites! It's one of my favorite pastimes. Westover Plantation has been on…read moremy list of must sees, and we finally got to go! This is a phenomenal venue... once you head down the long winding road off Rt. 5, you'll find a small parking area. We were pleased to see it wasn't crowded at all. Walking through the wrought iron gates onto the property, a gorgeous green lawn sprawls out over the rolling hills. The view of the James River is spectacular! The elegant, Georgian mansion sits majestically on the sloped hill facing the water. We walked through another imposing gate to the farm area where we saw chickens, horses, and several out buildings as well as a large bamboo grove which led out to the river. Circling back to the mansion, we noted the Colonial architecture and read all the posted historical plaques. Tours inside are by appointment. Around the back of this stately edifice, was a path leading into the incredible formal garden. It was breathtaking. We meandered through the manicured garden which is one of the finest features of this estate. Roses, irises, lilies, peonies, and other lovely flowers, trees, shrubs and bushes will brighten you day as you stroll through the grounds. We admired the massive monument, the tombstone of William Byrd, the focal point of the garden, as well as the statues, the sundial and the natural wood arbor overflowing with wisteria. We were truly awed by the beauty of Westover Plantation and amazed by all the attention to detail by the groundskeepers. This grand home is a landmark worth visiting! Typically there's a donation box by the entrance, but when we toured the plantation on Sunday, Mother's Day, during the Covid issue, no box was to be found. Perhaps they opened to the public (free) because they knew we all needed to get out of the house and get a brief glimpse of history and nature or it was removed. Either way, it was a delightful way to spend a few hours, soaking up Virginia's beauty and culture.

Westover is certainly one of the most beautiful colonial plantations on the James River. It was…read morebuilt in the mid-18th century by the Byrd family. I especially like the brick that was used in the construction. The house is simply elegant and has perfect proportions. Take special note of the steepness of the roof, the tall chimneys in pairs at both ends of the main house, and the elaborate doorway, which continues to be recognized as "the Westover doorway." The house is not opened for tours except for special occasions. Westover's grounds and outbuildings are open to the public every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. They do ask for a small donation starting at $5.00 to tour the grounds; an honor box is located at the entry gate near the parking lot.

We had an incredible time exploring the battlefield and driving from location to location. My…read morehusband is a veteran so we got free admission which pleasantly surprised us that I also qualified as his wife. The staff was so nice and explained everything. We took the map and went to each site, read the plaques and paid our respect to those lost. The weather was perfect and everything was clearly labeled and well taken care of. We had a great time learning all about the battle and touring the grounds.

We stopped at this attraction as part of the free trolley tour that circles Yorktown. My husband…read moreloves military historic and we were both bummed that the museum on site was closed for the government shutdown. We did however make the best of walking around the site and taking in all of the history we could on the grounds. We also observed a ceremony that was going on when we arrived at the Victory Monument and viewed various artillery pieces on the grounds. The town of Yorktown has lots of historic buildings and things to see and do. We enjoyed walking around and taking the trolley around this beautiful village.

"Walk a mile in their shoes......"…read more I decided to peer through the eyes of history and visit the Tuckahoe Plantation. I felt all the feels driving up the loooong drive to the plantation. I wondered how many slaves dreamed about what was on the "other side" of that long field. Many visitors pack in to see where Thomas Jefferson spent his childhood BUT I drove to see how the ancestors spent theirs (as this plantation tells the enslaved stories, as well). As I walked the curving path to see the schoolhouse, kitchen, enslaved quarters....I felt something (not the haunting that is said to be present) - i wondered about long sweltering summers in the field. I didn't need to peer inside the main house. I thought the archivists did a good job assembling historical facts about Thomas Jefferson and the enslaved. I didn't take the guided tour but I enjoyed what was open to see (people reside there - in both the main house and cabins - so not much to see).

Lovely spot to take a walk in their immaculate garden! This plantation, once the home of Thomas…read moreJefferson, is located off River Road, down a long, dirt driveway. You will pass a farm with chickens and gorgeous fields as you make you way to the stately Georgian styled home at the end of the road. There's a parking lot with an honor system box, $5 donation for the self- guided walking tour of the grounds. A map Is provided, and there are QR codes throughout this beautiful acreage. Should you want a guided tour of the main house and outbuildings, there are charges ranging from $5-$20, discounts for children, seniors and military. Call for reservations to be sure they are not hosting a private event. We were only interested in being outdoors! The plantation is open from 9-5 daily. This place is the perfect location for some fresh air therapy! We were enthralled by the various garden areas, the statuary, the arched groves, the arbors, the colonial design, and most of all, the spring flowers and trees in full bloom! We meandered through the rows of tulips, daffodils, poppies, hyacinths, snowdrops, candytuft, bluebells, and other colorful flowers, shrubs, bushes and plants. This not so secret garden was full of birds, with bird houses placed strategically at various spots. Flowering vines and trees were trained to make gorgeous arches. The maintenance of this amazing, historic estate is obviously painstakingly meticulous. We were completely enthralled with its beauty and understated grandeur. They allow photo shoots for exorbitant fees and by appointment only. You might want to try Maymont, etc. instead.

We went to the Berkeley plantation during the Thanksgiving festival. We were not planning to…read moreattend, but saw a road sign leading us to the event. They had a tremendous amount of activities for the children, including a petting zoo. The weather was great and the grounds were filled with beautiful trees, flowers, and it's right on the water. They were collecting food for FeedMore and there were a lot of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts there. The cost to get in is $25 per car, and $10 for a bike. It is right off of the capital trail, however, the trail does not extend to the plantation. Wish they had more kid friendly food items. But the nice food truck allowed us to buy a simple hotdog.

One of the best historic sites I've ever been to, and I've been to dozens of great ones in Virginia…read moreand all along the east coast. If you're a history buff or not, I can't recommend this site enough. The amount of different history that went on here is unparalleled.

The Malvern Hill Battlefield…read more The government shutdown blocked us from attending Petersburg National Park/Civil War Sites but Malvern Hill is owned by a private charitable trust. American Civil War 1861-65. This was the last of the Seven Days' Battles, which all came about from the Peninsular Campaign in which the Union, led by General McClellan, attempted to march toward Richmond to take the Confederate capital. Newsflash. It didn't work out for the Union. Most of the real battles were Union defeats and eventually the Union pulled back and Malvern Hill, with the Union gunboats and hill giving them an advantage. They had to win this or risk likely annihilation/capture. They won it. The Seven Days' Battles made or broke the fame of several leaders and even a brigade. The Irish Brigade made a big name for itself at Malvern. Overall, Robert E. Lee stood out for the first time and would go on to become a legend. Conversely, the Union would begin to doubt General McClellan and on the Confederacy a promising General Magruder was banished to a distant post for angering General Lee. Lesser-known soldier tales: Allegedly a sergeant from the Irish Brigade shot a Confederate officer and later found out it was his son. Likely a false but stirring story put together by a newspaper from the period. A lad of 17 named Phil Edwin Jemison took a cannon hit and died with an elite legacy. His photo made the front magazine page of And an unknown general with great promise, General Charles Sidney Winder, who rallied together five cobbled regiments and personally led them at an earlier battle of the Seven Days Battles. He died at the Battle of Cedar Mountain 39 days later. A novel about the Battle of Cedar Mountain followed by a movie made the place better known - Cold Mountain.

It's no Appomattox or Antietam, but if you're in the area, there is good signage about the battle…read morethat happened here and some cannons for reference. If you just like parks, there is plenty of parking and a path to walk along as well. It may not take up a lot of time, but it's still great this battlefield was preserved. The signage referred to a visitor center, but when we went to it there was some other establishment at that address. So it's just a park but a nice park.

Such a cool place. I mean, who's ever heard of a Sunken Garden before!? Great place to meet…read morefriends for a game of soccer or frisbee. My kids LOVED coming here on a visit so they could work their way into a game with students. It's also just beautiful, surrounded by boxwood and stately brick buildings.

At the heart of the College of William and Mary's old campus lies this gorgeous lawn. A remaining…read moreproject from the work relief programs from the Great Depression it lies several feet lower than the campus around it. Free for anyone to visit it is intended for students and community members to come and relax. It exists to beautify the campus and remind those who visit of the strength our country had coming out of the Great Depression, it serves both of these purposes well. Having visited earlier this week I could not imagine giving the Gardens any lower of a rating. It ties the campus together and is an integral part of the William and Mary that exists today.