Northern Virginia
This 91-acre wooded island in the Potomac is a wilderness preserve honoring the conservation-minded 26th US president. A large memorial plaza and statue…
Must-see attractions in Virginia
Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site
Alexandria
Washington, DC’s best-preserved Civil War fort is surprisingly hidden away in a residential Alexandria neighborhood. But there it is, a vivid foray into…
Richmond
Famous southerners including JEB Stuart, Robert E Lee, Matthew Fontaine Maury, Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson are memorialized in statue form along…
Richmond
By 1864, Union general Ulysses Grant was ready to take the battle into Virginia. His subsequent invasion, dubbed the Overland (or Wilderness) Campaign,…
Blue Ridge Highlands & Southwest Virginia
What's with the name? Well, the park grounds contain a huge amount of staurolite, a mineral that crystallizes at 60 or 90 degree angles, giving it a cross…
Northern Virginia
Set on a hill overlooking the cemetery, this 1802 Greek Revival–style mansion is the former home of Confederate General Robert E Lee and his wife Mary…
Contrabands & Freedmen Cemetery
Alexandria
During the Civil War, the Union-controlled southern city of Alexandria, VA, became a safe haven for formerly enslaved African Americans. Though they had…
Northern Virginia
In Chancellorsville, Robert E Lee, outnumbered two to one, split his forces and attacked both flanks of the Union army. The audacity of the move caused…
George Washington Memorial Parkway
Northern Virginia
The 25-mile Virginia portion of the highway honors its namesake with recreation areas and memorials all the way south to his old estate at Mount Vernon…
Alexandria
Alexandria is known for its landmark archaeological protection code – one of the first in the US – which encourages local archaeologists and developers to…
Alexandria
Once a real tavern (operated by John Gadsby from 1796 to 1808), this building now houses a museum demonstrating the prominent role of the tavern in…
George Washington Birthplace National Monument
Virginia
An obelisk fashioned from Vermont marble, a one-tenth replica of the Washington Monument in Washington, DC, greets visitors at this national monument, run…
White House of the Confederacy
Richmond
This 1818 building was the executive mansion of the Confederacy between 1861 and 1865, and the wartime home of its president, Jefferson Davis. Guided 45…
Shenandoah Valley
Before heading into Shenandoah National Park and its stunning natural beauty, stop here for some fantastic man-made tackiness. Although it’s an …
Northern Virginia
The propaganda is served up with nary a chuckle at this heavy-handed museum brought to you by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Exhibits cover the last…
Richmond
A long pedestrian bridge leads from Tredegar St (just past the national park site) out to this car-free island. Once a quarry, power plant and POW camp…
Roanoke Star & Mill Mountain Park
Blue Ridge Highlands & Southwest Virginia
Mill Mountain Park has walking trails, a discovery center, a zoo (adult $9, child aged three to 11 years $7) and grand views of Roanoke. It's also home to…
The Piedmont
This historic site was the home of James Monroe (the fifth US president) and his wife Elizabeth from 1799 to 1823; recent excavations have identified the…
Northern Virginia
Newly opened to tourists, this 113-acre farm next to the Rappahannock River was the boyhood home of George Washington, who lived here from age six until…
Richmond
The Virginia War Memorial, dedicated to all branches of service who served in all theaters of American combat since World War II, is an impressive…
Shenandoah Valley
Boasting rare, white-spiked anthodites – mineral formations that look like sea urchins – these caverns are Front Royal's main claim to fame. Guided tours…
Blue Ridge Highlands & Southwest Virginia
The countryside around Bedford is speckled with vineyards, including this winery with attached orchard (pick your own fruit August through October). It…
Savage Neck Dunes Natural Area Preserve
Virginia
Wild dunescapes are a disappearing feature of the American landscape – they're often swallowed by developments or erosion. The 300-acre Savage Neck Dunes…
Northern Virginia
One of the smaller Loudoun Heights operations, this place is best known for its farm-to-table Grandale Restaurant (mains $25 to $32, open noon to 9pm…
Northern Virginia
Overlooking the Pentagon and adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery, three graceful stainless-steel arcs soar 270ft into the air. This shimmering…
Shenandoah Valley
Reminiscent of a moonshine still, this micro-distillery in a shed grows its own corn to produce 50% proof corn whiskey and a smoky bourbon on a small…
Northern Virginia
Part of the George Washington Memorial Pkwy, Lady Bird Johnson Park commemorates the First Lady who tried to beautify the capital via greenery-planting…
Alexandria
This 1855 Italianate firehouse displays historic firefighting gear – a great draw for kids. Local legend has it that George Washington helped found this…
Alexandria
Between 1785 and 1903, generations of the famous Lee family lived in this architecturally impressive house. Guided tours (on the hour) show the restored…
Northern Virginia
Paying tribute to a free press, this narrow elevated park was originally designed as a two-block walkway. It now features a memorial honoring journalists…
Blue Ridge Highlands & Southwest Virginia
The last home of mountain midwife Orleana Hawks Puckett (1844–1939), who delivered more than 1000 babies. The site of the property is dotted with…
Alexandria
Built in 1773, this brown-brick Georgian-style church has welcomed worshipers from George Washington to Robert E Lee. The cemetery contains the mass grave…
Virginia
The longest frame house in the country, this was the home of 10th US president John Tyler. Full tours are available by appointment only ($35 per person),…
The Piedmont
Located between Monticello and James Monroe's Highland, this winery harvests from its namesake's original 1774 vineyard site. It also hosts outdoor…
Blue Ridge Highlands & Southwest Virginia
This winery, anchored by a charming 1923 farmhouse, welcomes picnickers including family groups. Try its Mist, a blend of chardonnay and Vidal Blanc.
Northern Virginia
A small six-columned gravestone marks the final resting place for Pierre L'Enfant, one of the great planners behind the layout of Washington, DC.
Northern Virginia
This controversial 10m-high monument pays respects to the Confederate war dead. Some 32 life-size figures surround a cylindrical mount.
Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art
Virginia
Housed in an ultra-modern building, this museum has galleries hosting a rotating program of exhibitions by regional artists.
Blue Ridge Highlands & Southwest Virginia
This building from 1774 is an excellent example of late colonial architecture. Find it adjacent to the Virginia Tech campus.
Lyceum: Alexandria's History Museum
Alexandria
For a quick primer on Alexandria’s history, stop by this small city museum in a beautiful Greek Revival building dating from 1839. A somewhat dusty array…
