Popular with kids, the state-run Jamestown Settlement reconstructs the 1607 James Fort; a Native American village; and full-scale replicas of the first ships that brought the settlers to Jamestown, along with living-history fun. Multimedia exhibits and costumed interpreters bring the 17th century to life. This one can get uncomfortably busy with elementary-school field trips, so arrive early during the school year.
Jamestown Settlement
Virginia
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.03 MILES
Run by the NPS, this fascinating place is the original Jamestown site, established in 1607 and home of the first permanent English settlement in North…
5.35 MILES
Entered through Colonial Williamsburg's former public hospital, this complex is home to two equally splendid museums: the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts…
20.12 MILES
One of the biggest, most comprehensive maritime museums in the world. The on-site USS Monitor Center houses parts of the Civil War–era Monitor, one of the…
22.71 MILES
Dating from 1726, this plantation on the James River was the birthplace and home of Benjamin Harrison V, a signatory of the Declaration of Independence,…
American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
14.71 MILES
Formerly the Yorktown Victory Center, this expanded exhibition space and living history museum vividly describes the build-up to the Revolutionary War,…
15.57 MILES
Yorktown Battlefield, run by the NPS, is the site of the last major battle of the American Revolution. Start your tour at the visitor center and check out…
27.48 MILES
Built on the banks of the James River, this is Virginia's oldest plantation (1613). It retains an original row of brick service and trade houses – tool…
Nearby Virginia attractions
1.03 MILES
Run by the NPS, this fascinating place is the original Jamestown site, established in 1607 and home of the first permanent English settlement in North…
5.07 MILES
Chartered in 1693, the College of William & Mary is the second-oldest college in the country and retains the oldest academic building in continued use in…
5.35 MILES
Entered through Colonial Williamsburg's former public hospital, this complex is home to two equally splendid museums: the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts…
5. American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
14.71 MILES
Formerly the Yorktown Victory Center, this expanded exhibition space and living history museum vividly describes the build-up to the Revolutionary War,…
15.01 MILES
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),…
15.57 MILES
Yorktown Battlefield, run by the NPS, is the site of the last major battle of the American Revolution. Start your tour at the visitor center and check out…
19.92 MILES
A fine introduction to Virginia's terrestrial and aquatic life, set in naturalistic ecosystems. The complex comprises open-air animal enclosures, an…