The Maggie Walk National Historic Site is located in downtown Richmond and recommend stopping by…read morefor a tour! The house is only accessible through the ranger led tour. Check online for hours!

The entrance was clearly marked and easy to find. The tour started on the hour and on time. It…read morebegan with a really interesting short movie. The ranger who gave the tour was amazing. She was informative, kind, patient, and engaged my 7 y/o niece with such care. The tour was filled with information but it didn't feel too long or overwhelming; the timing was just right. It was a truly wonderful learning experience.

We only explored the bottom half today. Looking forward to returning with the children and…read moreexploring more. Some of the artifacts that are on display here are amazing. Particularly the POW items that were made.

The docent, Brian gave an excellent tour of the site. He put together the historical importance of…read morethe location which the museum itself did not do. I would highly recommend doing one of the tours when you are there. I was almost not going to do the tour as it was 45 minutes long, but in the end it was the best past of the museum experience. I wish there was more information on the site itself within the museum for those who missed out on the docent led tour. The museum itself does have some amazing and unique items from major figures who fought in the war.

We were on a Virginia tour of history which included stops at many presidential homes, libraries…read moreand sites (Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Wilson) and our planning revealed two such sites tucked away in the rural area of Charles City--Berkeley Plantation (William Henry Harrison, among many other historical claims to fame) and this one, Sherwood Forest--former home of John Tyler. If you're coming to Berkeley, you should definitely plan a stop here as well. Note--it's still privately owned by the family, so if you wish to tour inside of the home you must call a week in advance and pay (I think) $35 per person. This is pricier than most such sites (which are much bigger) and my guess is that since it's privately owned, the family wants to drastically limit such visits. That's their prerogative and I can't fault them for that--it's great they allow self-guided tours of the grounds most of the time. From the parking lot you can place your honor system ($10 per person) dues in the box and grab a map which will detail each of the 20+ marked spots along the grounds. Plan to spend about 45 minutes-hour here if you're doing the self-guided tour. Well worth a stop if you also plan to visit Berkeley.

So, I'm a HUGE presidential history "nerd"; my lady love and I recently wrapped up a week long trip…read moreto Virginia during which we visited many different sites. I'm going to be honest here - I'm torn writing this review. First, I almost gave two (2) stars, but I realize I should focus on the fact that this is a PRIVATE RESIDENCE (still owned by the Tyler family), and that as historians, we are lucky to have access to the house/grounds at all. However, the Sherwood Forest Foundation request a weeks notice and WAY TOO MUCH MONEY to tour inside the home. A tour of this home (by appointment only) costs more than a day pass at Jefferson's Monticello. Come on...John Tyler - is no Jefferson. On our visit, it wasn't until we drove into the "parking lot" that we found out we couldn't go inside the home without a weeks notice and an appointment. Drag. But no worries - we were happy to walk the grounds. As pointed out by another reviewer - a walk of the grounds is an "honor system" thing. You pick up a map of the grounds at the self-serve kiosk - where they "request" $10.00/person to walk the grounds (which, is also a ridiculous price, in my opinion). I'm sure they request $10.00 just hoping to get nominal donations..... Don't get me wrong - I enjoyed walking the grounds - it's a beautiful home and the grounds are beautifully manicured. The provided map is well organized and features a lot of good information. But $10.00/person - just for the GROUNDS around the home? Overall, I'm glad I visited Sherwood Forest - would have loved to see the inside of the house, but NO WAY at that price point. I feel safe saying only the BIGGEST presidential history will land at Sherwood Forest. If that's accurate, I think they'll agree with my assessment of the pricing. Lastly, I feel compelled to say: I'm not a jerk. Yes, I think $10.00/person is way too much just to walk around the grounds - but the Sherwood Forest Foundation DID get a donation from us...and it WAS a FACTOR of 10.

This is a beautiful chapel. The museum guide was anxious at first glance. He warmed up after we…read morecommented on the architecture and the stained glass. He gleefully began sharing information, brochures and offered great insights on the Solider's Home. The furnishings were in amazing shape. Reminded me of my visits to Colonial Williamsburg. I am glad that it has been restored. It serves as a reminder of our nation's history. ****Union Shields are included in the central chancel stain glass windows. The museum guide took an effort to share that the Union ShIelds appeared in the Confederate Chapel as a clear indication of the reconciliation that took place in the post-civil war period in which the Solider's home built. He also noted that "Blue and Grey" reunions had taken place in the Confederate Chapel on numerous occasions. It is s perfect time in our country's current climate to visit this historical site and realize that in the mid-1880s, Union and Confederates soliders (and their direct descendants) let go of the past and embraced the United States of America. Funds from both Northern and Southern veterans helped build the Solider's home. Great tour, beautiful historical treasure. Wonderful Facts about the post-Civil War climate. Go see it!!!

What a hidden treasure! I just happened to find this during a visit to Richmond a few weeks ago,…read moreand it was well worth popping into - this chapel doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside is a fascinating tabletop display showing how that entire area was a hospital complex for Civil War veterans from both sides, along with a photobook (yes, an actual book of old photos) showing what it looked like way back when. The security guard was super kind and she let me walk around for as long as I wanted, so you can go all the way up to the pulpit and get up close to the stained glass windows showing different battles and groups of vets, and how they came together in the decades after the war to help those who needed assistance. Isn't that a message worth preserving?

Nowadays there's barely anything free to do. However you can tour VA's the seat of power for…read morefree. The house designed by Thomas Jefferson offers guided and self guided tours for free. I came early enough for a solo tour with Mark. The tour was informative and we had good conversations. Love the building itself and its history. If you find yourself in downtown Richmond, drop by here. There are also other notable features in the area.

I love historic buildings and Richmond definitely has lots of them! It was fun exploring the…read moreCapitol although the heat was brutal. You can take a guided tour or choose to walk around at your own pace.

I decided to walk the trail while visiting Richmond. I enjoy learning history through visiting…read moredifferent places. I definitely don't mind reading, but I had difficulty following the order of the markers. I am pretty sure I missed numerous stops along the way. We decided to turn back after walking over an overpass. We figured we may have ventured off the tour. Nevertheless, I enjoyed walking, learning, and exploring the city. Maybe I will try again on another visit and after some research.

Walking the Richmond Slave Trail is an important thing to do to honor those who were unjustly…read moreenslaved for decades and decades. I started the trail at the most southern part. There's a parking lot. Follow the markers to learn about slavery in Richmond. The trail is well marked and it hugs the river. Take the time to read every sign.

Wonderful drinks, food and service from Courtney this evening! Great history lesson and enjoyed the…read moreambience of the place 10/10

A beautiful evening with family celebrating a birthday! We were a party of six and dined onbthe 2nd…read morefloor in the smaller room. Excellent service and food with a gas log fire. Quite perfect!

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.