Tucked away by the entrance of Hampton University is this piece of history. Being an alum of an…read moreHBCU, this one is very special to myself. For those who aren't familiar (and I wasn't until recently), this oak tree is where President Abraham Lincoln stood to give the first Southern reading of the Emancipation Proclamation. And this was a place where newly freed slaves were taught at the Butler School which was built right by the oak tree, which was the beginning of Hampton University as we know it. Tip: There is a small parking lot (Lot 2) where you can park near the tree for free. There is a fence that covers the oak, but behind it is an opening where you can take some pictures up and close. Believe me, it's a sight to see.

If it was not for the Yelp Adventure Bingo challenge I would have never known about this slice of…read morehistory! I'm so glad this was on the bingo board as a place to visit. The location is very convenient there is a parking lot so you could see it. I love to seeing other people visiting the same location while I was there. It's a quick visit, so perfect if you are passing through. The tree is amazing along with the history.

I love driving over the CHESAPEAKE BAY BRIDGE tunnel - either to Cape Charles or just to enjoy the…read moreEastern Shore of Virginia which is littered with adorable small towns with amazing fish. Also, recently, we've discovered this is the best way to get to Maryland, Annapolis or Delaware - forget driving up I-95. This is it! This tunnel is over 17 miles long and is so relaxing - an engineering marvel and very well-maintained. My husband and I visited the Florida Keys a few years ago and were so excited to drive between them on the famous bridge, well, it was far less beautiful, less well-kept, and less impressive than our own bridge.

With a fear of tunnels AND bridges on our recent trip to Williamsburg I decided on some exposure…read moretherapy and tackle the bridge/tunnel I have avoided for decades. EVEN after I researched that there have been 45 fatalities from crashes and 19 involved vehicles going into the water. Result? This is no where near as bad as I made it out in my mind. The bridge is low so you don't travel high over the water. The tunnels are short. About little over a minute to get through. This is a 17 mile bridge/tunnel expanse and the anxiety level really didn't even twinge much at all. The wildfire haze affected our views but it was an exposure therapy bucket list to cross off. So if you have a fear of tunnels or bridges I can with certainty say this will no where be near as intimidating as you imagine. The side protection barriers could be higher in my opinion (especially knowing about the past incidents of cars going over) but it is much more doable than you would think. Bite the bullet, and do it. You will be stronger for it.

The largest living museum in the world is Colonial Williamsburg. Original 18th century homes and…read morebuildings (and many reconstructed) line blocks and blocks. There are taverns, a blacksmith, the governor's mansion, and more. With the tours and performances, you can spend the entire day here. You do need a ticket to go inside most of the buildings with the exception of the Bray School and a few others. However, it is free to wander through!

Walking around we came across this & figured why not check it out…read more U can grab tickets through their official site which is easier for the tours inside the building. This was nice, Informative it was a decent way to spend some time learning & checking out the history of this place.

To set expectations, Yorktown Battlefield, like many battlefields in the U.S., is essentially a…read morefield. There isn't much to see, BUT the signs located throughout are helpful. They also have cannons and other items to help bring it to life. For me, the beauty of this battlefield is in the little museum in the visitor's center and the Nelson and Moore Houses. The Nelson House is a historic home that was struck by cannons during the siege. The Moore House is where the end of the war was largely negotiated. Once you arrive at the visitor's center, pay $15 for a pass that's good for a few days. It also gives you access to Historic Jamestown. Staff will give you maps and more info on the self-driving tour.

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 stumbled upon this landmark as we were making our way around the Nauticus/USS Wisconsin by the…read morewater to go to the Pagoda & Foundation Park. This is located in Wisconsin Square near the Harbour Place Condos. Fun fact: according to the Downtown Norfolk website, this bell is one of the last remaining pieces of the "Norfolk" destroyer. Some parts of the ships is in a high school in Florida and the rest of the ship was scrapped in 1974. I always appreciate a piece of history being documented and shared with the public for all to enjoy. Stay safe, Friends!

Located at the intersection of Lankford Highway and Eyrehall Drive (on the east side), this marker…read morepoints the way to a church that is a good distance from here, but if the marker was in front of the church, you wouldn't know. The marker reads, "1.8 miles east of here stood Salem Methodist Church (1836-1918), scene of the initial violence resulting from the schism between northern and southern Methodists in 1846. A northern circuit preacher was dragged from the pulpit by members of the congregation. The building burned in 1870 and was replaced. Salem was the mother church of congregations on Cheriton and Oyster and five Eastern Shore Methodist ministers." It was erected 1983 by the Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission and is marker number WY-3. [Review 20302 overall - 1436 in Virginia - 1279 of 2023.]

We visited Jamestown Settlement on Aug 14, 2025. It had free parking, which was a plus. From where…read morewe parked, we crossed the zebra crossing and walked through Quadricentennial Plaza to get to the museum. Erected in 2007 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, the Quadricentennial Plaza's dual files of state flags was remarkable. When looking from the north side - facing the trio masts with the United States flag in the middle - the state flags were arranged in order of ratification starting from the right file with the flag of Delaware, moving state by state to the south side, then making a U-turn and continue on in the other file (with the flag of Michigan), and arriving back to the north side with the final state flag (Hawaii). A plague at the base of each mast briefly described the state's founding. A photo is included showing that of the Tar Heel state. Jamestown Settlement should not be confused with Historic Jamestowne (spelled with an extra "e"). The former is a museum located in Williamsburg while the latter is an archeological site located in Jamestown. When we arrived at Jamestown Settlement at 11:20am, the sky was cloudy; by 2:25pm, it was sunny and clear. The museum had a wide facade. When seen from an aerial view, it is shaped like an obtuse angle. Even through we went during the summer vacation, it wasn't crowded that day. If you're not interested in attending the museum, there plenty of benches to hang out by the lawn area. The first thing we did after purchasing the tickets was to watch a movie. We went to the rotunda (amazing ceiling view), and followed the directions to Gallery Theater where we saw "1607: A Nation Takes Root". This docudrama traces the founding of Jamestown from the point of view of the colonists, the Powhatans and the Africans, with the colonists being the main protagonists (no-brainer). If I had known that the film was already available on YouTube, I'd have skipped it altogether. After the film was over, we proceeded down Great Hall to the Galleries. There were three entrances to the Galleries. We took the first one cloest to the rotunda, called the "Before Jamestown" section. Before Jamestown, life was peaceful for the Africans and the Powhatans as shown by their life-sized dioramas. Then came the stars of the Galleries: British colonists. The layout and decor for their exhibits evoked a colonial marketplace. It included a partial model of a ship. The "1607" doorway to the right of "The Virginia Company of London" exhibit led to more exhibits. More Powhatans, including one devoted to Pocahontas. In addition, there were exhibits about women's contributions during the early years of Jamestown. "From Africa to Virginia" was a particularly interesting treat. In front of visitors were artifacts and written displays, behind them was a long, large screen showing clips of Africans' encounter with the colonists and the subsequent development of the slave trade. Next were additional colonist exhibits. They weren't as impressive as what came next: recreated homes from that time period (early to mid 1600s). Some of them were colonist dwellings and some slave dwellings. Hard to tell which was which as they all looked similar. At one of the homes, a video clip - played periodically on an exterior wall - showed a slave describing what life was like back then. He seemed happy, like Song of the South's Uncle Remus happy. Across from that home was a doorway leading to Great Hall. By the doorway were written displays encouraging visitors to "Turn Legacy Into Action". To the left of the doorway was an exit that led outside to the gazebo and an area called the Mall. The Mall had a walkway surrounding a larger lawn. At the end of the lawn towards the gazebo was the Commemoration Tower. Review continues in the attached image. More photos and videos can be found at https://www.youtube.com/@1Somber. Look for the playlist "2025-3: Jamestown Settlement Museum".

Very well maintained, interactive learning activities for kids are always a hit. Kids love it…read more I find that it gets pricier, with kids now paying, but it was still totally worth it from educational and fun point of view.

One of the eighty-eight originals structures in Colonial Williamsburg. The tavern was used for…read moreeating meals, different types of entertainment as well as educational talks. Of course it also served as a place to bed down for the night. The circa 1750 home was both the home and business of Henry Wetherburn, his family & slaves. It was one of the most successful taverns in town and catered to the wealthiest clientele. There are outbuildings in the rear which are also original. It is open for guided tours on selected days, but does not operate as a colonial tavern. Recommend!

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!

Easy quarter mile trail to see this lighthouse. A classic lighthouse with red and white stripes as…read morea daymark. It sits inside the Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge, so it can be part of a great day of hiking, the beach, and looking for ponies! When I stopped by it wasn't open for tours so just call ahead if that is something you are building your trip around.

Altho' I didn't get to go inside this place, and I think it was closed, it was still really nice to…read morevisit, and my family was in a rush to leave. But, I splurged over an hour shooting photos, playing Pokemon Go, and shooting video here! I'd LOVE TO COME BACK AGAIN! Be careful where you park, the roads are narrow, and you could block the ways in or out, and be careful of incoming cars, or outgoing cars, because u don;t see or hear them coming or going, and many people made this mistake. Sometimes, it's totally dead, and no one around, then suddenly lots of people show up. I was there for over an hour, in this cycled through like this a lot! i do hope I can return some day!