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Fort Monroe National Monument

4.6 (41 reviews)

Fort Monroe National Monument Photos

Recommended Reviews - Fort Monroe National Monument

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Mr F G And Mrs M S.

This is a great place to explore. It's scenic. Nice place to relax, taking a walk, or riding your bike. Definitely worth visiting.

Jennifer B.

Great place to meander through history and get some fresh air while doing so. We spend the majority of our time at the casemate museum so my review reflects our experience there. Boasting 21 unique historical sites, you can definitely plan to spend the day here walking through history on their self-guided tours. Dress accordingly and wear good walking shoes. They do have dining options and a coffee shop as well along the tour.

Richard T.

I've been here a couple of times. I actually like how they have added to the story of the fort. They provide a lot of good information. If you are interested in the civil war and are in the area, I would highly recommend visiting here. They also have a museum on the grounds along with a gift shop of course.

Alison M.

How has it taken me this long to visit beautiful Fort Monroe? I didn't have nearly enough time to really explore today. But I saw enough in the hour and a half we drove around and exploded. We saw the beach, the lighthouse, the old fortification and a few of the old buildings. I loved the old point comfort lighthouse. Although you couldn't go inside , it was super pretty to see in its well-maintained decay. The beach was busy and booming and the restaurant on base was also busy. We walked around the parade field and saw the old church and "Lincoln gun" canon. I was pleasantly surprised by this spot. It's very pretty and well-kept and organized and peaceful. They have a welcome center that was closed when we arrived but you can tour the on-site museum for free during business hours and can do a walking tour. I'm going to bring my dad next time he visits from out of town. He will love it.

9/4/2021
Rachel S.

Went on 9/4/2021 and you could stay an entire day here, walking the ground and reading all the museum placards. Can't believe this place was in use up until 2011! This place is where Confederate president Jefferson Davis was jail during the Civil War. Of course he was never brought to trial for the treason he obviously committed.

Part of the original fort
Heather B.

Such a beautiful area to explore. It had a great visitors center and museum. We did a guided tour with park ranger Aaron, he had so much information to share. He even brought out rave lights! So much fun.

Gallery inside the Visitor Center.
Mahogany W.

The Fort Monroe Authority, National Park Services, the City of Hampton and the State of Virginia have done a great job preserving the legacy and history of this breathtaking fort. Being a lifelong Hamptonian, one can easily take for granted the access that our beautiful area has to such rich maritime and military history. The fort has so much to offer. I'd suggest stopping by the Visitor Center and allowing yourself to become immerged into the fort's past by learning about the role it played in establishing Hampton as a major military and maritime powerhouse. I love that the Visitor Center offers galleries that honor the great historians, scholars and researchers that helped to shed light on the first Africans that were brought to English-speaking North America and their plight. The statues, figurines and other monumental offerings inside the Visitor Center are breathtaking and absolutely astonishing. Thank you for honoring local greats that made Hampton their home like Booker T. Washington, Dr. William Harvey, Katherine Johnson, and more. The gift shop in the Visitor Center also has some great books for readers of all ages to learn about topics spanning slavery, Native American history and more. I'm so glad that Fort Monroe is embracing the right narratives that help to make this area more diverse and inclusive for all!

What an experience, there's even traffic lights for pedestrians to cross!
Cristina Cici B.

Have you ever wanted to go somewhere that feels stuck in time or walk around freely and not be bothered by hundreds of cars zooming past you, somewhere you can take both the dog and the kids, or even just fancy a really long stroll away from the hustle and bustle? Yes? Then this is the place for you. Fort Monroe is a decommissioned Military installation, so there's plenty of history for the history buff. Did you know that this landmark shares history with the Civil War and even the Native Americans? There's even a museum for those interested in the colonial roots of this Fort. If that's not your thing, then there's a brewery, a coffee shop, a hotel and a great restaurant on the water that may interest you. Oh, you're interested now are you? That's what I thought. Controlled by the National Park Service, a lot of preservation, time and funding has gone back in to this area; it is a wonderful and somewhat hidden treasure, even to locals. The beaches facing the Chesapeake Bay are usually quiet, and the promenade walk is thoroughly enjoyable with or without the dog and kids. Stop by when you can, besides, it's free!

Joshua G.

Fort Monroe is super unique in that it holds a couple of distinctions. It was the fort that confined Jefferson Davis, is the largest stone fort in the United States, and only active manor encircled fort in active duty. I arrived with two hours until they closed so I had to prioritize where to go. Because it's an active fort, a lot of the residences are still in use and therefore can't be toured. The historic fort itself is fair game. There's even a pet cemetery here which is something I didn't expect, but loved.

Pretty tree
Candice H.

Growing up here, amazing I've never crossed the moat. Kinda interested in this history.

Old Comfort Point Lighthouse near the Fort Monroe National Monument
Bruce K.

Really neat area that's easy to get to (other than traffic) from either side of the Hampton Roads Bridge and Tunnel - it's the first exit north of the bridge. A surprisingly interesting area with lots of places for walking, for picnics, for beaching, for ballfields and for fishing. And so much history to be seen as well!

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11 months ago

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1 year ago

i love this area :) beautiful place to listen to music and drive and think and have a silly fun time :)

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3 years ago

Great place to site see, and learn history. You can park and walk/run around if you'd like as well. Stop by one day :)

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7 years ago

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4 years ago

Fantastic place to explore and read up on historical events and appreciate the architecture of the times.

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8 years ago

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11 years ago

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Awesome Fort/town! So much history and well maintained! Cool driving tour of this historical community/fort! Definitely worth a visit!!

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Ask the Community - Fort Monroe National Monument

Review Highlights - Fort Monroe National Monument

We spend the majority of our time at the casemate museum so my review reflects our experience there.

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Hampton Carousel - Beautiful carousel with Toboggan Music Machine

Hampton Carousel

4.9(9 reviews)
2.5 mi

Hampton Carousel is hands down the best carousel experience I have ever had, and that goes the same…read morefor my parents who were with me. The gentlemen running it were incredibly nice and gave us an unforgettable tour of this classic piece of Americana. My parents and I had planned to make the Hampton Carousel a focal point of our recent visit to the area since my mother is a member of the National Carousel Association, and we were so glad we did. This was a gorgeous Sunday and despite that the area was relatively empty. We had very few other folks come by the carousel while we were there and so the two gentlemen running it gave us the grand tour, including of the central support pillar, the electronics adapted to assist the century-old organ, and the other historical artifacts lining the walls. They did so out of the kindness of their hearts and a genuine affection for the carousel and its history, which you just don't see in terms of commitment at most venues anymore. The price for all of this? $1 a ride. What a deal! The carousel ride itself was enjoyable, and it's very cool that they have so many tracks of the hit songs from each year the carousel has been open. You never know what you'll hear next! The pavilion containing the carousel is beautiful and sturdy, which is particularly important when it comes to protecting the carousel for the next century or so. This was a fun experience, and you can't beat the $1 ride price. Genuinely great fun for everyone, make sure you stop by if you're in the area! Overall: 5.0 stars ----- Pros: - Amazing staff who go out of their way to make your experience a special one. - $1 carousel rides? The price is right! - Beautiful pavilion in great shape. - Fun decor with a ton of history behind it. Cons: - None, even their hours are great. Make sure you stop by!

Love this. My sister came from Florida to go here. The family had a great time and that day we…read morewent it was free.

Photos
Hampton Carousel
Hampton Carousel - Carousel is in amazing shape, they did a spectacular job restoring it.

Carousel is in amazing shape, they did a spectacular job restoring it.

Hampton Carousel

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Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel - Welcome to the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel!

Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel

4.2(14 reviews)
6.9 mi

It's a bridge and a tunnel!! what's not to like? approximately twice the fun for the same drive and…read morestill no tolls!! the MMMBT is basically two straight parts joined by a curved part so navigating this roadway shouldn't tax anybody's senses or abilities. the sloping approaches and the actual tunnel bit are controlled by gravity which exerts a nearly uniform 1-g of downforce so the driver doesn't have to "steer down" or "steer up" all that is necessary is to drive straight until the curvey part, follow the road through the bend, and then straight again until exiting the structure. ta da!! the tunnely part consists of more than a dozen prefabbed 300 foot long sections that were sunk into a trench and buried; FYI: the best guess on a "use by" date is somewhere past 2052. the traffic lanes are thirteen feet wide with fourteen-and-a-half feet of usable vertical clearance plus two 30-inch wide ledges on the side of the roadways just in case you have to walk out. please note that the deepest part of the tunnel is some 45 feet below the average low-tide mark so good luck with the emergency exit ;-) don't trust the science? I don't really blame you (especially since the great plannedemic) but this is civil engineering - real life application of the hard sciences - not the soft goo pedaled by the TV taking heads so carry on.

This was the last thing I saw in the metro area before heading back to where I was staying. This…read moretunnel/bridge was a bit more messed up than the others in the area. Traffic was smooth for the most part here, with minor hold ups while approaching the tunnel portion. What I remember most about this is that there was a lot of major construction happening. I'm not sure what they are doing as I don't live here, but I can only hope that it is to improve traffic flow. Two lanes in each direction would probably benefit with an increase in lanes. But that is just my thought on it. It is scenic to drive, but you really do need to pay attention to the road and traffic. Almost like a mini Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel.

Photos
Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel - The view

The view

Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel - Night time on the bridge...

Night time on the bridge...

Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel - Pretty views !!

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Pretty views !!

James River Bridge US-17 - From website

James River Bridge US-17

4.2(6 reviews)
9.2 mi

Super scared... I think in my lifetime I have driven across this bridge at some point in my 20s,…read morebut it was so during the daylight. Well a few weeks ago, I drove across this bridge and clearly remembered why I do my best to avoid this route at all accounts. From a decade ago, I could only recall: this bridge is super long, super scary... I was routed to this bridge due to a severe accident at the Monitor Merrimac Tunnel (my preferred route to Hampton/Newport News). After sitting in traffic for 90 minutes, daylight quickly turned into nightfall. During my travel on this Friday night, I was only able to snap one picture as my passenger was asleep. And this snap wasn't until I reached the end of the (at least) four mile stretch. But please do not try to snap your own pictures while driving. There is no shoulder lane at all. This four lane bridge features two lanes of travel for each direction. I traveled from Suffolk, Virginia and drove through at least two other cities including Isle of Wight. On the route (route 17) prior to the reaching the bridge, there are a few gas stations and several shopping stores. Please make sure you have enough gas before approaching the bridge. The bridge was built in the 1920s (I believe) and it is still standing and traffic flows heavily. Just be safe and have a passenger (awake) to take your pictures. Have fun and enjoy life :)

I love a bridges & this one has special place in my heart as it connects me to my GRANNY!!!!!…read more I don't care for the 12 hr drive from the NOLA; but once I dawn this bridge I know I'm closer to my dear heart. The 4.5 mile long bridge crosses the James River, duh, hence the name right??? And there couldn't be a lover sight. Quite scenic; once at the very top, one can see the expanse of the coast & most of the approaching city. 4 lanes coming & going, the dawn & dusk drives are equally breathtaking. Often times, I'd like to stop & take pictures, but in that this is a bridge & cars are always abounding, I refrain.

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James River Bridge US-17 - From website

From website

James River Bridge US-17
James River Bridge US-17

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Fort Monroe National Monument - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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