I love this place. It's so peaceful. There is rarely anyone here, so you get to walk the…read morebattlefield in peace in the shady woods and imagine what it was like to have soldiers camped out there, each army so close to each other. Parking is plentiful and easy to access. When you get to the settlement where the houses are, you encounter beautifully preserved homes that are set up as they would have been during the war. Unlike other battlefields that feel oppressive with death, Appomattox feels like hope for me. Maybe it's my imagination -especially because people died here too, but the way the two generals conducted themselves went a long way in restoring peace. It's a beautiful place to spend an afternoon.

The site of Lee's surrender, essentially ending the Civil War. The village remains frozen in time,…read morereplicating the historical significance with buildings that you can poke your head into and see items and set ups of the time. There are trails through and around the village, additional waysides for other historically significant markers, like a cemetery and the opposing team's HQ's. Dog's are allowed on site, but not into buildings.

A little broken down, but still an interesting local curiosity. If you like a little side of the…read moreroad fun, have a peek

This place is amazing, literally the best place to visit in Roanoke. Despite what some of the…read morereviews say, it is much bigger than expected. Neighborhood is beautiful, right next to the river. You are missing out if you don't make this a priority stop when passing by, near, around, or within a hour of Roanoke.

This historic village has so many neat buildings throughout! The old one room schoolhouse was a…read morepersonal favorite of mine. Primarily, this village is an event venue, complete with a stage for entertaining. I believe my favorite part about the area was the monument (pictured below) that marks where General Robert E. Lee had his last camp on his return from Appomattox Courthouse on April 12, 1865 after the Confederate Army's surrender.

What a beautiful cemetery for are confederate heroes it's the final resting place for Stonewall…read moreJackson and his family other important people are buried there as well

Five stars for a cemetery -- that's a first for me. But it's just because Oak Grove Cemetery is…read morehistoric and contains part (but not all) of General "Stonewall" Jackson. I say part because I was told that the General is buried here for the most part, but some of his parts are missing. I don't know which parts or where they are, but ain't here. This is one of the stops if you take the horse-drawn carriage tour through downtown Lexington. The tour guide will tell you a bit about the cemetery, and you can look around from the carriage. But if you really want to explore, you need to do so by foot on your own. The cemetery is open to all to explore.

Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest is a perfect pairing to the D-Day Memorial in Bedford. Get the…read morecombo ticket, you'll save a good deal of cash! There are guided tours available on a schedule, but we preferred to wander at our own pace. You can go in the house, just be nice and don't touch stuff. They had a free kennel on site, but we couldn't figure out how to work it, and dog's are allowed to stroll the grounds, so we just took turns going inside. I loved walking on the roof, and the cellar was extremely interesting! The shape of the home was intriguing, and there was a ton of information available to read and discover!!

Had the opportunity to travel back East to enjoy some fall activities with friends from my DC days…read more We chose to attend the annual Thomas Jefferson Fall Wine Festival at Poplar Forest. Something we used to do as a group. I once worked for a vineyard in Leesburg VA that closed in recent years yet reminisced with the owner of Notaviva a nearby vineyard that knew the owners. The Founder of Notaviva wrote a book about thier wine and farming journey, pairing elements of wine and music. I really enjoyed the cabernet franc from the property. It may be a surprise that you can order the wine in a bag. Not a bottle and not a box, but a packable bag! It was a beautiful November 70 degree day and the event provided programs, glasses and live music to name a few things. A beautiful day at this historic property. #FallFestival #WineFestival #JeffersonsPoplarForest #CentralVA

I read Bruce Catton's "A Stillness at Appomatox " whilst a sophomore in highr school in the early…read more1970's and have been a student of American History ever since, yet had never visited the Appomatox Court House National Park. I had been visiting in Virginia for a long weekend and decided to " swing by". It was a magnificent autumn day, and the crowds were manageable, unlike Gettysburg which is where I reside. The Park Rangers were helpful as were the volunteer docents, and a living historian did a great job of describing the events which had transpired there in April 1865. Much of the tour was self-guided, and some knowledge of history would be helpful to those unfamiliar. With it. There is an app which I'd downloaded which was useful, however my listening to the aforementioned ( I love that word!) book whilst driving g was even better. There are several clean restrooms on the site as well as a small gift shop. There was no food in the Park as far as I could tell. The McLean House where the surrender occurred was taken apart with the idea of reassembling it in DC or other places afterwards, but that never transpired as funding dried up, thus the building parts sat in the elements for many years and acted like a "free Home Depot" until it was put back together aagain, I believe in the 1940's. About one-sixth of the original brbricks remained, however the historic structure was rebuilt on the original foundation utilizing blueprints whish were somehow available . I'm a history lover, thus really enjoyed it. I feel it's important for all Americans to know where we came from, how we became such a great Nation, and how easily we can fall apart. Culture and heritage ought never be cancelled. Go check it out as I did!

The private home where Grant accepted Lee's surrender. A couple of Federal Park Rangers were on…read moresite to elaborate on the history. They were great. We were here to visit the national park at Appomattox. Well worth the visit. Plenty of other sites to visit in the park. Mark & Nancy.

I enjoyed learning the history of the bridge. The cave arches were breathtaking. I did not enjoy…read moreclimbing the stairs to return to the main building, but the experience was definitely a hike! I was excited to watch otters fish for food in the streams. The waterfall was not as grand as I expected it to be, but the natural scenery was worth viewing for $9. As a bonus, there is a trail to a cave.

This is a perfect place to take a road trip break! We did exactly that on a recent drive from…read moreAsheville to Richmond. The visitor center was easy to find and the building reminded me of those found at the University of Virginia, which was founded by Thomas Jefferson. Coincidentally, Thomas Jefferson also owned the land on which the Natural Bridge is located. After paying your admittance fee at the center, you head down several stairs and will pass a small waterfall. Very soon thereafter, you will see the Natural Arch. There is a flat path that leads you through the arch where you can continue your stroll along a steam for about 15 minutes to see a larger waterfall. "Saltpeter Cave" can also be found along the path. It was interesting to read that Mr. Jefferson leased out this shelter for the excavation of potassium nitrate which was eventually used to make gun powder. While I would not make the Natural Bridge a destination trip, it is definite worthwhile to explore if passing through the area.

Just follow the sound of the whooshing waterfall as you turn down Tamworth Rd. in Cartersville and…read moreyou'll find yourself at this glorious, old grain mill! It sits atop a rolling knoll, against a gorgeous blue sky and a rushing waterfall. Built in circa 1753, Muddy Creek Mill stands a majestic 4-stories high, and is almost 15,000 sq. ft. The stone and brick rustic mill is surrounded by historic outbuildings, the vintage general store and the old Tamworth post office building from 1792. Further down you'll discover a pond and acres of land to explore. We were enthralled by this beautiful property and it's a perfect day trip to commune with nature! The cascading waterfall brought me back to life! Another visit to this breathtaking spot in Cumberland County is on the calendar!

Whether you're a history buff or someone looking for a beautiful place to stretch your legs, this…read morenational monument is worth a stop. Booker T Washington was born into slavery on this plantation, later freed during the Civil War and went on to become an educator, author and political activist. You can learn more about his life inside the visitor center as well as from the information boards scattered throughout the property. I highly recommend a walk on the Jack o' Lantern loop trail which is about 2 miles long and takes you past old buildings and through the woods. Dogs are also allowed on the trail if they are on a leash. The visitor center is open from 10am-4pm and the grounds are open from 9am-5pm with the exception of some major holidays. And there is no fee to visit!

This site is pretty far out there. Even as someone who drives from Roanoke to Lynchburg somewhat…read moreregularly, it is out of the way. When I found an excuse to go, I found the site affecting. There is a visitor center that provides a compelling history of an individuals journey through American history. There is also some recreated farm buildings and some trails which I didn't have time to peruse in their entirety. The visitor center was not in a great condition. The air-conditioning was marginal on a hot day and the water in the bathrooms was not working so we were redirected to some Porta potties outside. It is a valuable historic site and I hope that some repairs get funded.

A little bit of unique history that gets driven by and probably criticized often, but is so unique…read moreit's awesome. Now this feels like something you'd do at Disney or a theme park, but it's not that at all, because it's as real as possible right to the north of downtown Buchanan. The stone pier you see today is the original from 1851 and this bridge spans 366 feet across the James River and is 57.6 feet tall. And it sways or swings and you can not only feel it, but you can see it too. And it's all made out of wood. Seriously I was hesitant at first, good thing I had my 3 boys worn me, afraid of nothing with death not even a thought (it's not that bad). The view from the bridge are breathtaking and because of the uniqueness of it, it's just cool. You feel like you've walked into yesteryear, where the civil war raged, which it did. Apparently the original bridge was burned down as a strategy by the Confederate General McCausland. We spent about 20 minutes taking it in and our confidence grew the more we tested the old rickety bridge. Good times by one and all and we enjoyed the park and basketball hoops right next to the parking lot for the bridge. It's a beautiful downtown with lots of history. Next time your pass Buchanan, swing on by for a walk on the swinging bridge and step into history.

Currently closed, which is a shame. The 366 foot long bridge dates back to some of the stone piers…read morebeing laid in 1851. Back then, the toll to cross the bridge was five cents with an additional five cents for each additional horse, mule or oxen. The bridge was burned by Confederate forces in 1864 to prevent Federal forces from crossing the river on their way to Lynchburg but was rebuilt after the war. In 1937, the neighboring concrete bridge over the James River mostly replaced the use of this bridge but the bridge still remained. There is a free parking lot on the south side of the river. I'm a little glad that it is closed as it helped me not have to make the decision to cross it on foot. I'm not sure I'm daring enough. [Review 13772 overall, 1093 of 2020, number 1207 in Virginia.]