A good place to start on the tour of the battlefield sites that defined America…read more The Yorktown Visitor's Center is the perfect starting point for exploring several of the most pivotal sites in American history. The drive from the main road to the center is scenic, offering glimpses of Virginia's historic landscape before arriving at the center. Getting to the actual center seemed a little confusing as there are arrows describing the car tours to visit various sights when leaving the center. The center is not very large. The exhibits inside are well-organized and interactive, showcasing artifacts from the Battle of Yorktown, maps, uniforms, and weaponry from the era. There is a short film that provides an good overview of the battle and its significance in the history of our American independence. The center also features a gift shop with books, souvenirs, and historical memorabilia. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and offered suggestions regarding various tours that you could take when driving around the area. There are several well-marked signs leading visitors from the center to the surrounding area sites. The driving tours take visitors through key historic sites connected to the Siege of Yorktown (1781) and the broader Colonial National Historical Park. Overall, the Yorktown Visitor's Center is an great stop, providing an introduction to this historic battlefield and its role in shaping the nation.

Colonial NHP is spread out over Jamestown, Yorktown and a road connecting them. We went to the…read morevisitor center in Yorktown and thought it was great. It did a great job of explaining what led up to the British surrender and how it happened. I especially liked the part of a ship that was built into the visitors center. Walking through it really was like walking through an 18th century ship - very cool. The visitors center did a great job of explaining the surrounding area and helping us decide where to go. I enjoyed it and would definitely recommend checking it out when visiting Yorktown.

After hours pamphlets available at door along with a clean bowl of water for dogs. Virginia…read moreloveworks art on the parking lot. Lots of parking next door at the bank.

The Smithfield Visitor Center is really nice - it's attached to the Arts Center and shares the same…read moreentry lobby area. There are tons of brochures about things to do in Smithfield and Isle of Wight County. Some of them have coupons for entry if there is an admission fee (like touring the St. Luke's Church. There's Windsor Castle Park, kayak rentals at the park where you can launch for $10 an hour (1 person) or $20 an hour (2 people). There are plenty go guided walking tours like Ivy Hill Cemetery, Fort Huger, The Isle of Wight Courthouse Complex, Fort Boykin Historic Park and Nike Park. I spoke to the nice lady working inside, Deb, for quite a while and she was so friendly! She told me about the upcoming markets and events (there are tons) and I can't wait to see some of them! There is a Halloween market, a Picker's market (antiques), Christmas markets, and other vintage or handmade craft fairs all the time. Smithfield is so cute and the town is really good at planning things like this. Most events have a cute ham theme as well or bacon. If you are interested in finding suggestions for things to do in Smithfield - this is a worthwhile stop.

The Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center has plenty of parking. The center is divided into two…read moresections, one area for restrooms and another area with a gift shop and state travel brochures. They have brochures for places all over the state and some for Virginia as well. There was a note to limit yourself to 7 but I was provided with a bag and encouraged to take more as I gathered ideas for future trips. The staff was very friendly and provided suggestions on other stops to make in the area. You can walk to the boardwalk that is against the canal and read some of the signboards and markers.

Perfect weather to be outdoor? Then head on over to the dismal swap trail. It's not really a hike…read morethrough the trails tail. Great for bike rides with the family. Running a race? Then this is the place for you to practice on asphalt and not worry about cars. Plenty of parking available and restrooms are available in the parking area as well. They do have a boat ramp available as well!

Five stars, plus. Absolutely worth your stop while driving towards Kitty Hawk. Also called the…read moreCurrituck Welcome Center, and just over the border from Virginia, this is THE place to go for all of your information needs about the Outer Banks -- maps, brochures, pamphlets, and more. Also, exceptionally helpful staff, immaculate restrooms, easy and plentiful parking, free postcards of OBX (one per patron please), and little surprises. My husband was thrilled to find hot tasty coffee, while I was excited to find a map of Florida. (We're traveling down the east coast and didn't yet have a map of florida. Who would've thought there would be one in a welcome center for the Outer Banks)?

Everyone was so nice there! They are super helpful and welcoming. Would recommend to anyoneread more

Fantastic visitors center. Staff are extremely helpful and knowledgeable. We are locals and are up…read moreon everything. Well the staff let us know about some upcoming events we did Not know about. Bravo!!! What a wonderful experience popping in the visitors center. We dropped In because we wanted to see the new Mural outside and while we were there decided to pop in and take a look around. I have lived here all my life and have never been inside. Well I'm so glad we did and I recommend everyone go. They have a place to walk your dog if your traveling. They have ATM. They have restrooms. Wonderful and clean. They have a water fountain. They have a couple of picnic tables go check it out

Virginia Beach Visitors Center has so many pamphlets and booklets on where to go in the resort town…read moreof Virginia Beach. The center also has pamphlets on other Virginia cities. It's funner to browse the paper copies than to scroll online and possibly miss out on a special event that's right for you.

If visiting Norfolk make it a priority to go to Visitor/ Tourist Center early in your stay. It made…read moreour trip 100 times more enjoyable than anticipated. Due to pandemic (?) our hotel had no pamphlets, maps or anything we could take with us while exploring or planning our days events. The hotel TV had a very basic list of things to do in area, but other than "XYZ Museum" no information about it, address or hours. I know "you can just use the map on your phone" but that did not work at all because it didn't show you what Else is in the area to visit based on what you typed in. The woman at the Visitor Center was Very welcoming, informative and pleasant. We told her what we we're looking for (map of Norfolk with All the highlights) so we could plan 2-3 stops per day. We mentioned what we knew we wanted to do and she offered up 2 more things to visit as well. When we were leaving she advised, "Make sure you stay hydrated (it was 94 degrees that day) because if you don't the heat will sneak up on you and then you'll be in trouble." We used our "old school" map everyday for our 8 day stay, whether we planned to see something specific but also areas to explore and just drive through historic neighborhoods, along the water, etc. The center had gifts, T-shirt's and souvenirs there; I recall a lovely book about historic stained glass windows in Norfolk. I had to get a T-shirt because I got BBQ sauce all over me at lunch! LOL perfect! Get a Norfolk shirt. My sister bought some really cool glasses, juice size, with classic bikes on them: banana seat, townie, tall handle bar and they were naked down to $10! Parking on the street in front can be tricky, we found a "loading zone 10 minute max" spot, and the city meter employees nearby, but we told them where we wanted to go and wouldn't be long and they gave us the "Go ahead and park. Don't worry" which we were grateful! Lol

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.

Been to the Back Bay Refuge on and off for 10+ years. We travel to Sandbridge each summer and love…read morethis stop. It's quiet and peaceful. Nice boardwalks to walk and push a stroller on. We usually see fish, snakes and turtles. Sometimes there are a lot of bugs so bring bug repellant. Great stop!

This refuge is huge and very well maintained. It's surrounded by beautiful scenery, with the…read morebackwaters on one side and the ocean on the other, so there are some really amazing views throughout. There are plenty of great trails to explore, and we even spotted some wildlife along the way. They have good amount of parking it's $5 for entry in summer months. The restrooms are clean and well kept, and there are benches along the trails where you can sit and enjoy the views. Overall, it's a wonderful place to spend some time outdoors, walk the trails, and enjoy the peaceful natural surroundings. Definitely worth visiting if you love nature and scenic views.

Dismal Swamp State Park has a lot of history. The State Park is in its own section, just down from…read morethe Welcome Center. After you find a place to park, you need to check in with the ranger at the booth, and then you can open the gate to walk across the bridge. From there you can either go on the walking trails or visit the museum building. I just went into the building as I wanted to see the Underground Railroad exhibit but there was just one storyboard so not quite what I expected. I did appreciate the audio of Moses Grandy reading his book. The Great Dismal Swamp was dug by hand by slaves. It was about a million acres when built but now is much smaller. It became part of the Underground Railroad for those going north but was also a place where a community formed as it was easy to hide in the ruggedness and the swamp provided a lot of resources. The exhibits are in the lobby and two rooms and provided a lot of information. The Great Dismal Swamp is in North Carolina and Virginia and is home to wildlife; birds, insects reptiles, trees and plants. 97 species live in the swamp today and 43 species of butterflies. Native Americans first lived there. They lost the land to European settlers. George Washington was one of many that wanted to drain the swamp but the canal was built instead. The 22 mile canal went from Chesapeake VA to South Mills NC. Barges took supplies and people from one end to the other. The canal system stopped being used when railroads started as they were more efficient. I highly recommend checking out this State Park.

I was born and raised near the Dismal Swamp Wildlife Refuge. I have a love/fear relationship with…read morenature, especially the swamp. I know to expect the unexpected when it comes to navigating the swamp. You may encounter mosquitoes, snakes, a bear--or all three. I had visited the Dismal Swamp State Park as a teenager, but I spent most of my visit on the water. I enjoyed revisiting the park as an adult, and I have to admit I was a bit relieved to hop on the wagon ride. It was a nice way to enjoy being in nature amongst the wildlife without the fear of walking up on any of the animal friends. I also enjoyed learning from the tour guide, especially about the history of moonshine and bootlegging in the past. There were other trails to walk, but they warned visitors that snakes were out, so I decided to pass.