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.

Took the ferry - what fun! One of the nicest visitors centers. Great greeters, lots of tour info…read moreand a darling gift shop & artists studio.. don't miss it!!

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

Of the triangle of Virginia historic sites, this one offers the most drama given its war history,…read moreand also some riverside views. A national parks pass or fee is required. The introductory movie covers some pretty detailed history, and I find that history before the United States is not taught very heavily for most people. A small museum and some facilities round out the visitor center, but the main attractions are outside. One could spend hours perusing the battlefields and fortifications. Being limited on time, I focused on the war memorial, which apparently was not established for quite a long time after the battle here but which nonetheless reminds us, that without the heroics of the Revolution, we would all be speaking British English today. Ugh.

My family and I were unimpressed with the Yorktown Battlefield, especially given that we are in the…read moremidst of celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States' Declaration of Independence. We would have thought that every historical place pertaining to our country's founding would go above and beyond to ensure a grand presentation of important aspects of American history. The map to the various points of interest was difficult to follow, especially because we were told that it was created for the visitor to go in sequence. Many places were overgrown, the split rail fences were falling down and the signs were faded. It was a big disappointment.

Disappointed to have missed out on the Visitor Center (should have payed better attention to…read morehours). The restrooms were open which is greatly appreciated. Very nicely done area with several options as far as viewing, walks from short to long to choose from with different surfaces. We enjoyed our visit and even being a chilly windy day saw some wildlife from Brown Peligans to Tree Swallows. Hope to be back one day.

What a pleasant afternoon riding to False Cape visitors center. Great day, well maintained gravel…read moreroad, very informative visitors center.

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.