The 10 Best Points of Interest & Landmarks in Virginia, United States

Colonial Williamsburg is the only place that takes you back in time to the dawn of America. This isn't just a place where things once happened. They're happening, right now, here in the 18th century. We're the place where the idea of our country is being born; the place where the ideals we stand for as Americans are being defined. We are the 18th century "live," filled with the stories of the women, men, and children—free and enslaved—whose values and visions gave us a new world. Step back in time and meet the people who made America—sing with them, dance with them, eat with them, and have fun with them. For every person who wants to understand this country, this is your place.

Section of Richmond that is great for walking, shopping or touring museums and galleries.

Welcome to the Exchange Hotel Civil War Medical Museum. Before the Civil War, the Exchange Hotel with its high ceiling parlors and grand veranda welcomed passengers from the two rail lines: the Virginia Central Railroad and the Orange & Alexandria Railroad. Soon after the completion of the hotel, the Civil War began. Troops, supplies, and wounded were transported on these railroads to Gordonsville. The Exchange Hotel became the Gordonsville Receiving Hospital which provided care for 70,000 soldiers, both Confederate and Union. In the reconstruction period, this hospital served the newly freed slaves as a Freedman's Bureau Hospital. As the United States healed and the railroads boomed, this graceful building returned to its role of hotel. Now fully restored, the hotel is a museum dedicated to the Civil War era.

Maymont is a 100-acre American estate, an extraordinary gift given to the community by James and Sallie Dooley who lived there from 1893 to 1925. Whether strolling in the gardens, touring the mansion, watching river otters at play, or petting a goat, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

A "must see" on most visitors list, an 88-foot manmade star (the largest in the world) sits on majestic Mill Mountain along with a beautifully landscaped city park, that boasts hiking and biking trails, and a zoo.

Once owned by Thomas Jefferson and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 215-foot tall Natural Bridge is a limestone gorge carved out by Cedar Creek. The park is more than just the bridge; beautiful forests and rolling meadows showcase the area’s karst terrain, and vistas of surrounding mountains and the James River valley display nature’s splendor. Access these via 6 miles of hiking trails, including the accessible Cedar Creek Trail that leads from the bridge to the Monacan Indian Village and Lace Falls with its 30-foot cascade. Living history programs connect you to the past and cover how people once used the area’s resources for survival and inspiration. Start at the visitor center where you will find exhibits and a gift shop. A shuttle from the visitor center to the bridge trail is available for those not wishing to take the stairs.

Dune Restoration Project in Progress The dune at Cape Henry Lighthouse is currently undergoing restoration and the lighthouse tower is temporarily inaccessible for climbing. The project is expected to be completed in spring 2019. During construction, we will remain open with walking tours every hour from 10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Cape Henry Lighthouse is the first federally funded public works project of the newly formed United States government. It was authorized by George Washington and overseen by Alexander Hamilton. The Lighthouse is situated near the “First Landing” site where English settlers first set foot on their way to settle in Jamestown. Built with the same Aquia sandstone as much of Washington, D.C, the lighthouse guided sea travelers to safety for almost 100 years. The distinctive black and white striped “New” Cape Henry Lighthouse was built in 1881 but remains closed to the public.