With its scenic mountains to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Virginia has many activities available. The Mountains region to the west, is home to the famous Appalachian Mountains. Skyline Drive winds along approximately 105 miles of natural paradise. It stretches from the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains along Shenandoah National Park - 200,000 acres of nature's playground. Central Virginia is brimming with southern hospitality. 'Rustle up' some partners and travel back in time with a trip to Mitchie Tavern in Charlottesville, or visit the 2,700-acre National Battlefield in Petersburg, where the Confederate soldiers lost their battle for Richmond. As the Capital of Confederacy, Richmond is deep-rooted in the preservation of its past. The Museum of the Confederacy and the Valentine Museum pay homage to the tragedy of the Civil War. Recreational enthusiasts will find a great selecion of activities in the Chesapeake Bay area which dominates the eastern coastline. Arlington is across the Potomac River from the Nation's Capital, Washington, DC, and home to the National Cemetery, the final resting place for such famous people as John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Joe Louis. 

ATTRACTIONS

Heart of Appalachia   Blue Ridge Highlands   Shenandoah Valley   Central   Northern   Chesapeake Bay
Tidewater & Hampton Roads   Eastern Shore   National Parks

Heart of Appalachia

Historic Crab Orchard Museum - A pioneer settlement of furnished original log and stone dwellings introduces visitors to the cultural heritage of the middle Appalachians.  The Museum Center galleries show antique maps, mastodon remains, Cherokee objects, pioneer implements, the Civil War and coal mining, and the evolution of a contemporary mountain economy.

Carter Family Memorial Music Center - Since 1974, the Carter Music Center has presented programs of old time and bluegrass music every weekend. Formally established in 1979, the Center's objective is to promote old time music and pay tribute to the Original Carter Family (A.P., Sara, and Maybelle Carter).

Blue Ridge Highlands

Wolf Creek Indian village and museum - Wolf Creek Indian village and museum offers you to experience a palisaded aboriginal village dating back 700+ years! The village was carefully excavated, mapped, and documented. It has been recreated so that you may experience the actual layout of the wigwams and palisade!

Historic Crab Orchard Museum - A pioneer settlement of furnished original log and stone dwellings introduces visitors to the cultural heritage of the middle Appalachians.  The Museum Center galleries show antique maps, mastodon remains, Cherokee objects, pioneer implements, the Civil War and coal mining, and the evolution of a contemporary mountain economy.

Blue Ridge Institute & Museum - For more than two decades Ferrum College's Blue Ridge Institute & Museum has documented, interpreted and presented the traditional life and culture of the Blue Ridge and its people. Designated the State Center for Blue Ridge Folklore by the Virginia General Assambly in 1986, the Institute promotes an understanding

Shenandoah Valley  

Natural Bridge Of Virginia - Natural Bridge Of Virginia offers an unique, historic, picturesque and natural experience. The nature around provides a comfortable place that is also beautiful but The Natural Bridge itself is breathtaking and amazing. It is a once in a lifetime site.

Natural Bridges- The Caverns - Natural Bridges the Caverns were opened to the public in 1977. It was originally explored by Col. Henry Parsons in 1889-91, but the natural entrance was too steep for general use. Some tools, a ladder, a lantern, and rope were found where they had been left in 1891. Now it is accessible and you can witness the Colossal Dome, a beautiful wishing well plus more!

Luray Caverns - Discover Eastern America's largest and most popular caverns, a U.S. Natural Landmark.  From well-lighted, paved walkways explore cathedral-sized rooms with ceilings 10 stories high, filled with towering stone columns and crystal-clear pools.  Also, hear the haunting sounds of the Great Stalacpipe Organ, the worlds' largest musical instrument.

Virginia Quilt Museum - Virginia Quilt Museum features a resource center for the study of the role of quilts and quilting in the cultural life of society. The museum offers opportunities to view significant work by both early and contemporary quilt artisans.

American Celebration on Parade - The Shenandoah Valley’s newest attraction is a unique collection of stunning parade floats, props, and stage settings from American entertainment and political history. You’ll find floats from the Rose parade, Presidential Inaugurals, Thanksgiving parades and many other prestigious parades.

Frontier Culture Museum - Visit Old-World Germany, England, Northern Ireland, and 19th century America in just a few hours at the Frontier Culture Museum in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley!  This international living history museum features historic gardens, heritage cooking, and rare and minor breed livestock live at each historic farm.

Grand Caverns - Grand Caverns is America's oldest show cave and a stately and powerful example of Nature's handiwork. Gigantic stalactites point down from above. Equally imposing stalagmites thrust upward from the caverns floor. Cathedral Hall, 280 feet long and over 70 feet high, is one of the largest rooms of any cavern in the East.

Virginia’s Explore Park - Virginia’s Explore Park offers a fun way to learn about the history of the land and the people in western Virginia in 1671, 1740, and 1850. With the addition of the new Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center, a new chapter in the history of the Roanoke Valley is being told at Explore Park.

Salem Museum - As an educational and cultural resource center, the Salem Museum maintains an important collection of local artifacts--including Native American pieces recovered from an early Indian settlement, relics of the Civil War, and mementos of daily life from the span of Salem's history. The museum also features a historic herb garden.

The Natural Bridge Zoological Park - The Natural Bridge Zoo features the largest contact area of any zoo in Virginia. You can leisurely stroll through this area and hand feed tame baby Llamas and miniature donkeys, friendly deer, playful pygmy goats and more!

Natural Bridge Wax Museum - The Natural Bridge Wax Museum features scenes of Virginia and Natural Bridge history where the curtain opens on George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, the Confederacy, all perched on narrated sets. They also offer a factory tour.

Luray Reptile Center - The Luray Reptile Center features a unique blend of reptiles, exotic animals, tropical birds and birds of prey. Over 87 different species are exhibited in all!

Science Museum of West Virginia - Science Museum of West Virginia lets you explore light, color and sound by interacting with more than 40 state-of-the-art exhibits. Televise your own forecast on a ChromaKey green screen, view the eye of the hurricane or jump through a tornado at the Weather Gallery. Get personal at Body Tech, only one of three exhibits in the country that focus on the science behind medicine.

The Art Museum of Western Virginia - The Art Museum of Western Virginia offers a variety of opportunities to enjoy art from cultures around the world, with a special emphasis on American art and the artistic expressions of Virginia. T he Museum is committed to providing superb exhibitions and programs for both children and adults.

Virginia Museum of Transportation - Virginia Museum of Transportation features a larges diesel engine collection, steam locomotives featuring the J611, railcars, trucks, trolleys, carriages, vintage cars, O-gauge layout, special exhibits and events.

Dinosaur Land - Step into the world of the prehistoric past, where visitors can turn back the pages of time to the Mesozoic era, where dinosaurs were the only creatures that roamed the earth.

History Museum of Western Virginia - The Museum has been collecting and preserving artifacts, documents and other memorabilia that tell the story of Southwestern Virginia from prehistory to modern times. They offer a variety of permanent and rotating exhibits, as well as lectures, tours and publications.

Mill Mountain Zoo - The Mill Mountain Zoo, open year round, exhibits over 55 species of exotic and native animals on a three acre site in Roanoke, Virginia. Located off the Blue Ridge Parkway and alongside the famous Roanoke Star, there are also hiking trails on Mill Mountain and a wildflower garden.

Central  

The Museum of the Confederacy - A private, nonprofit institution that maintains the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of military, political and domestic artifacts and art associated with the period of the Confederacy, 1861-1865.

Exchange Hotel Civil War Museum - The Exchange Hotel Civil War Museum stands silent watch over a rich past that intertwines Civil War medicine, military actions of the Army and the mighty railroads of Virginia. The museum offers an unique building with a experience through time of Gordonsville's personal history through medical, military, town, and hotel history exhibits.

Poplar Forest - Tour Jefferson's octagonal retreat and see restoration and archaeology in progress.  In summer, experience the hands-on history tent, which features Jefferson-era activities including brickmaking, building a bucket, and writing with a quill pen.

Albemarle County Historical Society - The Albemarle County Historical Society works to nurture and promote an awareness and appreciation of the history of Charlottesville and Albemarle County through exhibits, walking tours, publications, and other programs.

Ash Lawn-Highland - Ash Lawn-Highland is an historic house museum, 535-acre working farm, and performing arts site in Albermarle County, Virginia. President James Monroe and his wife, Elizabeth Kortright Monroe of New York, owned Ash Lawn-Highland from 1793 to 1826 and made it their official residence from 1799 to 1823.

Scottsville Museum - Scottsville Museum brings the town's history to life, from its beginnings as an 18th century James River settlement to its shining era as a bustling 19th century river and canal port. Additionally the Museum depicts Scottsville as a center of Civil War activity through its re-emergence as a thriving community in the 20th century.

Virginia Discovery Museum - Located on the east end of the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Virginia Discovery Museum is a hands-on children's museum, with exhibits on the arts, sciences, humanities, history and nature. Families are encouraged to explore the Museum together -- visitors of all ages are free to touch, play and explore. Learning and fun are the goal. Creative play is the way!

The Children’s Museum of Richmond (CMoR) - Experience one of the East Coast’s most exciting, innovative children’s museums! Learn through interactive play – sit in an eagle’s nest, explore a cave, tinker in the Inventor’s Lab, create an artistic masterpiece, AND MORE!  Age-appropriate areas for toddlers to grade 5.  Stroller rental. Nursing area.  Museum Shop.  Free parking.  GREAT FAMILY FUN!

Peaks of Otter - Peaks of Otter were formed by three mountains positioned in a triangular pattern, Sharp Top Mountain (3,875 feet), Flat Top Mountain (4,001 feet), and Harkening Hill (3,372 feet). A beautiful mountain lake rests at the triangle's center.

Paramount's Kings Dominion - Paramount's Kings Dominion is a 400 acres theme park located 20 miles north of Richmond. The park offers rides, a water park, stage shows, and lots of entertainment for the entire family.

Danville Science Center - Danville Science Center allows you to discover the secrets of how things work. Explore the impact of science on your life. They offer hands-on exhibits that fill the exciting center that is fun for the whole family.

University of Virginia Art Museum - The University of Virginia Art Museum in the Thomas H. Bayly Building exhibits art from around the world dating from ancient times to the present day. In addition to its permanent collection, the Museum presents an ongoing schedule of changing exhibitions, accompanied by related programs and publications.

Monticello - Monticello was the home of Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States. Explore Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's mountaintop home, gardens, and plantation.

Maymont - Maymont was the 100-acre Victorian country estate of Major James H. and Sallie May Dooley. They feature a house museum, formal gardens, native wildlife, nature center, a carriage collection, and children´s farm. A favorite is the expansive 100-acre tract of parkland and gardens, still very much as the Dooleys left it.

Agecroft Hall - For hundreds of years, Agecroft Hall was the distinguished home of England's Langley and Dauntesey families. From Elizabethan England, to the banks of the James. Built in England about 500 years ago, Agecroft Hall now overlooks Virginia's James River.

University of Virginia Art Museum - The University of Virginia Art Museum in the Thomas H. Bayly Building exhibits art from around the world dating from ancient times to the present day. In addition to its permanent collection, the Museum presents an ongoing schedule of changing exhibitions, accompanied by related programs and publications.

Edgar Allan Poe Museum - The Poe Museum provides a retreat into early nineteenth century Richmond where Edgar Allan Poe lived and worked. The museum features the life and career of Edgar Allan Poe by documenting his accomplishments with pictures, relics, and verse and focusing on his many years in Richmond.

Northern

Gunston Hall Plantation - Gunston Hall Plantation is a tribute to the influential George Mason. His words were written in the Virginia Declaration of Rights, and have inspired generations of Americans and others around the world including Thomas Jefferson. His home is a beautiful example of Georgian architecture with elaborte carvings in the interior, beautiful boxwood gardens, deer park, and more.

Morven Park - The 1,200-acre estate of Morven Park was home to two governors: Thomas Swann, a governor of Maryland in the 19th century, and Virginia's reform governor Westmoreland Davis. The park features the Mansion, Museum of Hounds and Hunting, The Winmill Carriage Collection and the Garden and Grounds.

Leesburg Animal Park - The Leesburg Animal Park offers the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the friendliest animals around. Pet and feed animals including llamas, donkeys, sheep, goats, deer and other exotic and domestic livestock. Meet exotic animals including squirrel monkeys, ring-tailed lemurs, and parrots.

Newseum - Newseum is the interactive museum of news, you can go behind the scenes to see and experience how and why news is made. Become a reporter or television newscaster; relive the great news stories of all time through multimedia exhibits, artifacts and news memorabilia; and see today’s news as it happens on a block-long video news wall.

Splashdown Waterpark - Splashdown Waterpark features five water areas on eleven acres of wet fun. Spend a day on waterslides, floating down the lazy river, or swimming in the lap pool. They also offer tennis and volleyball. There is plenty of beach area to enjoy too!

Gari Melchers Home and Studio - The Gari Melchers Home and Studio, in Stafford County near Fredericksburg, Virginia, is the former residence of the renowned American figure painter Gari Melchers (1860-1932). The museum consists of the artist's home, gardens and studio. The stone studio and galleries house the largest collection of Melchers' works anywhere.

Fredericksburg Area Museum - Here you will be treated to a glimpse of Fredericksburg's rich heritage. Early Indian cultures. The excitement of the American Revolution. The horror and devastation of the Civil War. The rapid change of the 20th century.

Torpedo Factory Art Center - The Torpedo Factory Art Center, created through the joint effort of a group of local artists and the City of Alexandria, Virginia in 1974, is considered the largest and most successful visual arts center in the U.S. Visitor can explore 84 working studios, 8 group studios and 6 galleries.

Alexandria Archaeology Museum - The artifacts in the Alexandria Archaeology collection, from more than 150 sites, span 10,000 years of human history. Together with historic records, photographs, maps and oral histories, the artifacts are a valuable community resource. Alexandria Archaeology seeks to preserve and study these tangible remains of our community's heritage for public enrichment and enjoyment.

Chesapeake Bay

Stratford Hall - Stratford Hall is one of the great houses of American history. Its magnificent setting above the Potomac River and its bold architectural style set it apart from any other house, but its highest fascination is the family of patriots who lived there. The Plantation is still managed as a farm today on 1,670 of its original acres!

Westmoreland Berry Farm and Orchard - Westmoreland Berry Farm and Orchard offers relaxing and beautiful nature hikes, farm animals, picnics, and beautiful orchards and gardens all around.

Historic Christ Church - Resting in Virginia's historic Northern Neck, Christ Church offers visitors a rare look at a virtually unchanged colonial church. From the details of its exquisite brickwork, to the captivating simplicity of its interior, come discover why many believe Christ Church to be the greatest colonial church in America.

Tidewater & Hampton Roads  

Virginia Living Museum - Virginia Living Museum is a spectacular combination of the best and most enjoyable elements of a nature wildlife park with a science museum, aquarium, botanical preserve, animals and planetarium all in one inspiring and beautiful setting.

Nauticus, The National Maritime Center - Journey through the world's oceans at Nauticus, The National Maritime Center, a 120,000-square-foot, multi-level maritime showcase. Featuring more than 150 exhibits including computer and video interactives, commerce and military-related displays, and exotic aquaria, Nauticus offers a fun and exciting educational experience for all ages.

The Old Coast Guard Station - The Old Coast Guard Station is housed in a 1903 Life-Saving / Coast Guard Station. There are two floors of exhibits. The old boat room, the Lower Gallery, tells the story of the Life-Saving Service. Exhibits show rescue equipment and methods.

Children's Museum of Virginia - Children's Museum of Virginia features the excitement of the inside of a bubble, the controls of a construction site crane, or the surface of the moon. They offer over 90 hands-on exhibits for kids of all ages, including an awesome toy train collection, a planetarium and tons more, you can experience some enlightening discoveries with the family!

Water Country USA - Water Country USA, the mid-Atlantic's largest family water play park, features the world’s latest, greatest, state-of-the-art water rides and attractions, spectacular entertainment, shopping and restaurants -- all set to a colorful 1950s and '60s surf theme.

Busch Gardens - Set on 360 lush acres in Williamsburg, Virginia, Busch Gardens boasts some of the least placid roller coasters ever seen.

Go-Karts Plus - Go-Karts Plus is Williamsburg, Virginia's premier family fun center featuring three go-kart tracks, miniature golf, bumper boats, kiddieland, midway games, a snack bar, an arcade and more!

Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown Victory Center - Only a few miles from where America's colonial history began at Jamestown in 1607, colonial America came to an end with the Battle of Yorktown 174 years later, and a new nation began. Today, the struggles, adventures and hopes of those momentous early years are brought to life through engaging exhibits and dramatic living history, all within a 20-mile stretch of road.

The Mariner's Museum - The Mariners' Museum, one of the largest international maritime museums in the world, is dedicated to 'preserving and interpreting the culture of the sea and its tributaries, its conquest by man, and its influence on civilization.'

Chrysler Museum of Art - Chrysler Museum of Art offers over 30,000 objects. The museum's collection spans over 5000 years of world history. American and European paintings and sculpture from the middle ages to the present day form the core of the collection.

Virginia Marine Science Museum - The Virginia Marine Science Museum is one of the top aquariums in the country with more than 800,000 gallons of aquariums and live animal habitats, over 300 hands-on exhibits, an outdoor aviary, ten acres of marsh habitat and a 1/3-mile nature trail.

The Hermitage Foundation Museum - Formerly home to the Sloane family, the Hermitage is hidden on the shore of the Lafayette River. The estate encompasses woodlands, gardens, and early 20th century buildings, all of which appear frozen in time. Yet the Hermitage is alive with a colorful new rose garden, changing art exhibitions and events, and a permanent collection of treasures

Eastern Shore  

Island Aquarium - The Island Aquarium provides a unique opportunity to experience local marine life up close doing everyday things such as eating, shedding, or just swimming around. The ""touch tank"" allows visitors to actually touch live horseshoe crabs, spider crabs, starfish, whelks, and other marine animals.

Chincoteague Island - Chincoteague Island is Virginia's only resort island. It is one of the many and perhaps the most beautiful island that dots Virginia's Eastern Shore. They are world famous for there oyster beds and clam shoals, outdoor recreation, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, cool summer breezes, animals in their natural habitat, and

National Parks

George Washington Birthplace National Monument - George Washington Birthplace National Monument has 550 acres of both colonial historic settings and unmatched natural beauty. The site depicts 5 generations of Washingtons in Virginia beginning with John Washington in 1658. The family cemetery is the resting place for George Washington's father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Visitors will enjoy a reconstructed plantation as well as a visit to the birthsite of George Washington. click here for more information

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts - Wolf Trap is 130 acres of rolling hills and woods, with an abundance of natural resources. Within the boundaries of the park are streams, meadows and heavily wooded areas. It is the only National Park dedicated to the Performing Arts. click here for more information

Appalachian National Scenic Trail - The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a 2,167-mile (3,488 km) footpath along the ridge crests and across the major valleys of the Appalachian Mountains from Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in north Georgia. The trail traverses Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia.

Booker T. Washington National Monument - The park is the site of famed educator, orator, and presidential advisor, Booker T. Washington's birth, early life, and emancipation. Washington's ideas about education, race, and labor were shaped on this tobacco plantation. The park is one of the few places where one can see how slavery and the plantation system worked on a smaller scale. It provides a focal point for discussion about one of the most powerful African Americans in history and the evolving context of race in American society.

Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail - The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail follows the Revolutionary War route of Patriot militia men from Virginia, today's eastern Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia to the battle of Kings Mountain, South Carolina, site of the Kings Mountain National Military Park.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail - The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a 2,167-mile (3,488 km) footpath along the ridge crests and across the major valleys of the Appalachian Mountains from Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in north Georgia. The trail traverses Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia.

Appomattox Court House National Historic Park - Walk the old county lanes where Robert E. Lee, Commanding General of the Army of Northern Virginia, surrendered his men to Ulysses Grant, General-in-Chief of all United States forces, on April 9, 1865. Imagine the events that signaled the end of the Southern States' attempt to create a separate nation.

Blue Ridge Parkway - The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469 mile recreational motor road that protects the cultural and natural features of the Blue Ridge while connecting Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks. Designed as a "scenic drive", the Parkway provides both stunning scenery and close-up looks at the natural and cultural history of the mountains.

Green Springs - Located on 14,000 acres, Green Springs National Historic Landmark District is located on the western piedmont of central Virginia. It is a natural basin caused by erosion of a volcanic intrusion resulting in particularly fertile soil, which has sustained grassland farming for over 270 years.

Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site - The Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site commemorates the life of a progressive and talented African American woman. Despite many adversities, she achieved success in the world of business and finance as the first woman in the United States to found and serve as president of a bank. The site includes her residence of thirty years and a visitor center detailing her life and the Jackson Ward community in which she lived and worked.

Richmond National Battlefield Park - Between 1861 and 1865, Union armies repeatedly set out to capture Richmond, capital of the Confederacy, and end the Civil War. Three of those campaigns came within a few miles of the city. The park commemorates eleven different sites associated with those campaigns, including the battlefields at Gaines' Mill, Malvern Hill, and Cold Harbor. Established in 1936, the park protects 763 acres of historic ground.

Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network - First thoughts of the Chesapeake Bay often bring up images of crabs and oysters. But, as the largest estuary in North America, the Chesapeake Bay has touched and influenced much of the American story – early settlement, commerce, the military, transportation, recreation and more. The Bay and its surrounding 64,000 square mile watershed hold a treasure trove of historic areas, natural wonders and recreational opportunities.

George Washington Birthplace National Monument - George Washington Birthplace National Monument has 550 acres of both colonial historic settings and unmatched natural beauty. The site depicts 5 generations of Washingtons in Virginia beginning with John Washington in 1658. The family cemetery is the resting place for George Washington's father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Visitors will enjoy a reconstructed plantation as well as a visit to the birthsite of George Washington.

Cape Henry National Memorial - After four and a half months crossing storm swept seas 144 weary Englishmen made land-fall in April 1607. They anchored their ships in the protected waters of the bay and landed a small party upon the shore. They built a wooden cross and planted it in the sand naming the place Cape Henry.  This is the first landing site of those adventurous Englishmen who, some three weeks later, established the first permanent English Colony in North America at Jamestown.

Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network - First thoughts of the Chesapeake Bay often bring up images of crabs and oysters. But, as the largest estuary in North America, the Chesapeake Bay has touched and influenced much of the American story – early settlement, commerce, the military, transportation, recreation and more. The Bay and its surrounding 64,000 square mile watershed hold a treasure trove of historic areas, natural wonders and recreational opportunities.

Colonial National Historic Park - Colonial National Historic Park (NHP) administers two of the most historically significant sites in English North America. Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America in 1607, is administer jointly with the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, and Yorktown Battlefield, the final major battle of the American Revolutionary War in 1781.

Jamestown National Historic Site - Jamestown National Historical Site is a part of Historic Jamestowne, site of the First Permanent English Colony in North America. The National Historic Site consists of 22.5 acres on the western end of Jamestown Island, which includes the original site of the 1607 fort and statehouse site of the late 17th century.

Yorktown National Battlefield - Yorktown Battlefield is the site of the final, major battle of the American Revolutionary War and symbolic end of Colonial English America.

Yorktown National Cemetery - Yorktown National Cemetery contains the remains of 2,183 soldiers, ten of which are Confederate. Only 747 of the dead are identified. Many of the dead are from the 1862 Peninsula Campaign and other battles around Richmond, though some died during the period Yorktown served as a Union garrison from 1862-1864.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail - The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a 2,167-mile (3,488 km) footpath along the ridge crests and across the major valleys of the Appalachian Mountains from Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in north Georgia. The trail traverses Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia.

Blue Ridge Parkway - The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469 mile recreational motor road that protects the cultural and natural features of the Blue Ridge while connecting Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks. Designed as a "scenic drive", the Parkway provides both stunning scenery and close-up looks at the natural and cultural history of the mountains.

Shenandoah National Park - Shenandoah National Park lies astride a beautiful section of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Shenandoah River flows through the valley to the west, with Massanutten Mountain, 40 miles long, standing between the river's north and south forks. The rolling Piedmont country lies to the east of the park. Skyline Drive, a 105-mile road that winds along the crest of the mountains through the length of the park, provides vistas of the spectacular landscape to east and west. The park holds more than 500 miles of trails, including 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail - The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a 2,167-mile (3,488 km) footpath along the ridge crests and across the major valleys of the Appalachian Mountains from Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in north Georgia. The trail traverses Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia.

Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial - The house that Robert E. Lee called home for 30 years and one uniquely associated with the Washington and Custis families is preserved today as a memorial to General Lee, who gained the respect of Americans in both the North and South.

Claude Moore Colonial Farm - Claude Moore Colonial Farm is a living history site that demonstrates the life of a poor farm family living on a small farm in northern Virginia just prior to the American Revolutionary War. Today, agricultural and household activities seen on the Farm represent an earlier era when small farms were dispersed throughout the countryside; and, most Americans engaged in activities of an agricultural nature.

Fredericksburg National Cemetery - In July 1865, three months after the restoration of peace between the states, Congress authorized the establishment of a National Cemetery in Fredericksburg to honor the Federal soldiers who died on the battlefields or from disease in camp. The site chosen was on Marye's Heights, the formidable Confederate position which had proven so impregnable to repeated Federal attacks on December 13, 1862.

Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park - Approximately 110,000 casualties occurred during the four major battles fought in the vicinity of Fredericksburg, Virginia making it the bloodiest ground on the North American continent. In 1927 the U.S. Congress established Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Memorial National Military Park to commemorate the heroic deeds of the men engaged at the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Court House.

George Washington Memorial Parkway - The George Washington Memorial Parkway preserves the natural scenery along the Potomac River. It connects the historic sites from Mount Vernon, where Washington lived, past the nation's capital, which he founded, and to the Great Falls of the Potomac where the President demonstrated his skill as an engineer. Developed as a memorial to George Washington, the Parkway may be used on any day to travel to exciting historical, natural, and recreational areas.

Great Falls Park - Great Falls Park, a site that is part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, is an 800 acre park located along the Potomac River 14 miles upriver from Washington D.C. The park is known for two things, it's scenic beauty at the head of Potomac River fall line and the historic Patowmack Canal.

Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac - The Memorial is located in Lady Bird Johnson Park, a Potomac River island in Washington, D.C. The grove consists of two parts. The first area, commemorative in nature, is a granite monolith surrounded by a serpentine pattern of walks and trails. The second area is a grass meadow and provides a tranquil refuge for reflection and rejuvenation of the spirit. The trails are shaded by a grove of hundreds of white pine and dogwood trees, and framed by azaleas and rhododendron.

Mannassas National Battlefield Park - Manassas National Battlefield park was established in 1940 to preserve the scene of two major Civil War battles. Located a few miles north of the prized railroad junction of Manassas, Virginia, the peaceful Virginia countryside bore witness to clashes between the armies of the North and South in 1861 and 1862.

Petersburg National Battlefield - Petersburg, Virginia, became the setting for the longest siege in American history when General Ulysses S. Grant failed to capture Richmond in the spring of 1864. Grant settled in to subdue the Confederacy by surrounding Petersburg and cutting off General Robert E. Lee's supply lines into Petersburg and Richmond. On April 2, 1865, nine-and-one-half months after the siege began, Lee evacuated Petersburg.

Poplar Grove National Cemetery - With more than 6,000 graves, Poplar Grove National Cemetery reflects the tragedy that befell the United States during the Civil War. Each simple headstone is a poignant reminder of the human cost of war.

Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail - The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail corridor is used by communities in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia and Pennsylvania to develop and make connections among trails, historic sites and a range of recreational and educational opportunities.

Prince William Forest Park - Prince William Forest Park consists of five cabin camps, numerous roads and lakes, miles of trails, and utility systems.  The park preserves a piedmont forest covering a major portion of the Quantico Creek watershed. The park's relatively large size and the fact that it contains one of the few remaining piedmont forest ecosystems in the National Park System make it a significant natural resource.

Theodore Roosevelt Island Park - Theodore Roosevelt was a man with vision. He considered the future before making decisions and his legacies still influence us. Perhaps his greatest legacy was in conservation. This wooded island is a fitting memorial to the outdoorsman, naturalist, and visionary who was our 26th President.

Wolf Trap Farm for the Performing Arts - Wolf Trap is 130 acres of rolling hills and woods, with an abundance of natural resources. Within the boundaries of the park are streams, meadows and heavily wooded areas. It is the only National Park dedicated to the Performing Arts.

Assateague Island National Seashore - Assateague is a windswept barrier island that offers many opportunities for seashore recreation and nature study along its thirty-seven miles. Ocean swimming, camping, bayside canoeing, crabbing, clamming, hunting, surf fishing, and off-road vehicle use are all popular.