Uncrowded wildlife refuge managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.See more..
4.5Great Falls Park(1.351 reviews) - Great option for local, shaded, hike Thursday: 7:00 AM - 7:30 PM Spent More than 3 hours Bodies of Water • National Parks • Parks
An 800 acre park located just off the Potomac river.See more..
We didn't plan for enough time. We had about an hour and a half when we visited in June, but when we arrived and got the guided tour times, wanted to go on one that a role player was leading (played a 19th century war reporter). We barely had enough time to see the visitor center, the tour, and pop into a few buildings. We hope to go back and spend some more time. Recommend planning on half a day!See more..
The only national park dedicated to the performing arts, with spaces for indoor and outdoor performances.See more..
5.0Colonial National Historic Park(272 reviews) - Go now while Covid still restricts the number of people vying to see everything! Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours National Parks • Parks
It is a great time to visit. Not many places are open but those which are give an in-depth explanation that truly was more deeply understood than when in the past I tried to take it all in. By visiting the two court houses, I learned about the change from English court system to our evolving American one. They take 10 people into five main sites and make them come alive! It felt personal in a way that it doesn't when crowds are there rushing into one place and another.See more..
4.5Colonial National Historical Park(124 reviews) - Good Place to Start Thursday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Historic Sites • Historic Walking Areas • National Parks
An area of southeast Virginia where the following major historical sites/towns are linked by a 23-mile road: Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown.See more..
This is a scenic, historic place to visit. There are two short trails from the tiny parking lot. One leads you to the WWII era gun, an old graveyard, and two overlooks of the marsh. One overlook is up a long flight of wooden stairs, so you get an elevated view of the marsh. We saw folks bird watching while we were there. The other trail, called the "Butterfly Trail," is a half mile walk to the visitor center through pollinator-friendly wild plants. You could probably do both trails in an hour. We did not go into the visitor center, so I cannot comment on the amenities or activities offered there. There was an area of the park labeled as an "active hunting area," which we did not venture into. We had our dogs with us and didn't want any accidents.See more..
Holy Cow. Every October 19 or so, in remembrance of the battle of Cedar Creek, there's a re-enactment. It was pivotal. We just saw it, OMG. Incredible. It could easily be a two day event. Good hotels are close by. Bring folding chairs. See more..
4.5Shenandoah National Park(60 reviews) - Beautiful Day on Skyline Drive Aug 2021 Spent More than 3 hours National Parks
We had an amazing day trip on Skyline Drive August 7, 2021. People drove pretty carefully, which is incredibly important . We did see one deer who tried to cross the Drive near a bed in the road. I hope she made it across safely. Someone said she saw a youngish bear cross the road. Big Meadows was not a big meadow this time, but we enjoyed seeing all the beautiful native flowers all along the roadway and overlooks. We also loved seeing all the bees, moths and butterflies on these flowers. I did see a lot of Park Rangers in trucks and in uniform which is good. The only people going on Skyline Drive should be the ones who want to see nature, hike, camp and drive carefully and enjoy the views. The speed limit on Skyline Drive is only 35 miles/hour. That is for the safety of the people and animals. It was nice going into the great room at Big Meadows Lodge. Someone was setting up for a wedding, which is nice. But I hope wedding photographers realize most people are only visiting these places for an hour or two, so be mindful of the tourists who also want to see the great views.. I was glad to see the restaurant at Big Meadows open, but didn't have a chance to eat there. The gift shop at the Wayside next to Big Meadows Visitor Center was nice. I liked the variety of sandwiches, drinks, snacks and ice cream we could get as take out. The Wayside no longer has an eat-in restaurant (probably due to Covid). The Visitor Center at Big Meadows is open for information from knowledgeable park rangers, but does not have the movie going or inside exhibit open (due to covid19). I did see rangers conducting programs outside. Masks are required indoors in the Shenandoah National Park again. Better safe than sorry. The bathrooms were nice and clean.See more..
Founded in 1917, this forest is the site of many recreational activities, including hiking, biking and fishing.See more..
5.0Shenandoah National Park(25 reviews) - Shenandoah National Park in the Fall did not disappoint!!!! National Parks • Geologic Formations
The Fall Colors were amazing!!! I spoke with people who come every year just for the colors. You could stay in your car the whole way and have enjoyed the park. It's an easy park to drive through with plenty of vista spots. One negative is that some of the vistas are overgrown so you can't see "the view". But the ultimate experience includes hiking and there are multiple trails to choose from. I chose Dark Hollow Falls and even though this was Fall, there was still plenty of water coming over the multiple tiered falls. Very popular even on a Monday so parking could be an issue and it's "down and up" on a dirt path. It is WELL WORTH the hike. I crossed off another "bucket list" item walking along the Appalachian Trail for a bit. I ran out of time to travel all the way from the south entrance to the north entrance but I saw enough to "fill my heart." This was my number 1 reason for coming to this area and it did not disappoint.See more..
5.0Burg E-bike Tours(18 reviews) - Four hours of joy! National Parks • Nature & Wildlife Areas
Take a tour along Skyline Drive or a leisurely wine tasting tour in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley! It's a breeze to get up the hills on a bike with an electric motor. Enjoy the ride as you take in the views and natural beauty all around you.See more..
4.5Blue Ridge Parkway(10 reviews) - Simply Beautiful! National Parks • Scenic Drives
The morning began with heavy fog when we entered the Parkway and stopped right away to take a photo. Sadly, when we pulled out we were behind a van apparently driven by someone who had never seen fog before. It was 5 to 10 miles an hour forever until he pulled off. I and the 10 or 15 cars behind us sped up to more reasonable speeds, enjoying the views and stopping to take photos. Some overlook signs were missing, as if they had been broken and removed by tourists. I really dislike people who do that. Be certain to stop at the James River restored lock and canal trail. Even using my cane, it was an easy walk and a good experience. We left the Parkway at Roanoke for 2 nights there and resumed after that.See more..
