268 Best Sights in Virginia, USA

This tiny one-story building on the site where James Monroe practiced law from 1787 to 1789 before becoming the fifth president of the United States, contains many of Monroe's possessions, collected and preserved by his family until present day. These include a mahogany dispatch box used during the negotiation of the Louisiana Purchase, and the desk on which the Monroe Doctrine was signed.

John Marshall (1755–1835) was chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court for 34 years—longer than any other. Appointed to the court by President John Adams, Marshall also served as secretary of state and ambassador to France. The Federal-style red brick house, built in 1790, is fully restored and furnished, with a mix of period pieces and heirlooms.

A dreamy 3¼-mile hike through the forest leads to 42-foot-tall cascading Jones Run Falls. As you close in on the falls, the trail rubs up against Jones Run. Continue past the main falls to reach smaller falls and cascades. As you proceed, you'll spy several swimming holes for a refreshing splash on a warm day. Retrace your steps to the parking area, but take it slow, it will be all uphill on the return. Hiking time is three hours. Moderate.

Named Kenmore by a later owner, this house was built in 1775 on a 1,300-acre plantation owned by Colonel Fielding Lewis, a patriot and merchant, and brother-in-law of George Washington. Lewis sacrificed his fortune to operate a gun factory and otherwise supply General Washington's forces during the Revolutionary War. As a result, his debts forced his widow to sell the home following his death. The outstanding plaster moldings in the ceilings and over the fireplace in the dining room are even more ornate than those at Mount Vernon. It's believed that the artisan responsible for them worked frequently in both homes, though his name is unknown, possibly because he was an indentured servant. A multiyear renovation returned the grand house to its original state. It is interesting to note that the walls vary in thickness: 36 inches in the basement, 24 inches on the ground floor, and 18 inches upstairs. Guided 45-minute architectural tours of the home are conducted by docents; the subterranean Crowningshield Museum on the grounds displays Kenmore's collection of fine Virginia-made furniture and family portraits, as well as changing exhibits on Fredericksburg life.

A moving part of any visit to Arlington National Cemetery is a visit to the graves of John F. Kennedy and other members of his family. President Kennedy is buried under an eternal flame near two of his children, who died in infancy, and his wife, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis; his is the most-visited grave site in the country. The graves are a moderate walk west of the visitor center. Across from them is a low wall engraved with quotations from Kennedy's inaugural address. Nearby, marked by two simple white crosses, are the graves of his brothers Robert Kennedy and Edward "Ted" Kennedy, as well as a headstone marking the grave of eldest brother Joseph Kennedy.

Lee Hall, an Italianate mansion constructed around 1859, was once home to one of Warwick County's leading landowners, Richard Decauter Lee, who achieved prominence using the method of scientific farming. It is the only large mid-19th-century plantation house remaining on Virginia's lower peninsula, and it served as the headquarters for Confederate generals John Bankhead Magruder and Joseph E. Johnston during the spring of 1862. Lee Hall now provides an in-depth review of the 1862 Peninsula Campaign.

Built in 1785, the Lee-Fendall House was home to members of the prominent Fendall, Lee, and Downham families, as well as generations of enslaved and free African Americans. During the Civil War, it served as a federal military hospital. The home’s last resident owner was national labor organizer John L. Lewis. Furnishings reflect how the house changed from 1785 to 1969. Highlights include a collection of Alexandria-made furniture as well as a tour and exhibit focusing on the enslaved and free people who worked in the house. There’s also a beautifully restored, award-winning garden, which can be visited without buying a ticket to the museum.

This museum's rotating exhibits focus on such themes as health and medicine, education, business, the civil rights struggle, and the contributions African Americans have made to society, the arts, and politics.

Visit any time of year to witness the beauty of 50 acres of gardens while exploring the historic property's various dining and shopping options. The domed conservatory, referred to as the "Jewel of the Garden," is the only one of its kind in the Mid-Atlantic, and houses ever-changing displays, tropical plants, and more than 200 orchids in bloom. The rose garden, one of the many themed gardens on the property, features 80 varieties, with more than 1,800 roses and a pavilion for special events, including wine tastings and evening jazz concerts. A Children's Garden offers a wheelchair-accessible tree house—fun for kids and adults—an Adventure Pathway, sand and water play areas, as well as the "International Village," with playhouses modeled after homes from around the world, like the traditional Ethiopian tukul. The Dominion Gardenfest's annual light display is a holiday tradition. Dining options include the Garden Café and the Tea House. The Garden Shop offers unique botanical gifts.

This was a segregated area for Black parkgoers who were not allowed to visit any other areas of Shenandoah National Park from 1939 to 1950. In this time before the Civil Rights era, the area was operated under the widely exercised "separate but equal" principle. The park was fully integrated by the summer of 1950 and today Lewis Mountain is home to a small campground, rustic cabins, and picnic grounds.

This picnic area is located on the north side of Lewis Mountain Campground, the smallest of the park's four campgrounds. Enjoy a picnic lunch, then hop over to a spur trail on the east side of the picnic grounds that connects with the south-to-north Appalachian Trail. Restrooms are located in the middle of the picnic area. A small camp store in the campground sells ice, firewood, supplies, and snacks.

This mostly flat, crushed greenstone walkway winds visitors along a forested 1¼-mile loop trail, then over wooden boardwalk and foot bridges. Well-placed benches allow for a break on this stroller-friendly trail. Cross over gentle Whiteoak Canyon Run, then pause for a columnar jointing (a geological structure formed by basalt lava flows). Hiking time is one hour. No pets allowed on this trail. For more steps, turn right onto the Crescent Rock Trail near the ½-mile mark to reach sweeping mountain views from the Crescent Rock Overlook. Easy.

The trailhead for the moderate 6-mile Little Devils Stairs hike cannot be found on Skyline Drive, but rather at the park boundary near Sperryville. This forested loop wows with a flowing waterfall, numerous water crossings, a scenic mountain overlook, and a family cemetery enclosed by a wrought-iron gate. An elevation gain of 1,500 feet is well worth the effort for the views of cascading falls. Hiking time is about four hours. Moderate.

This 2-mile hike pairs the easygoing Frazier Discovery Trail with the Appalachian Trail for an eye-pleasing hike with rock scrambles, creek crossings, and far-reaching views. Take this loop counter-clockwise and you’ll reach a show-stopping vista just past the mid-way point that's perfect for spotting the sunrise. Continue on to connect with the Blue Spring Trail and pass the Ivy Creek maintenance hut before the conclusion of this hike. Hiking time is two hours. Easy.

Built in 1839 and one of Alexandria's best examples of Greek Revival design, the Lyceum is also a local history museum. Restored in the 1970s for the Bicentennial, it has an impressive collection, including examples of 18th- and 19th-century silver, tools, stoneware, and Civil War photographs taken by Alexander Gardner and Andrew Russell. Over the years the building has served as the Alexandria Library, a Civil War hospital, a residence, and offices.

Mabry Mill, north of Meadows of Dan and the Blue Ridge Parkway's junction with U.S. 58 at milepost 176, 55 miles south of Roanoke, is one of the parkway's most popular stops for photographers. There is also a restaurant and gift shop on site.

The MacArthur Memorial is the burial place of one of America’s most distinguished military officers. General Douglas MacArthur (1880–1964) agreed to this navy town as the site for his memorial, museum, and research center because it was his mother’s birthplace. In the rotunda of the old City Hall, converted according to MacArthur’s design, is the mausoleum; 9 adjoining galleries house artifacts of MacArthur’s career, including his signature corncob pipe and a few of the pens used to sign the Japanese Instrument of Surrender that concluded World War II. However, this is a monument not only to General MacArthur but to all those who served in wars from the Civil to the Korean War. Its archives and library hold some 2 million documents and more than 100,000 photographs and assist scholars, students, and researchers from around the world. The visitor center contains a rotating special exhibit gallery, a theater, and a gift shop. MacArthur’s last staff car is on display in this building.

The original Magazine (1715), an octagonal brick warehouse, was used for storing arms and ammunition—at one time 60,000 pounds of gunpowder and 3,000 muskets. It was used for this purpose by the British and then by the Continental army. Today 18th-century firearms are on display within the arsenal. This is the largest collection of Colonial muskets in the country. Every able-bodied man in Colonial times was expected to have and maintain a musket in his home. Between the ages of 16 and 55 men were expected to be a part of the militia, the civilian army that could be called to arms in defense of hearth and home.

From 1904 to 1934, this restored 28-room brick building was the home of a pioneering African-American businesswoman and educator whose endeavors included banking, insurance, and establishing a newspaper called The St. Luke Herald. Visitors can take a 45-minute tour of the house and watch a movie about her accomplishments.

Market Square is the heart of Roanoke, with Virginia's oldest continuous farmers' market, a multiethnic food court inside the restored City Market Building, and several restaurants, shops, and bars. Open year-round, visitors will find local produce, meats, cheeses, plants, flowers and baked goods at market stalls and a variety of gifts and local products at specialty stores.

An open green between Queen and Palace Streets along Duke of Gloucester, Market Square was the site where cattle, seafood, dairy products, fruit, and vegetables were all sold—as were slaves. Market auctions are sometimes reenacted. Recently reconstructed, it now serves for historical interpretation and retail sales. Shop like you stepped back to the 18th century, including fruits, hams, soaps, candles, ceramics, and clothing. Children and families are invited to join the games and role-play with the toys for sale.

After leaving Reedville on Route 360, turn left on Route 200 and drive 13 miles to Kilmarnock. Turn right on Route 3 and drive to the little town of Lancaster, the birthplace of Mary Ball. Lancaster House, a four-building complex honoring George Washington's mother, was built about 1798, and contains Washington family memorabilia and historic items related to the county and the Northern Neck. The Steuart-Blakemore Building houses a genealogical library, and the Old Jail is a lending library and archives.

A 40-foot granite obelisk, dedicated by President Grover Cleveland in 1894, marks the final resting place of George's mother. It was laid at "Meditation Rock" on her daughter's property, where Mrs. Washington liked to read.

George purchased a three-room cottage for his mother in 1772 for £225, renovated it, and more than doubled its size with additions. She spent the last 17 years of her life here, tending the garden where her original boxwoods still flourish today, and where many a bride and groom now exchange their vows. The home has been a museum since 1930. Inside, displays include Mrs. Washington's "best dressing glass," a silver-over-tin mirror in a Chippendale frame; her teapot; Washington family dinnerware; and period furniture. The kitchen, in a rather lopsided wooden house surrounded by the gardens, and its spit, are still the original structures. Tours begin on the back porch with a history of the house.

This 3,514-foot-tall mountain sits just south of the Thornton Gap Entrance on Skyline Drive. View-seekers can hike one of two routes along the Appalachian Trail to reach the summit of the park's eighth highest peak.

On this 100-acre Victorian estate, one can explore the lavish Maymont House museum, a carriage collection, and elaborate Italian and Japanese gardens. A true family attraction, Maymont's complex includes the Nature Visitor Center, native wildlife exhibits, and a children's farm. Kids love the pair of playful otters in the aquarium and the waterfall above the Japanese garden. A Bald Eagle Habitat and Raptor Valley are popular additions to the wildlife areas of the park. Take the hop-on, hop-off tram for $3 to see this huge park and its exhibits. Guided mansion tours are on the hour and half hour until 4:30 pm. A café is open for lunch. Carriage rides are also available for $15.

Housed in a converted 1916 school building, McGuffey Art Center contains the 2nd Street Gallery and the studios of painters, printmakers, metalworkers, and sculptors, all of which are open to the public.

This living-history complex has programs, exhibits, and interpretive demonstrations of the life and culture on a working farm in 1860. On weekends, costumed interpreters work in the fields, the barns, the doctor's office, the blacksmith forge, and the farmhouse, offering a glimpse into the daily activities of original owner Dr. John Mosby Sheppard and his family. Special activities for children include storytelling days, Civil War lantern tours, and harvest-picking parties. To boot, these programs are free.

Sharing the mountaintop with the star is the Mill Mountain Zoo. Asian animals are center stage here, including a rare Siberian tiger, snow leopards, and red pandas. Ride the Zoo Choo train on the weekends, weather permitting.