Hampton Roads

Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the United States.

Area attractions and historical sites

Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown

The Historic Triangle is located on the Virginia Peninsula and includes the colonial communities of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown, with many restored attractions linked by the Colonial Parkway.

Related Topics:
Historic Triangle - Virginia Peninsula - Jamestown - Williamsburg - Yorktown - Colonial Parkway

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Colonial Parkway

The National Park Service's Colonial Parkway joins the three popular attractions of Colonial Virginia with a scenic and bucolic roadway carefully shielded from views of commercial development. This helps visitors mentally return to the past, and there are often views of wildlife and waterfowl. This two lane roadway is the best (but nor quickest) way to move between the three points. Near the James River and York River ends of the parkway, there are several pull-offs, where some families allow their children to feed bread to the seagulls. (Warning: No trucks are allowed).

Related Topics:
National Park Service - Colonial Parkway - Wildlife - Waterfowl - York River

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For an even better experience, approach the area from the south by water from Surry County with a ride aboard one of the Jamestown Ferrys, which include the Pocahontas and Williamsburg. As passengers cross, they can can walk about the boat or go up to an enclosed viewing level with restrooms. Weather and daylight permitting, passengers usually see the Jamestown Island much as the first colonists may have approached it. In fact, the replicas of Christopher Newport's the three tiny ships, Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery are docked near the northern ferry landing. Both the Jamestown Ferry and Colonial Parkway are toll-free.

Related Topics:
Surry County - Jamestown Ferry - Christopher Newport

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Jamestown

The first permanent English settlement in the New World which was established at Jamestown in 1607. Today, you can visit the Jamestown Festival Park and Jamestown Island attraction. Included are recreations of a Native American village and colonial fort, and archaeological sites where current work is underway. Replicas of the three ships, Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery are docked nearby.

Related Topics:
Jamestown - Jamestown Festival Park - Native American - Susan Constant - Godspeed - Discovery

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Williamsburg

In 1699, the first capital of Virginia was moved to Middle Plantation at the suggestion of students from the College of William and Mary (established 1693). It was soon renamed to Williamsburg, but became a largely forgotten little town after the capital was moved to Richmond in 1788. Largely due to the 20th century preservation efforts of the Reverend Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin, rector of Bruton Parish Church and the generosity of Standard Oil heir John D. Rockefeller Jr., today Colonial Williamsburg is a large living museum of early American life. It has dozens of restored and recreated buildings and reenactors. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The Visitor's Center (right off the Colonial Parkway) features a short movie and is an excellent place to start (and leave automobiles, which are restricted from the restored area, where wheelchair-accessible shuttle bus service is provided).

Related Topics:
Middle Plantation - College of William and Mary - 1693 - Williamsburg - Richmond - W.A.R. Goodwin - Bruton Parish Church - Standard Oil - John D. Rockefeller Jr. - Colonial Williamsburg - Bus

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Yorktown

The third point of the triangle is Yorktown where General Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington in 1781, ending the American Revolution. There are two large visitor centers, battlefield drives, and a waterfront area.

Related Topics:
Yorktown - George Washington - American Revolution

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Commercial enterprises

Notwithstanding the amazingly successful efforts to provide a non-commercial atmosphere at the three Historic Triangle areas (and on the Colonial Parkway between them), there are many hotels, motels, campgrounds, restaurants, shops and stores, gasoline stations, and amusements close by.

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• Busch Gardens (Williamsburg) is a major theme park located near Williamsburg in James City County.
• Williamsburg Pottery Factory is also nearby on U.S. Highway 60 a new miles west of Williamsburg in James City County.

Other points of history

There's also a wealth of other points of history to explore in the Hampton Roads area.

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Virginia Peninsula

• Mariners' Museum is in Newport News. The USS Monitor Center (of Battle of Hampton Roads fame) is there, along the thousands of nautical artifacts from all over the world.
• Virginia Air and Space Center (with a historic carousel adjacent) is in Hampton.
• Casemate Museum (where former Confederate President Jefferson Davis was imprisoned) is at Fort Monroe in the historic Phoebus area at Old Point Comfort in Hampton.
• Harbor tours departing from Hampton and Newport News provide access to Fort Wool and Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, the world's largest shipyard.

South Hampton Roads

• Cape Henry site of the first landing of the English settlers in 1607 and two lighthouses is at Fort Story in Virginia Beach.
• Norfolk Navy Base at Sewell's Point in Norfolk is the largest naval facility in the world.
• Norfolk Botanical Garden is in Norfolk.
• The Chrysler Museum is in Norfolk.
• MacArthur Memorial Museum is in Norfolk.
• USS Cole is in Norfolk.
• Nauticus and the Battleship USS Wisconsin are near downtown Norfolk.
• Children's Museum in Portsmouth has one of the largest collection of model electric trains and other toys.
• Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth is one of the oldest shipyards and has the first dry dock on display.
• Great Dismal Swamp Natural Wildlife Refuge is accessed from Chesapeake.
• Suffolk-Nansemond Museum is in the restored Seaboard and Virginian Railway passenger train station in Suffolk.
• Isle of Wight Museum is in Smithfield.
• The Virginia Zoo is in Norfolk, Virginia.