Richmond Region Plus Itinerary

After you’ve explored the Richmond Region, there are several nearby cities that are ideal for day trips.

Charlottesville - Seventy-one miles west of Richmond in the Blue Ridge Mountains is Charlottesville, an area known for year-round beauty and home to the University of Virginia. Tour Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. Ash Lawn-Highland, the restored 550-acre home of James Monroe, features a working farm, spinning and weaving demonstrations, and house tours. The area is also home to many vineyards and wineries, which offer tours and tastings. Stroll through Charlottesville’s downtown pedestrian mall of shops, art galleries and
outdoor cafés.

Historic Triangle - See where America began in Virginia’s historic triangle of Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown, located 51 miles east of Richmond. Colonial Williamsburg, the Commonwealth’s first capital and largest living-history museum, offers views of 18th-century life with more than 500 original and reconstructed homes, taverns and shops, and 90 acres of gardens and public greens. Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in America, recently celebrated its 400th anniversary. Visit the historic battlefield at Yorktown, the Revolutionary War battle that achieved independence for the Colonies, or stroll through the town’s Colonial-era village with original historic homes, shops and restaurants. The area is also home to two theme parks, Busch Gardens and Water Country USA, and numerous outlet shops.

Fredericksburg - Fredericksburg is a quick 56-mile drive from Richmond on Interstate 95. The area is home to wineries, a charming Old Town and the University of Mary Washington, and was also the site of four major Civil War battles. Visit Chatham, an 18th-century Georgian-style mansion that served as a Union headquarters during the Battle of Fredericksburg. Tour Kenmore Plantation & Gardens, the former home of George Washington’s sister and brother-in-law. Nearby is the Mary Washington House, home of George Washington’s mother during her last 17 years. Enjoy lunch and shopping in Fredericksburg’s historic district.

Petersburg/Dinwiddie - Located approximately 45 minutes south of Richmond, Petersburg and Dinwiddie boast many famous Civil War sites. Visit Petersburg National Battlefield, which highlights the Battle of the Crater and the 10-month siege of Petersburg during the final year of the Civil War. Pamplin Historical Park is located on the site of Breakthrough, the battle that ended the Petersburg Campaign and led to the evacuation of the Confederate capital in Richmond. The park features four museums and plantation homes as well as living-history interpretations of military and civilian Civil War life. Tour 18th-century Blandford Church, which was restored in the early 1900s as a Confederate memorial chapel and features Tiffany windows commemorating each Confederate state. Enjoy lunch and shopping in historic Old Towne.