ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

 

Open daily 8am-7pm, free entrance, shuttle inside the cemetery $9

 

Thousands of perfectly aligned gravestones create an impressive image. The cemetery is huge, so if you want to visit it completely, the best thing to do is take the shuttle (tickets are sold at the visitor center near the parking lot). We visited the area around the visitor center, John F. Kennedy's grave and the Women in Military Service Memorial on foot.

 

 

HORSE COUNTRY

 

This breathtaking scenic road is worth a seperate blog post. Check out the related posts on this page to find it.

 

 

SKYLINE DRIVE, SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK

 

Open daily, tickets for sale from 9am to 5pm, $ 15 per car (incl. passengers)

 

160kms of magnificent views, that's Skyline Drive. The drive is pleasant (speed limit 35 mph) and there are plenty of overlooks, where you can stop alongside the road to enjoy one of the beautiful views. There's also hundred of miles of hiking tracks and camp sites where you can spend the night. You'll find food and drinks at one of the visitor centers. There aren't many of these, so bring some snacks and water, especially if you plan on going for a hike.  Check out this article for a complete report and pictures.

 

 

MONTICELLO, CHARLOTTESVILLE

 

Open daily 9am-6pm, $ 24 for a guided tour of the ground floor (other tickets available). Tickets can be booked in advance.

Make sure to arrive about 45 minutes before the start of your tour, so that you can watch the film in the visitor center. Free parking at the visitor center, from there you can take the free shuttle to the house (5 minutes, you can walk as well).

 

The home of Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence. He wrote 'all men are created equal' but possesed about 600 slaves during his life. Jefferson made many important changes to the house throughout the years, which led to huge expenses. When he died, his heirs had to sell the house (and the slaves) to be able to pay his debts.

 

The gardens and slave cabins can be visited without a guide but the house can only be visited with a guide. The explanations are very instructive but - unfortunately - a bit hypocrit when it comes to slavery.

 

 

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, CHARLOTTESVILLE

 

The plans for university were designed by Jefferson. The buildings have an architecture that's very similar to that of Monticello. Nice place to look around and see how different it looks from universities in Europe.

 

 

COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG

 

Open daily 9am-5pm. Walking around the town is free, but you'll need a ticket to to visit the buildings. One-day tickets $ 42. Free parking near the visitor center, from here there's a shuttle to the town (included in the price of your ticket).

 

Partially restored and partially recreated, Colonial Williamsburg takes you back to the 18th century. You can visit the homes and stores, the Capitol, the Palace of the Grand Master, etc. Actors dressed in period clothing welcome you and give guided tours or explanations about the different trades. They give lots of information and seem to be capable to answer any question, it's really impressive! Reenactments are organised in the streets all day. 

 

Nice and educational for all ages. We spent 1 day here and though this was enough. If you want to see more than 1 reenactment and visit all the buildings, you might need 2 days.

 

 

PETERSBURG NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD

 

Open daily 9am-5pm, $ 5 per car (incl. passengers).

 

We visited the Eastern Front, where a 4-mile road takes you to the most important locations of the battlefield. We didn't really find it impressive and were a bit disappointed. Recommended only for real fans of the civil war.