Virginia Travel Guide - Virginia Travel Guide 2026
Virginia 250 Places & Events
2025-11-23 13:02:10
VIRGINIA 250 STEP INTO THE STORY OF AMERICA
As America commemorates the 250th anniversary of its birth, no place offers a more immersive and meaningful experience than Virginia, which invites visitors to walk in the footsteps of revolutionaries, statesmen, and visionaries who shaped the foundation of the United States.
Walk Through Living History
Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello: Explore Jefferson’s architectural masterpiece and walk the grounds where the author of the Declaration of Independence contemplated liberty.
George Washington’s Mount Vernon: Take in the estate of America’s first president and Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, absorbing this living museum’s mansion, gardens, and more. You can even pay your respects at his and Martha’s final resting place.
James Madison’s Montpelier: Delve into the life of the Father of the Constitution. Montpelier offers tours of Madison’s home, lush gardens, and exhibitions highlighting his pivotal role in drafting the U.S. Constitution.
James Monroe’s Highland: Discover the personal and political legacy of James Monroe. The estate offers period reenactments, military history insights, and walking tours.
Berkeley Plantation: Step into the birthplace of Benjamin Harrison V, a Declaration signer, and the ancestral home of President William Henry Harrison, for a rich narrative of Virginia’s revolutionary contributions.
George Mason’s Gunston Hall: Tour the opulent home, with its boldly painted walls and fourposter beds, of the author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which inspired America’s Bill of Rights.
Stratford Hall: If you time your visit right to the home of Declaration signers (and brothers) Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee, you can pair your tour of the house and grounds with a stargazing event or the annual Wine & Oyster Festival held in September.
Colonial Williamsburg: Experience 18th-century life with costumed interpreters and hidden gems like the garden of heirloom vegetables at the largest living history museum in the world.
Jamestown: Walk the grounds of America’s first permanent English colony with archaeological sites in Historic Jamestowne, then explore the exhibits and reenactments depicting the life of early settlers at Jamestown Settlement.
American Revolution Museum at Yorktown: Experience engaging galleries, immersive films, and outdoor living history that tells the full story of America’s fight for independence.
Patrick Henry’s Red Hill: Join the archeology team investigating the remains of two cabins in a part of the property known as the Quarter House, where enslaved laborers and their descendants lived and worked.
Richmond: In Virginia’s capital city, visit St. John’s Church, where Patrick Henry delivered his impactful “Give me liberty, or give me death!” speech, and trace the Commonwealth’s history from pre-Colonial times to the present at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.
Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest: An octagonal villa with lots of natural light conveys Jefferson’s architectural style. Today, visitors can learn about the enslaved people who lived and worked at Poplar Forest, or they might even find an archaeological dig in progress.
SIGNATURE VA250 EVENTS
Virginia’s calendar is brimming with events that bring the 250th celebration to life.
In 2026, Virginia offers a front-row seat to America’s history. Nowhere else can you find this depth of Revolutionary War sites, historic homes, and commemorative events. For families, history buffs, and anyone seeking to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime celebration, Virginia is where America’s story began — and where its enduring spirit still lives.
Virginia 250 events and must-visit sites are always being added.
Get the latest here.
MAY
May 2, 2026
From Pen to Paper: Thomas Jefferson and the Drafting of the Declaration of Independence, Monticello: A deep dive into the creation of the foundational document.
May 15, 2026
Virginia’s Independence Day, Colonial Williamsburg: A large-scale commemoration of Virginia’s declaration of independence.
JUNE
June 7, 2026
Virginia Resolved: 250th Anniversary of the Lee Resolution for Independence, Stratford Hall: Musical performances and dignitary remarks complement a stirring naturalization ceremony.
June 11, 2026
In the Eyes of the World, Mount Vernon: International dignitaries gather to honor America’s global democratic legacy.
June 12, 2026
250th Anniversary of Virginia Declaration of Rights, Gunston Hall: Celebrating George Mason’s foundational work that influenced the Bill of Rights.
June 12-14 & June 19-22, 2026
Sail250® Virginia: Witness the breathtaking arrival of international tall ships in Norfolk and ports across Virginia, including Cape Charles, Hampton, Yorktown, and Smithfield.
JULY
July 4, 2026
America. Made in Virginia. 250 Years of Forming a More Perfect Union., Colonial Williamsburg and statewide: Celebrate with naturalization ceremonies, parades, reenactments, and patriotic celebrations across the Commonwealth.
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