Our main reason for staying at Camp Cardinal RV Resort was its location. In eastern Virginia, it was right in the middle of many historic sites of Virginia. We spent the whole summer learning about our nation’s birth and growing pains. There are many agencies that operate the various locations we visited. The best way to organize them are The Historic Triangle, Preservation Virginia, and others.
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The Historic Triangle
The Historic Triangle is what a lot of tourists come to see. If you have limited time, the locations in it are going to be some of the best-developed and information-dense experiences you can have.
Jamestown
Where it all began! There are two locations named Jamestown: Historic Jamestowne and Jamestown Settlement. Both locations are dedicated to the first successful English colony in the New World. Jamestown Settlement hosts a recreation of James Fort, as well as an immersive museum cataloging the history of the area from the first people all the way through Bacon’s Rebellion. For the more archeologically minded, Historic Jamestowne is the place to see. Historic Jamestowne is an active archaeological dig at the sight of Jamestown! Not only can you walk among the unearthed ruins, but it also hosts a museum of the artifacts found.
Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg is one of, if not the best living history museum in the nation. It’s a place with so much to see and do that we visited not once, but three times!
Yorktown
Yorktown is the site of the last major battle of the American Revolution. Located only 25 miles away from Jamestowne, this battlefield marks the end of the colonial period. The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown had indoor and outdoor sections and took a close look at how people lived during that time
Preservation Virginia
Preservation Virginia is one of the largest historic preservation societies in Virginia. While we were in the area, we were able to participate in their inaugural homeschooling days.
John Marshall House
Home of John Marshall, one of the first justices to serve on the Supreme Court, and shaper of the judicial branch of the government.
Bacon’s Castle
Site of a restored 17th-century plantation used as a fort or “castle” by the followers of Nathaniel Bacon during Bacon’s Rebellion.
Smith’s Fort
Smith’s Fort Plantation and the nearby fort remains are located on land that was gifted to John Rolfe by Wahunsenacawh, the father of Pocahontas, as a dower gift. Some of the original earthworks can still be seen!
Scotchtown
The home of “give me liberty or give me death” Patrick Henry, and Preservation Virginia’s main educational outreach campuses.
Cape Henry Lighthouse
One of the first major public works programs authorized by the federal government, authorized by George Washington himself! Access can be a bit difficult as the land it’s on is now part of a military base.
Other Locations
Berkeley Plantation
The site of the first annual “Thanksgiving” in American history. A beautifully preserved mansion and grounds that was the home to not one, but two American presidents.
Civil War Museum and The White House of the Confederacy
Originally built as a mansion to show off wealth, this beautifully restored building was leased to the Confederate government and served as the home of Jefferson Davis until the end of the Civil War. The Civil War Museum is an excellent collection of artifacts from both sides of the conflict.
Whatever your reason for visiting Virginia, these sites are amazing and will make a wonderful addition to your trip. Choose one or choose them all!