Visit Virginia’s National Parks for Free

Published November 7, 2019

Cape Henry Lighthouses - photo: Preservation Virginia

Virginia is home to over 20 national parks that capture the beauty and history of the land, state and country. On November 11th, visit these national parks for free, and take in the beauty and wonder that Virginia has to offer.

Below are six national parks in or near the Hampton Roads area:

Cape Henry Memorial

Fort Story, VA

English colonists first landed here in April 1607, erected a wooden cross and gave thanks for a successful crossing to a new land. In 1781, Americans could watch from these same sand dunes the largest naval battle of the Revolutionary War. Our French Allies defeated a British fleet just off this shore to set the stage for General George Washington's victory at Yorktown.

Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay Watershed

The National Park Service helps you learn about and enjoy the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in North America. Here, you can visit major league cities, colonial towns, American Indian landscapes, farms and fishing villages. You can learn to kayak, pick crabs, go fishing, tour a lighthouse, slurp oysters, and slow down to enjoy the natural beauty of the Chesapeake.

Colonial

Jamestown and Yorktown, VA

On May 13, 1607, Jamestown was established as the first permanent English settlement in North America. Three cultures came together – European, Virginia Indian and African–to create a new society that would eventually seek independence from Great Britain. On October 19, 1781, American and French troops defeated the British at Yorktown in the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War.

Fort Monroe - photo: virginia.org

Fort Monroe

Fort Monroe, VA

Fort Monroe National Monument has a diverse history spanning the American story from American Indian presence, Captain John Smith's journeys, first arrival of enslaved Africans in English North America, a safe haven for freedom seekers during the American Civil War, and a bastion of defense for the Chesapeake Bay through the 21st Century. Visit and witness the on-going preservation work in action.

Historic Jamestowne

James City County, VA

Walk in the steps of Captain John Smith and Pocahontas where a successful English colonization of North America began. Despite early struggles to survive, the 1607 settlement evolved into a prosperous colony. As the colony expanded, the Virginia Indians were pushed out of their homeland. In 1619, the arrival of Africans was recorded, marking the origin of slavery in English North America.

Yorktown Battlefield

Yorktown, VA

Discover what it took for the United States to be independent as you explore the site of the last major battle of the Revolutionary War. Here at Yorktown, in the fall of 1781, General George Washington, with allied American and French forces, besieged General Charles Lord Cornwallis’s British army. On October 19, Cornwallis surrendered, effectively ending the war and ensuring independence.

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For a full list of Virginia’s national parks, please visit https://www.nps.gov/state/va/index.htm

Can’t visit this year? Not to worry! The National Park Service offers five free admission days each year.

The free admission dates for 2020 are:

January 20: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.

April 18: First day of National Park Week

August 25: National Park Service Birthday

September 26: National Public Lands Day

November 11: Veterans Day

There are over 400 national parks across the United States. Plan your next visit and discover the wonders that await by exploring these parks here: https://www.nps.gov/index.htm