Yorktown
Yorktown, Virginia. A place known for both its waterfront charm and its famous battles. Stroll through the boutique shops offering unique gifts and enjoy the freshest seafood and artisan fare at one of the fine restaurants at Historic Yorktown’s Riverwalk Landing. Then wander along the York River’s sandy beach, fishing pier, and public docks, where the river bustles with visiting vessels and tall ships. Take a guided Segway tour through the lively town offered by Patriot Tours and Provisions. Purchase fine art and antiques in Main Street’s galleries and shops. Enjoy free outdoor concerts, open-air farmers markets, art strolls, and wine festivals throughout the year. And if you need a venue for a special event, consider the Freight Shed, a charming facility with stunning waterfront views.
As you pause to admire the town’s 18th-century architecture, it may be hard to imagine that fierce fighting ever took place nearby. But Yorktown was critical in both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. At Yorktown Battlefield, part of the National Park Service’s Colonial National Historical Park, you can see where George Washington secured America’s independence in 1781. The Yorktown Victory Monument is here, as well as a Civil War-era National Cemetery. Nearby at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, a living history museum, you can experience the American Revolution firsthand through film, galleries, and re-creations of a Revolution-era farm, and a Continental Army encampment. Costumed historical interpreters may even recruit you to join a cannon crew or help tend the crops.
