Historic Views of Virginia

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This historic path through the Virginias will perhaps take us through more history than any other R&J backroads journey. We will tour many museums, homes of former presidents, old historic buildings, and old, old towns and cities. Much of what we will experience will take us back to “the way it was,” the very foundation of our country. If you love history, historic main streets, beautiful rolling countryside and largely undisturbed, peaceful landscapes, do come along with us on this journey to a time in our history that was for the most part charming, uncomplicated, and full of excitement, both tragic and otherwise. Walk with us in the footsteps of our forefathers that paved the way for us and our future. Virginia is full of small towns, authentic Americana such as local diners, soda fountains, quaint B&B’s, and a nostalgic vibe that takes away everyday stresses and transports visitors to a simpler time. When you visit Virginia’s historic downtowns, you can almost hear the echoes of historic events that took place on the cobblestone streets or in historic buildings where architecture is pristinely preserved. 

Virginia is an American history icon with hundreds of sites that date back to the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown, and cover every important period of American history from 1607 to the present. Step into the homes of patriots, presidents, and soldiers. Visit the sites where major moments in American history were immortalized. We will explore this beloved state the way it should be done, via the backroads. There really is nothing in our country with more Historic Views than Virginia! 

Day 1 – Home to Tinley Park, IL 

Welcome aboard! It’s a travel day today. Enjoy the color of Wisconsin as we journey to Virginia! 

Included Meals: Dinner 

Hotel: Hampton Inn 

Day 2 – Tinley Park to Chillicothe, OH 

Included breakfast at our hotel this morning before we depart for another travel day. More great scenery unfolds outside our windows as we travel across Illinois,Indiana and into Ohio. We make a stop this afternoon at the National Museum of the US Air Force near Dayton, Ohio. This museum is the oldest and largest military aviation museum in the world. When we enter we will learn of the history, heritage and traditions of the air force through displays that cover the past, present and the future. Following our time at the museum we’ll travel down the road a piece and enjoy a restful evening in Chillicothe, OH. 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Hotel: Fairfield Inn & Suites 

Day 3 – Chillicothe to Roanoke, VA 

This morning we continue our drive across this beautiful countryside and make our way into West Virginia where our first stop will be at the Tamarack, West Virginia’s Artisan Retail center. You will be able to enjoy a bit of time to look around and purchase West Virginia art and craft goods. It’s a wonderful stop on our way to the Magnificent Greenbrier Resort, our lunch stop today. Located amid the breathtaking mountains of West Virginia, The Greenbrier is a National Historic Landmark and world-class resort that has been welcoming guests from around the world since 1778. With a guest list that includes 26 of our country’s 44 Presidents, America’s Resort has long been a favorite destination of royalty, celebrities and business leaders. As part of our stop we will enjoy a tour of “The Bunker”. The declassified Bunker at The Greenbrier is a must-see experience that walks you through a fascinating period in the resort’s history. Carved deep into the mountainside beneath the resort is an emergency Cold War fallout shelter. Once a top secret U.S. government relocation facility for Congress! It’s a fascinating tour you are sure to enjoy. Later we travel along the Blue Ridge Mountains to Roanoke for a comfortable night stay! 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Hotel: Hampton Inn 

Day 4 – Roanoke to Petersburg, VA 

Following breakfast we traverse the backroads through the foothills to gorgeous Smith Mountain Lake and the Booker T. Washington National Monument. Booker T. was born in slavery on this 207-acre tobacco farm. Visitors are invited to step back in time and experience firsthand the life and landscape of people who lived in an era when slavery was part of the fabric of American life. Lynchburg is our next destination where we have an opportunity to view Liberty University, one of America’s premier Christian Universities, as well as founder Jerry Falwell’s Thomas Road Baptist Church. Lunch is included at the Depot Grille in the historic downtown area. A short distance away is Appomattox. Conveniently located in the “Heart of Virginia,” Appomattox invites us to experience the timeless, charming appeal of small town America and the Appomattox Court House National Historic Park, forever written on the pages of Civil War History. Highway 460 rolls its way across the appealing countryside of the “Heartland of Virginia,” through the little known hamlets of Prospect, Farmville, Wilsons, Ford and Sutherland to Petersburg, our destination for the night. 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Hotel: Hilton Garden Inn 

Day 5 – Petersburg to Willamsburg, VA 

We’ll begin our day with a stop at Petersburg Battlefield. The Seige of Petersburg was an important time in Civil War history and one of the famous battles was the “Battle of the Crater.” We’ll make a stop at this historic site and learn of this unique moment on this special Battlefield. Also on the Battlefield is Blandford Church, which is famous for its Tiffany Glass windows. A stop here will truly inspire you! Onto the historic downtown of Petersburg, a unique city at the crossroads of American history. Scores of historic and architecturally significant structures are located in Old Towne Petersburg, famous most recently as the filming site for many scenes in the movie “Lincoln.” According to location manager Colleen Gibbons, “one thing that attracted the filmmakers to the city was the 180-degree vista of historic structures” which is “very rare.” We are treated to lunch at The Brickhouse Run, a friendly and welcoming British pub and restaurant in a historic 190 year old building in Old Towne Petersburg. Traveling the back roads, we take Route 36 through the little settlement of Hopewell, crossing the James River via the Benjamin Harrison Bridge on our way to the Shirley Plantation. Four hundred years old as of 2013, it was Virginia’s very first plantation and is known to be the most intact plantation of the Colonial era. Departing Shirley we take the scenic byway, Route 5, along the James River on our way to Williamsburg. We relax in comfort the next two evenings at the Embassy Suites. 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Reception at Hotel 

Hotel: Embassy Suites (2 Nights) 

Day 6 – Colonial Williamsburg 

Embassy Suites is well known for its full hot breakfast, much appreciated before the exciting full day we have in store. Colonial Williamsburg is the most elaborately restored and reconstructed colonial site in America. Meet the tradespeople, shopkeepers, political figures, women, and the enslaved that call Williamsburg home. Learn of their hopes, struggles, and fears in these uncertain times. As you explore the challenges of daily life set against the backdrop of revolution, get caught up in the historic moments taking place around you. You are part of a living, breathing colonial village. Enjoy lunch at an authentic period eating establishment of your choice. Following lunch we travel the Colonial Parkway a short distance to the Historic Jamestown, the “beginning of America.” It looks almost the way it did when those 3 small ships landed in the new world. At the exact site the early travelers settled we will take time to enjoy museum displays and archeological digs that to this day continue to uncover our beginnings here in America. Nearby we make a stop at the Jamestown Glasshouse, observing skilled artisans in colonial muslin shirts stoking the beehive kilns and blowing glass the old way, twisting their blowpipes into the molten glass, then blowing and turning the fiery globs into shapely green vessels and vases. We return to the hotel where we enjoy a nice reception and dinner together. 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Reception at Hotel, Dinner 

Day 7 – Williamsburg to Culpepper, VA 

Today we travel the Colonial Parkway to the Historic Yorktown Monument, on to Tappahannock, and into Fredericksburg. Almost 300 years old, Fredericksburg is one of the most vibrant historic cities in America. Enjoy lunch along mainstreet before we embark on a fascinating, narrated trolley tour with more historically significant sites within a few blocks than is possible anywhere else in this country. An afternoon stop at the Fredericksburg Civil War Visitor Center and a walk along the historic “Sunken Road” will give you a real feel for the battle that took place in this town 150+ years ago. More historic views on the road take us to Culpepper, our stop for the night. 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Hotel: Holiday Inn Express 

Day 8 – Culpepper to Waynesboro, VA 

This incredible day begins with delightful morning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains as we make our way to Montpelier, home to President James Madison, Father of the Constitution and Architect of the Bill of Rights, and Dolly Madison, America’s first “First Lady.” Montpelier offers 2,650 acres of rolling hills, spacious horse pastures, and spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We’ll have a guided tour of the mansion and time to enjoy the gardens and grounds. Lunch is included at Michie Tavern where we will “Get A Taste of the 18th Century.” The tavern has welcomed guests for over 200 years, offering homemade southern fare from 1784 in a truly authentic setting. Just around the corner and over the hill is Monticello, the mountaintop home of Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States and author of the Declaration of Independence. This incredible, iconic place is one of the most cherished and visited locations in all of America. A short but beautiful drive takes us to our lodging for the night in Waynesboro, VA. Enjoy dinner at a nearby restaurant and a relaxing evening. 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Hotel: Best Western Plus 

Day 9 – Waynesboro to Staunton, VA 

This morning we begin a day of awe and wonder! We will cruise the Skyline Drive at what is historically the peak of autumn colors, making a few scenic overlook stops for those keepsake pictures. We’ll enjoy views high overlooking the Shenandoah Valley. We come down from into the valley and make a stop for lunch in historic downtown Lexington. You’ll enjoy your time in this downtown before we make a stop at the Virginia Military Institute Museum for a walk through history. Located on the VMI campus this museum chronicles the history of the first State sponsored Military Academy. We’ll continue up the road through the Shenandoah Valley to the town of Staunton and the Birthplace, museum and research library of Woodrow Wilson which is the only Presidential Library in Virginia. Enjoy the many displays here and a visit of his boyhood home. Our hotel this evening is close by and a wonderful meal will be enjoyed with your fellow travelers. 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Hotel: Hampton Inn 

Day 10 – Staunton to Cumberland, MD 

Today we continue our travels in the Shenandoah Valley with a stop at the New Market Battlefield. The visitor center is filled with information and a film titled “The Field of Lost Shoes”. You’ll be touched by this movie and displays in the museum. We’ll travel up the road to the historic town of Winchester where we take a drive past one of the local legends’ childhood home: Patsy Cline! We’ll make a stop at Old Town Winchester for lunch and a look at the historic buildings here. Then we travel north and out of Virginia in to Maryland and our stop for the evening in Cumberland. 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Hotel: Fairfield Inn & Suites 

Day 11 – Cumberland to Sugarcreek, OH 

Our first stop this morning is at the C&O Canal Visitor Center in Cumberland. Here you will learn of the construction and use of this early form of transportation from Cumberland to Washington DC. We then depart and enjoy the incredible seasonal beauty that unfolds as we make our way through northern, western Maryland, southwestern Pennsylvania and into Ohio. Interstate 68, named The National Freeway, is some of the most gorgeous freeway mileage in the country. We abide in comfort and style this evening at the Carlisle Inn in the heart of Amish Country in Sugarcreek, Ohio, while our awesome included dinner is at the Dutch Valley Restaurant. You’ll be looking for a little more packing space to take home some of their delightful homemade products. 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Hotel: Carlisle Inn 

Day 12 – Sugarcreek to Aurora, IL 

Travel day today through Ohio and Northern Indiana as we make our way to Aurora, IL, We’ll travel for awhile along Historic Highway #30. This route was known in its early days as the Lincoln Highway and traverses the country from New Jersey to Oregon! Enjoy the gentle rolling hills of Amish country as we begin our route and as we head west we travel through the industrial areas of Ohio and Indiana till we arrive at our stop for the night in Aurora. 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Hotel: Hampton Inn 

Day 13 – Aurora to Home 

More travel today, mostly through Wisconsin, as we observe the contrast of the brilliant fall color we witnessed when we left 12 days earlier with the “fading glory” we are viewing today. We share our farewell lunch together in the Dells. What an extraordinary journey with wonderful Historic Views of Virginia we’ve had! 

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch