Gardents & Horticulture
Amy’s Garden
Amy’s Garden is a USDA Certified Organic family farm growing 10 acres of organic produce and cut flowers in Charles City County, Va. Amy’s Garden sells at farmers markets in Richmond and Williamsburg and offers membership in its CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).
Atlantic Growers
Offering annuals, perennials, vegetables and herbs, hanging baskets and foliage plants. Stop by and see what is growing today! Winter hours (September to March): Friday-Saturday 9 – 5, Sunday 1 – 5. Summer hours (April to August): Monday – Saturday 9 – 5, Sunday 1 – 5.
Barry’s Berries and Jan’s Jams
Enjoy the freshest unsprayed berries possible! We are a beautiful, well-maintained U-PICK berry farm. We have blueberries, blackberries, figs, and mulberries in season, running from May thru October (see details below). Call ahead for specific availability and appointments for picking. Take a break from picking in our picnic area. No animals, please. Various jams are […]
Berkeley Plantation
Berkeley, one of Virginia’s most historic plantations, is the birthplace of Benjamin Harrison V., signer of the Declaration of Independence and William Henry Harrison, ninth U.S. president. The first official Thanksgiving was held here (1619). “Taps” was composed here (1862) at the Civil War Headquarters of General McClellan. Costumed guides conduct tours of the 1726 […]
Edgewood Plantation
Situated along the oldest Highway in the U.S., Edgewood’s third floor was used during the Civil War as a lookout post for Confederate generals. The estate also includes the 1725 Benjamin Harris Grist Mill, which ground corn for both the Union and Confederate armies. Stop by for a historic tour and learn more! A working […]
North Bend Plantation
North Bend Plantation, ca 1801, was built by John Minge for his wife Sarah Harrison, sister of William Henry Harrison, 9th U.S. President. General Sheridan and his union troops occupied the area in 1864 and a desk used by General Sheridan remains with original labels confirming the date of its use by him. Heirlooms at […]
Piney Grove at Southalls Plantation
Established as a seat of the Southall family, today the grounds also include Ashland-1835, Dower Quarter – 1835, Ladysmith – 1857, and Duck Church – 1917. The self-guided grounds tour includes exhibits, gardens and nature trail. On many Saturdays, or by appointment for groups, progressive guided “Tours-by-the-Owners” featuring all five historic buildings, and the gardens […]
Renwood Fields Farm Museum
With music, scripts and interactive activities, the cornfield maze and museum provide an agritainment event in which all generations can be entertained. Seasonal: July & Aug. – by appointment only Sept. – Sat. 10 am to dusk Oct. – Fri. & Sat. 10 am to 10 pm.
Sherwood Forest Plantation
Sherwood Forest Plantation, home of 10th United States President John Tyler (1841-1845) from 1842 until his death in 1862, is America’s longest frame house of its age. Sherwood Forest is the only 19th century presidential home to have been continuously occupied by members of the President’s family. The plantation, first recorded in a 1616 land […]
Shirley Plantation
Shirley Plantation is Virginia’s first plantation (1613) and one of the first economic engines of the new world. Shirley Plantation is the oldest family-owned business in North America dating back to 1638. In 1651 Edward Hill added Shirley Plantation to his nearby holdings. The present mansion was begun in 1723 when Elizabeth Hill, great-grand daughter […]
Westover Plantation
Westover is one of the most elegant colonial plantations. It was built about 1730 by William Byrd II, founder of Richmond and Petersburg, and is widely known for its superb proportions and the finest 18th century iron gates in this country. Self-guided grounds tour includes a walled garden, original dependencies and original site of Charles […]
Trails
AMC’s Turn: The Trail
The Trail is a series of Colonial and Revolutionary War-era attractions where this made-for-television Revolutionary War spy thriller was filmed. Fans of the series will recognize scenes from the series when they visit Kittiewan, Shirley and Westover Plantations.
American Presidents: Discover Our Shared Heritage Trail
The National Parks Service’s American Presidents Shared Heritage travel itinerary features the White House and more than 70 other sites nationwide that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Begin your exploration of the lives and contributions of all 43 American presidents here in Charles City at Berkeley Plantation, the birthplace of William […]
Captain John Smith’s Trail
Whether you visit by boat or by car the John Smith Adventures on the James Water and Driving Trail offers maps and exhibits that will introduce you to the first encounters between European and Native peoples along the James River. Pick up a map at Lawrence Lewis, Jr. Park or at the Visitor Center.
Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network – James River Water Trail
The Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network connects over 140 museums, parks, refuges, historic sites and water trails around the Chesapeake watershed. Eight Charles City County sites are noted on the James River Water Trail, Lower Section (Shirley, Rice Center, Berkeley, Westover, Lawrence Lewis, Jr. Park, Kittiewan Wildlife Refuge, Fort Pocahontas, and the Chickahominy Wildlife Management Area). […]
Civil War Trails in Charles City County
Civil War Trails is an innovative national network that traces the paths of Union and Confederate forces across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington, D. C., West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Organized around different campaigns of the Civil War these trails, and sites along the trail, allow travelers to experience the Civil War in a […]
Freedom’s Jubilee Driving Tour
Freedom’s Jubilee explores 400 years of African American History in this county through a series of exhibits connected to a driving trail. You can save gas and take a virtual tour online. Or you can see the landscape come alive when you learn the stories of slaves imported from Africa and the legion of their […]
James River Plantations – National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary
If you love the architecture of old homes the National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary is the site to visit before you visit the county. Ten Charles City County homes that are open to the public are listed in this itinerary which describes the unique architectural features and history of each one. View the […]
Virginia Birding & Wildlife Trail
Seven Charles City sites (Berkeley Plantation, Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery, Lawrence Lewis Jr. Park, North Bend Plantation, Piney Grove at Southall’s Plantation, Sherwood Forest Plantation, and Westover) are a part of the Virginia Birding & Wildlife Trail. For information about the Birding & Wildlife Trail and the birds and wildlife to be seen in […]
Virginia Capital Trail
The Virginia Capital Trail is a dedicated, paved pedestrian and bicycle trail that connects the Commonwealth’s past and present capitals of Jamestown and Richmond along the Scenic Route 5 corridor. The Trail traverses approximately 52 miles, four jurisdictions, and more than 400 years of history along one of the first inland routes in North America. […]