Be immersed in America’s past in Prince William & Manassas. With dozens of Civil War sites, interactive museums and miles of hallowed ground, there are numerous ways for groups to connect to the people, places and events that forever changed our nation.
Day One: Let your Civil War guide dressed in period attire lead you to Manassas National Battlefield Park and the Henry Hill Visitor Center. There, watch the “Manassas: End of Innocence” film narrated by Richard Dreyfuss, discover the artifacts uncovered from the battlefield and walk the hallowed ground where two major Civil War battles unfolded. The guide will bring history to life, sharing stories about the people whose lives were forever changed by a war that divided the nation. Enhance your Civil War trip with a visit to Ben Lomond Historic Site and the Manassas Courthouse.
Just a few miles from the battlefield, Ben Lomond is a plantation turned Civil War hospital. Read the graffiti wounded soldiers left behind, handle the instruments doctors once used and explore one of the only remaining public slave quarters in Northern Virginia. After, drive by the courthouse where Union and Confederate troops reconciled 50 years after the war.
Finish the day with a trip to the Freedom Museum at Manassas Regional Airport where you can watch planes take off while enjoying dinner and the museum, which focuses on the U.S. military’s involvement in 20th-century wars through memorabilia, interactive displays and photographs.
Day Two: Discover what life is like as a Marine at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Board a helicopter headed for Vietnam, experience boot camp or enjoy a meal at Tun Tavern, which is modeled after the Philadelphia Tun Tavern where, according to legend, the Marine Corps was founded in 1775. Visit Quantico National Cemetery and have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to honor America’s veterans. Through the Missing In America Project, tour groups can place flags on the graves of forgotten veterans buried at Quantico. A national program, the MIA Project locates, identifies and inters the unclaimed cremated remains of American veterans. After, visit the home of the biographer for our nation’s first president. The Weems-Botts Museum was once home to Parson Weems who wrote the infamous story of George Washington and the cherry tree. Finish the day along the shores of the Potomac River with dinner at Tim’s Rivershore Restaurant and Crabhouse- a long-time local favorite that offers breathtaking views of the water.
Amenities
- LGBTQ+ Friendly
Region
Last Updated: 11/28/2018