Take a Historic Trip through Newport News, Virginia

3-Day Itinerary for Newport News, VA

Centrally located in Coastal Virginia, Newport News is the ideal location for your group to drop anchor. Relive the stories of America’s history at its impressive historic homes and museums. The name “Newportes Newes” dates back to 1619 when it first appeared in the Virginia Company records. The most widely accepted folktale is that the city is the namesake of Capt. Christopher Newport, commander of the Susan Constant, part of the three-ship English fleet that landed on Jamestown Island in 1607. Capt. Newport made several voyages to Newport News in the early days of the Jamestown Colony, bringing “good news” in the form of supplies and settlers.

Visit Newport News, VA

Enjoy These Newport News Attractions and More:

Jamestown Settlement
Newport News Marriott at City Center
Historic Endview
Lee Hall Mansion
Smoke BBQ
Virginia Living Museum
Victory Arch
and plenty more!

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Lee Hall Depot in Newport News, Virginia

Newport News, Virginia DAY-TO-DAY ITINERARY

Day 1 of Things To Do in Newport News

Day one actually begins about 18 miles northwest of Newport News at Jamestown Settlement, where it all began. Historical interpreters interact with visitors at outdoor re-creations of a Powhatan Indian village, replicas of the three ships that sailed from England to Virginia in 1607, and a circa 1610 colonial fort. Inside the main building, the Jamestown Settlement galleries provide a setting for one of the most varied collections of objects relating to the nation’s beginnings in 17th-century Virginia.

After checking into your hotel at the Newport News Marriott at City Center, take a short walk to Saté, where southern American roots meet Asian sizzle! It’s one of the newest restaurants in trendy City Center at Oyster Point. Afterward, enjoy an evening stroll walk around City Center’s beautiful 5-acre fountain and don’t forget to grab some dessert from City Center Ice Cream.

Lee Hall Mansion in Virginia

Day 2 of Attractions in Newport News, VA

Constructed in 1769 for the Harwood family, Historic Endview is one of the last remaining colonial buildings in Newport News. The Georgian-style house is located close to the route taken by the Continental Army and Virginia militia on their advance to the 1781 battle that ended the Revolutionary War. Dr. Humphrey Harwood Curtis, a physician and a great-grandson of William Harwood, acquired the property in 1858. In 1861, he organized a volunteer Confederate militia company known as the Warwick Beauregards to provide local defense in the early months of the Civil War. During the 1862 Peninsula Campaign, Confederate generals Lafayette McLaws and Robert Toombs made Historic Endview their headquarters, at which time the Curtis family relocated to a different part of Virginia. At the conclusion of the Civil War, the Curtis family returned, and Dr. Curtis resumed his medical practice. The property remained in the Harwood-Curtis family until 1985.

An exhibit along with a guided house tour provide information on the home’s history, 400 years of family ties to the property, and Dr. Curtis’s 19th-century medical practice. A nature trail, medicinal herb garden, outbuildings, and wayside markers are located on the grounds.

Lee Hall Mansion is an Italianate residence built in 1859 by prominent planter, Richard Decatur Lee, for his family. Only three years after the house’s completion, the Lees fled their home as the Peninsula became one of the first battlegrounds of the Civil War. Consequently, between April and May of 1862, it served as a Confederate headquarters for Major General John Bankhead Magruder and General Joseph E. Johnston. From this location, Magruder and Johnston directed the defense of the Peninsula against Major Gen. George B. McClellan’s advancing Union Army. A small skirmish was fought on the property on May 4, 1862. After the Civil War, the Lees returned to the house and resided there until 1871. The property passed through several owners and was occupied through most of the 20^th century. Admission to Lee Hall Mansion includes access to the Peninsula Campaign Gallery as well as a guided tour of the historic house.

Here you will learn the story of one of Newport News’ founding fathers, Collis P. Huntington. In the late 1850s, Huntington was part of the Big Four who formed the Central Pacific Railroad company to create the western link of America’s First Transcontinental Railroad. Huntington oversaw the construction from the East. Afterward, he continued developing other major interstate lines such as the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (C&O). In 1881, he opened the pathway for West Virginia coal to reach the harbor of Hampton Roads for export shipping. He also developed Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. As part of that development, the Peninsula Extension of the C&O and Lee Hall Depot were established. Here exhibits highlighting the impact of the railroad on Warwick County and the City of Newport News, as well as information on railroad history and Lee Hall Village, can be found.

Victory Arch in Newport News, VA

Break for lunch at Smoke BBQ. Smoke BBQ prepares all their dishes just as they do for their family and friends. Using fresh, local, natural ingredients with hardwood smoked meats makes this restaurant and catering service the best in the area.

After lunch, sit back and relax on your motorcoach as we continue with a driving tour of Newport News’ Southeast Community, also known as “The Yard” district. Newport News has been focusing on the revitalization of its downtown area, branding it as “The Yard District” in a nod to Newport News Shipyard. On your driving tour today, you’ll learn about:

Newport News Shipbuilding – The largest industrial employer of Virginia, this shipyard is the sole designer, builder, and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and one of only two providers of nuclear-powered submarines for the U.S. Navy.
Tugboat Dorothy – The first ship built at Newport News Shipbuilding, this 90-foot tugboat was launched into the James River in 1890. Since 1976, it has been on display outside the shipyard as a tribute to the craftsmanship of the shipbuilders of Newport News.
Victory Arch – During World War I, Newport News was selected as a second port of Embarkation; the first was New York City. More than 250,000 soldiers left Newport News for Europe, along with four million tons of supplies, and close to 500,000 horses and mules. On Nov. 11, 1918, World War I ended, and the city’s embarkation camps were converted into receiving facilities. Dedicated in 1919 and reconstructed in 1962, more than 441,000 doughboys found their way back home through this majestic arch in Newport News.
Monitor–Merrimack Overlook – Here you can see where the famous Battle of the Ironclads took place between the Confederate’s CSS Virginia and the Union’s USS Monitor. Tomorrow you’ll learn more about this when you visit The Mariners’ Museum and USS Monitor

This evening, enjoy a tour and a catered dinner at the Virginia Living Museum. Created by two community organizations to promote science education, the museum continues to be a leader in its use of native wildlife to present its message: Stimulating knowledge, awareness and appreciation of the living world. Museum visitors encounter more habitats, wildlife and plant species than would be encountered in a lifetime of outdoor adventures in Virginia. The exhibits showcase all the state’s regions from the upland coves of the Appalachian Mountains to the salty offshore waters of the Atlantic Ocean and feature more than 250 different animal species, including 12 that are endangered or threatened. The private, non-profit museum is one of only 10 institutions in the country that is accredited by both the American Alliance of Museums and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Enjoy dinner as you explore this “living” museum!

Historic Endview in Newport News, VA

Day 3 in Newport News, Virginia

Check out of the Newport News Marriott at City Center after having a bite to eat in nearby Cure coffee shop, known for its craft coffee and made-from-scratch baked goods. Now it’s time to tour The Mariners’ Museum and Park, along with the USS Monitor Center!

The Mariners’ Museum was founded in 1930 by Archer Milton Huntington (son of Collis P. Huntington). Archer and his wife, Anna, acquired 800 acres and constructed a natural park and dam to create Mariners’ Lake. Anna, a sculpture, placed several of her pieces throughout the park – the most notable is Lions Bridge. The Mariners’ Museum is one of the largest and most prestigious maritime museums in the world, with more than 35,000 maritime artifacts, including ship models and historic paintings. A must-see while inside are the miniature ships of August F. Crabtree. The detail found in these miniature ships is amazing. The Mariners’ Museum, designated by Congress as America’s National Maritime Museum, includes the USS Monitor Center. This wing is home to the Civil War Ironclad’s iconic gun turret, its steam engine and its cannon. It is the primary repository of Monitor artifacts and documents. The USS Monitor Center also has a major interactive exhibition, called Ironclad Revolution, which tells the story of the Civil War Battle of Hampton Roads, in which the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia squared off. Visitors can walk on a full-scale replica of the Monitor, experience the drama of the Battle of Hampton Roads in a high-definition theater and observe the intricate hands-on conservation taking place in one of the largest state-of-the-art conservation facilities on the East Coast.

12 Noon – Depart for a safe trip home with the knowledge that Newport News Tourism will walk you through all the steps of planning and booking a successful trip to our city! We’ll provide marketing materials, coordinate guest speakers, assist in tour itineraries, provide welcome bags, plus more.