Newport News, VA Things to Do and Attractions
Designated by Congress as America's National Maritime Museum, The Mariners' Museum/USS Monitor Center tells the history of the ocean and its relationship with mankind. The museum houses the country's premier Civil War attraction, a full-scale iron
Designated by Congress as America's National Maritime Museum, The Mariners' Museum/USS Monitor Center tells the history of the ocean and its relationship with mankind. The museum houses the country's premier Civil War attraction, a full-scale iron replica of the USS Monitor, as well as 60,000 square feet of gallery space housing 35,000 maritime artifacts from around the world. Exhibits depict 15th- through 18th-century exploration, the Chesapeake Bay, miniature ships by August F. Crabtree, Navy exhibits and the International Small Craft Center, to name just a few. Visitors can sit in an aircraft carrier-ready room, examine Titanic artifacts and walk on the deck of the USS Monitor, plus more! The museum sits next to a picturesque 167-acre lake and five-mile shoreline with 14 bridges.
The Mariners' Museum/USS Monitor Center is open Monday and Wednesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from noon to 5 PM. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for students 13 & up, and $7 for children ages 6 to 12. Children under 6 receive free admission. Group rates are available. The museum welcomes private events for up to 1,000 guests in its indoor and outdoor spaces, including its elegant lobby, USS Monitor Center and outdoor courtyards.
Combining a native wildlife park, science museum, aquarium, botanical preserve and planetarium, the Virginia Living Museum is home to living exhibits that depict the state's natural heritage from the mountains to the sea, with more than 250 animal
Combining a native wildlife park, science museum, aquarium, botanical preserve and planetarium, the Virginia Living Museum is home to living exhibits that depict the state's natural heritage from the mountains to the sea, with more than 250 animal species. Visitors can view red wolves, loggerhead turtles and moon jellies, as well as touch (should they want to) live spider crabs and fossilized dinosaur tracks, walk through a cypress swamp and explore the Chesapeake Bay. The museum is home to a coastal plain aviary and an elevated boardwalk that spans Deer Park Lake through the woods and wetlands, allowing visitors to view bald eagles, river otters, bobcats and other animals up close and personal. The museum's living green house and conservation garden are one of the first in the U.S.
The Virginia Living Museum's summer hours are from 9 AM to 5 PM daily, while its winter hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from noon to 5 PM. Museum admission is $17 for adults and $13 for children ages 3 to 12, while admission to both the museum and planetarium is $21 for adults and $17 for children. Children under age 3 receive free admission. The museum welcomes private events for up to 500 guests in its indoor exhibit areas, rooftop patio, outdoor deck overlooking Deer Park Lake, conservation garden with amphitheater, classrooms and conference room.
Completed in 1859, Lee Hall Mansion is one of the last remaining antebellum homes on the Virginia Peninsula. The mansion served as the home of the affluent planter Richard Decauter Lee and his family and was used as the headquarters for Confederate
Completed in 1859, Lee Hall Mansion is one of the last remaining antebellum homes on the Virginia Peninsula. The mansion served as the home of the affluent planter Richard Decauter Lee and his family and was used as the headquarters for Confederate generals John B. Magruder and Joseph E. Johnston during the 1862 Peninsula Campaign. Guided tours of the restored home allow visitors to step back into the mid-Victorian period and view period artifacts and furnishings. Lee Hall Mansion’s summer hours areMonday, Thursday and Friday from 10 AM to 4 PM, Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from noon to 5 PM. Closed Monday through Wednesday from Jan-Mar. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 7 to 18. Children under age 7 receive free admission. Group tours are available, and private events may be held on the mansion’s grounds.
Regarded as a premier cultural beacon in the Hampton Roads region, Christopher Newport University's Ferguson Center for the Arts offers a broad range of performances, ranging from dance and song to comedy and theater. The 300,000-square-foot
Regarded as a premier cultural beacon in the Hampton Roads region, Christopher Newport University's Ferguson Center for the Arts offers a broad range of performances, ranging from dance and song to comedy and theater. The 300,000-square-foot facility, known for its striking open design and multi-faceted layout, is home to a 1,700-seat Concert Hall, 500-seat Music & Theatre Hall and 257-seat Studio Theatre. The Ferguson Center for the Arts is open for private event rentals.
The city-owned Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center is committed to providing cultural arts experiences for the entire family. The 52,000-square-foot center houses the 276-seat Ella Fitzgerald Theater, as well as a dance studio, gallery space, banquet
The city-owned Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center is committed to providing cultural arts experiences for the entire family. The 52,000-square-foot center houses the 276-seat Ella Fitzgerald Theater, as well as a dance studio, gallery space, banquet room, multi-purpose room and meeting rooms. Rentals are available in the theater, 1,298-square-foot multi-purpose room, 3,040-square-foot banquet room and 400-square-foot boardroom.
Named in honor of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., the award-winning Schlesinger's Chop House serves prime steaks, chops and seafood in an elegant, yet comfortable atmosphere. Entree options include South African rock lobster
Named in honor of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., the award-winning Schlesinger's Chop House serves prime steaks, chops and seafood in an elegant, yet comfortable atmosphere. Entree options include South African rock lobster tails, Chesapeake Bay crab cakes and grilled Australian lamb chops with wilted fresh spinach and black cherry and aged balsamic conserve. Schlesinger's Chop House is open for lunch Monday through Saturday from 11 AM to 2:30 PM and dinner from Sunday through Thursday from 4:30 to 9 PM and Friday and Saturday from 4:30 to 10 PM, as well as Sunday brunch from 11 AM to 2:30 PM. Entrees range from $20 to $58. Private dining is available.
FIN Seafood utilizes the finest local ingredients, as well as organic and sustainable ingredients whenever possible in its extensive menu of contemporary fare. Entree selections include local blackened swordfish with organic black beans and rice,
FIN Seafood utilizes the finest local ingredients, as well as organic and sustainable ingredients whenever possible in its extensive menu of contemporary fare. Entree selections include local blackened swordfish with organic black beans and rice, tomato cilantro broth, smoked tomatillo cucumber and grilled pineapple salsa and coconut froth, seared scallops with creamy risotto, organic Brussels sprouts, house bacon, organic mushrooms and truffle demi glaze, and local maple syrup glazed duck breast with organic barley tarragon risotto, duck fat-roasted Brussels sprouts, golden raisins and organic baby beets. Guests can dine al fresco on FIN's patio with glowing lanterns, teak furniture and awnings. FIN Seafood serves lunch and dinner daily from 11 AM to 10 PM. Entrees range from $26 to $36. Private dining for up to 40 people is available in the restaurant's Portside Room, which features a private bar.
Perched on the James River next to one of the longest fishing piers on the East Coast, Crab Shack Seafood Restaurant is a casual indoor/outdoor restaurant specializing in fresh seafood. The restaurant offers a full raw bar, as well as such entrees as
Perched on the James River next to one of the longest fishing piers on the East Coast, Crab Shack Seafood Restaurant is a casual indoor/outdoor restaurant specializing in fresh seafood. The restaurant offers a full raw bar, as well as such entrees as homemade crab cakes, flounder stuffed with crabmeat and a seafood platter with a crab-stuffed mushroom cap, clams casino, broiled fish, crab imperial and shrimp. Crab Shack Seafood Restaurant is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 AM to 11:30 PM and Friday and Saturday from 11 to 12:30 AM. Entrees range from $17 to $21. Private dining is available.
Serving French-inspired cuisine, 99 Main is a 75-seat restaurant nestled in the historic neighborhood of Hilton Village. The comfortable, traditionally decorated eatery serves such entrees as grilled marinated quail with pine nuts and herb butter,
Serving French-inspired cuisine, 99 Main is a 75-seat restaurant nestled in the historic neighborhood of Hilton Village. The comfortable, traditionally decorated eatery serves such entrees as grilled marinated quail with pine nuts and herb butter, pan fried trout with pecan meuniere and grilled ribeye with spring onion soubise and pickled mushrooms. 99 Main is open for dinner Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 9:30 PM and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10:30 PM. Entrees range from $18 to $32. Private dining is available.
Specializing in contemporary variations of classic French cuisine, Pearl French Bistro is located in City Center at Oyster Point. The relaxing neighborhood bistro serves such entrees as free-range chicken breast with chocolate sauce and pearl
Specializing in contemporary variations of classic French cuisine, Pearl French Bistro is located in City Center at Oyster Point. The relaxing neighborhood bistro serves such entrees as free-range chicken breast with chocolate sauce and pearl couscous, herb-crusted rack of lamb with barley, mashed potatoes, mushrooms and black peppercorn, and pan seared salmon with sausage and lentils. Pearl French Bistro serves dinner Monday through Saturday from 5:30 to 9:30 PM. Entrees range from $18 to $34. Private dining is available.
The Virginia War Museum traces the development of the U.S. military from 1775 through the present, showcasing personal artifacts, weapons, vehicles, uniforms and an outstanding collection of propaganda posters. Exhibits highlight women at war,
The Virginia War Museum traces the development of the U.S. military from 1775 through the present, showcasing personal artifacts, weapons, vehicles, uniforms and an outstanding collection of propaganda posters. Exhibits highlight women at war, prisoners of war and the evolution of weaponry, among other topics, while items exhibited include a portion of the Berlin Wall and a portion of the outer wall from Dachau Concentration Camp. The Virginia War Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from noon to 5 PM. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 7 to 18. Children under age 7 receive free admission. Group tours are available.
Built in 1769, Endview Plantation is a beautiful Georgian-style home that has been restored to its 1862 appearance. The home has been touched by each of the three wars fought on American soil. During the Revolutionary War, 3,000 Virginia militia
Built in 1769, Endview Plantation is a beautiful Georgian-style home that has been restored to its 1862 appearance. The home has been touched by each of the three wars fought on American soil. During the Revolutionary War, 3,000 Virginia militia members used Endview as a campground. Military use again came during the War of 1812 and the American Civil War. During the Civil War, Endview was the home of a physician and served briefly as a Confederate hospital during the Peninsula Campaign. Once the Southern army withdrew, the Union army occupied Endview and also used the building as a hospital. Endview Plantation is open Monday, Thursday and Friday from 10 AM to 4 PM, Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from noon to 5 PM. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 7 to 18. Children under age 7 receive free admission. Group tours are available.
Showcasing diverse artworks and dynamic changing exhibitions, the Peninsula Fine Arts Center works to create a strong community through art. The center is home to a variety of educational programs, a year-round studio art school and children's
Showcasing diverse artworks and dynamic changing exhibitions, the Peninsula Fine Arts Center works to create a strong community through art. The center is home to a variety of educational programs, a year-round studio art school and children's interactive gallery. The Peninsula Fine Arts Center is open Tuesday from 10 AM to 8 PM, Wednesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from 1 to 5 PM. Week-long admission is $7.50 for adults and $4 for children ages 6 to 12. Children under age 6 receive free admission. Group rates are available. Private rental opportunities are available.
Spanning more than 8,000 acres, Newport News Park is the second largest municipal park in the U.S. The park is home to 30 miles of hiking and biking trails, picnic shelters, playgrounds, paddleboats, canoes, a competitive archery range, 18-hole
Spanning more than 8,000 acres, Newport News Park is the second largest municipal park in the U.S. The park is home to 30 miles of hiking and biking trails, picnic shelters, playgrounds, paddleboats, canoes, a competitive archery range, 18-hole championship disc golf course, 30-acre aero model flying field, arboretum and Japanese Peace Garden, as well as two golf courses, driving range and pro shop. The park's Discovery Center welcomes children to participate in hands-on activities, as well as view historical artifacts and nature displays. Year-round campgrounds are available. The park is open daily from dawn to dusk.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the James A. Fields House holds a special place with the African-American community in Newport News. The house served as the home of James A. Fields, who was born a slave and found refuge during the
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the James A. Fields House holds a special place with the African-American community in Newport News. The house served as the home of James A. Fields, who was born a slave and found refuge during the Civil War before serving as the first black sheriff for Warwick County, an attorney and a member of the Virginia General Assembly. In 1908, a team of four doctors purchased the home and pioneered the first black hospital in Newport News. The James A. Fields House is open by appointment only Tuesday through Saturday. Donations are accepted.
