divisions. A string of
them line scenic Hwy 5
on the north side of the
river. The ones listed here
run from east to west.
Sherwood Forest
(%804-829-5377; http://www.
sherwoodforest.org; 14501
John Tyler Memorial Hwy;
tours by appointment $35 per
person), the longest frame
house in the country,
was the home of 10th US
president John Tyler. The
grounds (and a touching
pet cemetery) are open to
self-guided tours.
Berkeley (%804-829-
6018; http://www.berkeleyplantation.
com; 12602 Harrison LandingRd; adult/child $11/7.50;
h9:30am-4:30pm) was the
site of the first official
Thanksgiving in 1619.
It was the birthplace
and home of Benjamin
Harrison V, a signer
of the Declaration of
Independence, and his
son William Henry
Harrison, ninth US
president.
Shirley (%800-232-1613;
http://www.shirleyplantation.com;
501 Shirley Plantation Rd; adult/
child $11/7.50; h9am-5pm),
situated picturesquely
on the river, is Virginia’s
oldest plantation (1613)
and perhaps the bestexample of how a British-
model plantation actually
appeared, with its tidy
row of brick service and
trade houses (tool barn, ice
house, laundry etc) leading
up to the big house.The Drive »Continue west
on VA-5 for about 31 miles –
you’ll follow this road right
into downtown Richmond.
Alternatively, you may want to
take VA-5 for 27 miles to I-895;
head along that road westbound,
then take I-95 northbound. Take
exit 74A to reach Richmond.5 Richmond
Virginia’s capital is
a handsome town,Start: 5 Richmond
Well, we hit the homes of two Founding Fathers on this trip – why not shoot for a
threesome? So drive to the outskirts of Washington, DC, and the home of George
and Martha Washington: Mt Vernon (%703-780-2000, 800-429-1520; http://www.mountvernon.
org; 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy, Mount Vernon; adult/child $17/8; h8am-5pm Apr-Aug,
9am-4pm Nov-Feb, 9am-5pm all other months).
A visit here is an easy escape from the city – one that the president himself
enjoyed. It’s also a journey through history: the country estate of this quintessential
gentleman has been meticulously restored and affords a glimpse of rural gentility
from a time long gone. On the Potomac banks, the 19-room mansion displays
George and Martha’s colonial tastes, while the outbuildings and slave quarters show
what was needed for the functioning of the estate.
George and Martha are both buried here, as requested by the first president in
his will. The modern Ford Orientation Center, also on the grounds, is a must-see. It
features a 20-minute film that shows Washington’s courage under fire, including his
pivotal crossing of the Delaware River (the do-or-die moment of the Revolutionary
War). Another highlight is the sleek Reynolds Museum and Education Center.
Home to galleries and theaters, it gives more insight into Washington’s life using
interactive displays, short films produced by the cable TV History Channel and three
life-size models of Washington himself. The museum also features period furnishings,
clothing and jewelry (Martha was quite taken with finery) and George’s unusual
dentures.
To visit, take I-95 northbound for 85 miles, then take exit 161 and follow US 1
northbound. Drive for about 9 miles, then follow signs to Mt Vernon.MT VERNON
DETOUR:
VIRGINIA.TRIPS.26
(^) PENINSULA TO THE PIEDMONT