Virginia is a state synonymous with American history – some of the oldest our young country has. It’s home to revolutionary generals and great leaders who shaped the United States; none more so than George Washington whose estate, Mount Vernon sits atop the rolling hills overlooking the Potomac River with spectacular views of Washington, D.C. and the surrounding area. The history of Virginia not only runs deep figuratively but also literally with caves like those at Shenandoah with underground rivers carving stone splendor into the land of Virginia itself. Back on the surface, the many roads connecting the state and all its history together, the ones that once carried soldiers on the way towards independence are now ready to take you on your next great family vacation.

Why Renting an RV in Virginia Is the Way to Go

General Washington may have trekked across Virginia by horseback, but today you can make the trip much faster behind the wheel of your very own RV rental. Across the state, there are natural destinations and historic landmarks begging to be explored. You can choose just one of Virginia’s many incredible parks and stay in comfort for an entire vacation, or you can make your own itinerary of monuments and caves to explore – knowing that your home is wherever the road takes you. With ample electric campsites and comfortable RV resorts statewide, there’s no better way to see Virginia than by recreational vehicle.

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10 Historic Places to See in Virginia in Your Rental RV

Everywhere you go in Virginia, there’s rich history to be found. Whether you prefer to walk in the footsteps of George Washington and the Continental Army or explore natural wonders that have drawn people for countless millennia, there’s no shortage of incredible sights to see by RV in Virginia.

1. Great Falls Park

Located along the George Washington Parkway along the Virginia and Maryland border, Great Falls Park offers incredible views of the Potomac River as it rushes over steep falls and sharp rocks into Mather Gorge. Great Falls Park is aptly named as it is a great place to fish, hike, boat, rock climb, and, in the winter months, enjoy some great downhill skiing. The whitewater rapids at Great Falls make for some challenging, world-class boating with kayaks and canoes. Those who prefer a milder time on the land can enjoy excellent birdwatching to spot all manner of waterfowl, including the kingfishers hoping to snag a catch of their own.

Great Falls Park is for daytime use only – offering no camping facilities. However, it’s located just 15 miles outside of Washington, D.C. and close to several RV-friendly campgrounds in Virginia. The park recommends Catocin Mountain Park, Pohick Bay, and Bull Run Regional Park for nearby RV camping. If you’re making Great Falls Park one stop on a broader RV trip through Virginia, Shenandoah National Park is just two hours away, making this a great day stop on the way.

RVs near Great Falls Park

2. Mount Vernon

High atop the Potomac River, George Washington’s Mount Vernon is an immaculately preserved historic destination that’s not to be missed on any RV trip to Virginia. The estate offers free parking, so you can easily make a day’s stop for a tour. The home also boasts expansive grounds, which include original gardens, George Washington’s burial site, and interpreters who make history come alive. Alternately, you can drive the RV into D.C. or historic Alexandria, Virginia to take a three-hour round-trip boat ride to Mount Vernon, which includes admission tickets and a narrated tour of the waterway between D.C., Virginia, and Maryland.

At the estate itself, you can tour Washington’s home, but the fun doesn’t stop there. The on-site museum offers fantastically realized looks at the storied history of the estate – exploring the life and times of the Washington family. Of special note is the exhibit documenting the lives of the enslaved peoples who spent their lives at Mount Vernon. Bring your own meals to picnic on the estate’s beautiful grounds or stop for a bite to eat in the food court.

RVs near Mount Vernon

3. Shenandoah Caverns

Few natural rock formations in the world conjure up images of breakfast than the Shenandoah Caverns and their famous “bacon formations.”. Over millions of years, underground waterflows carved the sprawling caves and deposited minerals along the way, which have formed breathtaking formations that give the impression of walking through a gothic cathedral covered in dripping candles. Some areas are lit up with amazing colored lights, offering a memorable look at places like the aptly named underground Rainbow Lake.

The tours at Shenandoah Caverns are guided and about one hour in length. While wheelchairs and other accessibility devices can see about 80 percent of the caves, the tour requires walking on crushed gravel trails and is, therefore, not fully accessible. As part of the broader Shenandoah Valley area, there’s plenty more to do in the area, including the Virginia Museum of the Civil War. Stay at the nearby Shenandoah Valley Campground with pull-through and back-in RV spaces located just a quarter mile away from the caverns.

RVs near Shenandoah Caverns

4. Chincoteague Island

On an island just off Virginia’s Eastern Shore, wild ponies run free. Touted as Virginia’s only true resort island, Chincoteague is a quaint and peaceful escape from traffic and city skylines. Though the island is only seven miles long and three miles wide, it hosts enough fun for a full vacation with bike rentals, boating excursions and cruises, and fruitful crabbing and clamming. Each July, the island hosts “Pony Week,” culminating in an incredible pony swim that sees the wild ponies, being ranched in, making the trek across a saltwater bay. Come out during Pony Week for festivals and family fun with events all day to enjoy.

Camping on Chincoteague Island is definitely the way to go. The Chincoteague Island KOA has plenty of reservable RV sites and offers an on-site grocer and RV supply shop. It also conveniently located near Assateague Beach. Tom’s Cove Campground is perfect for the fishing crowd with three piers, a boat ramp and marina, and a great clubhouse with video games and a huge pool for the family to enjoy.

RVs near Chincoteague Island

5. Shenandoah National Park

Nestled in among the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah National Park is an amazing slice of nature a little more than an hour away from Washington, D.C. The park boasts more than 200,000 acres of protected land where deer, black bear, and humans alike enjoy the wooded glens, rivers and waterfalls, and sprawling fields of wildflowers. Shenandoah is a true hiker’s paradise with more than 500 miles of trails that lead to breathtaking vistas of the mountains and valleys in the area. Of those trails, more than100 miles are part of the fabled Appalachian Trail. Watch out for rattlesnakes and poison ivy and be sure to bring plenty of drinking water!

There are five campgrounds located within Shenandoah National Park and many RV-friendly sites available. Depending on the time of year, there are different mixes of reservation-only and first-come, first-served campsites available. And with all that land, there is tons of backcountry camping available with a permit if you’d like to get away from the RV for a night of sleeping under the stars. Learn more about Shenandoah National Park.

RVs near Shenandoah National Park

6. Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

The National Wildlife Refuge on Chincoteague was established by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 1943. With more than 14,000 acres of beach, marshland, dunes, and forest, it’s home to waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, songbirds, and no less than 150 of Chincoteague Island’s famous wild ponies, which use the land to graze. No RV trip to Chincoteague Island is complete without a day—or a few! —taking in the rugged beauty of nature at the wildlife refuge. Visitors can expect hiking with plenty of opportunities to spot the island’s wildlife, plus good fishing and educational programs that take a deep dive into how rangers in the area work to preserve the complex geography and its inhabitants.

With its location right on Chincoteague Island, you can plan to camp at any of the island’s grounds listed above. While staying on the island, visit the wildlife refuge to see the storied Assateague Lighthouse and also enjoy some of the best stretches of Atlantic beachfront anywhere on the Eastern Seaboard.

RVs near Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge

7. George Washington Birthplace National Monument

Founded in honor of George Washington’s 200^th birthday, the George Washington Birthplace National Monument is a testament to the Washington family and the land that shaped our first president as a young boy. John Washington was the first of the family in the colonies, and in the decades following his 1657 arrival he built a vast plantation in an area that had longed served as a home for native peoples. Centuries later, John D. Rockefeller purchased the land in trust to establish it as a National Monument.

Today, visitors enjoy the land itself, with access to the Potomac River Beach area and all the fantastic fishing it offers. Come for a day’s visit to see the monument and enjoy a nice picnic lunch. While there, make sure to check out the Monument’s self-guided nature tours, which offer glimpses of the many species of bird that call the area home, tour the Washington family’s burial grounds, and when you’re all done for the day, check in at Harbor View RV & Camping Resort in nearby Colonial Beach, Virginia. Learn more about George Washington Birthplace National Monument.

RVs near George Washington Birthplace Monument

8. Virginia’s Natural Bridge Park

The natural bridge that gives Virginia’s Natural Bridge Park its name is a limestone gorge bridging Cedar Creek. Over time, the creek carved its way into the limestone cliffside, and the result is a bridge of stone standing 215 feet in the air above. Your visit to Natural Bridge starts at the visitor center beneath the bridge itself and takes you seven miles downstream to Lace Falls, a 30-foot waterfall, and the Monacan Indian Village. There, historic interpreters offer a hands-on look at Native American culture—though the village is only open seasonally.

Natural Bridge was named a Virginia State park only in 2016, and as such offers a new and exciting destination for visitors. That said, there’s no on-site camping available. Fortunately, Natural Bridge is located only 30 minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway and is close to many other destinations, including places that offer some great RV camping. Check out Cave Mountain Lake Recreation Area for more outdoor fun, or for a trip full of quaint Americana, check out nearby Roanoke or Lexington.

RVs near Virginia's Natural Bridge Park

9. Manassas National Battlefield Park

In Summer 1861, the Confederate Army won its first major victory against the Union at Manassas near Bull Run. That early victory made it clear to the nation that the Civil War wouldn’t be a quick spar, and it was just over a year later in August 1862 when the Confederates won their second victory at Bull Run. Today, Manassas National Battlefield Park is a snapshot of the Civil War and those bloody battles that once rocked this otherwise peaceful countryside. History buffs can come to hike the battlefield with a ranger as a guide or opt for self-guided with the help of interpretive markers along the trails that trace both of the area’s major battlefields.

While at the park, you can also visit the Stone House, which stands today just as it did during the war as a Union aid station. The Henry Hill Visitor Center (named for one of the key strongholds of the first battle) offers museum exhibits, an interactive fiber optic map of the first battle, a bookstore, a film, and interpretive programs as available. With the Brawner Farm Interpretive Center rounding out the offerings at Manassas, this is a can’t-miss destination for any RV trip through Virginia.

RVs near Manassas Battlefield Park

10. Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historic Park

When Stonewall Jackson was tasked with attacking the Shenandoah Valley in October 1864, he famously said, “If this Valley is lost, Virginia is lost.” Fortunately, he led Union troops to a decisive victory over the Confederates at the Battle of Cedar Creek, where today the Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historic Park is located. This historic destination bears witness to epic Civil War battles, but also to the Native Americans who called the area home for countless centuries and the European pioneers who settled here.

Come for the nearly two miles of trails throughout Cedar Creek that take you on the path of the Union Army’s “morning attacks;” stay for the great interpretive programs, educational experiences about geology, settlement, agriculture, and the historic African American experience in the Shenandoah Valley. RV travelers will want to look to nearby Front Royal, Virginia for RV-friendly campgrounds, including North Fork Resort Associates and Front Royal RV Campground.

RVs near Cedar Creek & Belle Grove Park

Campgrounds and RV Parks in Virginia

Wherever your journeys through Virginia take you, you’re never far from a comfortable stay in your rented RV. The state is home to plenty of RV parks and resorts, including:

Americamps RV Resort in Ashland, Virginia. This park offers large, pull-through, paved campsites with electric hookups up to 50-amps, so you know they can accommodate your rented RV – no matter the size. The free waffle breakfasts are just the syrup on top to make your stay complete.

Madison Vines RV Resort & Cottages in Madison, Virginia. Centrally located in the Shenandoah valley, a stay at this camp puts you near to Historic Fredericksburg and Shenandoah National Park. Come for the great location and stay for the many wineries dotting the Blue Ridge Mountains.

North Landing Beach RV Resort & Cottages in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Looking for a beach getaway with the family? You can’t beat a stay at North Landing Beach, which puts you in arm’s reach of everything Virginia Beach has to offer. And with their own private beach and mini-golf course on site, you might not even ever leave.

Check out this list of campgrounds in Virginia compiled by Good Sam.

Things to Know About Renting an RV in Virginia

Things to Note About Camping in Virginia

Camping in Virginia is extremely accessible, even for the RV crowd. Nearly 30 of Virginia’s state parks offer developed campsites – many of them with electric, water, and even sewage hookups. If you want to make sure a given campsite has your preferred hookups, just reach out to the park ahead of time. There are also several other large camping areas, including Shenandoah National Park, the Cumberland Gap area, Prince William Forest Park, the Washington and Jefferson National Forests, and several stops along the state’s segment of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Just keep in mind that no one has yet to write stories about the Continental Army’s comfortable winters in Virginia. The state gets downright frigid in the winter months; however, as with most large parks operating at their fullest during the warmer months, Virginia makes for a great destination from the early Spring into Fall.

Dry Camping or Boondocking in Virginia

Boondocking, also known as dry camping or dispersed camping, refers to setting up camp outside of developed campgrounds. It’s a great way to get some free space to park your RV after a long day exploring Virginia, but it also means going without common conveniences like restroom facilities or RV hookups. In Virginia, the RV community has the best luck looking to federally managed land, which often allows and encourages boondocking away from high-traffic areas. The National Park Service, US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and US Army Corps of Engineers all manage land in Virginia, so check out their reserves and parks in the state. If all else fails, the Bureau of Land Management lands are always free to camp on, so look at Meadowood in Woodbridge if it’s on your route.