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Tourism Attractions

The following is a list of attractions and outdoor recreational opportunities in Dinwiddie County. Please note that all information contained here is subject to change, and it is highly recommended that you contact any of the attractions listed here before visiting to confirm hours of operation and admission fees.


Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail

Our nation's free public education system was born here in Southside Virginia. It was along the sleepy back roads of a few rural counties including Dinwiddie that African-Americans, Native Americans and women earned the right to an education that was equal to that of white males. A self-guided driving tour highlights 41 of these historically significant sites and tells the poignant and often explosive story of civil rights in American education. Nine of the 41 sites are located in Chesterfield County, Petersburg and Dinwiddie County. Because the trail is not linear or chronological, it can be started and ended at any point. Once you begin, follow the Civil Rights in Education Trail blazing signs from one stop to the next. A Virginia State Map could be helpful if you want to skip a stop or should you get lost. Pick one up at any Virginia Welcome Center or call 1-804-786-2801 to receive one by mail. To fully experience the tour, allowing time to enter buildings that are publicly accessible, it will take approximately two full days. A free brochure and map are available online at www.varetreat.com or by calling 1-800-6-RETREAT.

Free.

Dinwiddie County Court House & Historical Society

Junction of U.S. Route 1 and Route 619, Dinwiddie, VA 23841

804-469-5346

www.dinwiddiehistoricalsociety.org

Built in 1851, the Dinwiddie County Courthouse was the headquarters of Union General Philip H. Sheridan during the Battle of Dinwiddie and the Battle of Five Forks. The Union's victory at Five Forks led to the capture of Lee's last railroad supply line into Petersburg and the eventual fall of the city. The adjacent Calvary Episcopal Church was used as a hospital by the First Maine Cavalry. Markers commemorate battles fought in the County and ten unknown Union soldiers buried in the churchyard. The Courthouse was active through 1998 and is now home to the Dinwiddie County Historical Society and serves as a museum.

Open for tours Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Lake Chesdin Marinas & Boat Launches

Lee’s Retreat Civil War Driving Tour

The trail is comprised of 26 stops from Petersburg to Appomattox Court House National Historical Park with detailed audio and visual interpretation at each site. The self-guided driving tour allows you to enjoy the trail at your own pace. It is suggested you start the trail in Petersburg at South Side Railroad Station to experience the trail in chronological order. However, many people enjoy following it backwards from Appomattox or hopping on or off at different points. Once you begin, follow the Lee's Retreat trail blazing signs from one stop to the next. A Lee's Retreat brochure and a Virginia State Map could be helpful if you want to skip a stop or should you get lost. Pick them up at any Virginia Welcome Center or call 1-800-6-RETREAT to receive them by mail. A downloadable map is also available at www.varetreat.com. To fully experience the tour, allowing time to enter buildings that are publicly accessible, it will take approximately two full days.

Free.

Lucky Lake Mining Gem and Mineral Mine of Virginia

4125 Harpers Road
McKenney, VA

804-478-5468

www.luckylakeva.com

Something for everyone - from the amateur to the advanced rock collector. We'll help you'll find treasures to last a lifetime! Partially covered handicapped accessible flume and screening material provided. Wear old clothes that can get wet and dirty. Have stones graded and cut by our professional gemologist and stonecutter. Picnic area and gift shop with gemstones, rocks, minerals and jewelry from around the world.

Free admission

Buckets ranging from $10 to $100.

Group discounts available.

Call for hours.

Pamplin Historical Park & The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier

6125 Boydton Plank Road
Petersburg, (Dinwiddie County) VA, 23803

1-877-PAMPLIN

www.pamplinpark.org


The Park's 422-acre campus features four award-winning museums, four historic homes, costumed living history demonstrations, guided tours and the Breakthrough Battlefield of April 2, 1865. The Park's facilities and programs appeal to casual visitors, serious students of Civil War-era history and families alike. Pamplin Historical Park has received accolades from a wide range of national and regional media and has been rated by AAA Automotive Club as a Gem attraction.

Admission fee charged

Gift shop on site

Open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily except Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1. Expanded hours in the summer. Allow a minimum of four hours to visit.

Petersburg National Battlefield

Five Forks Unit
16302 White Oak Road
Church Road, VA 23833

804-265-8244

By the spring of 1865, the last remaining supply line into Petersburg was the South Side Railroad. On March 29, 1865, Grant sent his forces on a westward movement to cut this major artery, knowing that it would cause Lee to abandon Petersburg and Richmond. Countering this move, Lee sent 10,000 troops under Major General George E. Pickett to an important road junction called Five Forks, which protected the railroad. On April 1, 22,000 Union troops under Major General Philip H. Sheridan attacked and defeated Pickett's force at Five Forks. The fall of Richmond was assured.

Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1.

Petersburg Area Regional Tourism Organization

P.O. Box 1776
Petersburg, VA 23805

1-877-730-7278

http://www.petersburgarea.org/

Here just south of Richmond along the historic James and Appomattox rivers, America was born, the final major campaign of the Civil War was fought, and the successful fight for civil rights was waged. Icons of American history left footprints here: Pocahontas, Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

But while most visitors come to learn about America's past, many have also discovered the region's outstanding arts scene, superb entertainment, outdoor recreation, eclectic shopping, antiques, dining and accommodations. Come see for yourself why many consider the Petersburg Region to be the best part of Virginia.

Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1.

Reedy Creek Hounds

McKenney (western Dinwiddie County)

A recognized pack of hounds by the Master of Fox Hounds Association of America. Conducts fox hunts for experienced riders twice weekly from August to April.

Photo by Jody Ciliberto

For information call Reedy Creek Farm at 804-478-5119

 

Sutherland Station/Historic Fork Inn

19621 Namozine Road
Sutherland, VA 23885

(Stop #3 on Lee’s Retreat Driving Tour)

804-265-8141

Confederates fought for the doomed South Side Railroad here on April 2, 1865. The building just beyond the Lee's Retreat wayside is the Historic Fork Inn, a restored 14-room 1803-plantation house. The house served as a Union army hospital and later one of Southern Virginia's first post offices. Furnishings are from the 18th and early 19th centuries. Civil War memorabilia include weapons, personal items, clothing, medical instruments and a Confederate soldier's wooden leg.

Guided tours are offered year-round by appointment.

$5 suggested donation.

Virginia Motorsports Park

8018 Boydton Plank Road (U.S. Rt. 1)
Petersburg, VA 23803

804-862-3174

www.virginiamotorsports.com The park’ s state-of-the-art, 500-acre facility is the home to some of the country's hottest racing action including Drag Racing, Mud Bog, Motocross, Autocross, Truck and Tractor Pulls and a Family ATV Park. The quarter mile Drag Strip is home to a variety of drag racing events featuring dragsters, funny cars, jet cars, street rods, motorcycles and monster trucks. It seats 23,000 spectators and has 60 acres of pit space. The park hosts specialty events such as the Super Chevy Show, Fun Ford Weekend, Nite of Fire & the East Coast Truckin’ Nationals. The Park also features a weekly drag racing program in which racers from all over Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina compete. The Mud Bog is home to some of the dirtiest action in racing. Its two tracks feature over 200 feet of mud slinging challenges. The new Family All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Park offers over 250 acres of riding space, a pavilion, picnic area, snack bar, and showers. There are three trails for all skill levels. Bring your own ATV or rent a machine at the park.

For a schedule of events, facility information and admission prices, call or go to www.virginiamotorsports.com

Wilson-Kautz Raid Civil War Driving Tour

The trail is comprised of 26 stops with detailed interpretation at each site. The self-guided driving tour allows you to enjoy the trail at your own pace. Because the trail is not linear or chronological, it can be started and ended at any point. Once you begin, follow the Virginia Civil War Trails trail blazing signs from one stop to the next. A Lee's Retreat brochure and a Virginia State Map could be helpful if you want to skip a stop or should you get lost. Pick them up at any Virginia Welcome Center or call 1-800-6-RETREAT to receive them by mail. A downloadable map is also available at www.varetreat.com To fully experience the tour, allowing time to enter buildings that are publicly accessible, it will take approximately two full days.

Free.