Driving The Yorktown Battlefield Tour

First Weekend of Spring

You couldn't ask for better weather.  It was a beautiful sunny day in the 70s.  It seemed a shame to spend the day indoors.  As we had gone to Busch Gardens the week before we wanted to do something different.

Familiarity Breeds Contempt

The old saying is trite but true.  Tourists from all around the world visit our area for the historical sites and  I've never been to most of these places.  Guess I've had other things to do.  We rarely value the things that are right before our eyes on a daily basis.  I've found this to be true concerning everything in life.  It's only later,when thinking back, that we realize what we missed.  Sad part of life.

So in keeping with that thought, we decided to drive the Battlefield Tour at Yorktown.  I've been on parts of it over the years, but never driven the whole thing.

We started off at the Moore House.  It's located right next to the Coast Guard Station and I've driven past it a hundred times.  Most times of the year there are loads of deer around it.  This is national park service land and there is no hunting allowed.  So the deer are not afraid at all.  They are quite brazen about it and sometimes even pushy!  Many times I've had to stop to let the deer cross the road.

This is the site where the Articles of Capitulation were negotiated and drafted following the  Battle of Yorktown in 1781.

After we left the Moore House we started on the Tour road.  The first stop we made was at Surrender Field.  You have a nice view of the field and there is an audio presentation about the site.  There is also a display of captured cannons.

Surrender Field Platform

Surrender Field

Cannons

We then headed out towards Washington's Headquarters.  There was a small stream we had to drive through.  I made hubby stop in the middle so I could snap some photos.  We stopped just long enough to sink a bit.  Didn't get stuck for real but it was exciting for just a second!

 

As we drove around we passed several people on bikes.  So we were thinking that maybe we'll haul our bikes out here and give it a go sometime.  Plus it would make it easier to take photos.

We wanted to check out the French Encampment next.  Funny thing is, no one else was going that way.  Up till now we have seen quite a few people.  Guess this warm day after such a miserable winter was too much for people to pass up.  Anyway we drove so far on this stretch of the road I thought we were going to end up in Williamsburg. I have since checked it out and the whole tour is 15 miles.  We will definitely not be doing this by bike!  There is an inner look that's 5 miles which I might be able to handle.

This part of the tour takes you past many French encampment sites which are now just beautiful fields.  At the end of it you are back at Yorktown.

It was a very pleasant way to spend a springtime afternoon.