Colonial Parkway
Colonial Parkway is a National Parkway in Virginia. Within Virginia it covers roughly 23 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Colonial Parkway with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
The Colonial Parkway is a 23-mile National Park Service road linking the three points of Virginia's Historic Triangle — Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement; Colonial Williamsburg; and Yorktown, where the Revolution effectively ended. Its unpaved-looking aggregate surface and tree-lined route were designed to evoke the colonial era and keep modern development out of view. It runs along the James and York rivers.
- Jamestown
- Colonial Williamsburg
- Yorktown battlefield
- James & York rivers
- Historic Triangle
Designated for its natural and historic qualities
Plan a drive on Colonial Parkway → Drive this route in Road SortiesTurn-by-turn on iPhone · App Store
Places to stop along Colonial Parkway
Historic Jamestowne
The site of the 1607 fort, the first permanent English settlement in North America, where archaeologists are still uncovering it.
WebsiteJamestown Glasshouse
Ruins of a 1608 glass furnace beside a working reconstruction where glassblowers demonstrate the colonists' craft.
Jamestown Settlement
A living-history museum with replicas of the 1607 ships, the fort, and a Powhatan village.
WebsiteColonial Williamsburg
Virginia's restored 18th-century capital, with costumed tradespeople, taverns, and the Governor's Palace; the parkway tunnels beneath it.
WebsiteYorktown Battlefield
Where Cornwallis surrendered in 1781, effectively ending the Revolutionary War, with siege lines, redoubts, and a battlefield drive.
Website
Where to Stay along Colonial Parkway
2 campgrounds and RV parks sit within about 5 miles of Colonial Parkway.
Campsite and lodging links are affiliate links — booking through them may earn Road Sorties a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Recreation.gov links are not affiliate links.
Photos of Colonial Parkway
What is a National Parkway?
National Parkways are scenic roads managed by the National Park Service and protected as parkland along their length. They're built for an unhurried recreational drive, not for getting anywhere fast.