Park Hours (Today)
5:00AM - 11:59PM
Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center: 9:30AM - 4:30PM
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About the Park
Fort Monroe's story spans from prehistory to the 2000s. Kecoughtan Indians occupied Old Point Comfort before the arrival of English colonists. The first enslaved Africans arrived in 1619. Those escaping slavery sought their freedom at the fort during the Civil War. The fort remained bastion of national defense until 2011, when it became a national park.
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What to See & Do
Commemorate the First African Landing
Come together at Fort Monroe each August to commemorate the landing of the first enslaved Africans in Virginia. Their historic arrival still has a profound impact on the United States and its people.
Discover Fort Monroe's African American Heritage
Immerse yourself in over four hundred years of African American history. That story begins in 1619 with the arrival of the first enslaved Africans at Old Point Comfort. It continued through the age of slavery and abolition, and into the 2000s.
Join a Guided Tour of Fort Monroe
National Park Service and the Fort Monroe Authority offer guided walking tours year-round. Tours may answer questions about different aspects of Fort Monroe's history. What peoples came to this area and what were their legacies? Who built the fort, why, and how?
Be a Fort Monroe Junior Ranger
The Junior Ranger program helps kids explore, learn about, and protect Fort Monroe National Monument. Anyone can become a Junior Ranger by completing activities during a visit to the park.
Start at the Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center
Start at the Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center Pick up a park brochure, ticket for the Casemate Museum, and a self-guiding walking tour. Stamp your Passport to Your National Parks. Kids can get their Junior Ranger activity book. Plan your visit with the information desk staff. See exhibits to learn about the fortification and history of the monument. View the 15-minute film that highlights over 400 years of history.
See Exhibits at the Casemate Museum
Exhibits at the Casemate Museum chronicle the military history of Fort Monroe. Get your free museum ticket Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center. The Casemate Museum is within the stone fort. Information desk staff will give direction when you get your ticket.
Visitor Centers
Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center
Start your visit at Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center. Get oriented, see exhibits, and pick up visitor guides. Find national park passport cancellation stamps. Kids can ask for Junior Ranger Activity Books, and dog owners for BARK Ranger programs. The building has public restrooms and a water filling station. Admission is free. Park in the rear.
Casemate Museum
Located within the fort walls, the museum highlights a topical history of Point Comfort and Fort Monroe. The museum showcases the unique purposes of the casemates through time and the important role Fort Monroe played during the Civil War through the 21st century. Learn about the importance of tourism and hospitality during the turn of the 20th century, the importance of Fort Monroe as school starting per-Civil War, and other interesting uses of the casemates over time.
Where to Stay
The Colonies RV Travel Park & Country Store
The Colonies RV & Travel Park is at historic and scenic Fort Monroe National Monument. The Colonies offers RV and tent camping sites. The country store sells gifts, beach necessities, and RV supplies. The campground has picnic tables and pavilion rentals. Colonies rents pits and charcoal grills for use in the campground. The clubhouse has television and a full kitchen. The bath house has restrooms and showers. There is a 24-hour laundry.
Getting Here & Transit
How to Get Here
Take exit 268 from Interstate 64 (I-64) in Hampton, Virginia toward Fort Monroe. Turn left from the exit ramp onto South Mallory Street. Turn right at the second light onto East Mellen Street. Cross the bridge and turn left at the light onto Ingalls Road. The Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center is on the left after about two-thirds of a mile. Park on Ingalls Road or in the lot behind the building.
Park Amenities
Operating Hours
Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe National Monument is open year-round for outdoor activities like walking and exploring the historic grounds. Residents occupy many of the buildings. Respect their privacy by not peering into windows or opening gates.
- Monday5:00AM - 11:59PM
- Tuesday5:00AM - 11:59PM
- Wednesday5:00AM - 11:59PM
- Thursday5:00AM - 11:59PM
- Friday5:00AM - 11:59PM
- Saturday5:00AM - 11:59PM
- Sunday5:00AM - 11:59PM
Photos
Fort Monroe in foreground with USS Kearsarge in background.
sun setting over the moat of Fort Monroe
sunrise over the Parade Ground illuminates Algernourne Oak.
an Osprey dries its wings perched on a live oak.
When to Go
Crowd CalendarPlan your trip around peak seasons to avoid crowds or embrace the energy of the busy months. Our crowd predictions are based on historical NPS Visitor Use Statistics.
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Best Time
May-September
Trip Length
1 day
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Planning Fort Monroe National Monument
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