Grand Review Tours

Friday, October 10

The White House of the Confederacy 

Step into history with a guided tour of the White House of the Confederacy, the wartime home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Located in the heart of Richmond, this meticulously restored mansion offers a glimpse into life during the Civil War, with period furnishings, artifacts, and fascinating stories about the Davis family and the Confederacy.

Guide: Staff of the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar 

Walking Level-Light:
Please expect up to 0.5 miles of walking and standing in a museum setting. You will need to ascend and descend steps inside and outside of the historic mansion. 

Richmond's History from the Water: A Canal Cruise

Climb aboard for a cruise along the James River and Kanawha Canal. The boat tours travel along downtown Richmond's Canal Walk and cover centuries of Richmond’s history, from Powhatan’s Chiefdom to the Civil War, to the first commercially successful electric streetcar in the world, all while traveling in authentically styled boats.

Guide: Riverfront Canal Cruises

Walking Level-Light:
Please expect up to 0.5 miles of walking in a city setting. You will experience a narrow gangplank to access the boat, and you will have to step up and down into the craft. Some stairs may also be involved. 

Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery

Discover the beauty and history of Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery on this engaging two-hour trolley tour. Explore the final resting place of notable figures such as Jefferson Davis, Jeb Stuart, James Monroe, and many others. Marvel at stunning Victorian-era monuments, and enjoy breathtaking views of the James River. Perfect for history buffs and scenic explorers alike!

Guide: RVA on Wheels

Walking Level-Light:
Please expect up to 0.5 miles of walking in a city and cemetery setting. This mostly trolley tour will take you through Hollywood Cemetery via vehicle. An opportunity to exit the vehicle in the cemetery may present itself. The cemetery's topography consists of rolling and some steep hills, with various tripping hazards. 

Saturday, October 11

The Petersburg Campaign: From City Point to Fort Stedman

Join acclaimed Civil War historian A. Wilson Greene for an immersive bus tour of Petersburg’s pivotal Civil War sites. Gain a comprehensive understanding of the strategies, struggles, and significance of the campaign that led to the fall of Richmond and the end of the Civil War. Along the way, you'll visit land preserved by the members of the American Battlefield Trust. Greene, former director of Pamplin Historical Park and author of A Campaign of Giants, is the leading expert on the Petersburg Campaign. 

Guide: Will Greene

Sites Include:

• City Point
• The Crater
• Fort Stedman
• And more...

Walking Level-Moderate: 
Please expect up to three (3) miles of walking on this tour across rolling terrain, grass, and some potentially marshy ground. 

Guns of Independence: The Siege of Yorktown, 1781

In the spring of 1781, a British army led by Charles, Lord Cornwallis invaded Virginia. Following the campaign against the Marquis de Lafayette, Cornwallis established a base at the old tobacco port of Yorktown. His new position quickly drew the attention of Gen. George Washington. As summer faded into fall, Washington, at the head of a combined Franco-American army and with the help of the French navy, cornered the British at Yorktown. The outcome of the ensuing operations would help determine the fate of a young United States. 

Join Dan Davis, the Trust’s Senior Education Manager, and Kate Egner, the Trust’s Senior Manager of Digital Content, for an exploration of the Campaign and Siege of Yorktown. Visit the port of Yorktown, British and American fortifications, the Grand French Battery, Redoubts 9 and 10, and other sites at Yorktown critical to victory in America’s War for Independence. 

Guides: Dan Davis & Kate Egner

Sites Include:

• Redoubts 9 & 10
• Old Town Yorktown
• The French Grand Battery
• And more...

Walking Level-Light: 
Please expect up to 1.5 miles of walking on this tour across rolling terrain, grass, and some potentially marshy ground. 

River to River: The Overland Campaign from the North Anna to the James

Follow in the footsteps of the latter stages of the Overland Campaign of 1864. This full-day tour will begin at Grant’s headquarters at New Hope Church and follow the Federal Army from the banks of the North Anna River to Totopotomoy Creek to Cold Harbor to the James River and the site of the army’s crossing.

Guide: Chris Mackowski

Sites Include:

• New Hope Church
• The North Anna River
• Totopotomoy Creek
• Cold Harbor
• And more...

Walking Level-Moderate:
Please expect up to 2.5 miles of walking on this tour across rolling terrain, grass, and some potentially marshy ground. 

The Battle of Gaines's Mill

The June 27, 1862, Battle of Gaines's Mill was a titanic struggle between Robert E. Lee and Fitz John Porter. The day-long action tested both generals and the men under their command. Often lumped together with the other Seven Days Battles, Gaines's Mill was more than just another battle in a series of battles. Join renowned Civil War author and historian Robert E. L. "Bobby" Krick for an immersive bus tour of the Gaines's Mill battlefield. 

This tour delves into the Battle of Gaines's Mill (June 27, 1862), where General Robert E. Lee secured his first major battlefield victory. Visit land preserved by the members of the American Battlefield Trust. In fact, the land preserved at Gaines's Mill played host to two battles, one in 1862 and another (Cold Harbor) in 1864.   

Guide: Bobby Krick 

Sites Include:

• Boatswain's Swamp
• The Watt House
• The Chickahomony River
• And more...

Walking Level-Moderate:
Please expect up to three (3) miles of walking on this tour across rolling terrain, farmers' fields, grasslands, and some potentially marshy ground. 

Lee vs Little Mac: The Seven Days Battles

The Seven Days Campaign proved to be one of the bloodiest and most pivotal campaigns in the Eastern Theater. Pitting Robert E. Lee and George B. McClellan against one another for the first time, the Federal campaign to take Richmond ground to a halt within a few miles of the Confederate capital.

Join Garry Adelman for a fast-paced, photo-filled exploration of the iconic Seven Days Battles. Jump off the bus and explore land preserved by the members of the American Battlefield Trust, and learn more about these often overlooked, yet crucial battles. 

Guide: Garry Adelman 

Sites Include:

• Gaines's Mill
• Glendale
• Malvern Hill
• And more...

Walking Level-Moderate:
Please expect up to two (2) miles of walking on this tour across rolling terrain, grass, and some potentially marshy ground. 

Sunday, October 12

The Siege of Petersburg: 1865

Join renowned Civil War historian A. Wilson Greene for an immersive bus tour exploring key battlefields of the Petersburg Campaign. This expert-led journey includes pivotal sites such as the Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, Fort Welch, and Fort Fisher—locations critical to the Union's final offensives against Petersburg. Greene, former director of Pamplin Historical Park and author of A Campaign of Giants, offers in-depth insights into the strategies, leadership, and soldier experiences that shaped the war's closing months.

Guide: Will Greene 

Sites Include:

• Hatcher's Run
• Boydton Plank Road
• White Oak Road
• Forts Fisher/Welch
• And more...

Walking Level-Moderate:
Please expect up to two (2) miles of walking on this tour across rolling terrain, grass, and some potentially marshy ground. 

Strike Them a Blow: Tour along the North Anna River

Dive deep into the Battle of the North Anna River, the third major battle in the 1864 Overland Campaign. This half-day, largely walking tour will stop at key areas the American Battlefield Trust has helped preserve, with hikes at each location: the Fox House (where Lee had his HQ), Jericho Mills (scene of the most intense fighting at North Anna), and North Anna Battlefield Park, which preserves part of Lee’s famous “inverted-V” formation.

Guide: Chris Mackowski 

Sites Include:

• North Anna River
• The Fox House
• North Anna Battlefield Park
• And more...

Walking Level-Heavy: 
Please expect up to four (4) miles of walking on this tour across rolling terrain, up hills, across planked walkways, across grass, and across some potentially marshy ground. 

Richmond’s First War: The American Revolution Comes to the Virginia Capital

Founded in 1737, near the falls of the James River, the Revolutionary War had largely bypassed Richmond in the early years of the conflict. Made the new Virginia capital by Governor Thomas Jefferson in 1780, the town’s solitude was suddenly shattered as events far to the south brought the conflict to Richmond’s doorstep. Soon, individuals such as the Marquis de Lafayette and British General Benedict Arnold would leave an indelible mark on Richmond’s history.

Join Dan Davis, the Trust’s Senior Education Manager, and Kate Egner, the Trust’s Senior Manager of Digital Content, for an exploration of Richmond’s Revolutionary story. We’ll visit St. John’s Church, Rural Plains, Chimbarazo, and other sites related to Richmond’s first war.

Sites Include:

• St. John's Church
• Chimbarazo
• Rural Plains
• And more...

Walking Level-Light: 
Please expect up to 0.5 miles of walking on this tour along sidewalks and in a city setting. 

Richmond, Lincoln & Photos!

Step back in time on this unique walking tour of Richmond, VA, focused on the Confederate capital, Abraham Lincoln's 1865 visit and Civil War photography. This roughly four-block walking tour will explore historic sites tied to Lincoln’s visit to the city and view iconic locations captured in Civil War-era photographs.

Guides: Garry Adelman & Mike Gorman

Walking Level-Light with Sometimes Challenging Footing: 
Please expect up to 0.75 miles of walking on this tour, which will take place along sidewalks and in a city setting. This part of Richmond is very hilly, and the streets and some sidewalks consist of bricks, cobblestones, and other uneven surfaces.