Parks / Fort Monroe National Monument
Fort Monroe National Monument
National Monument · VA
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.
Official NPS page →Current Alerts (2)
Reminder: Look Before Parking
Visitors are reminded to park in marked parking spaces. Parking in the grass or other alternative areas is unauthorized. Please help us #KeepFortMonroeBeautiful.
Road Closure and Fishing Pier Impact
The Engineer Wharf, one of two fishing piers at Fort Monroe is temporarily closed. The Finger Pier remains open. Also closed is the section of Fenwick Road between Ingalls and the East Gate of the fort. Detour signs will aid travelers around the closure.
Entrance Fees
This park is fee-free.
Campgrounds (1)
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.
Details →Upcoming Events
Gibraltar of the Chesapeake and the Building of a Nation
Sep 1, 2026 · Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center 30 Ingalls Road Fort Monroe, VA 23651
From the Ground Up
Sep 1, 2026 · Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center 30 Ingalls Road Fort Monroe, VA 23651
Power and Prominence of the Powhatan Chiefdom
Sep 2, 2026 · Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center Plaza 30 Ingalls Road Fort Monroe, VA 23651
Shoulder to Shoulder: A Legacy for All
Sep 3, 2026 · Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center Plaza 30 Ingalls Road Fort Monroe, VA 23651
Shifting Sands, A Journey Through Time on this Spit of Land
Sep 4, 2026 · Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center Plaza 30 Ingalls Road Fort Monroe, VA 23651
Finding "Freedom's Fortress"
Sep 4, 2026 · Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center 30 Ingalls Road Fort Monroe, VA 23651
The Movement of a Legacy
Sep 5, 2026 · Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center Plaza 30 Ingalls Road Fort Monroe, VA 23651
Night Sky: Galaxies and Star Clusters
Sep 18, 2026 · Walker Airfield near the Colonies RV and Travel Park
Tree Tour of Fort Monroe: Bounty of the Trees
Sep 19, 2026 · Fort Monroe Visitor and Education Center plaza
Common Soldier in the American Civil War
Sep 19, 2026 · Near Lincoln Gun on the Parade Ground
Fort Monroe Bird Walk
Sep 25, 2026 · Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center 30 Ingalls Road Fort Monroe, VA 23651
Things to Do
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.
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?
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.
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.
Take a Self-Guiding Walking Tour
Start by getting a self-guiding walking tour brochure outside the Visitor & Education Center at 30 Ingalls Road, Fort Monroe, Virginia.
Visitor Centers
- Casemate Museum
- Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center
Source: National Park Service.