Fort Monroe National Monument
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.
About under an hour from Virginia Beach and 1.5 hours from Richmond by car.
Alerts
- ClosureRoad 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.
- InformationReminder: 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.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Fort Monroe | Daily · 5:00AM - 11:59PM |
| Beaches | Daily · Sunrise to Sunset |
Campgrounds
| The Colonies RV Travel Park & Country Store ↗ | 35 sites | |
| Country store and office hours vary by season. Summer hours are May through September. · Books through thecoloniesrvtravelpark.com | ||
Every campground here has its own page on Campsite Atlas, with site counts, hookups, rig limits and booking windows. How park camping works
Visitor centers
- Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center ↗Passport stamp
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.
- 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.
Explore
Things to 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.
Opens on the Park Service site - Discover Fort Monroe's African American Heritage45 Minutes
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.
Opens on the Park Service site - Join a Guided Tour of Fort Monroe45-60 Minutes
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.
Opens on the Park Service site - 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.
Opens on the Park Service site - Start at the Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center15-60 Minutes
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.
Opens on the Park Service site - See Exhibits at the Casemate Museum30-60 Minutes
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.
Opens on the Park Service site
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- Take a Self-Guiding Walking Tour60-90 Minutes
Start by getting a self-guiding walking tour brochure outside the Visitor & Education Center at 30 Ingalls Road, Fort Monroe, Virginia.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- From the Ground Up10/1401:00 PM · runs through Oct 29 · freeFort Monroe Visitor & Education Center 30 Ingalls Road Fort Monroe, VA 23651
- Gibraltar of the Chesapeake and the Building of a Nation10/1411:00 AM · runs through Oct 31 · freeFort Monroe Visitor & Education Center 30 Ingalls Road Fort Monroe, VA 23651
- Finding "Freedom's Fortress"10/1601:00 PM · runs through Oct 31 · freeFort Monroe Visitor & Education Center 30 Ingalls Road Fort Monroe, VA 23651
- Night Sky: Galaxies and Star Clusters10/1607:00 PM · freeWalker Airfield near the Colonies RV and Travel Park
- Tree Tour of Fort Monroe: Seeing Trees Through Bark and Wood10/1710:00 AM · freeFort Monroe Visitor and Education Center plaza
- Fort Monroe Bird Walk10/2308:00 AM · freeFort Monroe Visitor & Education Center 30 Ingalls Road Fort Monroe, VA 23651
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- Tree Tour of Fort Monroe: Searching High and Low - (Two-hour Special)11/2110:00 AM · freeFort Monroe Visitor and Education Center plaza
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for the South
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
All 16 activitiesHide
Weather & climate
Spring: Temperatures range from 40 F to 70 F with rain being common. Summer: Temperatures range from 75 F to 100 F with rain and sun equally common. On very sunny days, be prepared with plenty of water. Fall: Temperatures usually range from 40 F to 65 F. Hurricanes are more likely to threaten the are at this time of year. If planning a visit during this time, please be mindful of the storm activity. Winter: Temperatures range from 40 F to 50 F on average with snow being uncommon.
Questions people ask
Does Fort Monroe charge an entrance fee?
No. Fort Monroe is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Fort Monroe?
Standard hours are 5:00AM - 11:59PM, every day.
Source: National Park Service
Can I camp in Fort Monroe?
Yes. The Park Service lists 1 campground in Fort Monroe: The Colonies RV Travel Park & Country Store. 1 takes reservations through Recreation.gov.
Source: Campgrounds
Which Fort Monroe campgrounds have showers, hookups, or a dump station?
Showers: The Colonies RV Travel Park & Country Store. Dump station: The Colonies RV Travel Park & Country Store. Electric hookups: The Colonies RV Travel Park & Country Store.
Source: Campgrounds
Do Fort Monroe campgrounds book through Recreation.gov?
No. The Colonies RV Travel Park & Country Store takes reservations through thecoloniesrvtravelpark.com.
Source: Campgrounds
Is anything closed at Fort Monroe right now?
2 active alerts as of October 14, 2026: Reminder: Look Before Parking; Road Closure and Fishing Pier Impact.
Source: Alerts
Is there cell service at Fort Monroe?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
When was Fort Monroe established?
1834.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the weather like at Fort Monroe?
Spring: Temperatures range from 40 F to 70 F with rain being common. Summer: Temperatures range from 75 F to 100 F with rain and sun equally common.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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