Camping at Chippokes Plantation State Park in Virginia

View of James RiverView of James River from Chippokes campground in Virginia

Chippokes Plantation is a historical area that dates back to 1619.  It is in Surry County on the James River across from Jamestown. It is considered one of the oldest continually farmed plantations in the country.  There is an old antebellum mansion and outbuildings that you can tour.  There is a beautiful garden area, and, they even have antique farming equipment in the Chippokes Farm and Forestry Museum.

site 45Our site 45

The campground is very nice.  We stayed at site 45.  The site was shaded and gave us some privacy.  There are 50 sites all together.  Some are tent sites and some are RV sites.  You can reserve specific sites, but they also have first come first served sites.

deer in the fieldDeer grazing in the field

There is a lot of wildlife in the fields of the plantation.  These beauties were grazing in the field as we were going by.  There are other farm animals that are taken care of by the workers at the plantation.  

We have been to this campground twice, once in the summer and once in the fall.  It is about an hour from our home.  There is an Olympic-sized pool that campers can use for free--in season, of course.  We did go in the pool and thoroughly enjoyed it.  We rode our bikes from our site to the pool.  It was an easy bike ride.

There are lots of activities for families.  They have nature and historical programs as well as special events.  In the Spring they have an Easter egg hunt for the kids! They have garden week, a harvest festival, and other activities.  The Visitor Center has a calendar of events that you can check on when you arrive at the campground. You can also check their website for any upcoming activities, www.chippokes.com.

Jamestown FerryOn the Jamestown Ferry

A fun family activity is to take the ferry across the James River to the historical Jamestown Settlement--the first permanent English settlement in America established in 1607.  There are historical buildings to visit, great places to eat, and a great beach area that attracts visitors every year. We enjoyed our visit to Jamestown and especially enjoyed the ferry ride on a beautiful Fall day!  The ferry is free and you can pick it up in Surry.  Here is the link to the webpage that give you the restrictions and schedule for the Ferry.  https://www.virginiadot.org/travel/ferry-jamestown.asp

While you are in Jamestown, you are only a short drive from Colonial Williamsburg.  It is worth the visit to see the colonial times come alive.  There are period actors dressed in costumes of that era and are ready to answer your questions.  This is a great family-friendly and educational trip.

Chippokes Plantation State Park is a great place to visit with lots of activities.  We highly recommend it!