ATTRACTIONS
Smithfield VA Attractions
Smithfield & Isle of Wight Visitor Center – 319 Main Street | (757) 357-5182
Make your first stop the Visitor Center for a historic walking tour map, a “Passport to Savings” card for discounts at local merchants and information on area attractions, dining options and special events.
The Genuine Smithfield Ham Shoppe – 1801 South Church Street | (800) 222-2110
No visit to Smithfield is complete without a trip to the Genuine Smithfield Ham Shoppe for an original Smithfield ham. Smithfield ham is famous worldwide, and this small country shop is a great must-see while in town.
Windsor Castle Outdoor Park – Located directly across from the Smithfield Station. View Website
This riverside park features 4.5 miles of woodland trail, picnic and play areas, kayak and canoe launch, scenic overlook and the Windsor Castle Historic Site. This has been a great addition to our town, and truly worth visiting during your stay. View the Windsor Castle Park Map to see what we are talking about.
Downtown Arts Center- 319 Main Street | (757) 357-5182
The Visitor Center shares space with the Arts Center, which exhibits the works of local and regional artists. Peruse the gallery/gift shop and chat with the resident artists.
Shopping
Boardwalk Shops at Smithfield Station and Downtown Smithfield
The Boardwalk Shops at Smithfield Station, and the Downtown District both provide great locations for local shopping. Plan an afternoon just browsing boutique shops, art galleries, and antiques.
History
The Isle of Wight County Museum – 103 Main Street | (757) 356-1223
Interpreting local history, the museum’s exhibits include prehistoric fossils, Native American and Colonial artifacts, a country store and the museum’s most notable artifact – the world’s oldest edible cured ham. The 1902 pork product exemplifies the patented Smithfield curing process.
The Old Courthouse of 1750 – 130 Main Street | (757) 356-9016
Originally modeled after the Capitol Building in Colonial Williamsburg, this restored building is owned and operated by the “APVA Preservation Virginia.”
The Schoolhouse Museum – 516 Main Street | (757) 365-4789
An African-American History Museum of Public Education built in 1932, the museum features period desks and books, and offers oral histories of those who attended the school.
Historic Fort Huger – 15080 Talcott Terrace | (757) 357-0115
Historic Fort Huger was known as the “Gateway to the Confederate Capital.” View the ghost fleet on the James River, take a self-guided walking tour and see the cannon mounted along the edges of the fort.
Fort Boykin Historic Park – 7410 Fort Boykin Trail, Isle of Wight | (757) 357-0115
Situated on the bluffs of the James River, the fort was begun in 1623 to protect the colonists from the Indians and Spaniards. The fort is built in the shape of a seven pointed star and remains essentially intact and constitutes a well-preserved example of military architecture of the Civil War era.
Boykin’s Tavern Museum – 17130 Monument Circle, Isle of Wight | (757) 365-9771
Named after Major Francis Boykin, a smart businessman who donated the land for the Isle of Wight Courthouse of 1800 (still standing and in use today), the tavern was conveniently located right next door for meals & refreshments for court officers & personnel.
Historic St. Luke’s Church – 14477 Benns Church Boulevard | (757) 357-3367
St. Luke’s (circa 1632), is the oldest existing church of English foundation in America and the country’s only surviving original brick Gothic church, featuring a Jacobean interior, originally 17th century silver altar fittings, baptismal font, communion table and chairs, and the nation’s oldest, intact organ.
