Moore House is the site of British Lord Cornwallis' surrender to American General George Washington during the Revolutionary War in October of 1781. The house was built circa 1630 and had several different owners, however at the time of the surrender it belonged to a local farming family, the Moores. Ownership of the house later passed to the son of Thomas Nelson Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence and Governor of Virginia during the surrender. The Nelson House, home of Thomas Nelson Jr. himself, is also available to tour and represents Georgian architecture from the early 1700s. The Nelson's home served as a hospital during the Civil War and later became a large estate.

The Yorktown Battlefield is the site of the Revolutionary War's last big battle, ending with Lord Cornwallis' surrender to the Americans after a clash with General George Washington's army in 1781. Today, there are ranger guided battlefield tours and the historic Nelson House and Moore House are located on the grounds for touring as well.

The Watermen's Museum celebrates the rich history and heritage of the Chesapeake Bay's watermen, (referring to fishermen and many kinds of boat workers), who have made the area what it is today. There are various educational programs through the museum on bay ecology, Virginia area Native American heritage, colonial Yorktown life, boat building, and summer camps.

The York County Historical Museum houses exhibits and artifacts from Yorktown's long and intricate history. Featured are Native American, Colonial, Civil War, and Naval historical objects.

The Historic Triangle refers to the area of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown, especially the historical sites and events that took place there, starting with the Native American tribes and European settlers, up through the Civil and Revolutionary Wars. Visitors should not miss the Jamestown Settlement, Colonial Williamsburg, Berkeley Plantation, Sherwood Forest Plantation, and the Yorktown Victory Center. All are overflowing with history and artifacts, living museums and reenactments, and buildings still standing from the country's beginning as the United States.

Norfolk and the other large cities in Hampton Roads of course offer many more museums, historical sites, and entertainment than can be listed here. A few that military families may be interested in include:

Nauticus is a large museum and science center in Norfolk, educating on ocean life and maritime history. Exhibits include displays on the local seaports, historical displays, submersibles and deep sea exploration, several marine biology exhibits, the battleship USS Wisconsin. The museum also hosts camps and other educational activities. The Hampton Roads Maritime Museum is on the same site, dedicated to the history of the US Navy in the Hampton Roads area, with emphasis on specific periods from the American Revolutionary War to the end of the Cold War.

The Virginia War Museum, in Newport News, is a general US Armed Forces military history museum from Revolutionary times to the present, including a collection of tanks, cannon and other artillery, uniforms, historic rifles, women at war, and posters, plus a dedicated archive.