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Petersburg, VA Road Trips

Plan drives from Petersburg, VA with practical route pages for distance, drive time, fuel cost, road character, and places to stop along the way.

independent city in Virginia, United States

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Trip Routes

1

Longest Drive

217.8 mi

Virginia Beach, VA

Quickest Drive

4h 30m

Virginia Beach, VA

Plan Around Petersburg, VA

Popular Incoming Routes

Useful if Petersburg, VA is the arrival point and you want the strongest routes into the city first.

Petersburg, VA by the Numbers

Recent demographic snapshot from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Population

33,365

Median Income

$50,741

Median Home Value

$157,900

Median Age

35.8

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year (public domain). See our methodology for details.

Petersburg, VA at a Glance

Founded

1748

Elevation

131 ft

Area

23 mi²

Notable People from Petersburg, VA

A sampling of people born in Petersburg, VA.

Joseph Cotten

Joseph Cotten

1905–1994

American actor (1905–1994)

Moses Malone

Moses Malone

1955–2015

American basketball player

Trey Songz

Trey Songz

1984

American R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer (born 1984)

Steve Cowper

Steve Cowper

1938

Governor of Alaska from 1986 to 1990

Javonte Green

Javonte Green

1993

American basketball player (born 1993)

Jennifer McClellan

Jennifer McClellan

1972

American politician in Virginia (born 1972)

Frank Mason III

Frank Mason III

1994

American basketball player

Leonard T. Gerow

Leonard T. Gerow

1888–1972

United States Army general (1888-1972)

Frederick Benteen

Frederick Benteen

1834–1898

Union United States Army officer (1834–1898)

Landmarks & Historic Sites

Attractions and heritage-registered places located in Petersburg, VA.

Blandford Cemetery

Blandford Cemetery

cemetery in Petersburg, Virginia

Virginia Historic Landmark National Register of Historic Places listed place
Petersburg National Battlefield

Petersburg National Battlefield

2,700 acres in Virginia (US) maintained by the National Park Service

Virginia Historic Landmark National Register of Historic Places listed place
Petersburg Old Town Historic District

Petersburg Old Town Historic District

historic district in Petersburg, Virginia, United States

Virginia Historic Landmark National Register of Historic Places listed place
Petersburg Union Station

Petersburg Union Station

former railway station in Petersburg, Virginia, United States

National Register of Historic Places contributing property
Wales

Wales

historic house and site in Petersburg, Virginia

Virginia Historic Landmark
Appomattox Iron Works

Appomattox Iron Works

historic iron foundry complex located at Petersburg, Virginia

Virginia Historic Landmark
Battersea

Battersea

historic house in Virginia, USA

Virginia Historic Landmark

City data from Wikidata (Q511964), available under CC0. Photos from Wikimedia Commons under their respective licenses. See our methodology for details.

Traveler Guide to Petersburg, VA

Petersburg is a city in Central Virginia.

Just outside of Richmond, this town was a crucial rail hub during the American Civil War and holding Petersburg meant easy access to the Confederate capital at Richmond. After Union General Grant couldn't outflank Confederate General Lee during the Overland Campaign in the summer of 1864 Lee dug in here in trench warfare reminiscent of World War I until his lines were stretched too thin and he abandoned his positions to try to get away from Grant, only to be caught at Appomattox, leading to the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, the Confederacy's main field army.

Pamplin Park & The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier,, 6125 Boydton Plank Rd, toll-free: +1-877-726-7546. On the outskirts of Petersburg in Dinwiddie County, this park and museum are must-see attractions for anyone interested in the Civil War. The park presents the "Breakthrough" battle in April 1865 that led to the fall of Petersburg and the surrender at Appomattox Court House. Use of interactive technology and first-rate presentation make the park and museum engaging and enjoyable by all ages. The walking trails include views of well-preserved fortifications and the park includes agricultural exhibits that are accurate to the period. Plan a full day if you want to take it all in. A more complete experience is available through a Civil War camp that is offered by the park. 1 Petersburg National Battlefield. The park commemorates the nine and one-half month siege of this city from June 1864 - April 1865. A driving tour of the battlefields outlined on the park map includes 13 separate sites with three visitor centers along a 33 mile route.

The Brickhouse Run, 409 Cockade Alley (Old Towne), ☏ +1 804 862-2205. Tu-Sa 5PM. An intimate pub and restaurant with great atmosphere and food. $10-$20.

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 5679 Boydton Plank Rd, ☏ +1 804 518-1515. Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 11979 South Crater Road, ☏ +1 804 518-1800.

1 Petersburg Station. Petersburg public transit operates a bus to/from Richmond.

Travel tips adapted from Petersburg (Virginia) on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.

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