Christmastide 2025
2025-12-13 16:00 - 19:00 UTC | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
Make your holiday season historic this year!
Stroll through Stratford Hall’s charming buildings and grounds decorated in authentic holiday spirit, listen to colonial music by Ampersand, and learn about 18th-century traditions and foodways from historic interpreters. Don’t forget to take a scenic tractor wagon ride around the twilight grounds. Children can even take home tin-punch and button ornaments to remember the occasion!
Get tickets on our official SimpleTix page.
Adults & Children ages 14 and older: $25
Children, ages 6-13: $12
Children, ages 5 & under: FREE
Friends of Stratford Members: FREE
Online ticket sales will close at 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 13th. Tickets can be purchased at the Visitor Center. Friends of Stratford members are encouraged to redeem their free admission by bringing identification to the Visitor Center or to RSVP by calling (804) 493-8919 or emailing Development@StratfordHall.org.

Complete Your Holiday Shopping at Stratford Hall’s Gift Shop
Stop by the Gift Shop for holiday shopping with a signature Stratford Hall Gift Basket, stocking stuffers, and much more. Visitors will receive a 10% discount in the Gift Shop and Friends of Stratford Members will receive a 20% discount on purchases.

Holiday Sip & Shop on Friday, December 12, 2025: 4 – 6 PM (Friends of Stratford Member Exclusive)
Join us for an exclusive Friends of Stratford holiday shopping experience with festive food & beverage tastings and a 20% discount throughout the store. Reserve your spot at this special event by phone (804) 493-8919, or by emailing RPitts@StratfordHall.org. Come for shopping, and stay for dinner!

Christmastide Dinner with the 1710 Tavern
Friday, December 12, 2025: 6 PM (Friends of Stratford Member Exclusive)
Saturday, December 13, 2025: 6 PM
Make it an evening to remember with a five-course dinner by the renowned 1710 Tavern in the Stratford Hall Dining Room! $99 per person (includes meal, tax, and gratuity). Reservation required, limited availability. A maximum of six guests are welcome per reservation. Wine, beer, and cocktails will be available for purchase with a valid ID.
Make your reservation now!

Discount Admission Day - Band of Brothers: The Lee Men of Stratford Hall
2026-01-17 10:00 - 17:00 UTC | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
Enjoy $5 admission for the Band of Brothers: The Lee Men of Stratford Hall self-guided audio tour to commemorate the birth month of Richard Henry Lee, Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee III, and Robert E. Lee!
Get tickets online here.
Preregistration is not required. Tickets are available at Stratford Hall the day of the event.
$5.00 for ages 6+ (House and Grounds)
Free for Children 5 and under and for Friends of Stratford
Last Great House entry is at 4 p.m. Audio tours are valid on the date of purchase and are 60 – 75 minutes in duration. Please plan accordingly.
With an audio tour ticket, you can also enjoy the hiking trails, public beach area, gardens, public grounds, Visitor Center, and Gift Shop.

2026 Annual Lee Lecture with Dr. Edward G. Lengel
2026-01-18 14:00 - 15:00 UTC | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
“The Road Home: Light-Horse Harry Lee’s Return from the Revolutionary War”
2026 Annual Lee Lecture with Dr. Edward G. Lengel
January 18, 2026 from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Stratford Hall Council House, $10 ($5 for Friends of Stratford members)
BUY TICKETS HERE
War hero. Virginia Governor. Father of Robert E. Lee. In advance of his new book on Henry Lee III, Dr. Edward G. Lengel will help us to understand the challenges “Light-Horse Harry” Lee faced in his personal life, business, and the young country’s fiercely divided politics in the 1780s and 1790s. Join us in the Council House for this can’t-miss lecture to start off America’s Semiquincenntial at Stratford Hall.
Please Note: Online ticket sales will close at 12 noon on Sunday, January 18. In-person admission may be purchased in the Visitor Center from 10 am to 1:30 pm or at the Stratford Hall Council House after 1:30 pm (card only).
This lecture may be joined virtually, in which case a Zoom Webinar link will be sent to registrants who select “Virtual Admission” prior to the event. Members can receive their discount code by calling (804) 493-8919 or emailing rpitts@stratfordhall.org.
Edward G. Lengel is an award-winning historian and educator. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, where he directed the Washington Papers Project for many years, and subsequently worked in senior positions in the public history field. Also a professional author, speaker and battlefield tour guide, Lengel has written fourteen books on American history. These include the official history of Colonial Williamsburg; General George Washington: A Military Life; To Conquer Hell: The Meuse-Argonne, 1918; and Never in Finer Company: The Men of the Great War’s Lost Battalion. Lengel is a co-recipient of the National Humanities Medal and has won two writing awards from the Army Historical Foundation. He makes frequent television and radio appearances.
Be sure to enjoy $5 admission on the day before, Saturday, January 17 for the Band of Brothers: The Lee Men of Stratford Hall self-guided audio tour to commemorate the birth month of Richard Henry Lee, Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee III, and Robert E. Lee!

2026 Black History Month Lecture with Dr. Seth E. Rockman
2026-02-08 14:00 - 15:00 UTC | Virginia
2026 Black History Month Lecture with Dr. Seth E. Rockman
February 8, 2026 from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Virtual, $5
GET TICKETS HERE
We’re excited to host Dr. Seth E. Rockman for our annual Black History Month Lecture on Sunday, February 8 at 2 p.m. He will present virtually on his 2024 book Plantation Goods: A Material History of American Slavery, a 2025 Pulitzer Prize finalist in History. Registrants will be sent a Zoom link prior to the lecture.
Seth E. Rockman is a historian of the United States focusing on the period between the American Revolution and the Civil War. His research unfolds at the intersection of slavery studies, labor history, material culture studies, and the history of capitalism. Rockman’s earlier work— the award-winning Scraping By: Wage Labor, Slavery, and Survival in Early Baltimore (2009) and the co-edited volume Slavery’s Capitalism: A New History of American Economic Development (2016)— sought to better understand the relationship of slavery and capitalism in the American past.
On Saturday, February 14, enjoy $5 admission for The Crossroads: African & African American Culture at Stratford Hall self-guided audio tour in recognition of Black History Month and to commemorate Frederick Douglass’ birthday!

Discount Admission Day - The Crossroads: African & African American Culture at Stratford Hall
2026-02-14 10:00 - 17:00 UTC | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
Enjoy $5 admission for The Crossroads: African & African American Culture at Stratford Hall self-guided audio tour in recognition of Black History Month and to commemorate Frederick Douglass’ birthday!
Get online tickets here.
Preregistration is not required. Tickets are available at Stratford Hall the day of the event.
$5.00 for ages 6+ (House and Grounds)
Free for Children 5 and under and for Friends of Stratford
Last Great House entry is at 4 p.m. Audio tours are valid on the date of purchase and are 60 – 75 minutes in duration. Please plan accordingly.
With an audio tour ticket, you can also enjoy the hiking trails, public beach area, gardens, public grounds, Visitor Center, and Gift Shop.

Arthur Lee: The Unknown Revolutionary
2026-03-04 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | Virginia
He was a spy, propagandist, and diplomat who played a critical role during the American Revolution, yet Arthur Lee remains unheralded among Revolutionary figures.
Join Encyclopedia Virginia Managing Editor Patti Miller and Gordon Blaine Steffey of Stratford Hall to discover the fascinating life of Arthur Lee.
Register for free with Encyclopedia Virginia

Discount Admission Day - Leading Ladies: The Lee Women of Stratford Hall
2026-03-08 10:00 - 17:00 UTC | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
Enjoy $5 admission for the Leading Ladies: The Lee Women of Stratford Hall self-guided audio tour in recognition of Women’s History Month and to commemorate International Women’s Day!
Get online tickets here.
Preregistration is not required. Tickets are available at Stratford Hall the day of the event.
$5.00 for ages 6+ (House and Grounds)
Free for Children 5 and under and for Friends of Stratford
Last Great House entry is at 4 p.m. Audio tours are valid on the date of purchase and are 60 – 75 minutes in duration. Please plan accordingly.
With an audio tour ticket, you can also enjoy the hiking trails, public beach area, gardens, public grounds, Visitor Center, and Gift Shop.

Fossil Club Meeting
2026-03-15 12:30 - 14:00 UTC | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
Stratford Hall is pleased to host the inaugural meeting of its new Fossil Club on Sunday, March 15 at 12:30 p.m. in the Jessie Ball DuPont Memorial Library. Meet our paleo volunteers, share treasures, solve mysteries, and hatch a plan for prehistoric pursuits! Stay for a mystery lecture at 2 p.m. from one of our volunteers!
Register to receive updates on our Fossil Excursion events!

2026 Women's History Month Lecture with Dr. Laura F. Edwards
2026-03-22 14:00 - 15:00 UTC | Virginia
2026 Women’s History Month Lecture with Dr. Laura F. Edwards
March 22, 2026 from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Virtual, $5
GET TICKETS HERE
Make plans to attend our annual Women’s History Month Lecture on Sunday, March 22 at 2 p.m.! This special lecture will be given virtually by Dr. Laura F. Edwards on her 2022 history Only the Clothes on Her Back: Clothing and the Hidden History of Power in the Nineteenth-Century United States. Registrants will be sent a Zoom link prior to the lecture.
Laura F. Edwards is a legal historian whose research focuses on the nineteenth-century United States. She holds a B.A. in American Culture from Northwestern University, a Ph.D. in History from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and taught at Duke University for twenty years before coming to Princeton. She is the author of four other books: Gendered Strife and Confusion: The Political Culture of Reconstruction (1997), Scarlet Doesn’t Live Here Anymore: Southern Women in the Civil War Era (2001); The People and Their Peace: Legal Culture and the Transformation of Inequality in the Post-Revolutionary South (2009), and A Legal History of the Civil War and Reconstruction: A Nation of Rights (2015).

Bunny Breakfast Buffet 2026
2026-04-04 09:00 - 10:30 UTC | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
Enjoy a delicious Bunny Breakfast Buffet from 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. in the Dining Room at Stratford Hall where we will offer a full breakfast to keep you fueled for the egg-ceptional hunt! Breakfast includes a pancake bar with your favorite toppings: chocolate chips, powdered sugar, berry compote, fresh fruit, sprinkles, syrup and whipped cream, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit! Make your favorite blend of hot chocolate with toppings from our hot chocolate bar, or choose from the breakfast classics coffee, tea, juice, or milk.
$25 for Adults (13+)
$15 for Children (ages 4-12)
Free for children 3 and under
GET TICKETS
Don’t miss the opportunity to take pictures with the Easter Bunny throughout breakfast.
Space is limited and advance registrations will close Friday, March 27.
Following the breakfast, join Stratford Hall Historic Preserve & the Northern Neck Lodge 32 of the Fraternal Order of Police for an Easter Eggstravaganza!
Admission and activities for the Easter Eggstravaganza are free. RSVP to let us know you’re coming! Does not include entrance to the Bunny Breakfast or the historic Great House.
Easter activities from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with the Easter Egg Hunt beginning promptly at 11:00 a.m.
Don’t miss out on the joy and egg-citement of our Easter Eggstravaganza and Bunny Breakfast!

Easter Eggstravaganza 2026
2026-04-04 10:00 - 13:00 UTC | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
Join Stratford Hall and the local Northern Neck Lodge No. 32 of the Fraternal Order of Police for a free Easter Eggstravaganza, including egg hunt and activities, on the Great House Oval! Activities will begin at 10:00 a.m. and continue until 1:00 p.m. The Easter egg hunt will begin promptly at 11:00 a.m. Special prizes will be awarded to the most egg-ceptional collectors!
Following the egg hunt, enjoy a complimentary hot dog lunch while supplies last. Courtesy of Northern Neck Lodge No. 32 of the Fraternal Order of Police.
Important details:

Plan to arrive between 10 – 10:30 a.m. for the egg hunt.
Bring your own basket for the egg hunt.
There will be designated egg hunt locations for children ages 0-2 years; 3-4 years; 5-6 years; 7-8 years; 9-10 years; and 11-12 years.
Don’t forget your camera for photos with the Easter Bunny.
Be sure to drop off your empty eggs before you leave!

Admission and activities for the Easter Eggstravaganza are free, though we’d love to know you’re coming!
RSVP TODAY!
Admission does not include entrance to the Bunny Breakfast Buffet or the historic Great House.
Mark your calendars and hop on over to Stratford Hall for a day of Easter fun!

Plant Sale
2026-04-04 10:00 - 2026-04-26 17:00 UTC | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
During your next stop at Stratford Hall, be sure to visit the Gift Shop to explore our Plant Sale options available April 4 – 26! We’ll have heirloom vegetables, culinary herbs, perennials, trees, and shrubs–all straight from the Stratford Hall greenhouse. The selection of plants will vary during the sale, so come back weekly for new items!
Gift Shop Hours April 4 – May 26:
Monday – Friday: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Admission is not required to visit the Gift Shop or Plant Sale.

Historic Garden Week in the Northern Neck
2026-04-22 10:00 - 17:00 UTC | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
Stratford Hall is honored to once again participate in the Garden Club of Virginia’s Historic Garden Week! On Wednesday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Garden Club of the Northern Neck ticket holders receive FREE grounds admission (Great House self-guided audio tours not included). Simply arrive at the Visitor Center and show your ticket! Explore the restored East Garden and browse our Plant Sale, offered April 4 – 26. A selection of heirloom vegetables, culinary herbs, perennials, trees, and shrubs–straight from the Stratford Hall greenhouse–will be on sale at the Gift Shop. The selection of plants will vary during the sale, so come back weekly for new items!
To learn more and join the tour, visit gcvirginia.org/historic-garden-week/tours/northern-neck. For questions, please contact northernneck@vagardenweek.org.
Guests interested in purchasing admission to the Great House are encouraged to visit our ticketing page or the Stratford Hall Visitor Center.

Stratford Hall’s gardens have a long and rich history. When the Robert E. Lee Memorial Foundation signed an agreement with The Garden Club of Virginia in 1929 to restore the gardens at Stratford Hall, all that remained of the East Garden was a flat area overgrown with weeds, a few ancient beech trees, and a crumbling brick wall of uncertain origins. But we know from a letter written in 1790 by Thomas Lee Shippen, grandson of Stratford Hall’s builder, that there were “gardens, vineyards, orangeries and lawns which surround the house.”
In 1933, the Garden Club of Virginia installed a boxwood garden to the east of the Great House. This marked the Club’s second restoration and was designed by Morley J. Williams, nicknamed the father of Colonial Revival gardens.
The East Garden has been modified over the years with the most recent work, based on archaeology and research, completed in the summer of 2019. Working in conjunction with landscape architect firm Rieley and Associates of Charlottesville VA, the Garden Club of Virginia and Stratford Hall completed the restoration of the upper tier of the East Garden according to a design of a mid-18th century plantation garden.
The garden currently showcases juxtaposed authentic 18th-century and Colonial Revival garden designs. Fruit trees, annuals, perennials, and heirloom vegetables have been planted to complete the restoration showcasing one of the most visually stunning and accurate displays of 18th-century landscape in the country.

Virginia Resolved 2026
2026-06-06 18:00 - 2026-06-07 16:00 UTC | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
Start your summer where the Revolution started.
Mark Your Calendar for Virginia Resolved: June 6 & 7
Celebrate the 250th anniversary of Richard Henry Lee’s Resolution for Independence with Stratford Hall Historic Preserve, Westmoreland County, and the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission! Plan for a weekend of revolutionary activity–living history interpreters and demonstrations, cavalry drills, historic speeches, a citizenship ceremony, fireworks, and plenty of food, music, and family fun. Stay tuned for more details and the full event schedule.
Visit Our Signature Event Page For More Details!

2026 Teachers Seminar
2026-07-09 - 2026-07-12 | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
Riotous Assemblies: From Resistance to Revolution
We are pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2026 Stratford Hall Teachers Seminar.

Hosted by Stratford Hall in partnership with Preservation Virginia from July 9–12, 2026, “Riotous Assemblies” will explore how enslaved, ordinary, and elite people contested imperial power.

Moving beyond simple narratives of the founders, this seminar examines the diverse mechanisms of popular dissent that shaped the path to independence—from boycotts and petitions to crowd actions, clandestine networks, and material sabotage. Participants will not only investigate the history of the 18th century but also discuss the continuing relevance of these tactics in free societies today.

APPLY NOW
Why Apply?

Broaden the Narrative: Investigate how resistance was forged across class and racial lines.

Place-Based Inquiry: Walk the landscape where the Lees and the enslaved community navigated the shifting tides of revolution. Travel-study destination TBA.

Pedagogy Focus: Work with master teachers to translate these complex themes of power and protest into dynamic classroom lessons.

What does the Seminar include? Onsite presentations from leading scholars, an immersive travel-study excursion (stay tuned for location announcement!), and dedicated K–12 workshops translating historical insights into dynamic classroom lessons.

What’s covered? Meals, excursion costs, and single-room accommodations onsite at Stratford Hall are provided at no charge. We do request a $50 nonrefundable deposit to reserve your space upon acceptance to the Seminar.

APPLICATIONS OPEN FEBRUARY 1
APPLICATIONS DUE MARCH 31
INVITATIONS TO PARTICIPATE APRIL 5
DEADLINE TO ACCEPT APRIL 10 (with $50 nonrefundable deposit)
ADMISSIONS FROM WAITLIST APRIL 15
ADMISSIONS CLOSED APRIL 20

First Africans Day
2026-07-25 10:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
Archival records show that in July of 1738, seventy enslaved West Africans consigned to Thomas Lee of Virginia arrived in the south Potomac aboard the Liverpool Merchant. Some helped to create and sustain what would become Stratford, others were sold to neighboring plantations. Each year, we remember these “first Africans” and honor all the ancestors once enslaved here by commemorating their lives, cultures, contributions, and resilience.
Admission is free and includes access to the Great House, grounds, and all First Africans Day activities including:
10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Opening Ceremony at the African American Cemetery with Cheyney McKnight, Slam Stewart, Alberto Limonta Perez, and the Shiloh Baptist Church Choir
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Keynote Speech in the Council House by Adrienne Whaley, Director of Education & Community Engagement at the Museum of the American Revolution
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Performance by the KanKouran West African Dance Company on the Great House Lawn
12:00 – 4:00 p.m. Historic Area Activities
Foodways with Dontavius Williams in the Historic Kitchen (ends at 3:00 p.m.)
Payne Cabin interpretation with Willie & Hope Wright
Historic trades with Harold Caldwell at the Southwest Outbuilding
Textiles with Nastassia Parker in the Great House Spinning and Weaving Room
2:00 p.m. Tobacco demonstration with Harold Caldwell at the Southwest Outbuilding
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Drum circle with SlamOne & Music of the African Diaspora in the East Garden
4:00 p.m. Chronicles of Adam with Dontavius Williams and open mic in the Great House Great Hall
5:15 – 5:45 p.m. Closing Ceremony on the Stratford Beach
Tours & Galleries: Self-guided Great House audio tours will be available from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (last entry at 3 p.m.) with the Stratford at the Crossroads Gallery and the new Mary Belin duPont Laird Gallery in the Visitor Center open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Check-in & Parking: Admission is free, no tickets are required for entry. Parking is available at the Visitor Center for activities in the Historic Area, near the African American Cemetery for the Opening Ceremony and Keynote Speech, and at the Stratford Beach for the Closing Ceremony. Please note the Stratford Beach will be closed until 11:00 a.m.
Food & Drink: Water stations will be available throughout the site. Visitors are welcome to bring a personal water bottle. Outside food and other beverages are not permitted. Our food truck partners will be in the Historic Area from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m., including
Aimee’s Sandwiches
A & B’s Creamery & Treats
DoveShack’s Smoked BBQ

Fossil Excursion SOLD OUT
2026-08-16 09:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
This event is sold out. Click here to email us and join the waitlist.
Dating from the Miocene Epoch – approximately 15 to 6 million years ago, the Stratford Cliffs are part of a rare geological phenomenon ranking among the most important fossil research sites in the Mid-Atlantic region. Whether you are a seasoned collector, or this is your first experience, Stratford Hall is the place for you! Spend a day hunting for fossils along the shores of the Potomac River, explore the Stratford Cliffs, and enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the great outdoors.
Excursions last approximately 6 hours, weather permitting. During these trips, participants are accompanied by Stratford Hall employees and/or volunteer guides and given access to the restricted area of the beach which includes approximately 2.5 miles of riverfront.
Fossil hunting excursions are designed so that participants can set their own pace dependent upon their experience level and physical abilities. However, we do rate our fossil hunting excursions at a moderately strenuous activity level. Trips involve long periods of standing and walking, crossing slick or uneven surfaces, climbing over and/or under downed trees, and wading in water. Due to changes in weather conditions, water levels, and the influence of tides there are portions of the beach that may not be accessible at all by foot.

Please read our full FAQ document(opens in a new tab) and note the following regarding check-in:

Guests should arrive at the Visitor Center prior to 9 a.m.
The door to the Visitor Center will not open before 9 a.m.
Guests must complete a release form and a collections management policy prior to going down to the beach, or they will not be given permission to go beyond the ropes.

Group sizes are approximately 40 participants per trip. Please be aware that while there are guides available during these excursions to ensure guest safety and assist with fossil hunting tips and identification, we do not classify these as “guided” experiences as the ratio of participants to guides is typically 7:1. Minimum age requirement for all fossil hunting excursions is 8 years old. Any participant under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Fossil hunting excursions are weather dependent activities and Stratford Hall reserves the right to cancel excursions at any time. A full refund will be given unless the cancellation is due to inclement weather, in which case a reschedule date will be provided. All participant cancellations require a 48-hour email notice before the excursion takes place. Absence from an excursion is nonrefundable. Refunds are the sole discretion of Stratford Hall and will be considered in such cases where there is an illness or emergency. All requests for refunds must be submitted in writing to Mary Bowman at mbowman@stratfordhall.org.

Wine & Oyster Festival
2026-09-19 10:00 - 2026-09-20 16:00 (America/New_York) | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
Enjoy tastings from over a dozen Virginia wineries and access to coastal oysters, distilleries, live music, artisan booths, food trucks, family fun, car shows & more!

Early Bird Wine Tasting Tickets: $35 (July 1 – September 18)
General Admission Wine Tasting Tickets: $50
Non-Tasting Tickets: $25
Children Ages 7-12: $10
Children Ages 6 & Under: FREE
Get Tickets Here
Visit Festival Homepage

Fossil Excursion SOLD OUT
2026-09-26 09:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
This event has sold out. Please email us to be placed on a waitlist.
Dating from the Miocene Epoch – approximately 15 to 6 million years ago, the Stratford Cliffs are part of a rare geological phenomenon ranking among the most important fossil research sites in the Mid-Atlantic region. Whether you are a seasoned collector, or this is your first experience, Stratford Hall is the place for you! Spend a day hunting for fossils along the shores of the Potomac River, explore the Stratford Cliffs, and enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the great outdoors.
Excursions last approximately 6 hours, weather permitting. During these trips, participants are accompanied by Stratford Hall employees and/or volunteer guides and given access to the restricted area of the beach which includes approximately 2.5 miles of riverfront.
Fossil hunting excursions are designed so that participants can set their own pace dependent upon their experience level and physical abilities. However, we do rate our fossil hunting excursions at a moderately strenuous activity level. Trips involve long periods of standing and walking, crossing slick or uneven surfaces, climbing over and/or under downed trees, and wading in water. Due to changes in weather conditions, water levels, and the influence of tides there are portions of the beach that may not be accessible at all by foot.

Please read our full FAQ document and note the following regarding check-in:

Guests should arrive at the Visitor Center prior to 9 a.m.
The door to the Visitor Center will not open before 9 a.m.
Guests must complete a release form and a collections management policy prior to going down to the beach, or they will not be given permission to go beyond the ropes.

Group sizes are approximately 40 participants per trip. Please be aware that while there are guides available during these excursions to ensure guest safety and assist with fossil hunting tips and identification, we do not classify these as “guided” experiences as the ratio of participants to guides is typically 7:1. Minimum age requirement for all fossil hunting excursions is 8 years old. Any participant under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Fossil hunting excursions are weather dependent activities and Stratford Hall reserves the right to cancel excursions at any time. A full refund will be given unless the cancellation is due to inclement weather, in which case a reschedule date will be provided. All participant cancellations require a 48-hour email notice before the excursion takes place. Absence from an excursion is nonrefundable. Refunds are the sole discretion of Stratford Hall and will be considered in such cases where there is an illness or emergency. All requests for refunds must be submitted in writing to Mary Bowman at mbowman@stratfordhall.org.

Fossil Excursion
2026-10-10 09:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Stratford Hall, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, Virginia, 22558
Registration opens at 7:00 p.m. EST on September 12. Get tickets here.
Dating from the Miocene Epoch – approximately 15 to 6 million years ago, the Stratford Cliffs are part of a rare geological phenomenon ranking among the most important fossil research sites in the Mid-Atlantic region. Whether you are a seasoned collector, or this is your first experience, Stratford Hall is the place for you! Spend a day hunting for fossils along the shores of the Potomac River, explore the Stratford Cliffs, and enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the great outdoors.
Excursions last approximately 6 hours, weather permitting. During these trips, participants are accompanied by Stratford Hall employees and/or volunteer guides and given access to the restricted area of the beach which includes approximately 2.5 miles of riverfront.
Fossil hunting excursions are designed so that participants can set their own pace dependent upon their experience level and physical abilities. However, we do rate our fossil hunting excursions at a moderately strenuous activity level. Trips involve long periods of standing and walking, crossing slick or uneven surfaces, climbing over and/or under downed trees, and wading in water. Due to changes in weather conditions, water levels, and the influence of tides there are portions of the beach that may not be accessible at all by foot.

Please read our full FAQ document(opens in a new tab) and note the following regarding check-in:

Guests should arrive at the Visitor Center prior to 9 a.m.
The door to the Visitor Center will not open before 9 a.m.
Guests must complete a release form and a collections management policy prior to going down to the beach, or they will not be given permission to go beyond the ropes.

Group sizes are approximately 40 participants per trip. Please be aware that while there are guides available during these excursions to ensure guest safety and assist with fossil hunting tips and identification, we do not classify these as “guided” experiences as the ratio of participants to guides is typically 7:1. Minimum age requirement for all fossil hunting excursions is 8 years old. Any participant under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Fossil hunting excursions are weather dependent activities and Stratford Hall reserves the right to cancel excursions at any time. A full refund will be given unless the cancellation is due to inclement weather, in which case a reschedule date will be provided. All participant cancellations require a 48-hour email notice before the excursion takes place. Absence from an excursion is nonrefundable. Refunds are the sole discretion of Stratford Hall and will be considered in such cases where there is an illness or emergency. All requests for refunds must be submitted in writing to Mary Bowman at mbowman@stratfordhall.org.
