Petersburg is about equidistant from Washington/Baltimore and Durham/Raleigh. Two, maximum three hours on Interstate 95 or 85 and you are in a different world, starting an exciting, yet relaxing weekend, delving deeply into southern Virginia's rich history, surrounded by the beauty and harmony of past centuries.

        Enjoy unspoilt Outer Banks beaches, the sweet landscapes of Virginia, its quaint old towns, its stately plantation homes, its battlefields, amusement parks and shopping districts.

        Arrival Friday evening. Guided tour of the Mansion.

        Saturday: Self-driven excursion on the 18th century Plantation Route 5 to Williamsburg (1 hr). Visit to one major James River tobacco and cotton plantation (e.g. Berkeley or Shirley), visit Colonial Williamsburg or Busch Gardens or Water World USA. Visit Jamestown Settlement or Yorktown Victory Center. Return by crossing the James River by car ferry (15 minutes), and following the Colonial Trail (Route 10) along more James River plantations back to Petersburg.

        Sunday: Guided tour of Petersburg; visit to Petersburg National Battlefield and Siege Museum or Centre Hill Mansion or Blandford Church and Cemetery. Optional: Visit to Pamplin Park Civil War Site. Antiquing in downtown Petersburg. Return.

        Includes: Two nights at the Ragland Mansion - ample American or European breakfast; admission to plantation; ferry Jamestown-Scotland; admission to Petersburg National Battlefield and Siege Museum or Centre Hall Mansion. Complimentary guided tours through the Mansion and Petersburg.

        Not included: Tickets for Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown Settlement, Yorktown Victory Center or amusement parks. Package #2: Atlantic beaches -- Petersburg: $190 per couple, tax included

        Arrival Friday evening. Guided tour of the Mansion.

        Saturday: Self-driven excursion on Route 460 (optional: visit to one of America's oldest peanut farms) and I-64 to Sandbridge, the unspoilt northern tip of the Outer Banks (free access to beach), or to lively Virginia Beach (2 hrs). Return in the evening on I-64 and Route 5 or 460 with stopover/shopping/dinner in Norfolk, Portsmouth or Williamsburg (3 outlet malls).

        Sunday: Guided tour of Petersburg; visit to Battlefield, museum or Pamplin Park Civil War Site. Antiquing in downtown Petersburg or Hopewell. Return.

        Includes: Two nights at the Ragland Mansion - ample American or European breakfast; admission to Petersburg National Battlefield. Complimentary guided tours of the Mansion and Petersburg.

        Not included: ticket for Pamplin Park Civil War Site.

        Package #3: Farmville -- Petersburg -- Richmond: $190 per couple, tax included

        Arrival Friday evening. Guided tour of the Mansion.

        Saturday: Self-driven excursion to Farmville, Virginia (1 1/2 hrs.). Visit of the Main Street interior decoration complex: over 50,000 sq. ft. of stores and warehouses that offer oriental rugs, imported reproduction furnishings, accessories, antiques and more at unusually reasonable prices. A delightful trip for home decorators.

        Sunday: Guided tour of Petersburg; visit to one of main attractions. Antiquing in downtown Petersburg. Self-driven excursion to Richmond (25 minutes). Visit of the White House of the Confederacy. Tour of the Fan, America's largest Victorian/Edwardian residential district. Optional: visit of a large antiques mall. Return.

        Includes: Two nights at the Ragland Mansion - ample American or European breakfast; admission to a Petersburg attraction of choice and to the Richmond White House of the Confederacy. Complimentary guided tours of the Mansion and Petersburg.

        Consult us on a custom package for you. There are many attractions and sites not included in the above packages, such as the Dinwiddie or Richmond Nascar car races; Colonial Downs horse races; Williamsburg golf courses; fishing in the Appomattox rapids; America's oldest peanut farms along Route 460; the Virginia ham capital Smithfield; Norfolk's Chrysler Museum; the world's largest navy shipyard at Newport News; the Aerospace Museum at Hampton; Williamsburg's pottery and winery; the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond; Virginia House, Agecroft Hall and Tuckahoe Plantation in Richmond... all within easy reach from Petersburg.

        Weekend group tours

        Inquire about group rates and assisted group tours. Petersburg can easily be reached by AMTRAK rail or Greyhound bus. How to get there: Williamsburg

        From Petersburg to Williamsburg:

        Take Wythe Street (one way), parallel to Marshall Street. It becomes Route 36 leading to the Petersburg National Battlefield, Fort Lee, and Hopewell. Continue through Hopewell (Winston Churchill Drive) to the end in front of a chemical factory. Turn right on Route 10. At the second light (about 2 miles) turn left and cross the James River (on your left: Shirley Plantation). At intersection with Route 5 turn right towards Williamsburg. You will see plantations on both sides. Berkeley Plantation is famous for the first Thanksgiving celebration.

        Alternative route, from Williamsburg to Petersburg:

        Take Route 31 from Williamsburg to Jamestown. Visit Jamestown? Take car ferry across the James River to Scotland (free). Follow Route 31 to Surry. (A few miles to the left: Bacon's Castle) Turn right on Route 10, the Colonial Trail. More plantations. Route 10 takes you back to Hopewell, from there on Route 36 to Petersburg. Arrive in Petersburg on Washington Street. Turn left on 3rd light after I-95 overpass, and you are back on S. Sycamore Street. What to see in Richmond

        Richmond has many attractions. We would recommend visiting the White House and Museum of the Confederacy (downtown). Also downtown is the charming cobblestone district of Shockoe Slip and Shockoe Bottom with trendy shops, cafés and a Sunday outdoor market. Drive along Monument Avenue, an impressive sequence of Edwardian Mansions of southern architecture, similar to Charleston and Savannah, interspersed with historic monuments. Left of Monument Avenue: the Fan, said to be America's largest Victorian/Edwardian residential area. Take Cary Street beyond Route 195 and turn left on Malvern Street. This takes you to Windsor Farms, Richmonds most elegant residential quarter, with Agecroft and Virginia House, two medieval manors brought over from England and rebuilt in gardens overlooking the James River. (Beautiful gardens also at Maymont) Follow Cary Street westbound and turn right on Three Chopt Road, another sequence of gorgeous houses and gardens.