westover plantation

Only the gardens at Westover are open and a "suggested" admission fee of $5 is a little much for what you see. You do get to walk around a lovely house right on the James, but the gardens are not that special.

You can only tour the grounds, but this was a beautiful property!! Very unique and I'm glad I took the time.

You can only tour the grounds which isn't much but it's very pretty. Not really worth the $5 fee charged.

Very disappointed with this. Just wanted to see outside of home and not walk the grounds, fee too much to just walk the grounds. After 2 miles and a half off road, on a gravel road going 5 to 10 mph, was disappointed to not actually see the home, hidden in trees. This sits on the James River. This home is being lived in. Info online, has great history to share about this and nearby plantations and the Civil War. I sure the home is beautiful and the grounds, if you are willing to just tour the grounds for $10.

Very kid and family friendly Plantation. The outbuildings, including the ice and outhouse, were easily accessible. Huge garden and grounds right on the water. Was actually used as a main set for the AMC series TURN. Whether you are a fan or not it is a great trip to a beautiful Plantation.

This is the third James River plantation we've been to, and ranks in the middle. Shirley was better, & Sherwood Forest was worse. The house is amazing, and the grounds are pretty nice. The views of the river are well worth it. The cemetery is a little bit of a hike, but its flat & grassy to walk there. Some really old graves (1600's). I think its worth a visit, & it won't take a lot of time.

Although the admission is only to the grounds, a visit to Westover should be considered when touring the Berkeley Plantation "next door". The home to the patriarch of the Byrd family, Westover is an elegant reminder of a more beautiful time. The garden in the spring has an abundant display of peonies and they contrast beautifully with iris and rhododendron also in bloom in early May. Moreover, the grounds along the bank of the James river often are used by locals for picnics since the view is inspiring.

Anyone who loves Georgian architecture like we do is in for a treat. This is a magnificent estate, situated on the north shore of the James River and definitely worth the visit. However, we didn't feel comfortable coming too close to the buildings, so we missed out on a really intimate look at the extent of the buildings stretched out before us.

We were only able to visit the grounds and gardens of this plantation but the grounds were beautiful. The gardens were nice but not a pretty and they would have been in Spring. There were a number of flowers in bloom and we did get some good photos.

Although it is privately owned, and not open to the public except for special occasions (e.g. Garden Week), we visit the grounds of Westover annually. It always feels like we've walked back in time. We have seen bald eagles several times and even got great close up pics one year. The owner of Westover does a great job of maintaining the beautiful gardens. We are so thankful that the owners allow visitors on the premises!

As Virginia Garden Week approaches . . . it's a great time to put Westover on your agenda. Garden Week is the one time a year you can see inside the beautiful house. Built almost three centuries ago, it's not only lovely, it's a true family home, filled with treasures and history. It's my favorite of the James River Plantations. Still, I love the grounds and garden even more than the house. Westover sits like a crown on the banks of the James. It has marvelous, ancient trees. The garden is not huge, not showy, but it's perfect. In every corner, you'll find wonderful plants, arranged with quiet harmony. We've visited several times and have always found something beautiful to see: hellebores, climbing roses, old-fashioned bridal veil spirea, camellias. The garden is level, so it's easy to walk through, with several spots where you can sit and just soak in the enchantment. Terrific place to bird-watch, too. A reminder: there are no services (such as food or restroom) here. Admission to the garden is $5 for adults -- don't know what a Garden Week ticket will cost this year.

My wife and I had visited Westover a number of years ago, and we have fond memories of a very impressive location, magnificent plantation house and an interesting experience visiting Westover. We visited again recently, on a sunny March afternoon. The sun was brilliant on the James River frontage of Westover's plantation house. There were no other visitors during the 45 minutes we were there.The information we brought with us indicated that the plantation house itself was not open to visitors, but the grounds were - for the modest charge of $2 per person. But in fact the fee was $5 per person.The view of the magnificent, classical 18th century Georgian brick plantation house, seen from the broad expanse of garden facing the James River, is spectacular, with its steeply pitched roofline, chimneys at both ends of the house, sculptured main entrance, and interesting outbuildings - especially the five-seat 'necessary' building behind the house.It is a long drive down an unpaved road to the river and the plantation house; a drive that helps give the visitor the feeling of calm and order consistent with the setting and its rich history. Berkeley plantation is the neighboring plantation on the James River. The two plantations can readily be visited in a half day trip from Williamsburg, about 25 miles away. There are tours offered of the furnished main floor rooms of Berkeley plantation.

Since you are only allowed on the grounds for a self-guided tour, you have to content yourself with guessing how nice the home is inside. But given the spectacular riverfront setting and gracious lines of the Georgian main house, it's worth the visit just to see what you can see from the grounds.

We had a self guided tour. Its location is very impressive. Doesn't take much time to see all of it.

Al the plantation on the river are so enjoyable both from a historical point and building and the guilds. Enjoyed the gardens.