Henry Hill Visitor Center — Attraction in Linton Hall

Do yourself a favor-- stop in to the Henry Hill visitor's center and set aside 45 mins for the free ranger led tour. My husband is a history minor and we visit a lot of historical sites during travel. Most of the time, stuff like this doesn't hold my attention, but I found the guided tour very fascinating and thought provoking. Our group was led by Park Ranger Garrett. You could tell he really enjoyed his job. He engaged the audience in a non-threatening manner (it wasn't like you were taking a test or felt like you were being called on in class), and he kept your attention throughout the tour. He had a script that he followed and brought pictures of the various people he referencedin his talk. He was very informative and knew more about the facts than simply reading to you. I can't recommend this tour enough.

While planning your visit, consider watching or listening to a YouTube video on the Manassas battlefield on your drive to the destination. We had a several hour car ride and watched a quick video that mentioned guided tour, and then we watched a much longer history Channel movie. I streamed the audio to the car radio so my husband could listen during the drive. They have a movie on site at the visitors center too. There is a small museum, gift shop, clean restrooms, and a water bottle filling station at the Henry Hill Visitors Center. If you forget sunscreen or need bug spray, they sell that at the gift shop as well. The battlefield is expansive covering acres and acres, if pressed for time, start here and make sure to take the Ranger led tour to get the most out of your visit.

We stopped here and at Matthew's Hill(just one stoplight away) during our visit. The Stonehouse was closed. There is a small parking lot to explore the Matthew's Hill area. Stopping at both Henry Hill & Matthew's Hill allowed us to see the lay of the land from both the North & South's perspective. It really allowed us to take in the enormity of the...

Love this area. Staff are full of great information and the trails around the center are great. There is access to a few of the loop trails here. It's also an awesome place to play Pokemon go for the person in your group who isn't interested in the history. Areas are well marked with information plaques for those who are interested in the history. There is a very well cared for restroom inside the center with a diaper changing station for those who need it. Food for thought before hitting the trails: Trails are not shaded so bring sunscreen, a hat, and bottles of water. They are also unpaved trails so if you are bringing a stroller make sure it is an off road or jogging stroller with large bike tires. Puppies are allowed but should be leashed. There is a dog watering area near the water fountain in front of the center, but you may want to bring a portable dog bowl if you are planning on walking any of the larger battle loops. Trails have a few picnic areas but they do not have tables, or trash cans (there are trash cans near the center) and there isn't a cafeteria on site, so plan accordingly. Also be aware that the trails are not marked for distance and that you may want to ask for a map of the trails or...

An excellent place to learn about the two battles, especially when combined with a walking tour (quite short or longer if desired) and a car tour to take in the other visitor centre at Brawner Farm and various points of interest. A 42-minute film is shown on the hour, and provides a very good introduction to the battles - see this first. There is an explanatory map relief with a 6-minute commentary (little lights show the movement of soldiers and their actions) which enables you to grasp the overall picture of the first battle. A similar map at Brawner Farm has a slightly longer presentation on the second battle. The staff are very helpful and friendly, the bookshop has a worthwhile selection of relevant books and souvenirs. To make the most of what is on offer, at least a full day is needed; to walk all the battlefield would take a couple of days more. Strongly...