On a recent road trip, my family and I seized our chance to visit one of the most famous small towns in Virginia: Appomattox. We just had time to eat lunch and explore a bit of this beautiful, historic area, but even though our time was limited, we made the most of it! Here are some things to do in Appomattox, Virginia, the highlights of our visit, and also what I would do differently if I were to take a day trip to Appomattox again.

Our first stop in Appomattox was the visitor center, which is housed in a historic old train depot.

From there, we explored the downtown area and had lunch at Granny Bee's.

There were several cute shops and boutiques, but I decided that for myself that, from my sampling of the area, if I ever get a chance to visit downtown Appomattox again, I'll set up camp in Baines Books and Coffee and never leave.

The quiche and pastries looked delicious, and I could have spent hours and hours sipping coffee and browsing the treasure trove housed on their shelves. As it was with the few minutes I had, I contented myself with a quick perusal of the children's corner, my prize being the first book of the Wingfeather Series in like new condition (but an out-of-print edition that matches the others in the series that I've collected!) for only $4.

When we first pulled into town, I noticed a sign with the town's slogan: "Where our nation reunited." That's a reference to historic events that occurred at the nearby community of Appomattox Courthouse, where, on April 9, 1865 in the parlor of the McClean family home, General Robert E. Lee and General Ulysses S. Grant met to end the Civil War.

In light of that, no trip to the Appomattox area is complete without a stop at the Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park, so of course we spent a few fascinating hours wandering the grounds. Admission is free, and the park is only five minutes from downtown Appomattox.

I recommend starting at the visitor center (don't miss the exhibits upstairs -- we almost did!), which is the brick two-story house on the right as you walk into the village. From there, loop around through the village, exploring the jail, the general store, the McClean House, and more.

We had just a few extra minutes after we finished exploring Appomattox Courthouse, so for our final stop in Appomattox, we went on to the neighboring Clover Hill Village. Wow! I wish I had known about this hidden gem before we planned our trip so I could have allotted it more time! Open Fridays through Sundays in season and run by the city's historic society (admission is free but donations are appreciated), Clover Hill Village is a living history museum just two minutes from Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park.

Featuring a diverse set of authentic pioneer buildings jam-packed with antiques and evidences of days gone by, it's a treasure trove for the curious historian. The friendly proprietor let my boys try out an old slide projector. He showed my mother-in-law and I a turn of the century Sears-Roebuck catalogue and some miniature product models that general stores used to stock for customers to see what kind of stove or lamp or iron they wanted to order. He challenged my husband to a game of checkers around the potbelly stove (sadly, we had to decline because of time).

Before we left, we did manage a peek inside the blacksmith shop, though, and the one-room furnished cabin. Next time, we'll be sure to see the church, the schoolhouse, and the gardens.

Another one of the places to eat in Appomattox, Virginia that we want to try when we visit again is the Taco Wagon, a restaurant that came highly recommended by several locals. We've also heard that two other excellent things to do in Appomattox, Virginia are the The American Civil War Museum and Holliday Lake State Park. Appomattox, I enjoyed the chance to get to know you a bit! I definitely hope to take another day trip to this charming small town in Virginia soon. Maybe we'll even spend the night!