The first people to inhabit what is now the United States simply walked here—a walk in the form of thousands of years of gradual migration across a land bridge between modern-day Siberia and Alaska. Many thousands of years later, the next wave of visitors came by ship. The most famous of these groups was perhaps the English Pilgrims who, in 1620, established the Plymouth Colony, the first permanent English colony in New England.
European settlement had already occurred elsewhere on the continent, however. In the case of St. Augustine, Florida, a fleet of ships from Spain first arrived in 1565, establishing what is the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the U.S. And, in 1607, English colonists founded the Jamestown colony in modern-day Virginia, the first permanent English settlement anywhere in the Americas.
So, with all due respect to the Mayflower, the ships that landed in the Southeast have plenty to say about American history as well. And a lot of that history is indeed maritime history, all the way from the days of masted schooners to the modern era of cruise ships, aircraft carriers, and fishing trawlers. Groups visiting the Southeast can discover this rich record at the region’s outstanding maritime museums, where exhibits often go beyond display cases to include still-floating icons from the past.
ALL ROADS LEAD TO HAMPTON
Hampton Roads is both a body of water—in this context the word “roads” is derived from the nautical term “roadstead,” an area of sheltered anchorage—and a metropolitan area, encompassing one of the world’s biggest natural harbors. This area of Virginia, which includes the Jamestown settlement, has been a vital port for centuries. The city of Newport News is home to Newport News Shipbuilding, which designs, builds, and services ships for the U.S. Navy. It’s also where you’ll find The Mariners’ Museum, set within a 550-acre park—free for anyone to explore, with walking trails, picnic areas, and more—surrounding Mariners’ Lake.
“We believe that through the world’s waters and our shared maritime history, we are all connected,” says Johnnie Barefoot, group experiences coordinator for the museum. “The museum is one of only two institutions designated by Congress as America’s National Maritime Museum, and we share stories that connect people across cultures, times, and locations.”
Inside the museum, groups can explore exhibits on America’s Cup sailboats, the USS Monitor, model ships, and many others. Groups can arrange curated guided tours, which help bring the stories to life and prompt conversations and questions. The “Forged in Freedom Group Tour” is set to debut this spring, exploring “the history and evolution of the United States Navy and highlight the powerful connections between maritime innovation, national defense, and the people who shaped our nation’s navy,” says Barefoot. An on-site cafe provides a quick and easy place to refuel, and groups also can make arrangements for boxed lunches.
Maritime history abounds in the Hampton Roads region. Other attractions groups might consider include Nauticus in Norfolk, home to the battleship USS Wisconsin. Also in Norfolk, the Navy operates a small institution dedicated to its heritage in the region at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum.
Credit: visitnc
WHALES & WARSHIPS
If you’ve any doubt as to the maritime history of North Carolina, just look for the lighthouses. There’s one roughly every 40 miles along the state’s coastline. And you don’t need a lot of lighthouses if you don’t have a lot of ships.
You won’t find a lighthouse in Beaufort—though the one at Cape Lookout isn’t far—but this town where the famed pirate Blackbeard once ran aground is home to the North Carolina Maritime Museum. Among the highlights for groups are artifacts from the Queen Anne’s Revenge, Blackbeard’s 18th-century flagship, and an exhibit on whales and whaling that is consistently a favorite among groups, says Associate Curator of Education Anna Kellner-McColl.
“[The whales and whaling exhibit] blends the cultural and natural history of whales here in North Carolina,” she says. “The exhibit includes the story of Echo, a juvenile 33 1/2-foot-long sperm whale that beached on Cape Lookout National Seashore in 2004.” Echo’s rearticulated skeleton hangs above the space, below which groups also can survey a collection of whaling artifacts, such as scrimshaw and tools carved out of whale bone.
The museum underwent a major renovation and reopened in February 2026 with refreshed exhibits and new permanent exhibits. Tours also can be arranged with the expert museum staff. Kellner-McColl says tours are ideal for groups of about 15 at a time, but the museum can accommodate larger groups by rotating smaller numbers through different spaces.
Down the coast a bit in Wilmington is the final berthing of the USS North Carolina, a 35,000-ton battleship in active service from 1940-47. After a successful campaign to save the ship from the scrapyard, it became a museum ship in 1962. Today, visitors can walk in the footsteps of the 9,000 sailors who served on North Carolina, seeing the places where they ate, slept, and worked.
“There are a few things that really stop people in their tracks,” says Jessica L. Federman, director of marketing. “The crew quarters are one—when you see the tight spaces where roughly 2,300 men lived at any given time, it’s a striking reminder of the human scale of this ship.”
The ship is massive—more than two football fields long. Groups can survey it all from the captain’s chair on the bridge and gaze at the ship’s 16-inch guns. The ship comes to life with “Battleship Alive!” held periodically throughout the year, when living history interpreters take on the duties and drills once performed by sailors. Groups leave with a more personal connection to the memory of those who served and those who were lost in World War II. “If we can give someone that feeling,” says Federman, “we’ve done our job.”
MOVING SOUTH
In scenic Georgetown, South Carolina, the 87-foot-tall Georgetown Light looms over the entrance to Winyah Bay, symbolizing the village’s long connection with the sea. It’s where you’ll find the South Carolina Maritime Museum, which runs a wide gamut of topics and time periods. Here, groups can see everything from ship models to megalodon teeth.
“Our megalodon exhibit is a favorite with all ages,” says Hope McFaddin, executive director. “Visitors also appreciate our shipwreck artifacts, ship models, and 19th-century fifth order Fresnel lens from the Georgetown Lighthouse.”
In October, the museum will host the 37th annual Georgetown Wooden Boat Show, the largest event in Georgetown County. Teams race against the clock to build a seaworthy wooden boat and compete for cash prizes to the delight of spectators. More than 100 classic wooden boats are on display as well.
Madisonville, Louisiana, also has a wooden boat festival. And Madisonville is coincidentally the home of Maritime Museum Louisiana, located on the scenic Tchefuncte River. This museum weaves together the region’s long history with shipbuilding and maritime commerce.
“For planners seeking authentic cultural experiences,” says Keegan Waldrop, director of development and education, “the museum provides an engaging stop that connects visitors to the working waterways, historic shipyards, and coastal traditions that continue to shape Louisiana today.”
As Waldrop notes, these traditions continue, which groups can see for themselves at the ShipTracks “Always on Watch display,” showcasing all the active traffic on Louisiana’s waterways and the Gulf of Mexico. Groups can learn about the former Jahncke Shipyard, once one of the largest industrial employers in the region, and see historic models of the kinds of watercraft that shaped life in Louisiana.
“Maritime history is not just about ships,” says Waldrop. “It is about the communities, industries, and cultures that developed along the state’s rivers and coastlines.”
By Todd Kortemeier
Main Image: USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial, Wilmington, North Carolina; Credit: Battleship North Carolina Memorial
