The Revolutionary War rocked the Colonies and rattled Great Britain, bringing to a head decades of bitter resentment from colonists three thousand miles away from an indifferent monarchy. What started as a certain victory for the British slowly became a hard-fought win for the Patriots and the birth of a nation.
Beginning in 2025, America will commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the Revolutionary War with battle reenactments, special museum exhibitions, and celebrations across the country.
The travel guides below will help you plan a road trip or vacation to experience the battlegrounds, museums, and historic sites connected to the Revolutionary War. Use the landmark dates to plan your trip to coincide with one of the 250th anniversaries.
Revolutionary War Timeline
Learn about the battles and significant events of the Revolutionary War on this complete timeline. Find articles about those events to learn about the battlefields, historic sites, and museums you can visit places connected to history.
1763-1774
Treaty of Paris
The Seven Years’ War – also known as the French and Indian War in the British Colonies – left Great Britain broke. Their solution was to turn to the profitable colonies for revenue for future protection while also conveniently reducing their national debt. The resulting taxes incited the rebellion and – in my opinion – began the Revolutionary War in hearts and minds.
Boston Massacre
Tensions between locals and Crown officials reached a climax two years after the first British soldiers arrived in Boston. A mob of hundreds were confronted by British soldiers on King Street. After an unknown soldier fired the first shot, the rest opened fire on the crowd, killing 3 instantly and 2 later who died from their wounds.
Boston Tea Party
After the Boston Massacre, all of the Townshend Duties were removed except for a tax on importing tea. Despite the tax, tea imported by the East India Company was cheaper than smuggled Dutch tea. However, people protested a tax levied without their consent through local representatives. Sam Adams led a group of Sons of Liberty onto three docked ships in the harbor and dumped 40 chests of tea overboard.
Interolerable Acts
In response to the Boston Tea Party, British Parliament passed a series of five laws punishing the Massachusetts colony. The laws closed the Port of Boston, turned the government over to people appointed by the Crown, and allowed British troops to quarter on private property.
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia from September 5 until October 24. The primary objective of the congress was to formulate a unified response to the Intolerable Acts. The result was an agreement among all colonies to ban consumption and importation of British goods, effectively cutting off Great Britain’s attempts to pay off their Seven Years’ War debt.
1775
Events that happened in 1775 will be reenacted and celebrated throughout 2025.
Patrick Henry's Speech
Patriots' Midnight Run
Battle of Lexington and Concord
Siege of Boston
Second Continental Congress
Battle of Fort Ticonderoga
Battle of Bunker Hill
Battle of Ninety Six
Major Andrew Williamson was dispatched to Ninety Six to capture Loyalists after they intercepted a shipment of munitions meant for the Cherokee Lower Towns. Loyalist Patrick Cunningham surrounded Williamson with over 1,000 men, trapping them for three days in a hastily built stockade fort. It was South Carolina’s first battle of the Revolutionary War and the state’s first casualty of the war.
Battle of Great Bridge
Battle of Quebec
Battle of Moores Creek
Halifax Resolves
1776
1776
Battle of Sullivan's Island
Cherokee War of 1776 Begins
Declaration of Independence Adopted
Battle of Sycamore Shoals
Declaration of Independence Signed
Battle of Brooklyn
Battle of Harlem Heights
Battle of Lake Champlain
Battle of White Plains
Battle of Fort Washington
Battle of Fort Lee
First Battle of Trenton
1777
1777
Second Battle of Trenton
Battle of Princeton
Flag Resolution
Battle of Hubbardton
Battle of Brandywine
British Capture Philadelphia
Battle of Germantown
Second Battle of Saratoga
1778
1778
Battle of Barren Hill
British Evacuate Philadelphia
Battle of Monmouth
Capture of Savannah, GA
1779
1779
Battle of Port Royal
Battle of Kettle Creek
Siege of Fort Vincennes
Battle of Newtown
Battle of Baton Rouge
Siege of Savannah
1780
1780
Siege of Charleston
Battle of Monck's Corner
Capture of Charleston
Battle of the Waxhaws
British Capture Georgetown, SC
Battle of Huck's Defeat
Battle of Rocky Mount
Battle of Hanging Rock
Battle of Camden
Battle of Fishing Creek
Battle of Kingstree
Battle of Kings Mountain
1781
1781
Battle of Mobile
Battle of Cowpens
Battle of Guilford Courthouse
Siege of Pensacola
Battle of Hobkirk Hill
Siege of Ninety Six
Battle of Eutaw Springs
Siege of Yorktown
General Lord Cornwallis Surrenders at Yorktown
Hilton Head Island Ambush
Attack on Fair Lawn Barony
1782
1783
Treaty of Paris
Places to Go
Most of the Revolutionary War battles happened in New Jersey, New York, and South Carolina. But skirmishes, politics, and other events happened in all 13 colonies, across the frontier, and into Canada.
Browse articles about Revolutionary War battlegrounds, historic sites, and museums by state. Visit the Destinations page for more travel inspiration by region and state.
South Carolina
Alabama
Arkansas
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
All South Carolina Revolutionary War Articles
Tennessee
Virginia
Canada
Travel Articles
Learn how to visit Revolutionary War battlefields, historic sites, and museums. Find lists of historic sites spread across the country. See different ways you can explore these sites to coincide with 250th anniversary events.
Explore the Revolutionary War with one of these road trips based on scenic highways and exciting themes. Visit the Road Trips page to more more itineraries across the country.
Build your own road trip itinerary with one of these themes exploring the Revolutionary War. Visit the Trip Ideas page for more inspiration about different adventures.