Virginia : Safety by City
- Alexandria
- Arlington
- Blacksburg
- Charlottesville
- Chesapeake
- Chincoteague Island
- Danville
- Hampton
- Leesburg
- Luray
- Lynchburg
- Newport News
- Norfolk
- Petersburg
- Portsmouth
- Richmond
- Roanoke
- Staunton
- Virginia Beach
- Waynesboro
- Williamsburg
- Yorktown
Yorktown, Virginia, is part of the Historic Triangle of Virginia, which includes Jamestown and Williamsburg.
The three cities are less than 25 miles apart, each with significant importance to American history:
- Jamestown, Virginia, is important for being the site of the first permanent English settlement in America, established in 1607.
- Williamsburg, Virginia, served as the colonial capital and a center of political and cultural life in the 18th century.
- Yorktown, Virginia, is renowned as the site of the decisive battle of the American Revolutionary War in 1781, which secured American independence.
Colonial National Historical Park spans from Yorktown to Jamestown, with the Colonial Parkway bridging the two.
Yorktown’s Riverfront Landing offers a quaint landscape along the York River, with shops, dining, and tour options available.
The Yorktown Battlefield is just south of the landing, with the Coast Guard Training Center and Naval Weapons Station Yorktown flanking the town.
In Yorktown, you can see American history and be immersed in it, as the American Revolution Museum offers a hands-on experience of living like the early settlers.
Between the Historic Triangle cities, several historic homes fill the landscape.
When you want a safe, educational, and fun place to visit, it’s hard to beat Yorktown and its neighboring towns.
Warnings & Dangers in Yorktown
OVERALL RISK: LOW
There's a low risk in Yorktown and a lot of things to do in safe places with plenty of security.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
The Yorktown Trolley offers routes throughout most of the year that cover Riverwalk Landing. Hampton Roads Transit offers routes in the Colonial Triangle, making traveling easy between Yorktown, Jamestown, and Williamsburg. Taxis, rideshares, and rental cars are other options, all with a low risk.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
Over the past five years, just seven pickpockets or purse snatchings have been reported. The risk is low, but with so many people visiting this area each year, don't let your guard down.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
Hurricanes, nor'easters, severe thunderstorms, flash flooding, and aerial flooding are the biggest risks. Treat this as a medium risk, especially during the hurricane season, which runs from June through November.
MUGGING RISK: LOW
Hardly any robberies happen in Yorktown proper, and even the countywide robbery rate is half the national average. The risk is low.
TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
Considering the wealth of American history and the major importance of Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, we have to give this a medium risk. Don't let that message get mixed up, however. It's also one of the most secure spots in the nation.
SCAMS RISK: LOW
Check local law enforcement social media sites for the latest scams. Some of the most common are spoofed phone calls demanding money under pressure situations, such as telling a person they'll be arrested if they don't pay. The risk is low, but it helps to be aware of the most common scams, and there's great information on the Sheriff's Office website.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
This is another low risk with a place welcoming and safe for women of all ages. This is a family-friendly area, too.
TAP WATER RISK: LOW
The U.S. has strict standards for tap water per the Safe Water Drinking Act. Communities are required to provide a Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report) once a year by July 1. Yorktown gets its water from Newport News, and the 2024 Water Quality Report shows full compliance and no violations.
Safest Places to Visit in Yorktown
VisitYorktown.org is the city’s official tourism site.
A digital visitor’s guide is available to download.
Be sure to review the “Plan Your Visit” section, as there are helpful tips about parking, transportation, discounts, and events.
Riverwalk Landing is the historic downtown area of Yorktown, with a shopping and dining area on cobblestone paths that face the York River.
Saturday mornings from April through October are famous for the Yorktown Market Days, which have various themes.
A one-mile path goes between Yorktown Battlefield and the American Revolution Museum of Yorktown.
Here’s where things can get a little confusing.
The National Park Service manages certain properties in the historic triangle. Others have private ownership that either partners with the NPS or as a supplemental place to visit.
You can find a map on the NPS website under Plan Your Visit > Directions and Transportation > Maps.
Any place on that map or Colonial National Historical Park in green is NPS land.
It includes:
- Yorktown Battlefield
- Historic Jamestown
- Colonial Parkway, spanning 23 miles between the two
The entrance fee covers all the NPS sites. However, the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation offers tickets to see the NPS properties and several museums, like the American Revolution Museum, Colonial Williamsburg, and the Jamestown Settlement (separate from Historic Jamestown).
Yorktown also has a town beach, with a family-friendly cove with a designated swimming area.
The town pier is also just before you cross onto NPS property with waterfront picnic tables.
Walking from the beach to the Battlefield’s visitor center takes just five minutes on the Tobacco Road Walking Path.
Get out on the water with a kayak tour from Patriot Tours and Provisions.
They also offer bicycle rentals and seaway tours.
Sail Yorktown can take you on a schooner tour for a daytime historic lesson, sunset sail, or pirate adventure.
Private rentals are also available.
Ghost tours are available daily, with a lantern-led tour through the most haunted places in the historic town.
If you want to learn more before the tour, buy the book Ghosts of Yorktown, Virginia:
A Haunted Tour Guide.
Places to Avoid in Yorktown
Yorktown is small, with minimal full-time residents.
The area is designed for tourists to feel safe exploring, so you don’t have to worry about dangerous parts of town.
If you’re looking for a hotel nearby, I recommend choosing Williamsburg over Newport News.
The crime rates are lower in Williamsburg.
However, there are articles about both cities on this website if you want to review each one and then choose for yourself.
Naval Weapons State Yorktown backs up to the parkway and several historic sites.
It is purposely designed so you cannot accidentally drive onto military property.
Stay in your vehicle when driving on the parkway, aside from getting out at scenic viewpoints.
If you trespass on the base, you’ll soon get a meeting with unhappy military police officers.
The National Park Service properties here are open most of the year, with the only closure days being Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Finally, check the status of the Colonial Parkway before you visit.
As of 2024, a major rehabilitation project was underway that was expected to last until at least 2026.
This means closures along the most popular sections of the road.
Safety Tips for Traveling to Yorktown
- The York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office provides law enforcement. You can follow them on Facebook @YorkPoquosonSheriff or call (757) 890-3630 with specific safety questions.
- The National Park Service oversees Colonial National Historical Park, and the federal agency provides law enforcement on the properties. Download the NPS app to get safety information, alerts, and offline maps.
- You can sign up for emergency alerts through the York Alert program. This notification system will send you immediate information about severe weather or other public safety threats. The sign-up link is on the York County website.
- The Colonial Parkway is open around the clock, but it’s a dark, barren road at night with no streetlights. It’s also where the Colonial Parkway Murders happened in the late 1980s. Whether that taps into your true crime interests or scares you about being in a place where such awful things have happened, it’s still an important fact to know.
- The beachfront of Yorktown includes different jurisdictions, with Yorktown Beach under York County and the other part under the National Park Service. Each section has specific rules and restrictions. No matter which one you visit, be sure to wear beach shoes, as there are sharp shells in the sand.
- The police department has a community crime map on its website, which allows you to search for the most recent crimes. This valuable tool can help you see how much violent or property crime has happened in the past day, week, month, or year. You can also set parameters for the crimes that concern you the most. Keep in mind that no NPS law enforcement data is on this map.
- Download the Go Outdoors Virginia app to get information about fishing licenses, boating rules, and paddling guidance. It’s a one-stop app for everything outdoors and will help you plan activities safely near Yorktown.
- Expect massive crowds if you plan to visit Yorktown on any patriotic holiday, like the 4th of July or Memorial Day. With the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence being signed in 2026, expect sold-out hotels throughout this region. Plan as far ahead as possible.
- Be sure to check your body for ticks after spending time outdoors. Ticks are common in this region and can quickly attach even if you just brush up against a bush. Remove all ticks from your body with tweezers, and be sure to get the entire head out of your skin. It’s not a medical emergency to do this, but seek urgent care if you have trouble breathing or break out into hives.
- Pay attention to the forecast, even for inconvenient weather like wind or routine thunderstorms. High winds can break tree limbs, and lighting is dangerous if you’re outside. Go indoors until you go 30 minutes without hearing thunder if a storm develops.
So... How Safe Is Yorktown Really?
Since Yorktown is a census-designated place and not a city with a local police department, we can only get information from York County.
Yorktown only has a population of 217 people, while the county has 70,000 people.
That makes it a little hard to compare numbers, but the positive news is that the violent crime rate in York County is 30% lower than the Virginia average, which is 40% lower than the national average.
The theft rate in the county is slightly higher than the national average.
About one-third of thefts are shoplifting, and another third are car break-ins or car accessory thefts.
I used the crime mapping technology to look for any concerning trends in downtown Yorktown throughout 2023.
One sexual assault was reported.
There was a gang-related homicide that is being prosecuted at the federal level.
Those were the only violent crimes in Yorktown’s section of York County.
Fewer than 10 thefts happened in 2023 in Yorktown.
Keep in mind that any crime rate data will not include the number of tourists who visit each year, which drastically lowers the rate.
As far as Virginia cities go, this is among the safest and most secure cities to visit.
How Does Yorktown Compare?
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Yorktown | 82 |
| St. Louis | 58 |
| Los Angeles | 56 |
| Oakland | 57 |
| New Orleans | 57 |
| Baltimore | 56 |
| Boston | 67 |
| Sofia (Bulgaria) | 73 |
| Siem Reap (Cambodia) | 63 |
| Phnom Penh (Cambodia) | 61 |
| Niagara Falls (Canada) | 87 |
| Calgary (Canada) | 82 |
| Buenos Aires (Argentina) | 60 |
Useful Information
Visas
All international visitors need either a visa or a visa waiver. Use the Visa Wizard module on the U.S. State Department website to get started. Also, your passport must be valid for at least six months after your trip, or you’ll need to apply for a new one.
Currency
Only the U.S. Dollar (USD) is accepted in the United States. International airports usually have a currency exchange desk on site, while regional airports won’t. Your home bank offers the lowest fees. For those using credit cards, check to see if there’s a foreign transaction fee before you start racking up charges.
Weather
Yorktown gets a wonderful mix of all four seasons, with winters that lean on the mild side. Average temperatures don't get below freezing. Summers will be on the hot and humid side, with temperatures in the upper 80s and potential heat indices that get into the 90s. Bring bug spray, sunscreen, and the most comfortable walking shoes you have.
Airports
The closest commercial airports to Yorktown are Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (PHF), about 15 miles away, but flights only go to and from Charlotte, NC. Norfolk International Airport (ORF) is roughly 40 miles away. Richmond International Airport (RIC) is another option, located approximately 70 miles from Yorktown.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance protects the cost of baggage loss/theft, delays, cancelations, and emergency health issues. Rental car insurance should include roadside assistance and uninsured motorist coverage. Comprehensive insurance offers the best peace of mind.
Yorktown Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 9 | 11 | 14 | 20 | 23 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 26 | 21 | 15 | 12 |
| Low °C | 2 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 16 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 15 | 8 | 5 |
| High °F | 48 | 52 | 57 | 68 | 73 | 82 | 86 | 84 | 79 | 70 | 59 | 54 |
| Low °F | 36 | 36 | 43 | 54 | 61 | 70 | 75 | 73 | 68 | 59 | 46 | 41 |
Virginia - Safety by City
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Alexandria | 47 |
| Arlington | 77 |
| Blacksburg | 79 |
| Charlottesville | 68 |
| Chesapeake | 69 |
| Chincoteague Island | 77 |
| Danville | 76 |
| Hampton | 67 |
| Leesburg | 72 |
| Luray | 81 |
| Lynchburg | 77 |
| Newport News | 68 |
| Norfolk | 43 |
| Petersburg | 52 |
| Portsmouth | 51 |
| Richmond | 60 |
| Roanoke | 47 |
| Staunton | 77 |
| Virginia Beach | 77 |
| Waynesboro | 78 |
| Williamsburg | 78 |
| Yorktown | 82 |
