West Point

Learn about the military history of America on a cadet-guided bus tour of the academy grounds. The basic tour typically covers the main campus, Trophy Point, the Battle Monument, and the training plain. The more in-depth 2-hour tour tends to stop at the West Point Cemetery and Old Cadet Chapel. Even without a tour, you can still learn about student life and military history at the West Point Museum or watch informational videos at the Visitor Center.

• Purchase tour tickets in advance online or at the Frederic V. Malek West Point Visitors Center.

• Bus tours make several stops for a walking tour of the grounds, so wear comfortable shoes and bring a jacket during the wintertime.

• All visitors over the age of 17 years must bring a government-issued photo ID. Non-US visitors must bring a passport.

• The Visitor Center is wheelchair accessible; wheelchair lift tickets are available for bus tours and should be purchased online in advance.

• There’s a gift shop selling military souvenirs.

The United States Military Academy is located less than an hour north of New York City in West Point, New York. For GPS systems, use the address 2017 New South Post, Highland Falls, New York.

The Visitor Center and gift shop are open daily from 9am to 4:45pm. Holiday closures are Thanksgiving, Christmas day, and New Year's Day.

A great starting point for learning about the history of West Point and the American military is the 18th-century West Point Museum, the oldest federal museum in the US. The collection includes weapons, uniforms, military art, and other military memorabilia from American wars beginning with the Revolutionary War. Highlights include weapons that belonged to George Washington, Dwight Eisenhower, and Napoleon I, and military paintings by James Whistler and Frederick Remington. Exhibits on the history of world warfare are used by cadets in training.

Yes, West Point tours depart from the West Point Visitor Center and can be booked up to three months in advance. Visitors choose between an introductory tour that lasts just over an hour or a 2-hour tour that tags on visits to the West Point Cemetery and Old Cadet Chapel.

Yes, for prospective cadets and anyone interested in US military history, West Point is worth a visit. While the visitor center and museum are free, a tour gives visitors the inside scoop, and it’s worth paying the extra to hear stories and tidbits that you might otherwise miss.

West Point Campus is open on certain conditions to the public. Prospective cadets with accompanying guardians and tour visitors are subject to security background checks as West Point is an active-duty military post. The only exemptions are for valid DoD ID card holders who will have already undergone screening.

It’s tough to get accepted into West Point as a cadet as the academy is notoriously selective, demanding academic prowess, leadership potential, and peak physical condition. To get in on a West Point tour, though, it’s a little easier. Book in advance, have your screening documents ready, and enjoy the tour.

No, there are no West Point Mint public tours, given the security needed to keep its gold bullion safe. However, coin enthusiasts can take in-person tours of the US Mints in Philadelphia and Denver, and those curious about the neighboring West Point Academy can easily book a public tour.

Many US military leaders and notable figures are buried at West Point Cemetery. From the military, there’s Major General Daniel Butterfield, who wrote the bugle call “Taps,” while other interesting figures include two Sunday school teachers, Susan and Anna Warner, who are (as yet) the sole civilian women buried here.