Several miles east of town, Petersburg National Battlefield is where Union soldiers planted explosives underneath a Confederate breastwork, leading to the Battle of the Crater (novelized and cinematized in Cold Mountain). Thirteen sites, three visitor centers and various battlefields are scattered along the 33-mile driving trail that stretches across the park, and there are also plenty of nature trails to walk. Start at the Eastern Front Visitor Center, which has exhibits about the siege and an introductory film.
The crater is on Siege Rd, a short drive south of the Eastern Front Visitor Center.