Things to do in Old Dominion (AKA Virginia)

In case you are new here (welcome, by the way!) or you just had no idea, I am from Virginia. Sometimes I claim it, sometimes not. I always tell people that my body may be in VA but my heart is in SC, Charleston to specific. Virginia is certainly not a bad state, I have just lived here all of my years and I want to do some 'sploring (Lucy had 'splaining to do, I've got 'sploring to do.). Anyway, with it being almost summer and vacations and roadtrips will be had by many, I thought I would give you some options and insight to my home state. I should also mention that, this idea was inspired by my friends Cathleen and Katie. Katie is from North Carolina (lucky gal!) and Cathleen, is from South Carolina (even luckier gal!). I will link their state posts here  and here.  Now, onto Virginia!

In case you are not so familiar with my state, I'll give you a bit of a fourth grade geography lesson. Virginia is split into three regions: Blue Ridge, Piedmont, and Tidewater. The Blue Ridge region is home to the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains, and has lots of Civil War history. The Piedmont region is the middle section of Virgina and, the land is closer to sea-level than the Blue Ridge. This is where you will find our capital city, Richmond. The Tidewater is coastal Virginia. This is where you will find colonial cities such as Williamsburg and of course, Virginia Beach. 

Blue Ridge:



(Image from www.visitskylinedrive.org)

• SKYLINE DRIVE

The Skyline Drive is a scenic road that runs through the Shenandoah National Park. If you love nature, this is a must see!! Animals such as deer and bear, are a frequent sight. The road itself is 109 miles long with a speed limit of just 35mph. Sure, it will take you awhile to drive the entire thing but, there are also several overlooks and hiking and biking paths. The Appalachian Trail actually runs through the Shenandoah Valley and you can access the trail through the Skyline Drive. 



(Image from www.stonesentinals.com)

• CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELDS

Any good Virginia elementary school student will tell you that, they are already sick of hearing about the Civil War. The reason is, this is a state that had quite a bit of involvement with the "war between the states". Thus, Virginia history and studies is a big deal. All throughout Virginia, you will see Civil War trail markers, like those pictured above. There are several battlefields in the state worth checking out and below I have listed a few:

1. Battle of Bull Run
2. Battle of Cedar Creek
3. Chancellorsville Battlefield

Piedmont:

(Image from www.riponsociety.org)

• MOUNT VERNON

You know that guy on the one dollar bill? He's the same one on the quarter too. Guess what? That's George Washington or, "the original G-dub's". He was a Virginia man. Mount Vernon is an absolute MUST SEE when coming to Virginia. It is a field trip hot spot for every elementary school in the state and, it's the first presidents estate for crying out loud! You can also visit Ferry Farm which is where Washington lived as a child and supposedly cut down a cherry tree. Fun Fact: Including George Washington, there have been eight total US Presidents from Virginia. 

(Image from www.monticello.org)

• MONTICELLO

You know that guy (deja vu?) that's credited with the Declaration of Independence, the Louisiana Purchase, having his face stamped on a nickel (and a near extinct $2 bill) and also the third president of The United States? He was also a Virginia man! Thomas Jefferson's Monticello is magnificent!! Like Mount Vernon, this is also a must-see and a huge field trip destination. Jefferson actually designed Monticello after inspiration from his travels to France. The architecture and landscape design is absolutely stunning!




Tidewater:

(Image from www.williamsburgwaterfront.com)

• HISTORIC TRIANGLE

In case you were not aware, Virginia is loaded with history. In the Tidewater region, you can visit Virginia's Historical Triangle. Williamsburg is known as being the first state capital of Virginia. It is one of my absolute favorite cities! Downtown has colonial buildings, reenactments, and tours. The entire city has a very southern, colonial vibe...very welcoming. You can also visit Jamestown which is known as being the first Virginia settlement in 1607. Of course you could just watch Pocahontas and learn absolutely no truth about the real Jamestown or the real Pocahontas....cute flick though! Lastly, there is Yorktown. This is where the British troops surrendered, to none other than GW, to end the Revolutionary War. It's sort of a big deal.


With the Tidewater region being coastal, there are next to a million things to do in this area of Virginia. Below I have listed several worth checking out:

1. Busch Gardens (If you do nothing else in VA, go here. Trust me.)
2. Virginia Beach (I don't really recommend the beach itself but the nightlife and live music is worth checking out.)
3. Virginia Aquarium
4. Virginia Air and Space Center

So there you have it. A bit of Virginia history and places to go and things to see when you come for a visit. Be sure to let me know when you do, I can hook you up with a list of the best places to dine! 




Choose to make today great!
-Jessica