Your guide to Virginia

Overlooking Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Drive follows the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains for 169 kilometres. Pull-offs lead to sensational views and trailheads. At Colonial Williamsburg, you’ll experience life on the eve of the American Revolution. A visit to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s home, isn’t just for history buffs — tours highlight the estate’s Neoclassical architecture and beautiful grounds.

Virginia Beach is the world’s longest pleasure beach, with 56 kilometres of golden sands stretching from the Atlantic coast to the Chesapeake Bay. Beyond the boardwalk, you’ll find a back-to-nature vibe at Sandbridge and year-round surfing at Croatan. Head to Virginia’s Eastern Shore region for retro seaside towns. Or check out Smith Mountain Lake for hundreds more kilometres of shoreline.

From its thundering waterfalls and dramatic gorges to the misty peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia keeps you looking up. There’s much to marvel at below ground too, such as thermal springs and caves full of striking rock formations. Meet the wildlife at the state’s nature reserves, including Assateague Island’s wild horses and the bald eagles of Back Bay.

Virginia’s local dishes are steeped in tradition — like country ham smoked using Indigenous methods and Brunswick stew served from a cauldron. Oysters are big business here, as is the wine from Virginia’s 300-plus wineries. The fertile Shenandoah Valley is a foodie heaven, with some of the best restaurants in Virginia to be found in Charlottesville, while Roanoke is known for its craft breweries.

You’ll be busy exploring the museums in Virginia. In Richmond alone, they cover everything from Indigenous culture and Black history to the American Civil War and the Holocaust. The capital is also a great literary city, with an Edgar Allan Poe museum at the writer’s former newspaper offices. And the Mariners Museum in Newport News is one of the largest maritime museums in the US.

Some of the best nightlife in Virginia comes with a view, whether it’s a rooftop bar overlooking the ocean or a microbrewery in the Shenandoah Valley. In Virginia Beach, Pacific Avenue buzzes with everything from casual pubs to upscale lounges, while Charlottesville sports bars fill with fans cheering on the UVA Cavaliers over beers and wings.

Buses: Virginia Breeze buses connect small towns and cities in Virginia to Dulles International Airport and Washington, D.C., along four major routes. Greyhound buses also provide intercity and national connections. Many municipalities offer regional service as well.

Trains: You can reach the beaches or mountains from Washington, D.C. on the Amtrak. D.C.’s Metrorail service extends into Alexandria and Arlington.

Boats: Ferries cross the James and Potomac rivers year-round. Or you can catch a seasonal ferry from Virginia’s Eastern Shore to Tangier Island.

International travellers often fly into an airport in the Washington, D.C., area. Dulles International Airport is actually located in Virginia. Some budget airlines fly into Baltimore/Washington International Airport, but despite its name, the airport is almost an hour north of D.C. Make regional connections to airports in Richmond, Charlottesville and Norfolk.

Virginia has a vast network of scenic drives and byways. Look out over the Shenandoah Valley from Skyline Drive, or follow the trail of Civil War history along the Journey Through Hallowed Ground. A major north–south artery, I-95 runs up to D.C. through Richmond. Expect heavy traffic, especially during rush hour.