Best Virginia

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel is a 23-mile (37 km) fixed-link crossing that connects Virginia's Eastern Shore with the mainland across the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Opened to traffic in 1964, the structure carries U.S. Route 13 and utilizes a combination of low-level trestle bridges, artificia...

The Edwards Virginia Smokehouse Ham represents a time-honored tradition of American cured pork products. Produced in Surry County, Virginia since 1926, this artisan ham undergoes meticulous dry curing and pit smoking according to established family techniques. It's notable for its distinctive smoky...

The Great Dismal Swamp is a large forested wetland spanning southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, centered on Lake Drummond. George Washington participated in surveying and commercial drainage efforts there during the colonial period. Its difficult terrain also sheltered communities...

The Wolf Trap Filene Center is a prominent outdoor amphitheater situated within the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Virginia. It serves as the primary performance venue for the park during its summer season, hosting a wide array of events ranging from concerts by the National Symp...

Mabry Mill is a historic Appalachian watermill located in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Constructed around 1910 by Ed Mabry, it demonstrates traditional grist milling techniques using a gravity-fed system powered by the nearby river. The mill and surrounding buildings represent a significant example...

Shenandoah National Park protects over 200,000 acres of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. It’s notable for its extensive network of hiking trails offering diverse views and opportunities to observe wildlife within mature forests. The park is popular with hikers, campers, and nature enthus...

The Cape Henry Lighthouse stands at the entrance to Hampton Roads harbor in Virginia. Constructed in 1792, it was America’s first lighthouse built by the U.S. government, marking a significant early example of federal infrastructure development. The structure guides ships and serves as a vital histo...

Hollywood Cemetery is a historic garden cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, established in 1847 on a terraced site overlooking the James River. It is the burial place of two United States Presidents—James Monroe and John Tyler—and Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America. The ceme...

The Edwards Virginia Smokehouse Surryano Ham originates in Surry County, Virginia, representing a traditional dry-cured pork product. This ham is notable for its meticulous curing process mirroring European styles like prosciutto, yet infused with the characteristic smoky flavor imparted by local hi...

Assateague Island National Seashore encompasses a unique barrier island shared between Maryland and Virginia. It’s notable for its wild horse population, descendants of escaped domestic animals, and expansive undeveloped beaches. The seashore offers opportunities for nature observation and recreatio...

The Alexandria Historic District preserves a significant portion of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia’s rich history. It contains approximately 750 buildings representing various architectural styles from the colonial era through the early 20th century. This district is notable for its waterfront locati...

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1943 and occupies the Virginia portion of Assateague Island, along with nearby barrier-island and marsh habitats. Managed primarily for migratory birds, it contains beaches, dunes, maritime forest, freshwater impoundments, and salt marshes. Th...

The Aldie Mill Historic District encompasses a brick merchant mill constructed between 1807 and 1809 in Loudoun County, Virginia. Founded by Charles Fenton Mercer, the facility is notable for its early industrial design and well-preserved twin waterwheels, which powered its grain-grinding operations...

Potomac Chocolate produces small-batch, craft chocolates focused on showcasing unique cacao bean origins. Based in Virginia, they operate a bean-to-bar process, roasting and conching their beans with precision to develop distinct flavor profiles. This appeals to chocolate enthusiasts seeking high-qu...

Smithfield Genuine Smithfield Ham is a traditional, dry-cured pork product originating from Smithfield, Virginia. The ham undergoes pit smoking using hickory wood, a process mandated by state law ensuring its origin and production within the city. It’s notable for its intense smoky flavor developed...

Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, established in 1917, serves as headquarters for the Marine Corps Combat Development Command and hosts the FBI Academy and the Drug Enforcement Administration Training Academy.

William & Mary is a historic public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia. Established in 1693, it’s the second oldest continuously operating college and university in the USA. The institution conducts significant scholarly research and provides higher education to students seeking u...

One of two bored tunnel sections carrying U.S. Route 13 under Chesapeake Bay shipping channels in Virginia, opened in 1964 as part of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel complex.

Tunnel section of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in Virginia; a second parallel bore was completed in 2022, doubling capacity across the Thimble Shoal shipping channel.

The USMC War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, is a bronze sculpture designed by Felix de Weldon in 1954, depicting the iconic flag-raising at Iwo Jima.

Historic railroad tunnel through the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, USA, completed in 1858 under engineer Claudius Crozet, and among the longest tunnels in America at the time.

Great Dismal Swamp Marshes are wetlands spanning Virginia and North Carolina, protected by a national wildlife refuge established in 1974.

The Siege of Petersburg was a prolonged military campaign during the American Civil War, lasting from June 1864 to April 1865 in Virginia. Union forces, commanded by Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant, conducted a series of trenches and engagements around the city of Petersburg, a crucial rail hub...

The Old Cape Henry Lighthouse is a sandstone structure built in 1802 at the entrance to Chesapeake Bay near Virginia Beach. It served as one of America’s first lighthouses, playing a crucial role in guiding ships through dangerous coastal waters. Constructed during the colonial period, it remains no...

Fredericksburg National Cemetery is a military burial ground established in 1865 near Fredericksburg, Virginia. It holds the remains of over 15,000 Union soldiers who died during four major American Civil War battles fought in the region, including the Battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wi...

Smithfield Ham is a specific type of dry-cured country ham produced exclusively within the corporate limits of Smithfield, Virginia, a distinction protected by a 1926 state law. The pork is processed using traditional curing methods involving heavy salting and hickory smoking, followed by an aging p...

Fort Myer is a historic United States Army post in Arlington, Virginia, adjoining Arlington National Cemetery and overlooking Washington, D.C. It is associated with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, which performs ceremonial duties and provides military honors in the capital re...

James Monroe was an American lawyer, diplomat, statesman, and the fifth president of the United States, serving from 1817 to 1825. A Virginia revolutionary veteran, he previously served as governor, senator, secretary of state, and secretary of war. His administration is associated with the Missouri...

The Peaks of Otter salamander (Plethodon hubrichti) is a small, lungless amphibian federally recognized as a threatened species. It is geographically isolated to a single stretch of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Bedford County, Virginia, specifically around the Peaks of Otter. Because the species brea...