The historic American state of Virginia is situated on the east coast of the country and lies next to the Atlantic Ocean. The state capital is Richmond, while Virginia
Beach is the largest city. Other popular centers include Richmond, Williamsburg, Roanoke, Salem, Portsmouth, Lynchburg, Manassas, Norfolk, Hampton, Chesapeake, Bedford, and Fairfax.
It’s the 35th largest state in the country by size and the 12th largest when it comes to population as it’s home to about eight million people. It’s one of the oldest
states as it was the 10th one to be admitted into the Union back in 1788. It’s famous for many things, one of them being the birthplace of eight American presidents.
The region was first inhabited by Native Americans and it became an English colony in 1607. It was one of the Thirteen Colonies that fought in the American Revolution and
then joined forces with the Confederacy during the American Civil War.
Virginia has some fascinating terrain and is home to the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay. It’s filled with fabulous rivers, mountains, valleys, caves, and
forests. The weather depends on which area of the state you’re in. But generally it gets warmer and more humid as you head farther east and south. The summers are nice and warm while
the winters aren’t too harsh.
There is an interesting variety of flora and fauna and some of the best spots to view them are Shenandoah National Park, the Appalachian Trail, and Great Falls Park.
Here you’ll find white-tailed deer, beavers, black bears, bobcats, fox, coyotes, rare birds, and fish.
Virginia's history is steep when it comes to the birthplace of the South and America and the state is separated into nine cultural districts. The southern influence can
be seen in the cuisine, architecture, furniture, accents, and performing arts.
Some of the best places to check out are Wolf Trap National Park, the Science Museum of Virginia, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Chrysler Museum of Art, and the
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum. There are also some fine open-air museums, such as the Frontier Culture Museum, Colonial Williamsburg, and several
historic battlefields.
Norfolk is home to the Harrison Opera House, and Hampton Roads hosts the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. Several theater groups perform at the American Shakespeare Center,
which is in Staunton. Other theatres include the Barter, Signature, Birchmere, Landmark, Theatre IV, and Children's Theater of Virginia.
Virginia also hosts quite a few festivals and county fairs, such as the Virginia State Fair, the Neptune Festival, Harborfest, Celebrate Fairfax, the Virginia Lake
Festival, the Wolf Trap Opera Company Festival, the Pony Swim and Auction, the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival, the Old Time Fiddlers' Convention, the VCU French Film Festival, and
the Virginia Film Festival.
The state has a good railway service and its highways are top notch. There are several Amtrak stations with commuter lines extending to Washington, D.C. from Manassas
and Fredericksburg.
The bus service is also good and there are some free ferries throughout Virginia. If you’re flying, there are several choices of airports to land in. These are in
Washington D.C., Norfolk, Richmond, and Newport/Williamsburg. There are about 60 regional airports and several seaports.
For the population of Virginia, it’s a little surprising there aren’t any major-league pro sports teams. However, many fans travel over to Washington to get their fix.
Virginia is home to a few minor league franchises, especially in soccer and baseball.
Virginia serves up some excellent southern cooking as well as international cuisine and there’s no problem finding good accommodations no matter what type, of budget
you’re on.
The state of Virginia is one of the most historic in the country and it’s a superb place to learn about the birth and growth of America. There are numerous interesting
cities and park areas to visit and exciting activities to try for visitors of all ages.
About Virginia