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Virginia

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Nassawadox Creek kayaking.

© Sam Dean/Visit Virginia

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Overview

Virginia is steeped in history and tradition. It's the birthplace of the United States, and has played a lead role in nearly every major American drama, from the Revolutionary War to the Civil Rights movement.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Colonial Williamsburg

    Colonial Williamsburg

    Virginia

    Image by Thomas Faull/Getty Images RF

  • Reconstruction of wooden fort in the Historic Jamestowne Settlement in Virginia.

    Historic Jamestowne

    Virginia

    Run by the NPS, this fascinating place is the original Jamestown site, established in 1607 and home of the first permanent English settlement in North…

  • Dale Chihuly glass reed sculpture at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts VMFA in Richmond, Virginia

    Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

    Richmond

    Richmond is a cultured city, and this splendid art museum is the cornerstone of the local arts scene. Highlights of its eclectic, world-class collection…

  • Exterior sign for the Art Museums at Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia.

    Art Museums

    Virginia

    Entered through Colonial Williamsburg's former public hospital, this complex is home to two equally splendid museums: the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts…

  • The Mariners' Museum in Newport News, Virginia.

    Mariners' Museum

    Virginia

    One of the biggest, most comprehensive maritime museums in the world. The on-site USS Monitor Center houses parts of the Civil War–era Monitor, one of the…

  • Richmond, Virginia, United States, North America

    Poe Museum

    Richmond

    Contains the world's largest collection of manuscripts and memorabilia of poet and horror-writer Edgar Allan Poe, who lived and worked in Richmond…

  • Virginia State Capitol, Richmond, Virginia, America..Photograph taken after sunset..The Capitol Building houses the oldest elected legislative body in USA, first established as the House of Burgesses in 1619

    Virginia State Capitol

    Richmond

    Designed by Thomas Jefferson, the capitol building was completed in 1788 and houses the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere – the Virginia…

  • The historic Berkeley Plantation in Virginia.

    Berkeley Plantation

    Virginia

    Dating from 1726, this plantation on the James River was the birthplace and home of Benjamin Harrison V, a signatory of the Declaration of Independence,…

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Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Best Things to Do

A popular shore destination for families, Virginia Beach has lots to offer. Here’s our roundup of the best things to do in Virginia Beach.

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Best Places to Visit

If you want to get to know Virginia, these are the best places to visit to get to know the birthplace of the USA.

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Free Things to Do

Virginia presents a wealth of things to see and do, and many of them are free. Here's our guide to the very best.

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Best Road Trips

From majestic tours of the Blue Ridge Mountains to easy getaways in the DC area and beyond, we’ve compiled a list of the best road trips in Virginia.

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