VisitVirginia.co.uk

Where America's Story Began

Virginia is a state on the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States, known for early colonial history, the Blue Ridge Mountains and rolling countryside. Jamestown, founded in 1607, was the first permanent English settlement in North America, and the Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown still tells that story with living-history museums. Colonial Williamsburg, a restored eighteenth-century capital, is a favourite with families and history lovers, with costumed interpreters, craft workshops and tavern dining.

Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and the University of Virginia, both in Charlottesville, were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, and George Washington's Mount Vernon sits on a sweeping bend of the Potomac. Richmond, the capital, adds museums, murals and an energetic food scene along the James River. For a tourist board, these layers of heritage make Virginia an easy state to promote to culture-minded travellers.

Skyline Drive, Vineyards and the Coast

The landscape is as rewarding as the history. Shenandoah National Park's Skyline Drive runs about 105 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge, with overlooks, waterfalls and hiking trails, and it blazes with colour in October. The Blue Ridge Parkway continues southwards, linking Virginia with Tennessee and the Smokies. Around Charlottesville and Middleburg, vineyards and horse country give a gentler, rural elegance, with country inns and farm-to-table kitchens.

Virginia Beach offers a long Atlantic shoreline, a lively boardwalk and a relaxed holiday pace, while the Eastern Shore and Chincoteague Island are known for their wild ponies and quiet marshes. Northern Virginia, just across the Potomac from Washington DC, adds Arlington, Alexandria's cobbled Old Town and easy transport links. A hotel group can offer everything from grand historic inns to oceanfront stays.

Seasons and Easy Connections

Spring brings dogwood and redbud blossom, and autumn colour along the Blue Ridge draws visitors from across the country. Summer suits the beach and festivals, while winter has its own charm in Williamsburg's candlelit season. A road trip works well, with scenic drives connecting most highlights in a few hours.

Dulles International, close to Washington, has direct links from the UK, and Richmond, Norfolk and Charlottesville provide regional airports. Neighbouring Maryland and the cities of the north, including Philadelphia, are reached by road or rail. With VisitVirginia.co.uk as a distinctive address, airlines and booking platforms can package fly-drive itineraries that follow Virginia's heritage trails, mountain roads and coast.

Where to Stay: Inns, Estates and Oceanfront

Virginia's lodgings reflect its history and landscape. In Williamsburg, historic taverns and the grand Williamsburg Inn put visitors inside the colonial story, a favourite for families and couples. Charlottesville and the surrounding countryside offer boutique hotels, farm stays and country estates near Monticello, while Middleburg's hunt country has elegant inns amid pastures and stone walls. In Shenandoah, lodges along Skyline Drive and cabins around Luray give walkers dramatic ridge-top views, and in the Allegheny Mountains the historic Homestead in Hot Springs has welcomed guests since the eighteenth century.

City and coast offer alternatives. Richmond's Fan district and Jackson Ward have boutique stays in handsome townhouses, and Alexandria's Old Town provides a cobbled waterfront close to Washington. Virginia Beach lines its long oceanfront with resorts and family hotels, while Chincoteague Island has intimate inns beside the marshes and wild ponies. Roanoke, at the foot of the Blue Ridge, suits cyclists and hikers. A booking platform can present these options together, so couples, families, golfers and groups can build a stay around the region that matches their pace.

Ham, Apples and a Calendar of Heritage

Virginia's cooking rewards curiosity. Country ham from Smithfield, Brunswick stew, spoonbread, peanuts from the southeast and the shucked oysters of the Chesapeake tributaries are classic tastes, while orchards in the Blue Ridge supply apples, cider and warm doughnuts in autumn. Thomas Jefferson planted vineyards at Monticello, and the Charlottesville area now has a wine heritage worth exploring as part of the cuisine. Craft traditions include Blue Ridge pottery, quilting and instrument-making, and the Crooked Road music trail in the south-west celebrates old-time and bluegrass sounds from Bristol to Galax.

Architecture is a draw in its own right. Jefferson's neoclassical Rotunda at the University of Virginia, the State Capitol he helped design in Richmond and the Georgian elegance of Williamsburg and Alexandria tell the story of a young republic. The year starts with Historic Garden Week in April, followed by the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival in May, the Chincoteague Pony Swim in July, Richmond Folk Festival in October and Christmas candlelight in Williamsburg in December. Autumn colour lights the Blue Ridge from late September.

Ridge Trails, Rivers and Coastal Days

Active travellers are spoiled for choice. The Appalachian Trail crosses the state, with the famous rock ledge at McAfee Knob and the rugged scramble of Old Rag Mountain in Shenandoah as highlights. The Virginia Creeper Trail near Abingdon is a gentle, downhill cycling route through forest, while the Blue Ridge Parkway offers scenic road biking. In Richmond, the James River tumbles through the city, giving urban whitewater and paddling, and Virginia Beach offers surfing lessons and a long boardwalk. Luray Caverns and Natural Bridge add underground and geological wonders, and golfers enjoy the courses around Williamsburg.

Day trips are easy. From Washington DC, Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria are close, Richmond is about two hours south and Williamsburg lies a further hour on. The Blue Ridge Parkway leads south to Tennessee, while Maryland and Philadelphia extend a northern circuit. Airlines flying into Dulles can pair Virginia with a capital stay, and an AI platform can help visitors choose between heritage, hiking and coast, then link everything into a flexible fly-drive plan.

Planning your stay

The Historic Triangle of Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown tells the story of English settlement and the American Revolution, with a living history museum in Colonial Williamsburg. Richmond, the state capital, has museums and a food scene, Monticello near Charlottesville was Thomas Jefferson's home, and Virginia Beach is the main Atlantic resort. Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway offer scenic drives and walking.

Northern Virginia is part of the capital region, with Arlington and Alexandria beside Washington DC, and Maryland is the neighbouring state to the north. Philadelphia and New Jersey extend a longer east coast route, and a hire car is the easiest way to link the parts of Virginia.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with autumn colour along the Blue Ridge usually peaking in October, though dates vary. Summer is hot and humid on the coast and in the cities, and it is peak season for Virginia Beach. Winter can bring snow, particularly in the mountains, which can close scenic roads.

For Virginia, bear in mind that the Atlantic hurricane season normally runs from June to November, and hurricanes can affect coastal regions.

Entry rules and getting there

If you travelled to or were in Cuba on or after 12 January 2021 you cannot apply for an ESTA, so check your history before you book Virginia.

Washington Dulles airport is in northern Virginia and has direct flights from London, taking about eight hours. For Williamsburg, Richmond and the coast, many visitors fly to Dulles or another East Coast hub and hire a car. Your first US airport on the way to Virginia will have immigration queues, so leave generous time for any connection and check current schedules.

Before you travel

Entry requirements and official travel guidance are updated regularly, so check the latest position with your government before booking. The sources we used are listed at the foot of this page.

Why Virginia matters to the industry

Virginia is a heritage, outdoors and coastal brand with strong UK recognition through its colonial history. VisitVirginia.co.uk lets a tourist board, hotel group or airline publish one clear route into the state's regions, and our AI platform carries the answers to searchers and assistants.

Browse our other destination guides for comparison with other heritage markets.

Questions travellers ask about Virginia