Virginia is a state where past and present share the same ground. In places like Colonial Williamsburg, costumed interpreters walk the same streets once frequented by American revolutionaries, while nearby Jamestown and Yorktown complete what's known as the Historic Triangle. Just a short drive away, Richmond offers a more contemporary take on Virginia’s role in history, with street art and food halls standing near Civil War-era landmarks and museums like the American Civil War Museum and the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia.

Outside its historic corridors, Virginia surprises visitors with its changing landscapes, from the rolling horse farms of Middleburg to the rugged terrain of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Shenandoah National Park stretches along the spine of the state, with Skyline Drive offering 105 miles of scenic overlooks and access to more than 500 miles of trails. For a different view, Luray Caverns, one of the largest cave systems in the eastern U.S., reveals cathedral-like chambers and an organ made of stalactites that actually plays music.