“Virginia is for Lovers” is the state’s slogan, but it means more than lovers of the romantic type. Lovers of history, nature, beaches and romance will find the state of Virginia able to satisfy most anyone.

Beaches

Imagine a day cruise – warm air caressing your face, the light taste of salt on your lips, the snapping sound of sails billowing overhead, the brilliant shades of red, mesmerizing blues and soft yellows of an Atlantic Ocean sunset. Head to Norfolk, where you can embark on a unique and romantic tall-ship cruise with American Rover Tall Ship Cruises. They offer daily narrated tours of two or three hours in duration. A cocktail lounge, restrooms and a souvenir shop on board the ship are provided for your convenience.

Virginia Beach is the perfect destination. For active lifestyles, the options are endless – from boating, biking, golfing, fishing, swimming, scuba diving and touring to shopping, dining, exploring and more, there is something for everyone. Spend the day at the beach, with sun, sand and surf, then take a stroll along the boardwalk lined with shops and restaurants and amusements where you can “shop-til-you-drop,” feast on a variety of delicious foods and play to your heart’s content.

Calmer waters prevail in Hampton, a great access point for Chesapeake Bay. Windsurfers flock to Buckroe Beach while bird and wildlife watchers head to Grandview Nature Preserve.

Virginia’s Eastern Shore offers quaint towns, gentle waters and miles of beaches. Eco-tours are offered in the area, as well as boat rentals for venturing out on your own.

Llamas!

For a memory you will never forget, try a llama trek! Applewood Inn Bed & Breakfast in Lexington offers such an excursion. Stay in one of their unique rooms – (some with fireplaces), sample an abundant home-cooked breakfast, take a dip in the cool, blue pool and arrange for a delectable picnic to be carried on your llama trek. The guests lead the llamas, which carry the picnic, on guided tours, usually two or three hours in length. Packages of varying lengths and amenities can be arranged for your getaway.

Caverns

Stalactites, stalagmites, dripping water, and cool caves – the caverns are calling! Luray Caverns is a beautiful, colorful and romantic destination. The Caverns were discovered over 126 years ago and have been thrilling visitors ever since. Tour guides, carrying lanterns, lead visitors on narrow paths lined with ever-changing formations and small natural ponds. The highlight of the tour is the world’s largest musical instrument – the “Great Stalacpipe Organ” – an invention which involves stalactites throughout the cave being electronically tapped with rubber mallets, creating beautiful symphonic melodies.

Crystal Caverns is Virginia’s oldest recorded cavern while Shenandoah is the only cavern with elevator service. Skyline Caverns is one of the only caves on earth with Anthodite formations, a very fragile crystal resembling a stone flower. Endless Caverns remains a puzzle to many – explorers have yet to find an end to the cave.

Country

A warm spring day, sunshine on your back, a picnic in a wicker basket and a winding, gentle lane with only you and your loved ones pedaling along on bicycles. If biking, or the great outdoors in general, is your kind of getaway, then Nelson County makes a great destination. The centralized county offers a variety of adventures for outdoorsmen including the numerous bicycle trails, horseback riding, hiking, boating and exploring Crabtree Falls – the highest vertical-drop waterfall east of the Mississippi.

The “Heart of Appalachia” region, the western tip of Virginia, is home to bluegrass music, Daniel Boone, Pocahontas, coal mining and the Cumberland Gap. This area makes a wonderful destination full of museums, attractions and shows. “America’s Most Scenic Drive,” the Blue Ridge Parkway, is in this region of the state and offers visitors an abundance of outdoor activities and numerous areas to observe wildlife or be a part of nature.

Winter Sports

Cuddling by a brisk fire, sipping hot cocoa, relaxing after a fun-filled day on the ski slopes – for a winter getaway Virginia can make your dreams a reality. There are numerous ski resorts and slopes in the state – including Wintergreen Resort and Massanutten, among others. Along with skiing, winter enthusiasts can find snowboarding, snow tubing and ice skating options available in many parts of the state during the winter months.

Amusement Parks

Virginia is home to a variety of amusement parks. Busch Gardens Williamsburg adds new attractions or rides every year. With a “bouncer” pass, guests have access to Busch Gardens and Water Country USA, the mid-Atlantic’s largest water park. Paramount’s Kings Dominion is located just north of Richmond in Doswell, VA and features one of the largest collections of roller coasters in the eastern United States.

Regional Foods

Virginia is well-known for its salty country ham – one taste and you’re hooked! Other regional favorites include grits, fried chicken and other down-home country favorites. Visitors will be pleasantly surprised to find a variety of cuisines all over the state, from soul food to fine dining, and of course, seafood reigns in the coastal areas.

History

Colonial Williamsburg provides another great escape. Take your time, wandering through the village, exploring the buildings, observing the craftsmen. Soak up the atmosphere and sample the period cuisine in an 18th-century tavern or fine dining in one of the elegant inns. Accommodations can be part of the experience too. Guests can choose from the historic Williamsburg Inn, where they can be pampered with fine dining, spa treatments, golf, swimming or a stay in one of the unique Colonial Houses, furnished with period antiques, which allows guests to totally immerse themselves in the 18th century.

Historic Jamestown was America’s first permanent English colony. Here, you can explore ships, forts and even a Native American village. The historic triangle of Williamsburg, Jamestown and York can keep a history buff occupied indefinitely.

Virginia is a state rich in history – from this country’s beginnings, through the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. The past has been well-preserved for all to learn from and to experience.

Regardless of the adventure – or relaxation – you seek, Virginia is for lovers!