About Virginia

A state of great pride and long memory, Virginia has both modern cities that look towards the future and whole towns just devoted to remembering the past. Head to Richmond where the sleek downtown skyscrapers are surrounded by historic neighborhoods and monuments. Visit Gettysburg where it's the Civil War that attracts attention. With so much to see and do, Virginia is a popular place to visit year round, so book your flight and rent a car well in advance to be sure you get the best deal.

Some of the most popular cities in Virginia are:

• Virginia Beach
• Richmond
• Williamsburg
• Norfolk
• Alexandria

While hospitality and natural beauty typify nearly anywhere in Virginia, each city does have its own special characteristics that make it stand out. At Virginia Beach, that is the wonderful beach resort atmosphere. When you're in Richmond it's the merging of Civil War history with big-city culture. Williamsburg is famous for its historic downtown known as Colonial Williamsburg while Alexandria is right across the river from our nation's capitol.

The ocean plays a major role in Virginia's economy. Southern Virginia's beach towns are always a hit with families and summer vacationers, offering sandy beaches and warm ocean water. In addition, the naval station in Norfolk is the largest in the world, with many large naval ships harbored in the bay.

Historically, Virginia had a strongly agricultural economy, but over the past decades this has changed into an economy built on technology manufacturing. Some of the largest employers, however, are federal agencies. The Pentagon is the most famous of these, but military bases like those at Quantico and Fort Belvoir make Virginia home to more active military than any other state in the nation.

Situated between the metropolitan areas of the north and the natural beauty of the south, Virginia's east coast location puts it close to other diverse and fascinating states. To the south, North Carolina is famous for its beaches and its universities. Just a short distance north past Maryland, see the Colonial history and cultural centers of Pennsylvania. Head southwest to explore the mountain ranges and musical legacy of Tennessee.

Fun Facts About Virginia

• Virginia held the first permanent English settlement in the New World, Jamestown, which was founded by the British in 1607.

• Eight presidents have called Virginia home: more than any other state can claim.

• As well as being the capital of Virginia, Richmond was once the capital of the Confederacy.

• In Richmond, flipping a coin to determine who will pay for coffee in a restaurant is illegal.

• Patrick Henry's famous speech containing the phrase, "Give me liberty or give me death!" took place at St. John's Church in Richmond.

• Virginia contains two presidential estates: George Washington's Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.

• One a much larger portion of land, the states of Kentucky and West Virginia were carved out of Virginia in 1792 and 1863, respectively.

• The state flower is the dogwood tree blossom, which isn't actually a flower.