What to See in Virginia, United States

The things to do in Virginia range from exploring Atlantic coast and Chesapeake Bay landscapes to discovering places connected with colonial history, the Civil War, civil rights, farming and the arts. Known as the Old Dominion, Virginia brings together mountains, forests, historic towns, ports and urban communities across one remarkably varied state. Neywo offers free audio guides for 8 cities in Virginia, covering 350 narrated places in total through 13 walking tours.

What to see and do in Virginia

Explore Virginia’s layered history

Virginia’s story began thousands of years ago, when hunter-gatherers arrived in the region and used places such as Daugherty’s Cave as rock shelters. Several Indigenous nations lived across the land, including peoples connected with the Powhatan Confederacy.

In 1607, the London Company established the Colony of Virginia, the first permanent English colony in the New World. The colony later expanded through a plantation economy based on land taken from displaced Native peoples and the enslavement of Africans. These forces shaped Virginia’s society while also creating enduring conflict.

Virginia played an important role in the independence of the Thirteen Colonies and in the formation of the new national government. During the Civil War, Richmond’s state government joined the Confederacy, while many northwestern counties remained loyal to the Union and separated to form West Virginia.

The state’s history also includes the long struggle against segregation. In 1951, student Barbara Rose Johns led a strike at her underfunded, segregated school in Prince Edward County. Her protest helped lead to a lawsuit against the county, making it an important example of people pressing to be heard.

For a concentrated introduction to these different periods, visit the historic cities of Williamsburg and Richmond. Williamsburg includes Bruton Parish Church, Colonial Williamsburg, the Muscarelle Museum of Art and Raleigh Tavern among its narrated places. Richmond has 219 narrated places, including St. Patrick Catholic Church, Trinity Methodist Church, Third Presbyterian Church and Altria Theater.

Discover Virginia’s changing landscapes

Virginia stretches from the Atlantic Coast to the Appalachian Mountains. The Atlantic Plain occupies the east, while the Chesapeake Bay separates much of the state from the Eastern Shore, a two-county peninsula. The bay formed from the drowned river valley of the ancient Susquehanna River.

Inland, the Piedmont rises as a region of foothills. Farther west and southwest, the Blue Ridge Mountains cross the state, while the Shenandoah Valley is known for fertile land and productive agricultural counties. Forests cover 62 percent of Virginia, mostly with hardwood trees that are deciduous and broad-leaved.

The state’s climate changes with its terrain. Much of Virginia has a humid subtropical climate, while areas west of the Blue Ridge transition toward humid continental conditions. This variety makes Virginia less a single destination than a collection of distinct regions: coast, bay, foothills, mountains, farmland and forest.

The coast is especially prominent around Virginia Beach, where narrated places include the Old Coast Guard Station Museum, Old Cape Henry Lighthouse, Cape Henry Light and the Military Aviation Museum. The city has 33 narrated places to discover. On the Eastern Shore, Chincoteague offers access to a different coastal setting, with the Museum of Chincoteague Island and Refuge Waterfowl Museum among its two narrated places.

Visit cities shaped by government, ports and the arts

Modern Virginia has several strong regional identities. Northern Virginia is home to more than one-third of the state’s population, with an economy driven by technology companies and United States federal government agencies. Government employment and federal procurement are major parts of the state economy.

Elsewhere, farming remains central to daily life, especially in the Shenandoah Valley. On the coast, Hampton Roads is home to the region’s main seaport and Naval Station Norfolk, described as the world’s largest naval base.

Norfolk brings together this maritime identity and a strong cultural offering. Its 41 narrated places include USS Wisconsin, Fort Norfolk, Chrysler Museum of Art and Barry Art Museum.

Other cities reveal different sides of Virginia. Charlottesville has seven narrated places, including Virginia Discovery Museum, Congregation Beth Israel, Delevan Baptist Church and Paramount Theater. Staunton includes the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton station and Camera Heritage Museum among its six narrated places.

Arlington is another point of entry into Virginia, with 11 narrated places including AT&T Stadium, Hutcheson-Smith House, National Medal of Honor Museum and Choctaw Stadium. Together, these cities show how Virginia combines public life, cultural institutions, historic buildings and local communities.

Experience local culture, food and events

Virginia’s culture belongs partly to the wider culture of the Southern United States, but it is not uniform. The Smithsonian Institution identifies nine cultural regions within the Commonwealth, reflecting the differences between its local communities.

Food and drink are part of that regional variety. Southern cooking traditions sit alongside local customs, and Virginia wine is produced in many parts of the state. County fairs and local festivals also bring communities together.

The Virginia State Fair takes place at Meadow Event Park each September. Virginia Beach hosts the Neptune Festival, which celebrates the city, its waterfront and regional artists. In Norfolk, Harborfest features boat racing and air shows, while Celebrate Fairfax! includes popular and traditional music.

The state’s museums add another dimension to its cultural life. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Science Museum of Virginia are among the institutions that help tell the story of the Commonwealth through art, science and public programming.

Explore Virginia with Neywo

Neywo has free audio guides for 8 cities in Virginia, with 350 narrated places in total and 13 walking tours. Narration is available in 11 languages. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Download Neywo and explore Virginia city by city, from the coast and Hampton Roads to historic Williamsburg, Richmond and the Shenandoah region.