Photo: Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park · Public domain
🏛️Virginia: What to Know Before You Go
Destination Intel / United States / Virginia
Culture, Food and Etiquette
- Virginia ham. Smithfield ham is famous throughout region
- Peanuts and peanut-based dishes. Virginia peanuts are premium
- Crab and Chesapeake Bay seafood
- Southern fried chicken and biscuits
- Colonial Williamsburg, living history museum and education
- Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's historic estate
- Shenandoah National Park, Blue Ridge Mountains and waterfalls
- Monument Avenue (Richmond), historic sculpture avenue
Virginia accent and Tidewater dialect; genteel Southern communication style.
- Colonial and Civil War history is important. Approach respectfully
- Tipping 18-20% is expected
- Virginia's complex racial and plantation history must be respected
- Southern politeness and formality are valued
Best Time to Visit
Virginia has four seasons; spring and fall are mild, summers are warm and humid, and the mountains are cooler with occasional winter snow.
- Peak: April to May, September to October
- Shoulder: March, November
- Off season: July to August humidity, and winter cold in the mountains
Source: ncei.noaa.gov
Getting Around
- A
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What moves the cost: Trains and transit link the north with Washington.
Common Questions
When is the best time to visit Virginia?+
The coast, the piedmont and the mountains are a drive apart.
Source: ncei.noaa.gov
The spring in the DC area and the fall in the mountains cost the most, while the humid summer is quieter.+
Spring and fall are the most comfortable, with spring blossoms and fall foliage as the highlights.