According to abbreviationfinder, Virginia is located in the eastern United States, between Maryland (north and east), North Carolina and Tennessee (south), West Virginia and Kentucky (west), and the Atlantic Ocean (east). The state is divided into seven regions, namely Shenandoah Valley, Northern Virginia, Chesapeake Bay, Eastern Shore, Central, Blue Ridge Highlands, and Heart of Appalachia.
The Old Dominion State has a humid continental climate, with hot summers and cold winters. Summer temperatures hover around 30 degrees Celsius, while the mercury drops just below freezing in winter. Over the whole year it rains here about 110 cm; snowfall varies from 51 cm in the west to 127 cm in the mountains. May through September are the best months to go to Virginia. The months of June and July are also holidays for Americans and Canadians, so expect sudden increases in waiting times and prices.
Flora and fauna
The state is divided into three areas: the Tidewater Region on the coast, the high plains of the Piedmont, and the western Blue Ridge Mountains. Virginia is wooded, with 12 oak species, five pine species, and two walnut, eucalyptus, robinia, and poplar species. The coast is characterized by pines. Many wild flowers also bloom in their season, such as mountain laurel, azaleas and rhododendrons. Common mammals include the white-tailed deer, skunk, moose, black bear, lynx, marmot, raccoon, opposum, mole, vole, bat, otter, squirrel, mink, and red and gray fox. In the air and on the ground, pheasants, wild turkeys, quail, doves, wood pigeons and woodcocks flit and scratch. The waters are filled with fish species such as trout, perch, bream, sunfish, pike, catfish and sunfish. Snakes are also relatively rampant; the venomous copperhead, cottonmouth and timber rattler, among others, slither their way through the landscape.
Main cities
According to countryaah, Virginia’s state capital is Richmond, next to larger cities such as Norfolk, Roanake, Lexington and Williamsburg.
Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is a city in the US state of Virginia, on the east coast of the country. The city is listed in the Guinness Book of Records for its beach. According to the book, this is the longest pleasure beach in the world. Virginia Beach has no less than 21 city parks, with a total size of more than 4 hectares. The city is also known for its monument that commemorates where the English settlers first landed in 167. The best way to explore Virginia Beach and the surrounding area is by car. Renting a car is therefore recommended.
Cape Henry is about a 15-minute drive north of Virginia Beach. The Cape Henry Lighthouse was the first lighthouse in the United States and was built in 1792. Half an hour west of Virginia Beach is the city of Norfolk. Norfolk, like Virginia Beach, is on the Chesapeake Bay. The city is known for its naval base, which is the largest in the world. But Norfolk also has a growing art world and therefore a number of museums that are worth visiting. An example of this is the Chrysler Museum of Art.
Nature
Virginia has a National Park: Shenandoah National Park (PHOTO ABOVE) is a beautiful nature reserve in the Blue Ridge Mountains. If you follow the 170-kilometer Skyline Drive, you will pass about 70 viewpoints over the most idyllic hills, valleys and waterfalls. If you follow this road further, you will drive straight into the Appalachians via the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Civil War
Virginia paid dearly for its part in the Civil War; the state was hit hard at the time with many battles taking place within its borders. Battlefields can be found at Williamsburg, Fredericksburg and Richmond where the Confederates walked off the field with different results. Fort Ward is a stone fortress system built to protect Washington DC and has been beautifully preserved over the years. In addition, the period before the war, the Antebellum, is inextricably linked to the war. The often beautifully lush plantations can still be visited today, such as the Endview Plantation at Newport News and the James River Plantations at Williamsburg.
Mount Vernon
The former home of America’s first president is located nearby and can still be visited. His personal rooms, various exhibitions and the breathtaking lands around it can be seen. A must see!
Arlington
Arlington Cemetery is the final resting place of President John F. Kennedy, boxer Joe Louis and actor Lee Marvin, among others. In addition, there are many memorials for those who fell in the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWII and the Race to Space.
