The Atlas Obscura Guide To Virginia

288 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Virginia

Updated October 26, 2023

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Unusual Attractions in Virginia

Williamsburg, Virginia

President Heads

Giant busts of 42 U.S. presidents are sitting in a field in Virginia.

Fredericksburg, Virginia

Abandoned Virginia Renaissance Faire

The remains of a failed attempt at medieval nerdery are hidden deep in the woods of Virginia.

Natural Bridge, Virginia

The Natural Bridge

A sacred site for Native Americans surveyed by George Washington and owned by both King George III and Thomas Jefferson.

Saltville, Virginia

Great Channels of Virginia

This maze-like slot canyon is a unique gem within an already fascinating geological area.

Duffield, Virginia

Virginia's Natural Tunnel

A 300-yard long natural tunnel runs through a ridge deep in the Appalachian Mountains.

Richmond, Virginia

Edgar Allan Poe Museum

This museum devoted to the gothic author holds such interesting ephemera as his socks and walking stick.

White Post, Virginia

Dinosaurland

Outsider art meets paleontology at this roadside reptile repository.

Radford, Virginia

St. Albans Sanatorium

Paranormal investigators claim this abandoned asylum is the most haunted spot in the eastern U.S.

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Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Virginia

Norfolk, Virginia

Doumar's Barbecue

This old-fashioned carhop restaurant gave the world the waffle cone.

Alexandria, Virginia

George Washington's Distillery

The only place for a truly presidential dram.

Gordonsville, Virginia

Gordonsville Fried Chicken Festival

This Virginia town has been famous for its fried chicken since the 19th century.

Charlottesville, Virginia

Monticello's Vegetable Garden and Fruitery

Thomas Jefferson's estate is home to hundreds of varieties of historic fruits and vegetables.

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Eat Across the Blue Ridge Parkway

In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt so enjoyed a ride through Virginia’s Skyline Drive that he wanted to make it go on longer—nearly 500 miles longer, to be exact. In the coming months, his administration kicked off a massive roadway project to connect Skyline with Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Blue Ridge Parkway was born. Today, the Parkway remains one of the most beautiful drives in the country, connecting the Great Smoky Mountains to Shenandoah National Park. While its scenic overlooks get all the attention, the region’s restaurants offer a more intimate way to experience the landscape: through the very flavors of the berry bushes that line its trails, the trout that swim in its rivers, and the vegetation that gives its green mountains their striking hue. From elk burgers at a Native-owned diner to a foraged feast at an Afro-Appalachian restaurant, here’s a guide to the most incredible places to taste the flora and fauna of the Blue Ridge mountains.

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