Before setting off on our 50 state road trip, Shae and I lived in Virginia for about 7 years. We’d spent a fair bit of time exploring the state in the past, but we recently went back for about 6 weeks to explore it even more.
Some of the activities we did were things we’d done in the past and really enjoyed, but we also got to experience a lot more of what the state had to offer.
Here’s a look back at some of our favorite – and not so favorite – things from our time in Virginia.
Favorite Accommodation We Stayed At
Stephen – I think my favorite hotel was the TownePlace Suites Winchester for this one as we had a one bedroom suite. The Hyatt Place Roanoke was nice and they had friendly staff, but the rooms there were smaller than normal and it was noisier than normal being next to the elevator.
Shae – My favorite accommodation was staying with my mom and stepdad in Olde Towne Portsmouth. It was nice to be home, the views are great and my friends are all close by.
Favorite Meal
Stephen – Ooh, that’s tough. I think Carytown Burgers & Fries or Buz & Ned’s BBQ – both in Richmond – were my favorite paid meals. A special mention goes to Paul & Laura who we met at the Shenandoah Valley Apple Harvest Festival. We got chatting to them and they invited us back for dinner at their place and we had a great meal with them.
Shae – Oh man, for home-cooked it has to go to stuffed shells at my best friend Mary’s house and an honorable mention to the delicious dinner at Paul and Laura’s. Eating out – for the company it has to be Fish & Slips in Portsmouth and Chili’s in Chesapeake where I got to share meals with one of my former students and his family, but for actual food deliciousness? Carytown Burgers & Fries for how well they treated us on National Dog Day!
Most Disappointing Meal
Stephen – Probably something I made for dinner as all the places we ate out at were great from what I can remember.
Shae – Definitely all the protein bars I ate in lieu of cooked food while Stephen was #40ktofaraway.
Favorite Free Activity
Stephen – Hiking up to McAfee Knob. As I mentioned in the post, it’s one of my happy places as it’s a strenuous hike where you’re rewarded with stunning views of the surrounding area.
Shae – The Virginia Holocaust Museum in Richmond is probably my top choice. It’s tough because there were so many great options to choose from but this museum is incredible and would be worth a stop even if it were paid, so the fact that it’s free is amazing.
Favorite Paid Activity
Stephen – I’d have expected to say the Luray Caverns, but I actually enjoyed Grand Caverns even more than Luray.
Shae – There are too many to choose from but Historic Jamestowne and Monticello are probably near the top of my list.
Favorite Pet-Friendly Activity
Stephen – I think the hike up to McAfee Knob as Truffles is a great little hiker. However, I’ll also say visiting the Mill Mountain Star in Roanoke as it’s a good excuse to share this photo Shae took of Truffles with the star in her eyes.
Shae – Attending Barkitecture with Jewels and Truffles (plus Sally, Kelsie and mom) was a dog-friendly highlight from home.
Least Favorite Activity
Stephen – Finding bed bugs in our bed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Charlottesville North.
Shae – That was pretty awful, but the hike up McAfee Knob might rival it for me (and I was the one bitten by bed bugs!). I enjoy hiking but not nearly as much as Stephen, does so repeating a huge hike like that wasn’t the most fun for me.
Favorite Hike
Stephen – Once again, McAfee Knob.
Shae – I enjoyed our day at Natural Bridge.
Favorite Quirky Thing We Did
Stephen – I don’t feel like we did anything particularly quirky in Virginia. If we did, I forgot to include the Quirky Things To Do tag on them.
Actually, scratch that. We had a 6th birthday party for our dog Truffles at a brewery with doggy birthday cake, party games, a photo area & more. I guess the Dulles Day Plane Pull was kinda quirky too.
Shae – I was gonna say the Dulles Day Plane Pull for my quirky offering. But, yeah, probably Truffles’ birthday pawty would be considered quirky to most people. Especially the other guests at the brewery that day.
Favorite Memory
Stephen – I feel like a scratched record, but I’ll have to say looking out from McAfee Knob. A special mention goes to seeing Extreme in concert in Richmond. I listened to them so much growing up that it was great finally getting to see them perform live.
Shae – Oh man, too many to count since I was home with friends and family for a portion of this visit. Seeing Harry Potter friends like Heather and Nicole in Roanoke, making new friends in Beckie, Larry, Laura and Paul in Winchester and meeting fellow travelers Tanya and Pedro at the Barrel Oak Winery.
Then getting to see my best friend, Mary, several times including at her daughter Autumn’s baptism with the Crawfords, Lees, Gattos, Rosa, Ty, Adam and Eli. The zoo and park with my friend Brittany and her twins, Jamestown with Nikki and Ava and hanging out with my student Will and his parents Kim and Mark is always fun. Drinks with Elaine, Kathy and Stephen upon his return from Europe at some of my favorite Portsmouth haunts are cemented in my mind. A color run with fellow Harry Potter nerds Michelle, Lori and Stephanie plus Paul! Watching Truffles’ friend Sasha, and her mom Michelle, at a dock dog competition and a few sneaky pets and kisses with her (Sasha, not Michelle). A few visits with my dad and getting tattoos with my mom. Lunch with my Aunt Cathy and a day at the museum with my cousin, Wyatt. I even got two hugs from my “daughter” Kayla who I miss so much even though she doesn’t always know it.
Add to that the No Home Just Roam meet up and Truffles 6th Birthday Pawty with friends, family, followers and pups!? What more could a girl ask for!?
Funniest Moment
Stephen – Watching Truffles swim while we were over at Belle Isle in Richmond as her tail was turning like a propeller.
Shae – Getting trapped on the 5th floor parking garage with Nikki and Ava one night as we tried to get some night photography on the roof. We had to be rescued by the firemen.
Second funniest? Singing Happy Birthday to our dog in a brewery over a special little dog cake.
Thing We Most Regretted
Stephen – Staying at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Charlottesville North. Not only did we have bed bugs, but some of their staff members were downright rude.
Shae – Ditto.
Something We Missed And Want To See
Stephen – We did some hiking, but Virginia has so many more hiking trails and waterfalls that I’d love to see.
Shae – There’s still tons to do in Virginia, especially in my hometown of Hampton Roads that I didn’t get to, like the Aquarium. I’m now reading the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and I’m sad I missed going to Clover, Virginia where she was born.
Our Biggest Surprise
Stephen – How much I enjoyed Grand Caverns. They’re much smaller than Luray Caverns, but that’s part of the attraction as it’s a more intimate experience and you’re much closer to all the formations. We also had a great guide which helped.
Shae – I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Monticello. I grew up in Virginia and had never been there but it’s surprisingly cool.
My Virginia Drinking Game Would Be…
Stephen – Take a drink whenever you see a different state’s license plate in Hampton Roads. Due to all the military personnel in the area, people move to Hampton Roads from all over the country, so it’s not unusual to see 20+ different state license plates in a day.
Shae – Anytime you see a reminder of the Civil War – it could be a road sign, historical marker, street name or flag, but you won’t get far without seeing something about it. Be prepared to be very drunk if you choose that game.
Summary Of Virginia In 10 Words Or Less
Stephen – Come for the lovers, stay for the hiking and beaches.
Shae – I hated growing up there but now I love it.
Virginia Cities We Visited In Order From Favorite To Least Favorite
Stephen – Roanoke, Richmond, Portsmouth (and wider Hampton Roads area), Winchester, Charlottesville.
Shae – Portsmouth/Hampton Roads, Winchester, Charlottesville, Roanoke and Richmond, although really they are all about equal to me for various reasons.
As a Virginia native, and lifetime resident, it’s always interesting to see it through another’s eyes!
Yep, it was great getting to see some of the parts of Virginia we never experienced while living there.