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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Virginia

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

Updated May 16, 2025

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Cities

Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Alexandria
  2. Arlington
  3. Bedford
  4. Bluemont
  5. Brandy Station
  6. Bristol
  7. Burke
  8. Centreville
  9. Charles City
  10. Charlottesville
  11. Fairfax
  12. Fairfax Station
  13. Falls Church
  14. Fort Belvoir
  15. Fredericksburg
  16. Front Royal
  17. Great Falls
  18. Herndon
  19. Lexington
  20. Lorton
  21. Lynchburg
  22. Manassas
  23. Mc Lean
  24. Natural Bridge
  25. Newport News
  26. Norfolk
  27. Petersburg
  28. Portsmouth
  29. Richmond
  30. Roanoke
  31. Smithfield
  32. Springfield
  33. Staunton
  34. Sterling
  35. Vienna
  36. Virginia Beach
  37. Warsaw
  38. White Post
  39. Williamsburg
  40. Winchester
  41. Wytheville
  42. Yorktown

Unusual Attractions in Virginia

See All 319 Things To Do in Virginia

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Virginia

See all 15 Places to Eat in Virginia
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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

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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Explore Virginia

History & Culture 54
History 51
Architecture 38
Museums 36
Civil War 34
Military 32
Cemeteries 24
Military History 23

Virginia Leaderboard

Recent Virginia Activity

Stories About Virginia

What Secrets Are Behind the Magic of Miniatures? AO Wants to Know.

Artist Amanda Kelly crafts tiny worlds that tell intricate stories.
by Andrew Coletti
Smoke In Chimneys sells rainbow trout to about 250 restaurants.

Inside One Family's Mission to Revive an Abandoned Appalachian Trout Farm

The Walkers' hatchery now provides rainbow and brook trout to Michelin-starred restaurants across the East Coast.
by Eric J. Wallace

Podcast: Twin Oaks

Just how many parents can a kid have? A collaboration with Freakonomics.
by The Podcast Team

Podcast: Telling Time Through the Trees With the Places Team

These trees have seen major moments in history.
by The Podcast Team
Dontavius Williams thanks Caesar, the 18th-century enslaved chef who managed Stratford Hall, before beginning a demonstration in the historic hearth where Caesar once cooked.

Remembering Caesar, Colonial Virginia’s Enslaved Chocolatier

In Robert E. Lee's birthplace, Dontavius Williams honors an unsung chef.
by Sam Lin-Sommer

Podcast: Anne Spencer’s Garden

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
The filling is smooth and sweet, but with something deeper and more complex.

Resurrecting Virginia's Forgotten 'Caramel' Pie

Beloved by Edna Lewis, this plum-based favorite deserves a resurgence.
by Claiborne Milde
The Higby variety of the Hog Island Fig.

The Surprising Resilience of the Hog Island Fig

Virginia's Eastern Shore has rallied around a sweet, centuries-old local delicacy.
by Rachel Kester

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