Insight Guides....

CENTRAL VIRGINIA

Richmond is not only the capital and center of the state, it is also a perfect base for exploring the rest of central Virginia. Charlottesville and Jefferson's Monticello are just an hour to the west and the Blue Ridge Mountains are only a half-hour further. Petersburg is only 30 miles (XX kilometers) south and historic Appomattox is just an hour more. Down near North Carolina, Danville makes for a small town getaway.

Petersburg: Thanks to its proximity to Richmond, Petersburg is also full of history. The Old Towne area features a number of museums, shops, and restaurants. The Petersburg National Battlefield commemorates the Civil War seige of the city.

Appomattox: Robert E. Lee and Ulysses Grant would probably recognize the small town of Appomattox even today, thanks to preservation and renovation efforts. The Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park, where Lee surrendered to Grant, marked and marks the end of what poet Walt Whitman called "a strange sad war." Nearby Lynchburg provides a perfectly historic base.

Down in Danville, visitors can enjoy the foothills region of the state in small town Victorian elegance. There are also seasonal tobacco auctions, as well as the Last Capitol of the Confederacy Museum.

Monticello: To the west of Richmond, Jefferson's mountaintop home, Monticello (Italian for "little mountain") was designed and built by him between 1768 and 1809. Jefferson saw to it that Monticello was unlike any other American house of his day. It is truly one of the nation's architectural masterpieces and is the only American home ever named to UNESCO's World Heritage List (along with such international treasures as the Taj Mahal, the Pyramids of Egypt, Versailles, and the Great Wall of China).

The neoclassical style is highlighted by the dramatic dome, which appears on the back of the U.S. nickel. A tour of the house and grounds reveals many unique facts about Jefferson, his house, and much Virginia and U.S. history.

James Monroe's home, Ash Lawn/Highland, is just two miles from Monticello. The fifth president was a great friend of Jefferson's, who designed the house.

Monticello lies along the Constitution Route. This historic road was established in 1975 to recognize its historic significance for Virginia and the U.S. Four U.S. presidents (Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and Taylor) and eleven Virginia governors were either born or built their estates along the route.

The Constitution Route also runs right through the university town of Charlottesville, which is another ideal central Virginia base. The town revolves around the University of Virginia, including Jefferson's renowned Rotunda. North of Charlottesville, the Orange area features some of Virginia's finest vineyards set into the rolling hills.

Blue Ridge Mountains: The Blue Ridge Parkway and the Skyline Drive offer a perfect way to visit the mountains. However, for a quick getaway, Wintergreen Resort is one of the Mid-Atlantic's premier four-season destinations. With golf, tennis, hiking, mountain biking, skiing, dozens of other outdoor activities, and luxurious lodging and dining, Wintergreen makes Mother Nature green with envy.

Smith Mountain Lake: For further outdoors-oriented pursuits, Smith Mountain Lake provides another ideal central Virginia retreat. This huge lake features more than 500 miles of shoreline and a variety of water-based activities, accommodations, and dining.