Judy Colbert - Virginia Off the Beaten Path®: Discover Your Fun

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

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Copyright 2019 by Judy Colbert

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ISSN 1539-8110
ISBN 978-1-4930-4265-4 (paperback)
ISBN 978-1-4930-4266-1 (e-book)

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Judy Colbert is a native Washingtonian (DC, not the state) whose mother grew up in a large family in Virginias Tidewater or Hampton Roads area. Family visits were frequent, and much of the history and attractions (natural and man-made) of the state seeped in as if by osmosis. One activity my mother loved was getting lost, and I relished those days when we drove around and explored and were misplaced almost beyond belief. This was long before GPS programs. We always knew someone would be around the corner to tell us how to make it back home, says Judy.

A natural-born storyteller who has honed her craft for many years, Judy is thrilled when someone says, I didnt know that about a place thats right down the street or across the county line. Judy likes to wander into restaurants, libraries, and even beauty parlors to listen to the locals as they tell her, Go talk to Uncle Fred. He invented the wooden leg. I dont know if thats true or theyre pulling mine. It doesnt matter, she says. Theres bound to be a story there.

Judy is an award-winning writer and photographer who has been writing about the mid-Atlantic and other areas for decades and is the author of Maryland & Delaware Off the Beaten Path, 100 Things to Do in Baltimore Before You Die, Insiders Guide to Baltimore, Chesapeake Bay Crabs Cookbook, Country Towns of Maryland and Delaware, Fun Places to Go with Children in Washington, D.C., Peaceful Places Washington, D.C., It Happened in Maryland, and It Happened in Delaware. She has written hundredsif not thousandsof articles that have appeared in international, national, regional, and local publications and websites, including ThePointsGuy.com, medium.com, BinduTrips.com, NextAvenue.com, Geniionline.com, Northern Virginia magazine, GO AAA Carolinas , and Southern Maryland This Is Living .

After thoroughly exploring the mid-Atlantic, Judy would like to spend a year or two on a cruise ship exploring other parts of the world.

She is a member of the American Society of Authors and Journalists, Society of Professional Journalists, Maryland Writers Association, Sisters in Crime, and a retired member of Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television Arts and Sciences.

I would like to thank the Virginia Division of Tourism and all the wonderful Virginians who took the time to assist in researching and updating Off the Beaten Path Virginia. This book could not be attempted, much less completed, without the assistance of many people. Therefore, thanks (and I hope I dont miss anyone) go to Emily Allen, Kerry Allison, Tim Ayers, Pam Barefoot, Becky Barnhardt, Renee Bayliss, Corinne Becker, Mindy Bianca, Andy Bittner, Krista Boothby, Sierra Brown, Tom Budesheim, Amy Burkert, Becky Crouch, Robert Culp, Rebecca M. Cutchins, John DeDakis, Jasmine De Jesus, Ryan Downey, Lexi Dwyer, Kris Ferraro, Fran Folsom, Catherine Fox, Erin Framel, Meghan Gearino, Morgan Gilbert, Rich Gilbert, Liz Griffin, Candy Harrington, Felicia Hart, Sarah Hodges, Stephanie Holguin, Shiloh Holley, Lisa Hull, Philip Irwin, Robin Jay, Daniel Jones, Suzanne Joyella, Len Kaufman, Justin Kerns, Mary Kester, James King, Lee Langston-Harrison, Sara Martin, Ashley Mason-Greene, Cyndi Masterstaff, Peg McGuire, Claire Mouledoux, Dianne Murphy, Mary-Lynne Neil, Sunny Nelson, Bruce L. Newton, Tiffany Niide, Gail Mesa Norman, Marie ODay, Tom ODay, Cara ODonnell, Sherry Olstein, Myron Olstein, Liza Peltola, Tracy Perkins, Charles Price, Michael Quonce, Nancy Rader, Marie Rajtik, Karen Riddle, Louise Ripley, Kevin P. Sary, Ilene Schneider, David S. Schulte, Jim Sears, Elizabeth Severs, Lisa Shannon, Jennifer Sigal, Emmy Simpson, Taylor Spellman, Amy Steele, Mark Stevens, Beth Stinnett, Mike Stommel, Karen Sutter, Lynn Swann, Gordon Taplin, Laura Torpy, Janie Tross, Sergei Troubetzkoy, Sally Van Wieren, Nancy Vaughan, Sheryl Wagner, Judy Sluser Walter, Nicole Warner, Ed Wetschler, Mike Whiteside, Gina Wills, Dan Wilson, Judy Winslow, and Michele Wojciechowski.

VIRGINIA

Whatever frame of mind youre in, theres a place for you in Virginia. From mountains to beaches, from cosmopolitan to country, from great dining and fine lodging to down-home cooking and rustic campsites, you can look to Virginia for a special time in your life.

If you rearrange getaway it becomes gateway, and Virginia certainly is the gateway to so many fascinating and unusual attractions and events.

Virginias famed tourism slogan, Virginia Is for Lovers, will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019! The slogan means that Virginia is for lovers of mountain climbing, catching some rays, seeing both innovative modern architecture or log cabins from a previous century, horseback riding, auto racing, outlet shopping, covered bridges, gristmills, wineries, and just about anything else you can imagine. Okay, so its not great for extreme skiing, but you can downhill and cross-country ski.

Several years ago, the Virginia Tourism Corporation started erecting LOVE signs throughout the commonwealth (most permanent, some temporary), with 127 as of October 2018. A list of the LOVEworks can be found at virginia.org/LOVE. When you find one, take a picture, and then post it on the Face-book page, Facebook.com/VirginiaisforLovers (or Twitter or Pinterest with #LOVEVA).

Travel a little and you can find the most bodacious barbecue and a library designed by noted postmodernist architect Michael Graves. Varieties of tomatoes and cantaloupes are grown here that are grown nowhere else. Smithfield ham can only come from Smithfield, Virginia.

Remember, whatever you love in a vacation, you can find in Virginia.

Virginia is the fourth largest South Atlantic state and 35th in size among all the states. It extends 200 miles from north to south and about 430 miles from east to west. Its the 12th most populous state in the country, with nearly three-fourths of the population living in cities. Within its woodlands are 12 varieties of oak, 5 of pine, and 2 of walnut, as well as locust, gum, and poplar. Its indigenous mammals include the white-tailed Virginia deer, elk, black bear, bobcat, woodchuck, raccoon, opossum, and nutria.