| Don't let high gas prices keep you from enjoying a | | | | and Michie Tavern. Over in Hardy Virginia you can |
| summer vacation. If you live in the mid-Atlantic region | | | | learn about the many contributions of Booker T. |
| you can find plenty of great vacation ideas in Virginia. | | | | Washington at his national monument. |
| It is close by and has a great combination of history, | | | | In July 1861, Union and Confederate forces faced off |
| nature and attractions. | | | | near Manassas Junction for the first major battle of |
| Virginia is filled to the brim with natural beauty. It can | | | | the Civil War. The Manassas National Battlefield Park |
| be found along the Blue Ridge Parkway, a splendid | | | | is a place for stories of courage and determination. |
| 469-mile long non-commercialized route in the | | | | The Newsome House Museum & Cultural Center in |
| mountains. Here you can experience camping, hiking, | | | | Newport News is the restored 1899 residence of the |
| fishing, bicycling, picnicking, overlooks and much more. | | | | African-American attorney J. Thomas Newsome. He |
| Another key spot for nature is the Occoquan Bay | | | | played a central role in the fight for social justice |
| National Wildlife Refuge. Once the home of Indians, | | | | within Virginia. |
| then colonial farmers today visitors to the Refuge | | | | A wide range of history is on display at two |
| see the ospreys and bald eagles that make the | | | | family-friendly attractions. In Newport News, the |
| marshes their home. | | | | Mariners’ Museum is the home of the USS |
| Virginia is also home to many American history | | | | Monitor exhibit. In Prince William County the National |
| treasures. You can visit five great historical gems in | | | | Museum of the Marine Corps showcases 200 years |
| Charlottesville/Albemarle County: Monticello, University | | | | of Marine Corps history that shaped the world. |
| of Virginia campus, Ash Lawn-Highland, Court Square | | | | |