PHOTO: PIPPIN HILL FARM & VINEYARDS
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Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards in North Garden, Virginia.
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(Central) Virginia Is for Lovers |
For more than fifty years, Virginia’s iconic slogan has welcomed lovers of history, culture, nature, and more to the state, and in particular to its central Piedmont region. The rolling foothills and river valleys between the coastal plains and the Blue Ridge Mountains house quaint towns, rural villages, and a handful of cities, including Lynchburg, Charlottesville, and Richmond, the state’s capital. “Perched on the James River, Richmond is home to more than 150 street murals, forty breweries, ten public gardens, and three universities,” writes G&G contributor Maria Carter in her collection of ten must-visit destinations in River City. Central Virginia is also the bucolic setting for three presidential homes, three prime kayaking rivers, and half of the state’s Civil War battlefield parks. To experience it like a local, take a dip in a hidden swimming hole, sip an award-winning vintage (with a stunning view), or swing by one of the nation’s oldest community markets.
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EXPLORE MORE OF CENTRAL VIRGINIA |
STORIES TO INSPIRE WANDERLUST
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Walking Virginia’s Blue Ridge Tunnel |
Dive Into the Blue Ridge Swim Club,
Charlottesville’s Secret Summer Escape |
Ten Essential Stops in Richmond |
The Best Things at the
Lynchburg Community Market |
Six Standout Vineyards
on the Monticello Wine Trail
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Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers, Florida.
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ELECTRIFYING EXPERIENCE: As a launchpad for the genius of Thomas Edison, Menlo Park, New Jersey, gets all the glory. But did you know the famous inventor had another important—and decidedly Southern—headquarters? Fort Myers, Florida, became Edison’s home away from home beginning in 1885, when his doctor prescribed him fresh air following a spate of illness. Edison enthusiastically relocated his family and spent each winter of the next forty-six years in the Sunshine State, where he perfected his most legendary invention, the lightbulb. (Another luminary, Henry Ford, moved in next door.) Here’s a bright idea: Find your ideal Southwest Florida vacation—encompassing the Edison and Ford Winter Estates and beyond—with the Fort Myers “This or That” Quiz. Take the quiz.
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| ELSEWHERE AROUND THE SOUTH |
Seven Southern Drive-In Movie Theaters |
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Sanibel and Captiva Islands in Florida. It’s one of my favorite spots in the world, but I was a little uneasy about going back this time, knowing Hurricane Ian devastated the region last September. I found an area still recovering—and facing a loooong road ahead—but still full of the stunning natural beauty that makes it such a special place. Among the highlights:
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J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. This gem of a sanctuary, covering about half of Sanibel’s overall area, was inundated with some six feet of storm surge. On a tour led by Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland, we saw all manner of birds (including the elusive mangrove cuckoo), manatees, mullet, and lots of positive signs of an ecosystem in healing. Come migration time in winter, the birdwatching will get even better.
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Seashells. The area is renowned for the quantity and quality of its shells (the “Sanibel stoop” is a thing, as is this expansive museum dedicated to shells). I’m not a big shell collector, but even I noticed a ton of gorgeous specimens this month, more than in the past. A combination of the storm bringing new shells to the shore and fewer visitors to pluck them up? Who knows. But it’s shells galore.
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Island Pizza Company. Only a few restaurants have reopened on the islands, and fortunately, Island Pizza is one of them. The pies were sumptuous, and the desserts—a flourless chocolate torte and goat cheese cheesecake—were divine. No wonder: They were made by James Beard Award semifinalist Melissa Donahue, whose Sweet Melissa’s Cafe next door was severely damaged by the hurricane but whose offerings can still be enjoyed at the pizza joint while Donahue rebuilds. Yes, her restaurant, like Sanibel and Captiva, is coming back.
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| MORE TRAVEL STORIES FROM G&G |
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