August 2025 Issue

The Story Behind the Moonshine Explosion in Rocky Mount, Virginia

It was during the early days of the Great Depression, and Virginia’s statewide prohibition was still in effect, banning all sales of alcohol. Meanwhile, in Franklin County, the area was laying the foundation for its future title: the Moonshine Capital of the World. Nestled among the Appalachian and Blue Ridge mountains, the Turner Motor Co. […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

The Best Brunch Accessories for Summer

The morning sun, a soft breeze, bountiful blooms, and good conversation: ingredients for a stellar summer brunch. These dreamy tablescape accessories are guaranteed to add exponential charm to a delightful meal. Even better, they’re all sourced from Virginia. This Bernada basket with raffia stitching on pine needle coils is perfect for serving bread, rolls, or […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

The Ideal Brunch Menu, Curated by a Virginia Chef

For Chef Kyle Perkins, executive chef at the Tides Inn, Sundays growing up meant down-to-earth family meals. “On Sunday, we would relax and cook brunch for hours before finally sitting to eat,” he reminisces. Perkins looked forward to his dad’s top-secret “home fry,” along with pancakes dripping with Vermont maple syrup, scrambled eggs, and buttered […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Virginia-Made Recipes for Summer Fruit

Brown Turkey Fig Jam Recipe by Stephanie Ganz Makes 3 cups This pectin-free fig jam, scented with vanilla and orange zest, is my favorite way to make use of a glut of figs. Packed in 4-ounce Ball jars with a little ribbon, the chunky jam makes a sweet gift. 12 pounds brown turkey figs, washed, […]

by Stephanie Ganz

Meet Virginia’s Finest Summer Fruits

Some states flaunt signature fruits that define their agricultural identity. Georgia’s luscious peaches command a cult following. Florida’s sunlit groves burst with world-class oranges. Washington’s pristine valleys deliver some of the most exquisite cherries you’ll ever find. Massachusetts harvests ruby-red cranberries from its distinctive bogs. And Hawaii’s volcanic soil nurtures the majestic pineapple, a tropical […]

by Stephanie Ganz

Tides Inn Ecologist Leads Oyster Restoration in Virginia

It’s one thing to read about the health of the Chesapeake Bay. It’s another to experience it—to witness firsthand the almost inconceivable capacity of a single oyster to filter up to 50 gallons of water per day. Will Smiley, the resident ecologist at the Tides Inn, understands that you have to see it to believe […]

by Heather Bien

Virginia’s Ski Resorts Are the Perfect Summer Getaways

Though a gorgeous flight of wine sits before me, glittering in firelight, my eyes feast instead on the sky beyond, draped across the misty horizon in a gauzy, lilac-kissed embrace. A chairlift rises nearby above a snowless, impossibly green summer slope. At Base Camp, a homey eatery on Massanutten Resort’s ski lodge deck, I’m beside […]

by Hope Cartwright

Virginia’s Best Small-Batch Ice Cream Shops

Move over, chocolate and strawberry. It’s not that you’re boring, it’s just that Virginia’s small batch scoopers are churning out so many flavors that it makes plain old vanilla seem, well, vanilla. In the Old Dominion, we found that Scoop in Richmond’s Fan District is out of this world, with flavor bombs like Tahini & […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Best Books to Read by Virginia Waters

Good Material by Dolly Alderton Sandbridge Beach, Virginia Beach This romantic comedy follows a struggling comedian who is blindsided when his girlfriend ends their relationship. Read about his attempts to cope with the breakup, while navigating the challenges of dating, as the waves crash on Sandbridge Beach. (Fig Tree, 2023) Arcadia by Tom Stoppard Shearando […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

The Fantastical Sea Cores of Artist Alison Sigethy

There’s no way to adequately describe Alison Sigethy’s work. Entering her Torpedo Factory studio in Alexandria is like meeting the love child of JK Rowling and Neptune, the Roman god of the seas. The name—Fantastical Glass—is the first clue, and then the assortment of clear cylindrical sculptures comes into focus. They are of varying sizes […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Father-Son Duo Resurrects Heirloom Watermelons

Summer means nostalgic backyard get-togethers—the warm temps, the breeze, and the sweetness of a thick watermelon slice dripping juice that makes your hands sticky. In anticipation of the next watermelon-forward event, you might wander chilly grocery aisles, looking for the plumpest, ripest, most perfect watermelon. We’re here to suggest that you think again. There’s a […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

2025 Book Releases by Virginia Authors

Virginia’s literary landscape is on fire. From steamy romances to make you blush to edge-of-your-seat thrillers that’ll keep you up all night, discover these local literary rockstars whose fresh ink will revolutionize your reading list. Romancing in the Commonwealth In The Summer We Ran by Audrey Ingram (Zibby Publishing), Tess Murphy’s mom scores a cooking […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Celebrating Jane Austen’s Birthday in Virginia

That handflex. It’s taken on a life of its own. Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie created an iconic moment in cinema history with a powerful and oh-so-subtle gesture after helping Elizabeth Bennet into her carriage. It’s become a cultural phenomenon, sparking endless debate among Janeites worldwide. Was it […]

by Kinsey Gidick

Summer’s Road Trips & Magic Memories

The rhythmic pitter-patter on the roof echoes throughout the house as my mother yells, “Hurry! We’re going to miss it!” My bare feet scramble as the anticipation prompts a broad smile across my face. When I reach the backyard, I see that my mom is right: I wouldn’t want to miss this—a perfect summer rain. […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Duke Riley’s Art Exhibition at the MOCA in Virginia Beach

Just over by the sea in Virginia Beach, the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art is showing Duke Riley’s O’er the Wide and Plastic Sea exhibition through Aug. 31. The Brooklyn artist’s two decades of multimedia work look at nature through today’s eyes. For the exhibition’s namesake piece, Riley took an interesting approach—creating eye-catching art from […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Major Gifts Transform Marine Science at William & Mary and VIMS

William & Mary has been catapulted into a new era of marine science leadership through two extraordinary gifts that will reshape coastal education for generations. Jane Batten’s landmark $100 million donation has established the prestigious Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences on the banks of the York River, reframing W&M’s Virginia Institute of Marine […]

by John Page Williams Jr.

Living Junkfully in Mary Carter Randolph’s Kingdom

In a world obsessed with Marie Kondo’s minimalism and the sterile perfection of showroom living, Mary Randolph Carter—known simply as “Carter” to friends and fans—stands as a delightful rebel. For over four decades, this Richmond-born tastemaker has championed a design ethos that celebrates what she calls “the poetry of our homes”—the beautiful, meaningful clutter that […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Beyond the Blues: Vibrant Blue Flowers That Thrive in Virginia

Capturing the sea & sky in Virginia landscapes. KEY: N: Native A: Annual E: Ephemeral 🦋: Pollinator ☼: Partial Sun P: Perennial S: Shrub V: Vine 🔆: Full sun ⚘: Cut flower Tp: Tender perennial B: Bulb 🪴: Container ☀: Shade Baptisia: Though this tough perennial is not native, it’s irresistible to bumblebees, in particular, […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Set Sail for Adventure Around the Commonwealth

Virginia was the setting for many maritime adventurers from yesteryear—the good and the bad. Capt. John Smith famously charted the Chesapeake, and the notorious pirate Blackbeard terrorized Virginians, preying on ships and their crew entering coastal Virginia waters. Today, you can sail the York River in true pirate fashion with the Yorktown Pirate Ship Adventure. […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Pages: 123

Sail250 Virginia Brings Tall Ships From Around the World

When more than 60 tall ships and military vessels from 30 countries glide into Virginia waters this June, they’ll carry centuries of seafaring history—and usher in one of the most ambitious celebrations America has ever staged. Sail250 Virginia, the Commonwealth’s landmark commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, runs June 12–23, transforming Norfolk and 11 affiliate […]

by Madeline Mayhood

All Aboard: Virginia’s Summer of Steam Celebrates America250

This summer, the legendary Norfolk & Western 611 steam locomotive is firing up her wheel—and she’s bringing history along for the ride. Built in 1950 in Roanoke, Virginia, the 611 is the last surviving member of the “J-Class” fleet, widely regarded as the pinnacle of steam technology. With her iconic bullet-shaped nose, Tuscan Red stripe, […]

by Abby Borgeson

Atlantic Park Surf Brings a New Era to Virginia Beach

In 2017, Virginia Beach architect Alec Yuzhbabenko was two years out of college when a company principal pulled him into a meeting with one of Hampton Roads’ biggest real estate and development firms. The topic? How to transform 10 acres of blighted parking lots in the heart of the resort area into a signature, place-defining […]

by Eric J. Wallace

August 2025 Issue

The Story Behind the Moonshine Explosion in Rocky Mount, Virginia

Current Issue

Most Popular

Sail250 Virginia Brings Tall Ships From Around the World

All Aboard: Virginia’s Summer of Steam Celebrates America250

Atlantic Park Surf Brings a New Era to Virginia Beach

August 2025 Issue

The Story Behind the Moonshine Explosion in Rocky Mount, Virginia

Current Issue

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Most Popular

Sail250 Virginia Brings Tall Ships From Around the World

All Aboard: Virginia’s Summer of Steam Celebrates America250

Atlantic Park Surf Brings a New Era to Virginia Beach

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Get our most popular
weekly newsletter: VL Today

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weekly newsletter: VL Today