Watch eagles soar while you cruise up the Rappahannock River - or to the islands in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay. Discover the ancestors of Virginia`s first people at the Mattaponi and Pamunkey Indian reservations. Along the Potomac River, explore the birthplace of the nation`s first president, George Washington, and stroll the estate where Confederate General Robert E. Lee was born. If you enjoy friendly hosts who know the area you`re visiting, try a Bed & Breakfast. Many B&B`s are furnished with fine antiques and offer historic attractions nearby.

Enjoy hot-air ballooning, whitewater rafting, hiking, cycling and horseback riding in Central Virginia. View impressive collections at world-class museums such as the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond. Farther west, savor the harvest of the vine at one of more than a dozen wineries. Experience fiery fall foliage, vibrant spring blooms and picture-postcard farms and inns along scenic byways, country roads and the ever-popular Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway. Enjoy outdoor recreational activities in the vast national parklands and forests that blanket the region.

Marvel at expansive mountain vistas, miles of hiking trails and trout-filled streams, and enormous one-of-a-kind naturally created caverns. Experience the majestic splendour of the natural wonders of the region. Reach for the sky at Virginia`s highest peaks, Mount Rogers and White Top. Witness nature`s handiwork at the `Grand Canyon of the South` in Breaks Interstate Park and at Natural Tunnel. Travel along famous paths such as the Appalachian Trail, the Virginia Creeper Trail and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Capture the awe and excitement first experienced centuries ago by Indians and explorers when they came upon the myriad natural wonders on their journeys westward on your own travels through the Heart of Appalachia. With its scenic mountains to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.