Bristol is located in the Blue Ridge Highlands region of Virginia and lies directly on the Virginia/Tennessee state line. Washington County surrounds the city.

Known as "The Birthplace of Country Music," Bristol was the location of the first country music recordings made for national distribution. And in 1998, Congress made it official! Today, country music murals and monuments line Bristol's State Street. The new Birthplace of Country Music Museum provides a forum for live performances and also features collections of musical instruments and memorabilia from country music legends Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and Tennessee Ernie Ford, born on the Tennessee side of the street! Bristol is a major city along The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail.

NASCAR fans love Bristol International Speedway (actually on the Tennessee side)! And baseball fans can enjoy the Bristol White Sox, Advanced Rookie Team with the Chicago White Sox, who play at DeVault Memorial Stadium off I-81.

The Bristol Parks and Recreation Department operates 15 parks and two 650-acre recreational areas for horseback riding, hiking and wildlife watching. The Bristol and Appalachian Caverns are other sites not to be missed.