Central Virginia
Known for three presidential homes and half of the state’s Civil War battlefield parks, Central Virginia is also the state political power region with a wealth of sporting facilities, heritage and scenic backgrounds for events. The storied James River flows through Richmond making the capital region the only urban setting with Class IV rapids and therefore some excellent recreational prospects.
Witness the architectural genius of founding father Thomas Jefferson on display throughout the region. From the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond to the University of Virginia and Monticello in Charlottesville to Poplar Forest in Bedford, our 3rd president’s talent is demonstrated. In Bedford remember the ultimate sacrifice paid by young men at the National D-day Memorial, while the ravages of the American Civil War and the finality of surrender are witnessed at Appomattox.
From the rolling landscape of the piedmont to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Central Virginia is a scenery-lover’s dream. It’s also a wine, craft beer and culinary lover’s paradise. It’s the perfect place to kick back in a picturesque Main Street town, experience thrilling rides at Kings Dominion or enjoy the vibrant nightlife in an urban city.
The Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre in Lynchburg, a year-round high-performance synthetic ski slope, is the first of its kind in the U.S. and is just one of the many state-of-the-art venues at Liberty University.
The Richmond Region offers over 18,000 hotel rooms and varying event spaces such as Meadow Event Park with its exhibition and equestrian facilities, the Greater Richmond Convention Center with its large exhibit hall for indoor volleyball, fencing and field hockey and River City Sportsplex with 12 synthetic rectangle fields ideal for lacrosse and soccer tournaments.
Smith Mountain Lake, with 22,000 acres of water and over 500 miles of shoreline, hosts an array of sporting activities including triathlons, boat and sailing races, bass fishing and golfing tournaments and so much more.
Featured Destination Contacts for the Region:
- Richmond Region Tourism
- Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitor Bureau
- Dinwiddie Tourism
- Lynchburg Office of Economic Development and Tourism
For more information or contacts for destinations not featured here, please contact:
Danish Saadat, National Sales & Marketing Manager
Sports Virginia
804-545-5543
dsaadat@virginia.org