Virginia is ground zero. Whatever the United States of America has become, wherever it is going, whatever its founders originally intended it to be, it can all be traced back to Virginia. Jamestown, specifically, as it was the first of the original 13 colonies and the first capital of Virginia. This state is the birthplace not just of our nation, but of many of its past presidents, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor and Woodrow Wilson.
It was the state where Patrick Henry gave his iconic and stirring 'Give me liberty or give me death' speech. It was where Gen. Robert E. Lee of the Confederate Army surrendered to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant of the Union Army. And it has most recently been named as 'The Internet Capital of the World.'
There’s so much to see in Virginia, and not just the amazing wealth of history to be found, but the wealth of natural beauty in its forests and mountains. And of course, the best way to get to it all is from behind the wheel of your vehicle, just like most Virginians. Virginians drive quite a bit, too. They log an average of about 15,365 miles annually in some 6.1 million registered vehicles. Anyone who doesn’t have one of those millions of vehicles can go to the 2,674 dealerships across the state with cars for sale, many of which contribute to the $16.88 billion in new car sales and help keep afloat the 153,197 auto industry jobs found there. Anyone who doesn’t work in the auto industry, chances are they work for the federal government, which is the single largest employer in the state.
Just be sure that when you’re driving through Virginia you don’t use a police radar detector. That’s against the law.