Virginia, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
1. The weather is moderate. It may be less volatile in my home state of California, but Virginia’s winters aren’t as bad as North Dakota’s, and its summers aren’t as bad as Mississippi’s.
2. It is friendly to business. It is no coincidence that Amazon picked Arlington for its second headquarters (unfortunately only four blocks from where I used to live.) The Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards plan to move to nearby Alexandria.
3. Virginia has been the birthplace of eight U.S. presidents. William Henry Harrison, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, Zachary Taylor, John Tyler, George Washington and Woodrow Wilson. That’s a lot more than its share out of 50 states.
4. It’s full of history. There are many historic homes such as Monticello and Montpelier, and numerous battlefields and Civil War landmarks. My favorite is Appomattox.
5. There is varied terrain for vacations. You’ll find good beaches and lots of mountains (well, they would call them hills in California.) And the Shenandoah Valley in between.
6. Universities are excellent. Especially the University of Virginia, the College of William and Mary and Virginia Tech.
7. It is full of scenic wonders. My favorites are the Blue Ridge Mountains, Luray Caverns and the Great Falls on the Potomac River.
8. There are so many elegant places to stay. I’ve slept in most of them: the Jefferson in Richmond, the Homestead in Hot Springs, the Williamsburg Inn, the Boar’s Head Inn in Charlottesville, and The Inn at Little Washington (where I only dined.)
9. Colonial Williamsburg is wonderful. You can go back in time to an exciting era of the state’s history. Jamestown and Yorktown are nearby.
10. It is a purple state. Republicans and Democrats are fairly evenly balanced. It is a state in which you can make a difference.
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