Aerial View of Norfolk, VA

Welcome to Virginia's summer playground. Virginia Beach, Colonial Williamsburg and the Chesapeake Bay are buzzing with fun and excitement. It is the perfect time of year to visit he Jamestown settlement, Busch Gardens, the US Transportation Museum and the Mariners Museum. Virginia's beautiful beaches are the perfect place to relax. There is no better playground than the sand and waves for young and old. The active enjoy kayaking or jet-skiing on the Chesapeake Bay. From the eastern shores of Virginia Beach, Norfolk and across the bay to Hampton, Newport News and Williamsburg a terrific summer vacation awaits you in Virginia.

Enjoy the summer season and some exercise in Norfolk at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. The gardens have 12 miles of pathways which are open in the evenings on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday for bicycles. Through September, bring the family and your bikes and enjoy over 155 acres of beautiful gardens and scenery. No worries about traffic – relax and ride safely through the Botanical Garden.

Downtown Hampton features a Saturday Summer Street Fest also through September. Spend a fun Saturday evening in downtown where the streets are filled with fun and entertainment. Activities for all ages are available, along with live performances, food, drinks and great company.

For travelers, The Best Western Coliseum Inn & Suites in Hampton and the Best Western Holiday Sands Inn & Suites are ideal locations to spend the night. Conveniently located off the freeway and with affordable rates, you can plan on staying a few days to enjoy more of the local attractions.

Virginia Beach hosts the 2010 Boardwalk Art Show and Festival June 17th through the 20th. The 55th year, this is one of Virginia's oldest and best outdoor art shows. Located along 12 blocks of the boardwalk, the festival is a great opportunity to enjoy a long summer weekend at the beach. Virginia Beach has two Best Western Hotels with ideal accommodations for a getaway. Choose the conveniently located Best Western Center Inn or the Best Western Oceanfront Virginia Beach, near the boardwalk. Wake-up refreshed and ready for your day's fun activities.

Every summer should include a visit to the fair, and none is better than Williamsburg's James City County Fair. The 2010 fair is June 24th through the 26th at Chickahominy Riverfront Park. Enjoy the traditional agriculture and livestock competitions and displays, tractor pull, lawn mower racing and midway games and rides. Take in live concerts and watch the dazzling fireworks over the river – a wonderful way to pass a summer weekend.

Start and end your day at the Best Western Historic Area Inn. Begin with a complimentary hot breakfast before heading out to enjoy the fair or any of the local sites. Located in the heart of Williansburg for easy travel and with affordable rates, this Best Western is ideal for your lodging needs.

Music lovers mark your 2010 calendar for the 28th Annual Norfolk Jazz Festival, July 23rd and 24th. This long running and popular festival features well known national performers along with the best local and regional jazz musicians. This year you can enjoy Spyro Gyra, The Ripplingtons and Ramsey Lewis among many others. The performances are in the evenings, leaving the day free to enjoy your pick of local attractions. Come to Norfolk, relax and enjoy a weekend of jazz.

Virginia State Capital

Richmond, Virginia's state capital, in addition to the seat of government is the cultural and economic hub of central Virginia. Home of historic St John's Church where Patrick Henry delivered the famous line “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death”. Washington Dulles International Airport is in Northern Virginia, famous for the iconic main terminal designed by architect Eero Saarinen. Many of Northern Virginia's cities and towns have become commuter communities for workers in Washington DC. Even White's Ferry, the Potomic's only ferry service, outside Leesburg, has a wait during morning and evening rush hour. Rich in history, Central Virginia is enchants visitors during the summer.

Culpeper is a quaint Virginia town in the Piedmont River Valley with the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers on either side. An ideal town for travelers in automobiles, centrally located for visits north to the DC area, close to many historic Civil War sites as well as the Blue Ridge Parkway scenic byway. The Best Western Culpeper Inn is the only full service hotel and is easily accessible from the areas major highways. With affordable rates and a friendly staff, you may want to make it your home base for a few days.

The Harrisonburg community comes together during the Court Days Festival to recreate life in Harrisonburg in the 1850s. Court Square is transformed into a recreation of the 19th century. The 2010 Festival June 5th, mixed with the Downtown Farmers Market, visitors can enjoy local produce, arts and crafts along with live music and dancing. Re-enactments of 1850s characters will mingle, carriage rides will be available and you can tour historic Harrisburg sites. Special activities for the children will are scheduled as well. Fun for the entire family, while you enjoy spring weather on a historic adventure.

In August Harrisonburg hosts the 2010 Rockingham County Fair. August 16th through the 21st you can enjoy daily exhibits of the best agriculture and livestock and top name entertainment at the grand stand performances. Randy Travis and Trace Adkins are a couple of the headliners, along with events like the demolition derby and hot rod semi's – a great summer event for everyone. Kids will love the midway games and carnival rides, and few can pass up looking at the newborn piglets.

The Best Western Harrisonburg Inn is conveniently located for all of the events in Harrisonburg and local sites and attractions. Summer is a beautiful time to visit the Shenandoah Valley and be outdoors. Stay for a few days and be sure to visit Luray Caverns while you are there.

Got an athlete in the family? Don't miss the Allen and Allen Hoopla 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament and Showcase. The 2010 event is July 24th and 25th. Events include the 3 0n 3 tournament, an awesome slam dunk contest, along with free throw and 3 point challenges. A weekend full of fun and activity, with a special youth championship court featuring youth and high school events and the kid's slam dunk contest. A fun family event for basketball fans and players of all ages.

Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Mountains define the Northwestern geography and heritage of Virginia. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, the Blue Ridge Mountains are one of the most spectacular regions. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Scenic Byway and an All-American Road that takes travelers from the Shenandoah National Park, through Virginia, to North Carolina. Roanoke, a commercial and cultural hub for the region, developed rapidly around the railroad and coal industries. Originally named Big Lick, Roanoke was renamed after the Roanoke River. Wise, in the far western tip of Virginia, has three historic main street buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, is a delightful small town to visit.

Wytheville located at the crossroads of Interstate 77 and 81 is a common stop for travelers heading west. The Chautauqua Festival, June 19th through 26th 2010, is a week long celebration of Wytheville's best arts, culture and entertainment. The festival begins will a Hot-Air Balloon Festival and 1-mile fun run for the kids. Live entertainment on the main stage in Elizabeth Brown Memorial Park is featured each evening topping off days filled with exhibits, activities and demonstrations. The week ends with a 5-K race, car show and an ice cream eating contest for everyone. The Best Western Wytheville Inn is conveniently located off the freeways and is ideal for travelers. It is a pet-friendly Hotel and has an outdoor pool so the kids and dog will be happy too.

Known as Virginia's Olympics, the Coventry Commonwealth Games of Virginia are a summer tradition. Roanoke hosts the competitions, most of which are held in July. The 2010 games kick off with the Athlete Tailgate Party and Opening Ceremonies on July 16th. Athletes, fans, family and friends are welcome to come out and enjoy the entertainment and festivities. The Best Western Inn at Valley View in Roanoke is an ideal place to stay during the games and is offering discounts for participants in the 2010 Coventry Games. The hotel is only a mile from the airport and if your are driving, you can bring the dog, the hotel is pet-friendly.

The town of Wise hosts the Battles at Wise July 9th through 11th. This 2010 Civil War living history presentation re-enacts the capture of Gladeville and the battle of Cranesnest. Historic Wise is an ideal location for a summer getaway to see and celebrate US history. The long weekend also features a parade, camp tours, even a fashion show and period wedding. The Best Western of Wise is conveniently located and with affordable rates, you may consider spending a day exploring Bark Camp Lake or the Appalachians nearby.