That my husband and daughter are here may be the biggest, but Virginia itself also holds a large piece of my heart.

Here are the top 10 reasons why Virginia is awesome, and why I love where I live.

1. Virginia’s next door neighbors are North Carolina, DC, Maryland and West Virginia. It’s just as varied as the western states, but I don’t have to brag about it quite like my Utah or Colorado friends do. With mountains in the west and an ocean to the east, I still feel like I could never venture more than 200 miles from home and be perfectly happy here.
2. It’s home to more presidents than any other state. Which means Virginia’s got tons of history. In fact, I just discovered another historic home last week. You can bet I’ll be back there this summer.
3. Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. My husband once got a speeding ticket “on a road that bears frequent” according to the National Park Police– but we didn’t see any on that day or any other we’ve been. One of the funniest memories from a rainy camping trip.
4. The colonial feel with places like Old Town Alexandria, Middleburg, Fredericksburg and Williamsburg— to pick a few.
5. The food. You’ve got great southern grub, great apple doughnuts as well as refined cuisine. This state has made me into a self-proclaimed foodie (No grilled cheese sandwich is quite like the one from here).
6. The shopping. Tysons Corner gets me every time. Along with the antique shops in Fredericksburg, the Goodwills along Route 1 and various outlet malls. There wasn’t much like it around where I grew up.
7. The gardens. My grandma instilled a love for flowers in me that has never faded. My new favorite: River Farm.
8. A few of the trails- Mount Vernon Trail, W&OD Trail, Burke Lake… I could be walking, biking or running for days here.
9. Virginia is for history lovers. I swear you can’t drive more than two miles without running into some historical site. One of my favorites being Historic Jamestowne.
10. Even on its most humid days, you can travel an hour or two and pick berries, walk through a historic main street, get a custard cone, sit on the beach or watch a horse race.

Virginia is beautiful. Virginia is home. Virginia is for lovers. Virginia is full of friends. It’s all why I love where I live.