It’s time, Virginia Tourism tells us today, to begin planning your 2020 vacations.
Tuesday is National Plan for Vacation Day, developed by the U.S. Travel Association, to encourage Americans to plan their time off.
Last year, more than 768 million vacation days went unused. Research shows that individuals who plan are more likely to use all their time off, take more vacation days at once and report greater levels of happiness at work and at home.
In Virginia, there are numerous opportunities to maximize vacations.
Virginia’s outdoor recreation options range widely from beaches to mountains and everything in between. The Spearhead Trails in Southwest Virginia, for example, welcome ATVs, mountain bikes and hikers to explore hundreds of miles of connecting trails through the mountainous terrain. The trail system currently has five separate trails of varying difficulty for riders of every experience level. The development of the trails has transformed the economy in Southwest Virginia by not only helping the surrounding communities to develop and thrive, but also improving the overall quality of life for the traveler.
Virginia is a hiker’s paradise – from walks through coastal marshes to epic backpacking trips along the famed Appalachian Trail, Virginia has a footpath for all abilities and offers stunning views.
Travelers can also immerse themselves in the history of Virginia by visiting any of the hundreds of historic sites across the state that date back to the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown and cover every important period of American history. That includes places like Colonial Williamsburg, Civil War battlefields and the Birthplace of Country Music, located in Bristol on the Virginia/Tennessee line.
For the beach vacationer, the Eastern Shore is a perfect spot where travelers can enjoy the secluded beaches of Kiptopeke State Park, oyster and wine pairings at many fine restaurants, the unique shops and beautiful bayside community of Cape Charles and wild ponies roaming the natural landscape at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.
“Planning vacation days is very important to help maintain a good work-life balance,” said Rita McClenny, President and CEO of Virginia Tourism Corporation. “We hope that everyone takes National Plan for Vacation Day to schedule their time off and experience what they love in Virginia, whether it is spending time at a beach, enjoying a bottle of wine at a vineyard or hiking a mountaintop.”
For more information on National Plan for Vacation Day. visit https://www.ustravel.org/events/national-plan-vacation-day
To start planning a trip to Virginia, visit virginia.org.
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Chris Graham
