While the history of this region is full of drama- from the saga of Pocahontas & John Smith to the effective ending of the American Revolution, to the first Battle of the Ironsides, the regional culinary treats add a whole other dimension to travel in southeastern Virginia. 

Besides seafood, this is the home of peanuts and country ham. While peanuts probably originated in South America, they were brought to the southern United States by enslaved Africans and by the late 1800’s Virginia was the nation’s leading producer. Virginia country ham is even older, dating back to the 17th century colony at Jamestown where colonists combined the European method of salt preservation with the Native American tradition of smoking. Plantations around the south always had a smokehouse on the grounds for just this purpose. Both of these local examples date back to the 1800’s.

Start your quest at the Isle of Wight Museum where you can see both The World’s Oldest Peanut and The World’s Oldest Ham while learning all about their history.

On a totally unrelated note, make sure to check out the Cold War-era bomb-shelter in the basement vault to learn how to respond in the event of a nuclear attack.

Since there’s a Bojangles and Waffle House around every corner, opportunities to try country ham are everywhere.

But for a taste of the real stuff that’s been cured the old fashioned way head to Darden’s country store for whole hams, steaks or picnic-friendly biscuits. 

Another option is the Virginia Diner where country ham biscuits are on the menu alongside peanut pie. You can also purchase whole hams and canned peanuts in their shop. 

Although no longer America’s peanut capital, Virginia still produces about 15% of US output. Suffolk is the home of Planter’s and its mascot Mr. Peanut.

Flavors abound, so visit several of the region’s producers to choose your favorite. 

Pocahontas & John Smith: Jamestown

The Ending of the Revolution: Yorktown

Battle of the Ironsides: The Mariner’s Museum, Newport News. Less well-known is this extensive local museum (admittance only $1!), home to one of the largest figurehead collections in the US.

They also hold the primary collection of artifacts from the USS Monitor and CSS Virginia, telling the story of their fateful 1862 Civil War encounter at the Battle of Hampton Roads – the first battle between the first two ironclad battleships. The items recovered from the shipwrecked Monitor are in a separate gallery undergoing conservation, and a viewing gallery overlooks their processing.