Virginia State Parks are a tonic for the mind, body and spirit

Is an often-heard motto from the Director of Virginia State Parks and felt all the way to the soul of park goers and even myself, the blog editor. I fully believe this to be true, and can confirm this recently as I took my sister and fresh high-school-graduate-daughter on a paddle boat cruise of Fairy Stone State Park.

Even old rickety john boats are pretty in the early morning light

Fairy Stone State Park Virginia

As the three of us sat smack dab in the heart of the quiet little lake at Fairy Stone State Park, we felt the stress dripping off us like the beads of perspiration after running a marathon. My sister was visiting from the Pacific Northwest, and while they have the 14,000 foot high grand volcanic mountain range, turbulent rivers, and soaring bald eagles, they don't have a Fairy Stone State Park.

As we peddled around the lake I mentioned a story I read recently about these smaller state parks being beginner places, where kids learn to explore on their own, building forts, sandcastles, whittling sticks with pocket knives, or paddling a canoe with a grandparent. Where they learned to cook over an open fire they lit themselves, or found random bird feathers and unusual insects to identify. These state parks are training grounds for loftier ambitions, for future climbs of K2 and the Matterhorn. 

My sister enjoyed this little state park so much that she determined she would come back next April over Spring break to rent a cabin and bring her daughter along. She thought there was some perfect easy casting snag-free fishing holes right out in front of the historic hewn log CCC cabins at Fairy Stone State Park.

“Going to the mountains is going home” 
John Muir

There are 36 Virginia State Parks, and while I have not yet been to all 36 parks I have been to quite a few, and have found solace at each one in a very special way. I love to get up early just as the sun rises in the East with a cup of coffee and my camera and explore whatever waterway is found at the park. While I love sunsets over the water and in the mountains, it is the fresh early morning light that seems to excite the birds as they chatter incessantly, singing their love songs in hope of finding a mate. Sunrises bring hope and fresh starts, and that's a tonic I don't think we can ever get enough of.

I thought you may appreciate seeing some of my favorite inspirational places I have personally discovered at Virginia State Parks below:

5 Inspiring Places to Visit at Virginia State Parks

Gentle dunes lead you to the waters of the Chesapeake Bay

Kiptopeke State Park

The Blue Ridge Mountains are eye candy when viewed from the Tye River Overlook

James River State Park

A sunrise over the Potomac River warms you on a cold winter's day

Westmoreland State Park

Ducks and geese honking, fish jumping, crickets chirping makes this an outdoor oasis

Bear Creek Lake State Park

Moments to pause, reflect and be thankful in the late fall

Fairy Stone State Park

There are 36 Virginia State Parks to choose from, you'll find plenty of programs, events and activities at Virginia State Parks. These beautiful Virginia State Parks have thousands of campsites, hundreds of cabins, more than 500 miles of trails and convenient access to Virginia's major waterways. Beaches, picnic shelters, family lodges, meeting facilities, festivals, concerts, nature programs, cultural happenings... the list goes on and on. From Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, there's inspiration for everyone at Virginia State Parks.

I hope my list of 5 places that made a difference in my life can make a difference in yours, and be a tonic for your mind, body and spirit.

“In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks” 

John Muir