Virginia tourism officials release 2012 state travel guide

Virginians and others looking for places to visit and upcoming events in 2012 now have a guide to help them.

The Virginia Tourism Office has released the 2012 Virginia Travel Guide. The free guide features new destinations, family favorites, wineries and attractions.

This year, officials say they’ve included vacation ideas for all four seasons, a special section on small towns, scenic drives and a listing of the newest attractions in Virginia.

The newest attractions include the Patsy Cline Museum in Winchester, new wineries, and the Golden Eagle Tree House at Primland.

Officials say the guide also includes historical highlights like the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War and Emancipation. It also features scenic drives along the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Colonial Parkway and the Journey Through Hallowed Ground.

Highlights of the 2012 Virginia Travel Guide include:

• Details on the newest attractions and experiences in Virginia including the Patsy Cline Museum in Winchester, new wineries, the Golden Eagle Tree House at Primland, and the upcoming OpSail Virginia 2012 event.
• The best places for families to spend time together including beaches, kid-friendly resorts, exciting museums and camping adventures.
• An entire section dedicated to Virginia’s many beaches, where families can spend a memorable vacation playing in the sand along Virginia’s 3,000 miles of coastline.
• Inspiring scenic drives that traverse Virginia’s beautiful landscape from the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Colonial Parkway and the newly designated Journey Through Hallowed Ground.
• The latest on wine travel in Virginia at the state’s more than 200 wineries.
• Historical highlights including the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War and Emancipation.
• Small town treasures such as old-fashion soda fountains, hardware stores and farmers markets.
• Vacation ideas for each of the four seasons.
• Four different cover designs feature Heartwood in Abingdon, Sandbridge in Virginia Beach, the Bluemont General Store in Loudoun County and Fort Monroe in Hampton.