Central Virginia, also known as the Piedmont, is the largest region of the state of Virginia and contains the state capital, Richmond. It is marked on the east by the Fall Line, and on the west by the Appalachian Mountains. The southern part of this region, bordering on North Carolina, is generally referred to in the state as "Southside Virginia".
Richmond began as a small trading town on the James River, at the Fall Line, where ships could no longer progress inland. Cities such as Charlottesville, Lynchburg, and Martinsville grew as trade centers on roads traveled by pioneers heading west through gaps in the Appalachian Mountains.
The capital of Virginia was moved from Williamsburg to Richmond during the Revolutionary War, as it was inland and was safe from the firepower of the British Navy (it was captured by the British Army at a later date). Patrick Henry's famous "Give me liberty or give me death," speech took place at St. John's Church.
Richmond was named the capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War. In the spring of 1865, the city was captured and burned by Union Forces. Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House, east of Lynchburg, shortly after.
The accent is very light in areas bordering Northern Virginia but gets much stronger in the southern rural areas. The accent is typically the strongest and most southern in Southside Virginia by the North Carolina border. The dialect in Richmond is very unique that it combines elements of Urban dialects with elements of British Colonial English. However, most people in Richmond today will speak general American English.
Richmond International Airportis the largest airport in Central Virginia with flights from most the United States. Despite its name, Richmond International Airport does not usually offer any flights from to or from outside the United States, though international flights to Canada and Mexico are sometimes seasonally available. This is usually the cheapest airport to fly to and from in Central Virginia.
Amtrak offers several lines that run through central Virginia. The crescent originating in New Orleans Louisiana and running to New York City has stops in Danville and Lynchburg. The Staples Mill Road station in Richmond is serviced by the Silver Star and the Palmetto, providing service up and down the east coast.
Central Virginia is served by two interstate highways. I 64 runs from West Virginia to the west and Norfolk to the east while I-95 runs north/south from Florida all the way up the East Coast of the United States.
If visiting the shopping district of Historic Fredericksburg, all of the restaurants on Caroline St. are popular with locals.
Richmond has some issues with crime, though you can have a perfectly safe trip if you brush up on where the sketchy neighborhoods are.