Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

You can wade in the water at Nottoway Falls in Victoria. (Virginia Tourism Corporation)

By Aila Boyd

Here’s what you need to know: From scenic strolls to hiking goals, Virginia has it all at secret swimming holes.

Our top picks:

• The Town of Victoria describes Nottoway Falls as “Lunenburg County’s greatest secret.” Open to the public, the area has many rock formations, natural waterfalls, and a man-made dam. While you’re there, dip your toes into the cool waters of the Nottoway River. 

• Whiteoak Canyon is one of Shenandoah National Park’s most popular destinations, and it’s easy to see why: six waterfalls ranging from 35 to 86 feet high. The hike up to the highest waterfall is 4.6 miles and quite steep.

• If you’re looking for a more curated swimming hole experience, check out Fort Lewis Lodge & Farm. The 5-foot-deep swimming hole is on the Cowpasture River. 

Seeking something a little closer to home? We’re dishing the deets on 10 local swimming holes at the link below. 

A screenshot of the lyric video to “Meteor” by TopHouse. (YouTube/TopHouse)

By Amie Knowles

It’s one of those songs you hear one time and then can’t get out of your head. That’s what happened to me on Friday afternoon. We’d just called in a to-go order at Moon River Thai in Danville, and my husband played a random shuffle of TopHouse songs—ones we love jamming to and others we hadn’t listened to yet. 

One of the new-to-us ones was “Meteor.” By the time the two-and-a-half-minute song got to the chorus, my jaw was hanging on the floorboard. I’ve been happily married for 10 years come October, but breakup songs still absolutely slap. How can they not when they hold lyrics like “I guess I never learned my lesson/Demonstrated poor discretion” with a guitar strumming chords like it’s solely responsible for building summer storm clouds? 

If you need a summer song that’ll live rent free in your head all season, this is one of my personal favorites. And if you love it so much you’d like to see the band perform in person, there are two upcoming shows right here in Virginia. The first opportunity is this month in Galax (July 18) and the second is Sept. 18 in Norfolk.

A pantry with stocked shelves. (Aaron Doucett/Unsplash)

Want to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday in a unique way that gives back to Virginians in need? The Loudoun Museum and the and the Loudoun VA250 Committee partnered together to host a food drive where donations will benefit local nonprofit Loudoun Hunger Relief. 

The donation drive seeks to collect 1,776 lbs. of canned and shelf-stable food items between now and July 4.

Drop off locations include the Loudoun Museum, Dodona Manor, Oatlands, Waterford Foundation, Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum, and Polo in the Park at Morven Park International Equestrian Center. Grocery delivery services can also drop off purchases at the Loudoun Museum.

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