The Salty Southern Route consists of the town of Franklin & Southampton County,
the town of Smithfield, Surry County & the City of Suffolk.
The towns of Franklin and Smithfield, the city of Suffolk and the counties of Surry, Southampton and Isle of Wight sit adjacent to one another in the region known as Coastal Virginia. They are conveniently located just 47 miles from Virginia Beach, 52 miles from Richmond, and 160 from Washington DC, making the region a relaxing, easily-accessible day-trip or weekend getaway. While each has its own identity, they share a rich agricultural and rural tradition dating back to the time of the earliest settlers in Jamestown. The region has long been world-renowned for its peanuts and pork products, especially Smithfield hams and Suffolk peanuts. The tradition continues with everything from the world's largest pork producer, Smithfield Foods and Planters Peanuts in Suffolk, to the independent farmers and peanut producers of the countryside who proudly cook and sell their products often the same way their families have for generations. The Salty Southern Route offers visitors a taste of this tradition, as well as a lovely rural escape.
