From an English settlement known as Constant’s Wharf to its present day status as Virginia’s largest city, Suffolk Virginia is 430 square miles of rich woodlands, beautiful waters, rolling country fields and downtown streets filled with locally owned restaurants and shops.
 
As a prime destination for leisure travelers, Suffolk provides visitors with everything from
the charming southern city environment of its downtown to the joy of county living at a bed and breakfast or browsing the shelves at a locally owned farm market!
 
When you follow The Salty Southern Route through Suffolk the possibilities are endless!  First stop, a selfie with Mr. Peanut, Suffolk’s official mascot courtesy of Planters Peanuts Company and Amedeo Obici, then, after you get a cute pic, The SSR will take you to Brick & Mortar Brewing Company to get a local brew!  After wetting your whistle with local spirits stop by The Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad Museum and The Planters Peanut Center to get a glimpse into Suffolk’s captivating past!  Following your dive into local history the route takes you to Holland House and/or Bennett’s Creek Farm Market to purchase a few specialty locally grown products and finishes the day off with a delicious meal from one of Suffolk’s numerous restaurants!
 
Experience all of this and more when you ride The Salty Southern Route!
 
Official Launch September 13th at the Isle of Wight County Fair!

#loveva#ridetheroutefromnutstosnout
@visitvirginia

https://www.visitsuffolkva.com
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Hey there!  The second county featured on The Salty Southern Route, your local pork and peanut thematic driving tour in Western Tidewater, that I want to let you know a little bit more about is Southampton County!
​ 
​Originally part of “Warrasquouoke,” one of the eight shires making up the Colony of Virginia, Southampton County Virginia was most likely named for the borough of Southampton in England.  Nestled between the Blackwater and Meherrin River, with the Nottoway River running through it, Southampton is a beautiful and tranquil county with a rich history that includes it’s Native American Beginnings, the railroad and a long relationship with pork and peanuts!
 
As you cruise down the long country roads of Southampton, windows down and the sweet country air whistling around you, the peace of your surroundings envelopes you while the excitement of what charming shop, farm, restaurant or historical landmark you are about to come across rises within. 
 
While you follow The Salty Southern Route through Southampton County you will be taken to local restaurants, like Fred’s in the town of Franklin, places to purchase locally produced peanuts, like The Peanut Patch in the town of Courtland and local pork producers such as Felt’s, where you can peruse the retail shop and take home authentic Southampton ham.  For the adventurous, follow The SSR to Blackwater Outfitters, where you can kayak and canoe through the waterways that form the county’s picturesque terrain.   
 
All of this and more awaits you when you ride The Salty Southern Route! 
 
Official launch September 13th, 2018 at the Isle of Wight County Fair!
#loveva #ridetheroutefromnutstosnout

http://www.southamptoncounty.org/history.aspx

Hi again!  I'm so glad you are checking out The Salty Southern Route!  Like I talked about last week, The Salty Southern Route is a thematic driving tour that takes you and your friends/family to all of the really neat places our counties in Western Tidewater have to offer!

What makes our route "Salty" is it's focus on what contributed to much of the growth and prosperity of this region, Pork and Peanuts!  While you explore some of the history and, of course, tasty products of Surry, Suffolk, Southampton, Isle of Wight and Sussex counties, you will be guided to an array of festivals, farmers markets, historical landmarks, local farms,  restaurants, wineries, breweries and  local shops along the way!  

That being said, I want to introduce you to one of the counties being featured!  Surry County Virginia!  

The Jamestown Settlers affectionately called the opposite shore of the James River the “Surry Side” to honor their homeland!  Originally occupied by the Indigenous Native American tribes under the Powhatan Confederation and once being home to the largest population of freemen in the country, Surry County was chartered in 1652 and retains the unspoiled rural beauty of it's beginnings.  As you follow the SSR through Surry's abundance of rolling farmlands and wetlands, you will discover impressive and inspiring sites like Bacon's Castle and Smith's Fort Plantation, allowing you to explore the region's incredible beginnings.  After learning about the county's history, the route will swing you by places like Edwards Ham Shoppe and Bacon's Castle Peanuts where you can pick up some of the pork and peanut local cuisine.  Then on to Chippokes State Park and Forestry Museum to explore the local terrain and discover how Surry's local crops were harvested and produced!  And by the time you are done with all of that, The Salty Southern Route knows you are probably ready for a glass of vino from it's local Hampton Roads Winery or a bite to eat while you gaze over picturesque Gray's Creek at The Surry Seafood Company!

And that's just the tip of the iceberg!  The Salty Southern Route will take you to all of those places in Surry and a great deal more!  

The adventure begins... September 13th 2018!
#loveva #ridetheroutefromnutstosnout
https://surrycountytourism.com

So, what is The Salty Southern Route?!
Have you ever woken up in the morning and said “Hey, I have the day off and I want to do stuff,” not just the same old laundry, dishes, yardwork or another Netflix binge session! You want to see something new! You want to discover a shop or a restaurant you didn’t know about. You and your friends want to visit a park, enjoy an outdoor concert, buy fresh produce from a local farmers market, discover more about local history and of course wrap up the day by whetting your palate with a local brew or glass of wine! But then you think, “But what is there to do around here or even nearby?” Well, if you live in or near the southeastern region of Virginia, or have a couple of days to come visit, The Salty Southern Route is here to help! 
As a newly created thematic driving tour, The Salty Southern Route (SSR for short) is here to inform you about all the awesome things there are to do in Isle of Wight, Suffolk, Surry, Southampton and Sussex County Virginia, while highlighting the region’s long and rich history with pork and peanuts (that’s why we’re “Salty”!) There is a ton to do and as an all online platform comprised of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and saltysouthernroute.com, we aim to make planning your day trip or weekend adventure a breeze! Find a suggested driving tour by hopping on our website, get weekly updates on upcoming events and get to know a little bit more about local businesses and landmarks by following us on social media. Whether you’re living local, crushing Fridays or visiting someplace new, these counties in Southeastern Virginia have everything you’re looking for, and The Salty Southern Route is where to find it! 

genuinesmithfieldva.com