From the sunny shores of Virginia Beach to the Blue Ridge Highlands in Southwest Virginia, there are more than 200 LOVEworks sculptures located throughout Virginia, including at many visitor centers.
“Virginia is For Lovers” was created more than 50 years ago and is the official slogan for the Commonwealth of Virginia. It's only logical that LOVEworks sculptures would follow.
Although we haven't visited all of these, here are some of our favorites, perfect for those road trip family photo shoots:
Central Virginia LOVEworks:
LOVEwork in Lynchburg, located at the entrance to the James River Heritage Trail, 1600 Concord Turnpike in Lynchburg. We love this sculpture because it's created using things to symbolize the Lynchburg trail system and the James River: footprints for the walking trails, oars for the James River, miniature bike wheels, and skateboard wheels.
LOVEwork at Mellow Mushroom, located at 1220 Greenview Drive in Lynchburg. What's not to love about a LOVE sculpture at a pizza place! It's the perfect setting for holiday photos, since the LOVEwork sculpture is red.
LOVEwork at Craddock Terry Hotel and Event Center, located at 1312 Commerce Street in Lynchburg. The hotel was built in a former shoe factory, so the high-heeled LOVEwork sculpture points to the history of the building. It also has a bench seat inside for comfort.
LOVE sign inside Blue Mountain Barn, located at River Ridge Mall, 3411 Candlers Mountain Road in Lynchburg. Blue Mountain Barn is a vintage DIY retail studio offering unique and handmade items. In addition, customers may design their own items at the studio.
LOVE sign beside County Smoak BBQ, located at 7423 Timberlake Road in Lynchburg. Enjoy a sandwich or platter while you're there!
LOVEwork at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, located at 1800 Lakeside Avenue in Richmond. This sculpture is especially beautiful during the holidays when the Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights takes place.
LOVEwork at Richmond Raceway, located at 600 E. Laburnum Avenue in Richmond. From the checkered flags to driver helmets and favorite sponsors' logos, this sculpture highlights the excitement of race day at the Raceway.
Southwest Virginia LOVEworks:
LOVEwork at Black Dog Salvage, 902 13th Street SW in Roanoke. This sculpture features the type of salvaged items you can buy at Black Dog, including a trombone, industrial spools, a pair of reclaimed hand hewn pine beams, and even a former speed limit sign.
LOVEwork at Nancy's Candy Company, 2684 JEB Stuart Highway in Meadows of Dan. Located just minutes off the Blue Ridge Parkway, this fun sculpture is a favorite with kids of all ages. Some of the candy featured on the sculpture include pretzel rods, a chocolate truffle, and jelly beans.
LOVEwork in Bristol, located at 629 State Street in Bristol. You might not realize it, but the city of Bristol is actually two cities: Bristol, Va. and Bristol, Tn. Straddling the state line, this sculpture highlights the birthplace of country music in this region and includes a banjo, guitar, record album, and more.
LOVEwork in Pearisburg, located at 120 N. Main Street in Pearisburg. If your kids like painting rocks, you'll love this LOVEwork sculpture! It was created using over 3,500 rocks, from Giles County, painted by almost every child age 4 through 12 in public, private, and home school.
LOVEwork at Thomas' Black Bird Farm, located on Wells Road in Norton. This sculpture is on our road trip to-do list. Features of the farm incorporated into the sculpture include a corn maze, carved pumpkin, ears of corn, and barn lumber.
LOVEwork at the Dickenson County Visitor Center, located at 194 Clintwood Main Street in Clintwood. Artists from Pioneer Art League in Clintwood spent hours hand-painting this colorful sculpture. The four seasons design spotlights Dickenson County’s tourism, culture, and history.
Northern Virginia LOVEworks:
LOVEwork at Depot Park, located on South 4th Street in Warrenton. Although the railroad no longer runs through town, this sculpture highlights the history of rail travel in the area. The pretty pastel letters are shaped like a steam train and sit on railroad ties.
LOVEwork at Messick's Farm Market, located at 6025 Callett Road in Bealeton. What's six feet tall, 28 feet long, and patriotic? This sculpture includes a red, white, and blue O painted to symbolize the American flag. It's decorated seasonally using a farm theme, so you will want to visit more than once.
LOVEwork at Hearthstone School, located at 11576 Lee Highway in Sperryville. Hearthstone School is dedicated to the principles of peace and love. The pretty flowers were painted by art students at the school. Although I've not stopped here, I pass it frequently when traveling to Shenandoah National Park via the Thornton Gap Entrance.
LOVEwork in Leesburg, located on Harrison Street SE in Leesburg, beside the 45-mile long Washington & Old Dominion Trail. This huge metal sculpture was created by a local artist using recycled bicycle parts donated by area bicycle shops. The gardens surrounding the sculpture are especially pretty in spring and summer.
Hampton Roads / Chesapeake Bay / Eastern Shores LOVEworks:
LOVEworks at Dough Boys Pizza are in multiple locations: 1700 Atlantic Avenue near the Boardwalk, 2410 Atlantic Avenue, and 3224 Atlantic Avenue, all in Virginia Beach. They were all created by local student artists for Atlantic Avenue Association’s “LOVE! On Atlantic” Art Contest. LOVE and pizza go together in my book anytime!
LOVEwork in Virginia Beach, located at 712 Atlantic Avenue in Virginia Beach. This beach-themed sign is visible from the Boardwalk and features a woman swimming among dolphins, crabs, shells, and waves.
LOVEwork in Smithfield, located at 319 Main Street in Smithfield. If you've never visited Smithfield, this small artsy town is worth the trip. The sculpture was created by a graduate of Smithfield High, the Governor’s School for the Arts and Virginia Commonwealth University’s Fine Arts Department. Her description states the sculpture was "inspired by what we are best known for…Ham, well Bacon" and includes oversized bacon strips in the design.
LOVEwork in Cape Charles, located at the intersection of Bay Avenue and Mason Avenue in Cape Charles. Catch a beautiful sunset at this sculpture, located at the public beach beside the Chesapeake Bay in Cape Charles. Kayaks, crab pots, sea glass, and seashells are included in the sculpture.
LOVEwork in Chincoteague, located at 4083 Main Street on Chincoteague Island. Four giant Adirondack chairs spell out LOVE with a lovely waterway backdrop. The small island of Chincoteague is only seven miles long and three miles wide, a perfect place for a family getaway.
Mountain and Valley LOVEworks:
LOVEwork at Humpback Bridge, located at 9211 Rumsey Road in Covington. Humpback Bridge, built in 1857, is the oldest of Virginia's remaining covered bridges. It's located over Dunlap Creek, a favorite wading spot in summertime. This sculpture is unique in that it incorporates a tree in the creek bank as the "V" and also includes historic bricks, a repurposed gear from a paper machine, and railroad ties.
LOVEwork at the Smith Mountain Lake Visitor Center, located at 16430 Booker T Washington Highway in Moneta. This painted LOVEwork is a personal favorite both because I love Smith Mountain Lake and because the artist is a friend of mine. It showcases on and off-water adventures and cultural experiences you'll find at Smith Mountain Lake.
LOVEwork at Natural Bridge State Park, located at 6477 S. Lee Highway in Natural Bridge. This LOVEwork sculpture depicts the Natural Bridge itself as well as Lace Falls, Cedar Creek, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the James River.
LOVEwork in Harrisonburg, located at 311 S. Main Street in Harrisonburg. This LOVEwork sculpture showcases four community strengths of the Rockingham County area: ethnic diversity, agricultural heritage, outdoor recreation, and a growing arts scene. The letters were created with repurposed materials and sit on a base of local bluestone.
These are just a few of the many LOVEworks sculptures located throughout Virginia. Make your next road trip a way to help your family fall in LOVE with Virginia!
You can find a LOVEworks map on the official Commonwealth of Virginia Tourism website.
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