There’s more than just peanuts and pork along The Salty Southern Route.

The state’s pork-and-peanut driving trail, established in 2018 by state and regional tourism groups, welcomes visitors to “ride the route from nuts to snout” through coastal Virginia. About 100 rural attractions dot the route from Isle of Wight to Suffolk, Southampton, Sussex and Surry counties.

Each location—country stores, farms, inns, museums, peanut shops, restaurants, smokehouses, taprooms, inns and more—shares an agricultural connection. But the cultural discoveries and genuine hospitality at every stop are entirely unique.

“In our localities, we play the hand we’re dealt, and what we have is agritourism,” said Judy Winslow, director of tourism at Smithfield & Isle of Wight Convention & Tourism Bureau.

Inspired by Virginia’s Oyster Trail, Virginia Tourism Corp. and multiple rural entities gathered to discuss the cultural and culinary themes comprising their regional identity. Originally named the Burlap Trail, they settled on The Salty Southern Route.

“We all have pork and peanuts in common,” Winslow said. Locations on the route tie into that heritage.

Route riders, including foodies, history buffs, ham fans and peanut connoisseurs, can follow daytrip or weekend itineraries.

“To experience the whole thing, we estimate it would take more than a week—if you really want to stop and smell the peanuts,” said Sandra Tanner, senior destination development specialist at VTC.

Mid-Atlantic visitors mostly travel from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. A short ferry ride from Williamsburg to Surry delivers guests from a broader radius. The friendly, flavorful experiences on the route appeal to those seeking a leisurely adventure.

“Driving more people to agritourism was exactly what this route was designed to do, and we’re pleased that younger generations like it!” Winslow said.

The route is an opportunity to learn where some beloved foods come from, and who grew them, added Ashley Covington, marketing and existing business manager for Franklin Southampton Economic Development.

For example, Smithfield and Isle of Wight County are known for their world-famous hams. Visitors can view the world’s oldest peanut and ham at the Isle of Wight County Museum.

In Suffolk, visitors can purchase freshly roasted peanuts and see iterations of the iconic Mr. Peanut at Planters Peanut Center or see a statue of the Planters Lifesavers Co.’s trademark character in the town’s Character Corner.

In Southampton County one can learn about the Hubbard Peanut Co., which has cooked and sold peanuts since 1954.

Sussex County houses the famous Virginia Diner™, which started in a refurbished railroad car in 1929, and offers guests peanut pie or peanut soup, among other Virginia foods.

And in Surry County, there’s a tribe of Nigerian Dwarf goats who play on the world’s tallest goat tower—a 34-foot architectural structure adjacent to Hampton Roads Winery.

To read more about the Salty Southern Route, visit issuu.com/virginiafarmbureau, click on Cultivate Summer 2022, and turn to page 20.

For a complete list of Salty Southern Route stops, visit saltysouthernroute.com.