What do you think?
Rate this book
Weird Travel Guides
Weird Virginia: Your Travel Guide to Virginia's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets
GET WEIRD! Best Travel Series of The Year 2006--Booklist
What's weird around here? Mark Moran and Mark Sceurman asked themselves this question for years. And it's precisely this offbeat sense of curiosity that led the duo to create Weird N.J. and the successful series that followed. The NOT shocking result? Every Weird book has become a best seller in its region! This best-selling series has sold more than one million copies...and counting! Thirty volumes of the Weird series have been published to great success since Weird New Jersey's 2003 debut.
What's weird around here? Mark Moran and Mark Sceurman asked themselves this question for years. And it's precisely this offbeat sense of curiosity that led the duo to create Weird N.J. and the successful series that followed. The NOT shocking result? Every Weird book has become a best seller in its region! This best-selling series has sold more than one million copies...and counting! Thirty volumes of the Weird series have been published to great success since Weird New Jersey's 2003 debut.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2007
7 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 20, 2020
This was a suggested read while since I had it I chose to go ahead and give it a try as I had lived in Virginia for nine years.
The book explores the oddness factor of Virginia thus taking the reader into exploring the cryptids, paranormal, ghosts, eccentric homes and people as well as other strange tales. To make it easier for the reader the book is collected into sections of similar subjects so if you don't want to read the whole book but are interested in a particular subject then you would be able to skip ahead or even use the index in the back of the book to explore an individual subject.
On presenting the unproven stories the authors work on the basis of giving the stories with what little information may be known, any possible theories and the stand of being neutral thus allowing readers to make up their own mind. As a result some of the stories have additions from readers who have shared their own experiences along with the Weird staff and interviews with others thus allowing for a more rounded view.
What I didn't like about the book was the illustrations and the inclusion of Washington DC. To hit the easiest subject first I didn't think it was right to include DC for although it isn't a state the nation's capitol is a combination of two states but at the same time it is its own. To include DC is to me not being honest for Virginia has plenty of its own weirdnesses that it doesn't need to borrow from anyone else.
And finally the last thing I didn't like was the illustrations. Although there were some really good pictures for those things that can be proven and were credible it was the altered photographs for the unproven that irked me. The inclusion of such photos added for more illustrations it was true but it upset the neutrality tone of the writing while it is those type of hoax photos that usually also end up driving many people to snub down eccentric cases.
So if you are into learning about weird places and peoples, want to learn more about certain cryptids or even enjoy some nice ghost stories than it may help you to pass the time. Just remember, though, that like the Arlington Mermaid tree some places change and it would be better to research a place if you really want to put it onto your travel list. And always be careful when you choose to track down such cases yourself.
The book explores the oddness factor of Virginia thus taking the reader into exploring the cryptids, paranormal, ghosts, eccentric homes and people as well as other strange tales. To make it easier for the reader the book is collected into sections of similar subjects so if you don't want to read the whole book but are interested in a particular subject then you would be able to skip ahead or even use the index in the back of the book to explore an individual subject.
On presenting the unproven stories the authors work on the basis of giving the stories with what little information may be known, any possible theories and the stand of being neutral thus allowing readers to make up their own mind. As a result some of the stories have additions from readers who have shared their own experiences along with the Weird staff and interviews with others thus allowing for a more rounded view.
What I didn't like about the book was the illustrations and the inclusion of Washington DC. To hit the easiest subject first I didn't think it was right to include DC for although it isn't a state the nation's capitol is a combination of two states but at the same time it is its own. To include DC is to me not being honest for Virginia has plenty of its own weirdnesses that it doesn't need to borrow from anyone else.
And finally the last thing I didn't like was the illustrations. Although there were some really good pictures for those things that can be proven and were credible it was the altered photographs for the unproven that irked me. The inclusion of such photos added for more illustrations it was true but it upset the neutrality tone of the writing while it is those type of hoax photos that usually also end up driving many people to snub down eccentric cases.
So if you are into learning about weird places and peoples, want to learn more about certain cryptids or even enjoy some nice ghost stories than it may help you to pass the time. Just remember, though, that like the Arlington Mermaid tree some places change and it would be better to research a place if you really want to put it onto your travel list. And always be careful when you choose to track down such cases yourself.
December 10, 2025
This was on my list for MANY years until I happened to find it this fall in a local antique shop. It has a few novel locations and stories, and I particularly enjoyed the coverage of things like the Melungeons and Marc Cline. The story of the Clarksville Ancient Ironworks was completely new to me, and maybe one of the few legitimately mysterious things in the book.
A couple problems stuck out though: (1.) A good chunk of these don't really satisfy the bare minimum requirement of "weird"—some of them are just, like, a really gross crime. That's not a quirky, weird thing, it's just really bad and sad. I mean come on. (2.) Almost no sources are cited throughout the entire book, which really bothered me. Of course, you don't need to cite anything for the concept of a sea monster existing in the bay, but any time a particular claim or event is mentioned, there should be articles, specific names, etc. connected to it. The absence of these devalues the book in my opinion, and makes it kind of "yuk-yuk just for funsies!" tourist trash rather than a connector that could help me find more related resources. Anyway, unless you're a collector who has lots of other local history and oddity tomes (as I do), I'd recommend skipping this one.
A couple problems stuck out though: (1.) A good chunk of these don't really satisfy the bare minimum requirement of "weird"—some of them are just, like, a really gross crime. That's not a quirky, weird thing, it's just really bad and sad. I mean come on. (2.) Almost no sources are cited throughout the entire book, which really bothered me. Of course, you don't need to cite anything for the concept of a sea monster existing in the bay, but any time a particular claim or event is mentioned, there should be articles, specific names, etc. connected to it. The absence of these devalues the book in my opinion, and makes it kind of "yuk-yuk just for funsies!" tourist trash rather than a connector that could help me find more related resources. Anyway, unless you're a collector who has lots of other local history and oddity tomes (as I do), I'd recommend skipping this one.
October 26, 2017
I did not win this book on Goodreads First Reads. I really liked this book. This book makes for a great travel guide for everyone looking for unusual places to visit in Virginia. It has a lot of interesting facts about each place and I loved learning about each place. Coming to Virginia? Check it out!
November 22, 2024
This book was written in 2007. A lot of the weird things no longer exist in 2024. If you are looking for creepy stories and old legends, this is a fun book to read. If you are looking for places to visit for a road trip, I would suggest https://www.roadsideamerica.com/ or https://www.atlasobscura.com/. I was hoping for more of the latter with this book.
June 5, 2017
This was a fascinating read about the legends of my home state of Virginia. Would recommend for someone wanting some light reading to pass the afternoon.
November 8, 2019
This is a fun guide to quirky sites and landmarks in Virginia. Road trip!
May 2, 2022
This was more myths and legends than actual places to visit on road trips.
July 6, 2023
Mostly interesting stories. Skipped a few and got annoyed at the humor at times. But overall it has highly valuable information on the state of Virginia.
November 26, 2007
You know, I have to begin by saying that I'm a skeptic at heart. I don't believe in ghosts, or the supernatural, or things that go bump in the night. Yet I'm fascinated by the stories that surround these things.
This book basically tells the ghost stories of Virginia, along with some interesting off-the-beaten-path sights to see if you're ever in the Old Dominion. Based mostly on conjecture and anecdotes, this is not some scholarly thesis, but it is a fun read, and all the stories are in comfortable bite-sized chunks.
I particularly liked the weird buildings and monuments. Though I admit, even I am tempted to test out a few of the ghost stories in the book. I'm dying to see the gravestone house, and maybe Stonewall Jackson's arm.
One nice thing about this book, in comparison to Weird Florida is that it seems to cover the entire state. If you live here, you'll certainly have at least one listing within a quick ride from your home.
Unfortunately, the writing isn't spectacular. The stories could be told with less "I was driving down a road at night..." beginnings, and I wish they listed where some of these places are with better accuracy.
I would recommend this as a coffee shop read, or maybe a library checkout... it's certainly not worth plopping down the cash for the hard cover.
This book basically tells the ghost stories of Virginia, along with some interesting off-the-beaten-path sights to see if you're ever in the Old Dominion. Based mostly on conjecture and anecdotes, this is not some scholarly thesis, but it is a fun read, and all the stories are in comfortable bite-sized chunks.
I particularly liked the weird buildings and monuments. Though I admit, even I am tempted to test out a few of the ghost stories in the book. I'm dying to see the gravestone house, and maybe Stonewall Jackson's arm.
One nice thing about this book, in comparison to Weird Florida is that it seems to cover the entire state. If you live here, you'll certainly have at least one listing within a quick ride from your home.
Unfortunately, the writing isn't spectacular. The stories could be told with less "I was driving down a road at night..." beginnings, and I wish they listed where some of these places are with better accuracy.
I would recommend this as a coffee shop read, or maybe a library checkout... it's certainly not worth plopping down the cash for the hard cover.
February 11, 2017
Definitely dated. Some things in VA they listed don't exist anymore (example: the park of the Presidential busts)
November 14, 2007
This is part of a series of "Weird" books which includes Michigan and Illinois. Check out the whole series and see if your favorite place is included.
I actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I am even considering buying it to have a copy around so that when the kids get older, we can road trip around the state, checking out the roadside oddities and landmarks. There were some things in the book that I already knew about (the Bunnyman, on which a character the movie "Donnie Darko" is loosely based), and lots that I didn't (the many quirky characters who reside, or once resided, in the Commonwealth). The authors thoroughly scoured the state for these stories, and did a fine job of presenting them. And thankfully, not all of them were lame ghost stories (though those are in there too).
I actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I am even considering buying it to have a copy around so that when the kids get older, we can road trip around the state, checking out the roadside oddities and landmarks. There were some things in the book that I already knew about (the Bunnyman, on which a character the movie "Donnie Darko" is loosely based), and lots that I didn't (the many quirky characters who reside, or once resided, in the Commonwealth). The authors thoroughly scoured the state for these stories, and did a fine job of presenting them. And thankfully, not all of them were lame ghost stories (though those are in there too).
dnf-or-set-aside-for-now
August 3, 2017This book offers a wide selection of stories ranging from the very weird to the very creepy. Sections of the book include "Local Legends," "Bizarre Beasts," "Personalized Properties," "Grave Matters," and more.
I love that the stories are accompanied by first-person narratives that detail the authors' visits to each location.
There are some entries for the "Bunnyman", which is a local legend near our own home. I've heard of the story, but it's never been anything more than a tale.
interesting quotes:
"Sometimes, as we now know, to lead is not necessarily to win." (p. 61)
I love that the stories are accompanied by first-person narratives that detail the authors' visits to each location.
There are some entries for the "Bunnyman", which is a local legend near our own home. I've heard of the story, but it's never been anything more than a tale.
interesting quotes:
"Sometimes, as we now know, to lead is not necessarily to win." (p. 61)
June 17, 2009
This was my introduction to the Weird Series. I'd ask for ghost story books for Christmas one year and was given this. It's full of all kinds of weirdness (inlcuding hauntings) that is in my home state. The stories are both from the author and people who have written in to the Marks about their experiences (or the stories they've heard about these). Because of this book, I am now working my way trhough as many of the Weird books as I can get.
February 7, 2008
My husband and I ventured down to Virginny for our honeymoon before this book was in existence. I'd become accustomed to using my Weird NJ and Weird PA as travel guides. But alas I had to wait a year later for this book to come out. Good so far... Follows the traditional layout in all the "Weird" books.
March 31, 2009
I bought this book thinking I could find some fun, goofy stuff for us to do w/our 3 kids. Not so much. It's OKAY. There are a couple of "weird" things. I don't know- this book is a little off. But then again- maybe that is they way it is suppose to be, hence "Weird Virginia". i don't know- I personally don't think it's worth the money.
February 1, 2013
I may be a bit partial since I was born in Virginia, but I thought Weird Virginia was awesome. It seems that the authors really did their research on this one and searched far and wide on various subjects to make this a worthwhile read. This book is definatly going with me on my very next trip to the state.(less)
November 26, 2013
I've been having a lot of trouble finding a good travel book for Virginia, so I picked this one up. Some of it is good, concrete sites I can visit and actually see something. But over half of the book's contents involve driving down a road or visiting a normal-looking house that presumes to be haunted. Maybe it's just not my style.
March 24, 2008
This book is like Riply's Believe It or Not for Virginia. It's great to look through and see how many of the places I've been to, or could relatively easily plan a little day trip to, like Foam Hinge - a life size replica of stone hinge made of, well, styrofoam.
November 15, 2008
Although I've lived in Virginia there are lots of places in the book that I've never visited...or even heard of. A very interesting way to find out new things about places you thought you already knew.
April 19, 2008
Out-of-the-way, fun, strange ... a great companion for those who want to see Virginia beyond Williamsburg, Martinsville and the Shenandoah Valley.
June 26, 2009
I'm now equipped with juicy tales of local legends, mysteries, & ghosts. These, of course, are essential.
June 26, 2014
Very interesting.
March 27, 2019
Wonderful book full of cool stories and facts
April 16, 2013
I currently live in NY but for 3 years I lived in Richmond, VA and it made reading this book more interesting because some of the things they talked about were close to where I was living.
October 21, 2014
Half of these stories I read in Weird NJ, 25% I read in wierd KS and NY, must miss
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews