The industrial city of Danville, at the foothills of the Blue Ridge in the piedmont region, is 160 miles south of Richmond. It makes a pleasant overnight stop before crossing the North Carolina state line on Hwy 29.

It was once refuge to President Jefferson Davis when he fled Richmond in April 1865. The Sutherlin House, briefly used for his cabinet, is called “the last Confederate White House” by the locals. Its museum showcases Jefferson’s one-week occupation, including the dining room, which served as the council room for his staff. Visitors can view Virginia native Nancy Astor’s birthplace on Broad Street and learn about the woman who swept through English society by becoming the first female to serve in the British House of Commons.

Appropriately enough, Danville (population 50,000) also boasts the National Tobacco-Textile Museum, highlighting the city’s traditional economy.

The Danville Regional Airport services Danville, which is not accessible by bus or train.