Virginia Word Search

Jamestown, Monticello, Blue Ridge, Dogwood and Cardinal hide in the first grid; print it with the answer key.

Name Date

Find every word hidden in the grid. Words go across and down.

0 of 12 words found

OYHQOLDDOMINION

BVNMVCQATGBNJFT

WNRJRHTRUFAHCFL

XTIAMEVCYLFAMLQ

JRCPOSEDYLFOLKE

OSHENANDOAHTEFI

KUMATPYHYWLYUIT

GAONIERAOFLOYST

FENUCARDINALJFR

DNDTEKJAMESTOWN

OAOHLEMIDOGWOOD

KIIELBLUERIDGEL

SOTIOABIHKEWNTC

ORORNYORKTOWNTI

VCMOUNTVERNONPB

This grid is wider and taller than its box. Slide it to see every letter.To drag, hold the first letter for a moment, then slide.Keyboard: Tab to the grid, arrow keys to move, Enter on the first and last letter.

RichmondRICHMOND
JamestownJAMESTOWN
Blue RidgeBLUE RIDGE
ShenandoahSHENANDOAH
Chesapeake BayCHESAPEAKE BAY
CardinalCARDINAL
DogwoodDOGWOOD
MonticelloMONTICELLO
Mount VernonMOUNT VERNON
YorktownYORKTOWN
PeanutPEANUT
Old DominionOLD DOMINION

12 of 28 words from the Virginia Favorites list.

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Answer key: Virginia Word Search

OYHQOLDDOMINION

BVNMVCQATGBNJFT

WNRJRHTRUFAHCFL

XTIAMEVCYLFAMLQ

JRCPOSEDYLFOLKE

OSHENANDOAHTEFI

KUMATPYHYWLYUIT

GAONIERAOFLOYST

FENUCARDINALJFR

DNDTEKJAMESTOWN

OAOHLEMIDOGWOOD

KIIELBLUERIDGEL

SOTIOABIHKEWNTC

ORORNYORKTOWNTI

VCMOUNTVERNONPB

RICHMOND, JAMESTOWN, BLUE RIDGE, SHENANDOAH, CHESAPEAKE BAY, CARDINAL, DOGWOOD, MONTICELLO, MOUNT VERNON, YORKTOWN, PEANUT, OLD DOMINION

Next step Make a puzzle from your own county and town names Scramble the Virginia cities and rivers

All 241 words

Virginia Cities and Towns 35

Abingdon Town in the southwest, home of the Barter Theatre.
Alexandria Old port town on the Potomac, just south of Washington, D.C.
Arlington County across the Potomac from Washington, home of a national cemetery.
Blacksburg Mountain town, home of Virginia Tech.
Bristol City whose main street runs along the Tennessee state line.
Culpeper Piedmont town, seat of a county that shares its name.
Danville City on the Dan River, near the North Carolina line.
Fairfax City in the suburbs of Washington, D.C.; the county around it shares its name.
Farmville Town on the Appomattox River, in the middle of the state.
Fredericksburg Town on the Rappahannock, about halfway between Richmond and Washington, D.C.
Front Royal Town at the north entrance of Skyline Drive.
Galax Mountain town known for old-time fiddle music.
Hampton City beside Fort Monroe, on the Virginia Peninsula.
Hopewell City where the Appomattox joins the James.
Leesburg Seat of Loudoun County, in the north of the state.
Lexington Shenandoah Valley town with two old colleges.
Luray Shenandoah Valley town beside a famous cave.
Lynchburg Hilly city on the James River, founded at a ferry crossing.
Manassas City in the north, beside a Civil War battlefield park.

Show all 241 words (222 more)

Virginia Cities and Towns, continued

Newport News Shipbuilding city where the James River meets Hampton Roads.
Norfolk Port city on Hampton Roads, home of a huge naval base.
Petersburg City on the Appomattox River, south of Richmond.
Portsmouth Port city facing Norfolk across the Elizabeth River.
Radford City on the New River, home of a university.
Richmond State capital, on the James River at the fall line.
Roanoke City in a valley of the Blue Ridge, with a giant lit star on Mill Mountain.
Salem Small city beside Roanoke.
Smithfield Town on the Pagan River, famous for its cured hams.
Staunton Shenandoah Valley city, birthplace of President Woodrow Wilson.
Suffolk City beside the Great Dismal Swamp, long a center of the peanut trade.
Virginia Beach Resort city on the Atlantic, with more people than any other in the state.
Waynesboro City at the foot of the Blue Ridge, near the south end of Skyline Drive.
Williamsburg Capital of the colony from 1699 to 1780, now a living-history town.
Winchester City at the northern end of the Shenandoah Valley, known for its apple blossom festival.
Wytheville Town in the southwest where two interstate highways cross.

Virginia Mountains, Rivers and Valleys 27

Alleghenies Mountains along the border with West Virginia.
Appalachians Old mountain system that covers the west of the state.
Blue Ridge Mountain chain that runs the length of the state, hazy and bluish from afar.
Bull Run Stream in the north that gave its name to two Civil War battles.
Clinch River Stream of the southwest known for its rich variety of freshwater mussels.
Cumberland Gap Pass at the state's western tip, a gateway for settlers heading west.
Dismal Swamp Great wetland on the border with North Carolina, with Lake Drummond at its heart.
Fall Line Zone of rapids where rivers drop from the Piedmont to the coastal plain.
Great Falls Rapids and waterfalls on the Potomac near Washington, D.C.
Holston River of the southwest that flows on into Tennessee.
James River Waterway that crosses the state from the mountains, past Richmond, to Hampton Roads.
Karst Limestone land full of caves and sinkholes.
Massanutten Long mountain that splits the Shenandoah Valley in two.
Mount Rogers Highest point in the state.
New River Stream of the southwest that flows north; despite its name, it is thought to be very old.
Northern Neck Peninsula between the Potomac and the Rappahannock.
Old Rag Rocky peak in Shenandoah National Park, a famous hike with a scramble.
Peaks of Otter Three mountain summits beside the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Peninsula Land with water on three sides.
Piedmont Rolling land between the mountains and the coastal plain.
Potomac River that forms the border with Maryland.
Rapidan Tributary of the Rappahannock that rises in the Blue Ridge.
Rappahannock River that flows from the Blue Ridge to the Chesapeake Bay, past Fredericksburg.
Shenandoah Valley and river between the Blue Ridge and the Alleghenies.
Sinkhole Hollow where the ground has sunk into a cave below.
Tidewater Low coastal plain where rivers rise and fall with the ocean.
York River Wide tidal waterway formed where the Pamunkey and the Mattaponi meet.

Chesapeake Bay and Virginia Coast 32

Assateague Barrier island shared with Maryland, where herds of wild horses roam.
Back Bay Wildlife refuge of marsh and dunes south of the resort strip.
Barrier Island Long, sandy strip of land that shields the mainland from ocean waves.
Blue Crab Swimming shellfish with bright claws, the bay's best-known catch.
Boardwalk Walkway along the oceanfront.
Bridge-Tunnel Crossing that runs over the water, then dives under the shipping channel.
Cape Charles Town and point at the southern tip of the Eastern Shore.
Cape Henry Point at the mouth of the bay where the Jamestown settlers first landed in 1607.
Carrier Huge warship with a flight deck; the Navy's are built at Newport News.
Chesapeake Bay Huge estuary fed by the James, the York and the Potomac.
Chincoteague Island town known for its wild ponies and the yearly pony swim.
Crab Pot Wire trap baited and dropped to the bottom.
Dune Hill of sand piled up by the wind.
Eastern Shore Narrow strip of the Delmarva Peninsula, cut off from the rest of the state by the bay.
Eelgrass Underwater plant whose meadows shelter young crabs and fish.
Estuary Place where river water mixes with salty seawater.
Ferry Boat that carries people and cars; one crosses the James to Jamestown.
Hampton Roads Great natural harbor at the mouth of the James, ringed by port cities.
Harbor Sheltered water where ships can anchor.
Inlet Narrow opening that lets the sea into a bay or lagoon.
Lighthouse Tower with a lamp to guide ships; an old one stands at Cape Henry.
Menhaden Small oily fish netted in huge numbers by boats from Reedville.
Naval Base Home port for warships; the one at Norfolk is enormous.
Rockfish Bay name for the striped bass.
Salt Marsh Grassy wetland flooded by the tides.
Shipyard Where ships get built and mended; Newport News has a giant one.
Skiff Small, light open boat.
Tangier Small island in the bay, known for crabbing and its own way of speaking.
Tide The sea's daily rising and falling.
Wallops Island Place on the Eastern Shore where NASA launches rockets.
Waterman Person who makes a living fishing, crabbing or oystering on the bay.
Wharf Landing place where boats tie up.

Virginia State Symbols 26

Big-Eared Bat Rare cave mammal that is the official bat.
Brook Trout Official freshwater fish, at home in cold mountain streams.
Cardinal Official bird, bright red with a crest.
Chesapecten Scallop of long ago named for Thomas Jefferson, the official fossil.
Commonwealth Word the state uses for itself in its official name.
Deadrise Official boat, a wooden workboat of the Chesapeake Bay with a sharp bow.
Discovery Ship of 1607 that was left at Jamestown for the settlers to use.
Dogwood Official flower and official tree in one.
Flag Deep blue banner with the state seal at its center.
Foxhound American breed that is the official dog.
Garter Snake Eastern ___, the official reptile of its kind, marked with long stripes.
Godspeed Ship of the 1607 fleet whose captain was Bartholomew Gosnold.
Honey Bee Official pollinator.
Motto Short saying; the state's is Latin for "thus always to tyrants".
Nelsonite Official rock, named for Nelson County.
Old Dominion State nickname, from its days as a colony of the English crown.
Oyster Its shell is the official shell.
Pony The Chincoteague breed is the official one.
Red Salamander Official amphibian of its kind, orange-red with black spots.
Square Dance Official folk dancing: four couples follow a caller.
Striped Bass Official saltwater fish.
Susan Constant One of the three ships of 1607; replicas of the fleet are an official emblem.
Swallowtail Tiger ___, the yellow-and-black butterfly that is the official insect.
Tyrant Cruel ruler; one lies defeated on the state seal.
Virginia Reel Lively line dance named in the law on the folk dance.
Virtus Roman figure of virtue who stands on the state seal.

Virginia History 27

Appomattox Village where Lee surrendered to Grant in 1865.
Barbara Johns Student who led a 1951 walkout in Farmville for a better school.
Bill of Rights First ten amendments to the Constitution, shaped by James Madison.
Burgesses Members of the colony's elected assembly, which began at Jamestown.
Capitol Building in Richmond designed by Thomas Jefferson, where the General Assembly meets.
Civil War Conflict of 1861 to 1865; many of its battles were fought in the state.
Colony Settlement ruled by a faraway country.
Cornwallis British general who surrendered at Yorktown.
Declaration Document of independence drafted by Thomas Jefferson.
George Mason Writer of the Virginia Declaration of Rights.
Ironclad Armored warship; two fought a famous duel in Hampton Roads in 1862.
Jamestown First permanent English settlement in America, founded in 1607.
John Smith Captain who led Jamestown and mapped the Chesapeake Bay.
Maggie Walker Richmond leader who founded a bank and served as its president.
Mattaponi Tidewater tribe whose reservation dates from colonial times.
Monacan Native nation of the Piedmont and Blue Ridge, based in Amherst County.
Pamunkey Tribe of the Powhatan people, with a reservation on the river that shares its name.
Patrick Henry Speaker whose cry "Give me liberty, or give me death!" rang out in a Richmond church.
Pocahontas Daughter of Powhatan, remembered in the story of Jamestown.
Poe Writer of "The Raven" who grew up in Richmond.
Powhatan Chief of an alliance of Algonquian-speaking tribes when the English arrived.
Reaper Grain-cutting machine built by Cyrus McCormick, who grew up in Rockbridge County.
Surrender To give up in battle, as armies did at Yorktown and Appomattox.
Wagon Road Great ___, the colonial route that carried settlers south through the Shenandoah Valley.
Wilderness Road Trail blazed by Daniel Boone through the Cumberland Gap.
William Clark Explorer born in Caroline County who crossed the continent with Meriwether Lewis.
Yorktown Town where a British army gave up to George Washington in 1781.

Virginia Presidents and Their Homes 21

Constitution Plan of government for the United States; James Madison kept notes on the debates.
Ferry Farm Boyhood home of George Washington, across the river from Fredericksburg.
Founding Father One of the leaders who created the United States.
Harrison Ninth president, born at Berkeley Plantation.
Highland Farm of James Monroe, next door to Monticello.
Jefferson Third president, who designed his own house near Charlottesville.
Madison Fourth president, called the Father of the Constitution.
Monroe Fifth president; a doctrine about the Americas carries his name.
Monticello Hilltop house designed by Thomas Jefferson; it is on the back of the nickel.
Montpelier Home of James and Dolley Madison in Orange County.
Mount Vernon Home of George Washington on the Potomac.
Popes Creek Birthplace of George Washington in Westmoreland County.
Poplar Forest Eight-sided retreat that Thomas Jefferson built near Lynchburg.
President Head of the United States; eight were born in this state.
Rotunda Domed building Thomas Jefferson designed for the University of Virginia.
Surveyor Land measurer; George Washington worked as one in his teens.
Taylor Twelfth president, born in Orange County.
Tyler Tenth president, who lived at Sherwood Forest on the James.
Violin Instrument that Thomas Jefferson played.
Washington First president, born in Westmoreland County.
Wilson Twenty-eighth president, born in Staunton.

Virginia Landmarks and Parks 21

Battlefield Place where armies fought; many in the state are now parks.
Breaks Deep gorge on the Kentucky border, shared by a two-state park.
Burke's Garden High, bowl-shaped valley in Tazewell County.
Crabtree Falls Chain of waterfalls in Nelson County.
False Cape Remote state park of dunes and beach near the North Carolina line.
First Landing State park at Cape Henry, named for the arrival of 1607.
Fort Monroe Stone fortress ringed by a moat at Old Point Comfort.
Gunston Hall Home of George Mason on the Potomac.
Humpback Bridge Arched wooden covered span near Covington.
Hungry Mother State park with a lake in the mountains near Marion.
Luray Caverns Cave with an organ that taps stalactites to make music.
Mabry Mill Old watermill beside the Blue Ridge Parkway.
McAfee Knob Rock ledge near Roanoke, a much-photographed spot on the Appalachian Trail.
Natural Bridge Tall limestone arch carved by Cedar Creek.
Natural Tunnel Cave so big that a railroad runs through it, in Scott County.
Overlook Roadside stop with a wide view; Skyline Drive has many.
Parkway Blue Ridge ___, a mountain road that runs on to North Carolina.
Pentagon Five-sided headquarters of the Department of Defense, in Arlington.
Skyline Drive Scenic road along the crest of the Blue Ridge in Shenandoah National Park.
Stalactite Stone icicle that hangs from a cave roof.
Wolf Trap National park for the performing arts in Fairfax County.

Virginia Wildlife and Trees 33

Bald Cypress Swamp tree with "knees" that poke out of the water.
Bald Eagle National bird, a white-headed hunter of fish.
Beaver Dam-building rodent.
Black Bear Large mammal of the mountain forests.
Bluebell Blue spring wildflower; one kind carries the state's name.
Bluebird Small blue thrush that nests in boxes and tree holes.
Bobcat Short-tailed wild cat.
Box Turtle Land reptile that can close its shell tight.
Bullfrog Big green frog with a deep call.
Chipmunk Small striped ground squirrel.
Cicada Loud insect; some broods spend many years underground, then come out together.
Deer White-tailed grazer of woods and field edges.
Firefly Beetle that flashes light on summer nights.
Groundhog Burrowing rodent also called a woodchuck.
Heron Tall, long-legged wading bird of marshes.
Hickory Hardwood tree with tough wood and edible nuts.
Loblolly Fast-growing pine of the coastal plain.
Mockingbird Gray songbird that copies the songs of other birds.
Mountain Laurel Evergreen shrub with pink-and-white flowers.
Opossum Pouched mammal; the kind found here is named for the state.
Osprey Fish hawk that nests on platforms and channel markers.
Pawpaw Native tree with large, custard-like fruit.
Raccoon Masked mammal with a ringed tail.
Red Fox Rusty-coated hunter with a white-tipped tail.
Redbud Small tree covered in pink blossoms in early spring.
Rhododendron Shrub with big clusters of flowers on high slopes.
Shad Fish that swims up rivers each spring to spawn.
Skink Small lizard; the young of one kind have bright blue tails.
Sycamore Streamside tree with patchy white bark.
Trillium Woodland flower with three petals and three leaves.
Tulip Poplar Tall, straight tree with cup-shaped, yellow-green flowers.
White Oak Mighty hardwood with rounded leaf lobes.
Wild Turkey Big game bird of the forest.

Virginia Farms and Food 19

Apple Fruit of Shenandoah Valley orchards.
Biscuit Small, flaky quick bread, often split and filled with ham.
Brunswick Stew Thick dish of meat and vegetables; a county here claims to be its birthplace.
Cattle Beef and dairy animals that graze the valley pastures.
Crab Cake Fried or broiled patty of shellfish meat.
Grist Mill Building where grain is ground into flour or meal.
Ham Salt-cured country meat, a specialty of Smithfield.
Harvest Gathering of ripe crops.
Hay Dried grass fed to livestock.
Maple Syrup Sweet boiled sap celebrated at a festival in Highland County.
Orchard Field of fruit trees.
Pasture Grassy field where livestock graze.
Peanut Crop of the sandy southeast.
Poultry Chickens, turkeys and other farm birds.
Smokehouse Small building where meat is cured over a smoldering fire.
Soybean Bean grown for oil and animal feed.
Spoonbread Soft, pudding-like cornmeal dish.
Sweet Potato Orange root vegetable.
Wheat Grain that George Washington grew and milled at Mount Vernon.

How this list was compiled: Own work. Words and names about the state of Virginia for grades 2 to 8: nine themed lists (cities and towns; mountains, rivers and valleys; Chesapeake Bay and the coast; state symbols; history; presidents and their homes; landmarks and parks; wildlife and trees; farms and food), Virginia Favorites, an easy list of every word of 3 to 5 letters and a hard list of every word of 8 letters or more. Entries have 3 to 14 letters, and inside one list no word sits inside another, forwards or backwards. The grid keeps only the letters A to Z, so Blue Ridge is hidden as BLUERIDGE and Bridge-Tunnel as BRIDGETUNNEL. Clues are our own wording; no clue repeats a word of four letters or more from its own entry. No brand, team or living person is listed, and the official beverage and spirit are left out. The official emblems follow the Code of Virginia, sections 1-500 and 1-510 (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title1/chapter5/section1-510/), read 13 October 2026. Places, people, animals and plants were checked the same day against the English Wikipedia article for each entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia, license CC BY-SA 4.0). Dates, ranks and records were checked in a second work: Store norske leksikon (https://snl.no/Virginia and its articles on Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown, Appomattox, the Monitor and each president), the National Park Service pages for Cape Henry Memorial and Appomattox Court House, the Architect of the Capitol page on the Barbara Rose Johns statue and Virginia State Parks for Mount Rogers. Where no second work gave a date or a record, the clue leaves it out. Unofficial and not affiliated with the Commonwealth of Virginia; an educational puzzle, so check an official source before you rely on a fact. Licence: own work

How it works

This Virginia word search opens with Richmond, Shenandoah, Chesapeake Bay, Mount Vernon, Yorktown, Peanut, Old Dominion and five more favorites. Nine lists go further: cities, mountains and rivers, the bay and coast, state symbols, history, presidents, landmarks, wildlife and farms.

Read the full guide

Eight presidents and where they lived

Virginia Presidents and Their Homes has the eight presidents born in the state, Washington to Wilson, each clued by his number: "Ninth president, born at Berkeley Plantation" is Harrison. Their houses follow: Mount Vernon, Monticello, Montpelier, Highland and Poplar Forest, with Ferry Farm and Popes Creek for Washington's boyhood and birth.

A state seal with a tyrant on it

Virginia State Symbols follows the state code: Cardinal, Dogwood (flower and tree at once), Foxhound, Brook Trout and a state bat, pony, boat and fossil. Virtus, Tyrant and Motto come from the seal, where Virtus stands over a fallen tyrant above the Latin for "thus always to tyrants".

Easy Virginia has the 23 words of 3 to 5 letters: Pony, Flag, Ham, Hay, Deer, Dune, Tide, Apple, Wheat, Heron and more.
For a Jamestown unit, Virginia History has Powhatan, Pocahontas, John Smith and Burgesses; the ships Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery are in Virginia State Symbols.

Questions and answers

Is the Virginia word search printable with an answer key?

Yes. Print or save as PDF gives the puzzle with a Name and Date line, and the answer key follows on a page of its own. Press New puzzle first and each table gets a different 12 of the 28 favorites.

Is the state bird of Virginia in the puzzle?

Yes. Cardinal is in the opening grid. Virginia State Symbols adds Striped Bass, Swallowtail, Honey Bee, Big-Eared Bat, Oyster, Nelsonite and the Chincoteague pony, listed as Pony.

Which Virginia presidents are in the word search?

All eight born in the state: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Harrison, Tyler, Taylor and Wilson.

Does it have Chesapeake Bay words?

Chesapeake Bay and Virginia Coast has 32 words: Hampton Roads, Eastern Shore, Tangier, Chincoteague and Assateague for the map, and Blue Crab, Waterman, Crab Pot, Skiff, Menhaden and Bridge-Tunnel for life on the water.

All 241 words

Virginia Cities and Towns 35

Virginia Cities and Towns, continued

Virginia Mountains, Rivers and Valleys 27

Chesapeake Bay and Virginia Coast 32

Virginia State Symbols 26

Virginia History 27

Virginia Presidents and Their Homes 21

Virginia Landmarks and Parks 21

Virginia Wildlife and Trees 33

Virginia Farms and Food 19

How it works

Eight presidents and where they lived

A state seal with a tyrant on it

Questions and answers

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