Virginia’s landscape reads like a map of textures: the blue-green sweep of the Blue Ridge, the orchard-studded slopes of the Shenandoah Valley, the briny flats of the Chesapeake and the long, grassy dunes of the Eastern Shore.

Scents of apple cider, kiln smoke, curing hams and sea salt mingle with craftspeople’s tools – the tap of a cooper’s mallet, the warm glow of a glass furnace, the slow turn of a potter’s wheel. Local materials, hickory, walnut, clay, marsh grass, peanuts and coastal salt anchor the region’s artisanal identity.

Here are the best things truly made in Virginia – products that reflect its heritage, creativity, and everyday life, and that are perfect to pack for home. Made in Virginia

1. Smithfield Ham

Why it’s made here:
Smithfield sits in a humid pocket ideal for long, traditional curing. Generations of smokehouses around the town have honed the dry‑cure, salted and air‑cured ham that bears the Smithfield name and a distinctive deep flavor.

What to look for:
Look for genuine Smithfield labeling or cured‑in‑Smithfield tags, a firm texture, natural rind, and a balance of salt and smoke rather than excessive sweetness.

Price bracket (2025):
$40–$200 depending on size and cure time (half hams and whole hams vary widely).

Where to find it:
Farmers’ markets, regional butcher shops, Virginia specialty food stores, and museum or historic‑site shops in Tidewater and the Hampton Roads area.

2. Virginia Peanuts & Peanut Brittle

Why it’s made here:
Virginia’s sandy soils and long growing season produce large‑kernel peanuts prized for snacking and candy making; peanut processing has been a staple in the Tidewater and southside regions for over a century.

What to look for:
Large, firm kernels (whole or roasted), single‑origin packaging stating Virginia, or small‑batch peanut brittle with minimal ingredients.

Price bracket (2025):
$6–$18 for small bags; $12–$40 for artisanal brittles or gift tins.

Where to find it:
Roadside stands, farmers’ markets, airport shops in Norfolk and Richmond, and local confectioners.

3. Virginia Wine (Bottles from Monticello to Shenandoah)

Why it’s made here:
From Thomas Jefferson’s experimental plantings to modern AVAs (Monticello, Shenandoah Valley), Virginia’s varied slopes and limestone soils suit Viognier, Cabernet Franc and small syrah plantings.

What to look for:
AVAs on the label, vintage year, and tasting‑room bottlings from small producers; seek tasting notes that match what you enjoyed at the winery.

Price bracket (2025):
$15–$50 for most bottles; limited or reserve bottles $50–$150. Where to find it:
Winery tasting rooms across Charlottesville, the Shenandoah Valley, and Northern Virginia; regional wine shops and vineyard visitor centers.

4. Craft Cider & Apple Products

Why it’s made here:
The Shenandoah and Valley orchards supply heritage apple varieties ideal for small‑batch ciders, apple butter and preserves that reflect local terroir.

What to look for:
Single‑estate or single‑varietal cider labels, minimal additives, and jars that list the orchard or farm.

Price bracket (2025):
$8–$25 for bottles/jars; specialty barrels or small‑batch ciders $25–$60. Where to find it:
Farm stands, orchard shops, county fairs and artisan food markets during harvest season.

5. Chesapeake Seafood Products (Canned Crab, Oysters & Spices)

Why it’s made here:
The Chesapeake Bay’s blue crabs and oysters have long supported canneries and small producers who pack lump crab, smoked oysters and Chesapeake spice blends.

What to look for:
Labels that state “Chesapeake Bay” or list local harvester/packer, firm texture in canned crab, and small‑batch spice blends named for area recipes.

Price bracket (2025):
$6–$30 depending on size and quality; premium canned lump crab $25–$60. Where to find it:
Harbor fish markets, coastal gift shops, seafood festivals and farmers’ markets in Eastern Virginia.

6. Sweetgrass & Marsh‑Grass Baskets (Eastern Shore)

Why it’s made here:
On the Eastern Shore, generations have woven baskets from local marsh grasses and sea grasses — utilitarian forms that became decorative, carrying a coastal, hand‑woven aesthetic.

What to look for:
Tight, even coiling, natural color variations, and a maker’s knot or signature; smaller pieces for luggage are sturdier than flimsy mass‑produced imitations.

Price bracket (2025):
$25–$250 depending on size and intricacy.

Where to find it:
Eastern Shore craft shops, artisan stands at coastal festivals, and museum craft shops focused on regional folk traditions.

7. Appalachian Quilts & Hooked Rugs

Why it’s made here:
Southwest Virginia’s mountain communities preserved quilting and rug‑hooking as practical and artistic responses to local resources and a culture of domestic craft.

What to look for:
Hand‑stitched quilting patterns, natural wool or cotton batting, uneven but secure stitches and signatures or initials on the backing.

Price bracket (2025):
$80–$800 for heirloom quilts; smaller hooked rugs $50–$300. Where to find it:
Folk art festivals, craft galleries in the mountain towns, and cooperative shops run by craft guilds.

8. Salt‑Glazed & Hand‑Thrown Pottery

Why it’s made here:
Abundant clays in the Piedmont and Appalachian foothills and a revival of colonial forms near Williamsburg make stoneware and reproduction pottery a strong local tradition.

What to look for:
Maker’s marks or initials on the base, slight asymmetry that signals hand‑thrown work, and natural glazes rather than machine‑applied finishes.

Price bracket (2025):
$30–$300 depending on size and artist reputation.

Where to find it:
Pottery studios, craft fairs, Colonial Williamsburg’s craft area, and regional galleries.

9. Virginia Sea Salt

Why it’s made here:
The Atlantic and tidal creeks provide brackish seawater that artisans evaporate to produce mineral‑rich sea salts flavored by local algal life and shell seasonality.

What to look for:
Small‑batch packaging, flavor descriptors (smoky, mineral), and provenance that lists the bay or inlet.

Price bracket (2025):
$6–$25 for small jars; specialty finished salts $20–$60. Where to find it:
Coastal farmers’ markets, gourmet food shops, and seaside visitor centers.

10. Local Honey & Mead

Why it’s made here:
Diverse floral sources — mountain laurel, clover, wildflower and orange blossom in milder areas — produce distinct single‑source honeys; meaderies craft small batches from that nectar.

What to look for:
Raw, unfiltered labels if you want crystalized texture and pollen content; mead labeled by vintage or honey source.

Price bracket (2025):
$8–$30 for jars of honey; mead $15–$45 per bottle.

Where to find it:
Farmers’ markets, apiary stands, and tasting rooms at local meadies and farm shops.

11. Hand‑Blown Glass

Why it’s made here:
Rich studio communities in Richmond and Norfolk support glassblowers who turn local commissions and coastal inspirations into paperweights, vases and blown ornaments.

What to look for:
Bubbles and tool marks as signs of handwork, artist signatures, and pieces sold directly from studios rather than generic mass production.

Price bracket (2025):
$30–$400 depending on size and artist.

Where to find it:
Glass studios’ galleries, arts districts in major towns, and craft fairs.

12. Small‑Batch Spirits (Virginia Whiskey, Bourbon & Gin)

Why it’s made here:
A resurgence of craft distilling in Virginia uses local rye, barley and corn and often ages spirits in Appalachian oak for distinct regional flavor.

What to look for:
Distillery labeling (bottled in Virginia), tasting notes, and small‑batch or single‑barrel designations.

Price bracket (2025):
$30–$120 for most bottles; limited releases $120+.

Where to find it:
Distillery tasting rooms, regional liquor stores, and vineyard/distillery combined shops.

13. Handcrafted Wood Furniture & Kitchenware

Why it’s made here:
Virginia’s hardwoods — hickory, oak, walnut and cherry — supply furniture makers and woodworkers who produce durable, locally styled pieces and hand‑carved utensils.

What to look for:
Visible grain from native hardwoods, dovetail or mortise‑and‑tenon joinery, and a maker’s stamp or signature.

Price bracket (2025):
$40–$1,500 for kitchenware to occasional furniture; custom pieces can run much higher.

Where to find it:
Woodworking studios, artisan markets, and historic town craft districts.

Local Makers & Traditions

Virginia’s crafts weave colonial history and Appalachian ingenuity with coastal livelihoods. In Tidewater and Hampton Roads, smokehouses and seafood packing reflect centuries of salt‑curing and waterborne harvests.

Colonial Williamsburg and Monticello keep 18th‑century trades visible through reproduction pottery, carpentry and textile demonstrations. In the mountains and foothills, quilting, rug hooking and woodwork grew from household necessity into recognized folk arts.

While orchards and vineyards in the Shenandoah and Charlottesville regions continue agricultural traditions that feed small‑scale cideries and wineries.

Across the state, weekly markets, craft guilds and seasonal fairs sustain a living network of makers: potters at resident studios, glassblowers in city arts districts, distillers in repurposed barns, and Eastern Shore basket‑makers harvesting marsh grass by hand.

These practices pass skills and local materials from one generation to the next, keeping authenticity alive.

How to Spot Genuine Local Products

• Look for provenance: labels that name the town, farm, AVA or producer (e.g., a Virginia AVA for wine or “cured in Smithfield” for ham) are strong indicators.
• Check for maker marks and signatures on pottery, glass and furniture; hand‑made pieces often show small irregularities and tooling marks rather than perfectly uniform machine finishes.
• Ask about materials: true local goods will cite Virginia hardwoods, marsh grass, Shenandoah apples, or Virginia peanuts. If packaging is generic or the item is wrapped in imported branding, it may be mass‑produced elsewhere.
• Prefer direct sales: buy at studios, tasting rooms, farmers’ markets or distillery shops where you can meet the maker and get production details.
• Beware low prices for supposedly handcrafted items — extremely cheap versions are often factory‑made imports.

Where to Buy Made-in-Virginia Goods

• Farmers’ markets (Charlottesville, Richmond, Alexandria and coastal towns)
• Winery and distillery tasting rooms across the Shenandoah Valley and Piedmont
• Coastal fish markets and harborfront shops in Norfolk, Hampton Roads and Eastern Shore towns
• Museum and historic‑site shops such as Colonial Williamsburg and Monticello
• Arts districts and studio walks in cities like Richmond and Roanoke
• Seasonal craft fairs, county agricultural shows and holiday artisan markets

FAQs

Q: Are products in Virginia expensive?
A: Prices vary widely — you can find affordable preserves, peanuts and small crafts, while heirloom quilts, custom furniture, reserve wines or aged spirits will be pricier; buying direct often offers better value.

Q: How can I tell if something is authentically made here?
A: Ask for the producer’s name and production details, inspect labels for local place names, look for maker’s marks, and buy from studios, farmers’ markets or tasting rooms where provenance is transparent.

Q: What is the best made-in-Virginia gift to bring home?
A: It depends on your recipient, but Smithfield ham or Virginia peanuts for food lovers, a bottle from a local winery or distillery for beverage fans, and small hand‑blown glass or a marsh‑grass basket for a lasting, handmade keepsake are all distinctly Virginian choices.

Explore local shops and studios to discover the stories behind each item — and enjoy bringing home a piece that truly is Made in Virginia.

Let me know in the comments if you have any other top ‘what to buy’ ideas!

About the Author

Colin is the founder of SouvenirsIdeas.com and a passionate traveller with a soft spot for ceramics, markets, and food tours. He writes practical, first-hand guides to help you bring home souvenirs that actually mean something — not just more clutter!