Virginia LOVE Works Celebrate Romance and Family Fun

Updated on January 21, 2024 by Julie McCool

Capture memories at more than 300 Virginia LOVE works sprinkled throughout the state, perfect for a happy photo, whether you're enjoying a romantic date, group outing, or family fun. LOVE works are a fun travel destination to include in a Virginia road trip or weekend getaway.

These art pieces spell LOVE in giant letters, usually with a creative design that reflects the location. They offer a perfect photo opp as you explore new parts of the state, or celebrate a special occasion. These LOVE signs also offer a unique place to propose.

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Where to Find Virginia LOVEworks

There are more than 300 Virginia LOVE signs at businesses, museums, and Virginia towns and cities, with new ones popping up all the time. The artworks always feature the word LOVE and are often made with unusual materials that reflect the local setting.

Some Virginia LOVE signs are built to highlight their natural location. At Humpback Bridge, Virginia's oldest covered bridge, the LOVE work features a tree standing in for the letter V.

At Montfair Resort in Crozet, take your pic with a 7 by 21-foot LOVE made from twigs and branches. The gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountain backdrop is perfect for photos. Crozet is a fun town to visit on a Charlottesville Virginia getaway.

LOVEwork with a Blue Ridge background in Crozet Virginia
LOVEwork with a Blue Ridge background in Crozet Virginia

Other LOVE works reflect the special activities associated with the Virginia towns and locations in which they reside. For example, a LOVE sign at the entry to James Madison's Montpelier highlights his role in authoring the Declaration of Independence. Montpelier is one of many historic Virginia homes that are worth a visit.

We the People LOVE sign at Montpelier in Virginia
Montpelier LOVE Sign

In historic downtown Culpeper, the LOVE sign uses film reels in a nod to the  Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation. This unique Culpeper site is home to the largest collection of audio-visual materials in the world.

The Culpeper VA LOVE Sign uses film reels in a nod to the Library of Congress Audio-Visual Conservation site.
Culpeper VA LOVE Sign

In Bristol, the birthplace of country music, a LOVE sculpture spells out LOVE with musical instruments.

Musical LOVEwork in Bristol VA
Musical LOVEwork in Bristol VA

The LOVE sign in nearby Wytheville is pretty by day and night when the letters are illuminated. These are just two of several creative LOVE signs you can visit on a road trip to Southwest Virginia.

The LOVE sign is illuminated at night in Wytheville, SWVA
LOVE sign at night in Wytheville, Southwest VA

The Waynesboro LOVE sculpture honors the town's fishing traditions with a very creative set of LOVE letters. Waynesboro sits between Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway, an excellent place to begin a Southern Shenandoah Valley road trip.

LOVEwork in Waynesboro VA honors the town's fishing traditions
LOVEwork in Waynesboro VA

In Harrisonburg, a LOVE work behind the Virginia Quilt Museum highlights four cultural themes of diversity, agriculture, recreation, and arts. Plan your visit with our complete guide to fun things to do in Harrisonburg VA.

Harrisonburg also makes an excellent base for exploring the Northern Shenandoah Valley.

LOVEwork Harrisonburg Virginia
LOVEwork Harrisonburg Virginia

Take a leisurely road trip to Virginia's Northern Neck and you'll encounter several LOVE works, including one in Montross that honors the region's watermen and wine. Nearby, The Tides Inn occupies a beautiful waterfront setting and makes a great base for a Northern Neck getaway.

A LOVEwork on Virginia's Northern Neck honors watermen and wine

There are two LOVE signs with a beachy vibe on Virginia's Eastern Shore. LOVE in Chincoteague is spelled out on giant white Adirondack chairs. The huge, climbable structure is ideal for families, groups, and couples.

Giant Adirondack chairs are the base for the Chincoteague Island LOVEwork
Chincoteague LOVEwork, Virginia's Eastern Shore

Further south, LOVE by the beach in Cape Charles Virginia honors the region's coastal traditions. Plan an Eastern Shore of Virginia Road Trip to enjoy both of these peaceful and family-friendly places

Cape Charles VA LOVEwork o n Virginia's Eastern Shore honors the regions coastal heritage
Cape Charles LOVEwork, Virginia's Eastern Shore

A Little Virginia LOVE Work History

The LOVE art started out as simple white letters that the Virginia Tourism Corporation could take around to Virginia Welcome Centers. The goal was to highlight Virginia as a family destination with love at the heart of every Virginia vacation.

The signs also play off the extremely successful Virginia is for Lovers slogan, which is featured on the Welcome to Virginia signs installed around the state.

The program expanded when Virginia Tourism partnered with destinations around the state to create new Virginia LOVE works. They even offer a program to reimburse approved new LOVE works projects “to promote family-friendly vacation experiences in Virginia.”

Groups can also rent a traveling version of the sign for special events. For example, traveling LOVE signs have marked special events in Reston Virginia at Reston Town Center and Lake Anne Plaza.

LOVE at Reston Town Center Virginia
Traveling LOVEwork at Reston Town Center

LOVE Works in Northern Virginia

In 2019, the state hosted special Summer of LOVE events honoring the 50th anniversary of the advertising campaign Virginia is for Lovers. As part of the celebration, a new Fairfax County piece joined the permanent Northern Virginia LOVE works in Loudoun and Prince William Counties.

There are now more than 30 LOVE works in Northern Virginia, though there is still only one permanent installation in Fairfax County.

Fairfax County LOVE Work

The new Fairfax County LOVEwork took a Summer of Love tour, before moving to its permanent home at the Workhouse Arts Center. The Workhouse revealed the newly bedazzled LOVE sign on February 14, 2020, giving us another fun and convenient place to capture the perfect pic.

New LOVE work at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton VA
LOVE work at the Workhouse Arts Center

Another white LOVE sign on the Tysons Corner Plaza is decorated throughout the year to reflect changing seasons. The Mosaic District takes a similar approach with seasonal decorations.

Loudoun County LOVEWorks

In 2019, a new LOVE sculpture was unveiled in Loudoun County featuring script letters, a blue O filled with a heart, and a lovebird perched on the V. This pretty LOVE work sits on the Town Square, affectionately known as the squirkle, in the center of Lovettsville.

The LOVE sign in Lovettsville Virginia, a perfect spot for romantic and family photos.
LOVE sign in Lovettsville Virginia

Another Loudoun County LOVE work honors the wine region and is stationed next to the Depot in Purcellville. The Purcellville sign is a clever collage highlighting Loudoun County as a DC wine destination. Explore this lovely country town with our complete guide to Fun Things to do in Purcellville Virginia.

Purcellville is also an excellent stop for beer lovers exploring the LoCo Ale Trail. You'll find breweries and wineries with an incredible view in nearby Bluemont, along with popular trails to Bears Den Overlook and Raven Rocks.

LOVE artwork in Purcellville Virginia
LOVE Work in Purcellville Virginia

In historic Leesburg, a LOVE sign made of gears honors cycling near the Washington and Old Dominion bike trail. Cross the street to check out the interesting heart sculptures at Raflo Park, then head to one of these excellent Leesburg restaurants for a meal.

The Leesburg LOVE sign in Northern Virginia
Leesburg LOVE sign

Prince William County LOVE Works

Prince William County has a huge LOVE sign mounted on a railroad car at the Manassas Railroad Depot. Large letters are big enough to fit a couple or a group of kids in the O, and the raised train platform makes it easy to frame your photo with a bright blue sky.

Old Town Manassas also makes a nice day trip or getaway from Washington DC.

LOVEwork in Manassas Virginia
LOVEwork in Manassas Virginia

There is also a fun LOVE sign at River Mill Park in the quaint town of Occoquan. River Mill Park hosts free outdoor concerts and other seasonal events and is one of our favorite waterside green spaces in Northern VA.

Occoquan LOVE sign at River Mill Park
Occoquan LOVE sign

If you take photos with a Virginia LOVE work, share them on the Virginia is for Lovers Facebook page and Instagram page. Be sure to include the hashtags #LOVEVA and #ShareWhatYouLove.

You can also show your Virginia love with cool logo gear: Virginia Gift Guide for Residents and Travelers Who LOVEVA

LOVEworks make perfect anniversary, Valentine's Day, or family photo destinations. In fact, a LOVE sign could be the perfect place to propose. If you're looking for other picture-worthy places to celebrate, here are 21 romantic spots in Virginia and DC to visit all year round.

The McCools visited some of these LOVEworks on a road trip to Virginia's Eastern Shore, July 9 – 12, 2019.

McCools LOVEwork road trip to Eastern Shore VA

Have fun finding and celebrating at Virginia LOVE Works!

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Capture couples and family photos at Virginia LOVE works, perfect for celebrating a romantic moment, group outing, or family fun.
LOVE Chairs in Chesapeake VA
Virginia LOVE works are perfect photo spots for a romantic moment, group outing, or family fun.
Virginia LOVE Signs