Virginia is a small city on the Mesabi Iron Range in northeastern Minnesota, known locally as the "Queen City of the North." It was founded in the 1890s during the iron mining boom, and mining — now mostly taconite — still shapes the local economy and landscape. The mine viewpoint at the north edge of town offers a look into an active pit operation; the Hull-Rust-Mahoning Mine near Hibbing gives an even larger perspective.
The town itself has a handsome main street with early 20th-century commercial buildings and a few good places to eat. Silver Lake sits at the centre of town with its famous floating loon — the world's largest — and a circuit path good for a morning walk. The surrounding area is lake country — hundreds of lakes within easy driving distance, making it a popular base for fishing, canoeing, and exploring the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to the north.