Canadians love Virginia and to celebrate its 40th anniversary and to help Canadians get more bang for their vacation buck, the state is offering a list of 40 free things to do while vacationing there.

Visitors can choose from free museums to free bike trails and free history tours and concerts. Complete details are available at www.Virginia.org.

For example, visitors can explore the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail -- www.virginia.org – and discover some of the states 400 species of birds, 250 species of fish and 150 species of terrestrial and marine animals.

Or hop on a bike and take a ride on Virginia’s Bicycling Trails -- www.virginia.org. Virginia is home to 838 miles of the U.S. Bicycle Route System, more than any other state, and is the only state with stretches of both official U.S. Bicycle Routes. Bikers also find outstanding “Rail Trails” throughout the Commonwealth ­ former railroad beds turned into scenic biking trails. Bring a bike or rent one from a local outfitter.

The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge -- www.virginia.org – offers visitors more than 14,000 acres of beach, dunes, marsh and maritime forest. A highlight of the refuge is the wild herds of ‘Chincoteague Ponies.’

The Virginia Beach and Boardwalk -- www.virginia.org – is America’s longest commercial beach. The three-mile concrete boardwalk is full of activity with bicyclists, strollers, roller bladders and people-watchers. During the summer three oceanfront stages offer nightly entertainment. It also features family activities, outdoor recreational facilities, year-round events and a diverse selection of restaurants and shopping opportunities.

For history buffs, there’s the Virginia Civil War Trails -- www.virginia.org. Statewide more Civil War battles were fought in Virginia than in any other state. Armies campaigned, fought and camped for four years over the landscape. The Virginia Civil War Trails program marks more than 400 historic sites, most for the first time, telling the dramatic story of what happened on the sites where it happened. Free maps are available in Welcome Centers and visitor centers throughout the Commonwealth.

Of course, the Virginia State Capitol -- www.virginia.org – is a must see. Richmond. Virginia’s history helped establish the United States government of today. The Capitol was designed by Thomas Jefferson and first occupied in 1788 by Virginia's General Assembly, America's oldest English-speaking legislature. The Bill of Rights was ratified here. Guided tours begin at the new underground Visitor Center.

The Arlington National Cemetery -- www.virginia.org – is another must see on any visit to Virginia. Veterans of every American war from the Revolution to the country's most recent conflicts are buried at Arlington. Among the more than 260,000 dead are three unidentified service members, buried at the Tomb of the Unknowns, and John F. Kennedy, whose gravesite is marked by an eternal flame.

For more on Virginia, go to www.Virginia.org.