SWVA: BLUE RIDGE HIGHLANDS MOUNT ROGERS PET-FRIENDLY Mouth of Wilson A winery that includes dog names and images on wine labels - and names its website TheDogs.com - certainly loves dogs as much as you do. Chateau Morrisette Winery even dubs itself “the winery dogs built” and welcomes canines to accompany their people on the tasting patio, restaurant patio, gazebos and indoor tasting room, as well as to special events. Toast the dog-friendly spirit with a glass of The Black Dog red blend or Our Dog Blue Riesling. LOVEWORK DOWNTOWN BLACKSBURG Before Europeans arrived in Virginia, the NOTABLE TOWN First People made this If the muses drew a blueprint for an ideal land their home. The downtown, they would envision Blacksburg. traces of their lives are Snuggled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, its scene mostly gone, buried is nurtured by the intellectual stimulation of beneath homes and a major university, Virginia Tech. The arts and businesses. But one cultural district features historic properties, old Indian village, unique shops, locally made crafts, diverse inhabited sometime restaurants, regional heritage, sports gear and SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA: between 1480-1520, more. As you wander the walkable downtown, was unearthed during look for the 16 scattered bronze frogs, construction of I-77. representing historic people and the town’s The Wolf Creek Indian commitment to water quality. Village & Museum tells BLUE RIDGE the story of that village and the natives’ way of life. And the Wolf Creek HIDDEN INSTAGRAM- HIGHLANDS LOVEwork reflects GEM WORTHY Native American The 7,850-acre A romantic story lies symbols, with a peace South Holston Lake beneath the Lover’s pipe, dream catcher isn’t hidden, but it’s Leap Scenic Overlook. and other relevant often overlooked. The tale involves a iconography. #LOVEVA Most of the lake young white settler is surrounded by and a Native American BIRTHPLACE OF COUNTRY MUSIC MUSEUM Cherokee National maiden who fell in Bristol WHAT’S NEW Forest, creating a love and spent secret natural backdrop of time together. But the Like a bodacious trees and secluded 1600s feud between bluegrass band, diverse ICONIC coves and hosting newcomers and natives components play Music, people and history form the foundation of a diversity of native prohibited this youthful harmoniously at The the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. And the wildlife. Recreational love. So they jumped Sessions Hotel. The quality of the exhibits appeals to visitors of all boaters, kayakers, – together – from the name pays homage backgrounds. The depth of content guarantees canoeists and cliff. Whether the story to the 1927 Bristol a richer knowledge of the mountain music scene paddleboarders is true or not, visitors Sessions recordings, and its impact on music worldwide. Permanent skim through the truly fall in love with the springboard of exhibits examine the influential 1927 Bristol calm waters, while the view: valleys and commercial country Sessions recordings, and rotating exhibits bring anglers dip their lines hilltops undulating music. The boutique to life topics such as folklife, festivals and Black beneath the water’s for miles, framed by feel comprises historic musical heritage. surface, pulling up two gently sloping elements, like original coveted sport fish. mountainsides. brick walls and wood Home of the Birthplace of Country Music, the Blue beams, complemented Ridge Highlands region echoes with the passion of by contemporary history’s most dominant country music pioneers. furnishings with ASK A LOCAL Annual festivals, historic venues and nightly musical retro touches, jamborees celebrate Virginia’s global influence, "People who visit us here say they’ve discovered a jewel. We’re surrounded by treasures like microphone light creating a rich musical soundtrack for all travelers like New River Retreat’s vacation homes in gorgeous locations, and like the renovated – whether meandering along winding roads, or fixtures and stereo historic , which houses the Draper Mercantile, The Village Coffee NICHOLAS GOODRIDGE NICHOLAS Thee Draper Village venturing out onto scenic rivers and trails. console cabinets. You’ll Shoppe and Café, Draper Blooms Tea Garden, the Blue Ridge Fudge Lady and other also enjoy the onsite unique shops." — Debbie Gardner, Thee Draper Village smokehouse restaurant and rooftop bar. DOWNTOWN BLACKSBURG, BIRTHPLACE OF COUNTRY MUSIC: SARAH HAUSER / DEBBIE GARDNER: COURTESY OF DEBBIE GARDNER DEBBIE OF COURTESY GARDNER: DEBBIE / HAUSER SARAH MUSIC: COUNTRY OF BIRTHPLACE BLACKSBURG, DOWNTOWN 128 VIRGINIA.ORG 129 SWVA: VG MEETS ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS OF THE VIRGINIA GREEN PROGRAM g PROVIDES PRINTED MATERIAL IN BRAILLE D PROVIDES DESCRIPTIONS BY A TRAINED AUDIO DESCRIBER W PROVIDES SIGN LANGUAGE BLUE RIDGE q OFFERS ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE LOW VISION u PROVIDES A DEVICE USED FOR COMMUNICATION WITH AND BETWEEN HEARING IMPAIRED s PROVIDES ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEMS HIGHLANDS b BUSES/GROUPS WELCOME c PET- FRIENDLY FACILITY $ ADMISSION REQUIRED I ADA- COMPLIANT Crooked Creek Wildlife Harmon's Museum Historic Sidna Allen Home Adventure Damascus Bicycles Floyd County Visitor Center & Welcome Center Management Area 5122 Carrollton Pke., 5935 Fancy Gap Hwy., Fancy 128 West Laurel Ave., Exit Tourism Office at Bristol VG Access Rt. 620 south from Rt. Woodlawn; 276-236-4884; Gap; 276-728-2594; 19 & 29, off I-81, Damascus; 109 East Main St., Floyd; Virginia Tourism Corporation 58 at Woodlawn, Hillsville; harmonstore.com. Home of visittheblueridge.com. Historic 276-475-6262; 540-745-4407; visitfloydva. Narrows Mile Marker 0, I-81 276-783-4860; pickplaystay. Stoneman historical marker. Queen Anne-style home, tours, adventuredamascus.com. com. Providing information to Pembroke Northbound com. 1,600 acres, six miles of Artifacts. Open Monday- listed in National Register. Bike rentals, trail shuttles visitors, vacationers and Floyd Bristol 24201 stocked trout streams, hiking, Saturday, 9am-6pm. bI and outfitter for the Virginia residents. j 460 Rocky Gap 276-466-2932 birding trails. bj Lovill's Creek Lake Creeper Trail, Appalachian 77 100 Blacksburg Historic Hale-Wilkinson-Carter Recreation Area Trail and Mt. Rogers area. 8am- Radford Welcome Center Devil's Den Nature Preserve Home 979 Epworth Rd., Cana; 276- 6pm daily. Visit Downtown Bell Gallery and Garden Christiansburg at Rocky Gap VG Cemetery Rd., Fancy Gap; 405 N. Main St., Hillsville; 276- 730-3100; pickplaystay.com. Damascus. Family fun “where 112 N. Locust St., Floyd; 81 276-730-3100; pickplaystay. 728-2494; townofhillsville.com. 55-acre lake, fishing, hiking, the trails cross!” bjI 540-745-4494; 52 Virginia Tourism Corporation Pulaski Mile Marker 61, I-77 com. 280 acres, cave, forest, 4.5-story home of industrialist picnic facilities and boat bellgalleryandgarden.com. Saltville Wytheville Southbound open meadow, trails and picnic George L. Carter refurbished in ramp. j SunDog Outfitter Features the work of 100+ Rocky Gap 24366 facilities. bj 1920s. b 331 Douglas Dr., US Rt. 58, local and regional artists/ 77 Floyd Marion 276-928-1873 Stewarts Creek Wildlife Damascus; 276-475-6252; craftspeople. 221 Management Area sundogoutfitter.com 21 52 State Rt. 795, Hillsville; Your one-stop source for gear Buffalo Mountain Natural 81 Welcome Center Abingdon 276-728-4938; itsourstyle. and trail information for all Area Preserve 11 at Lambsburg VG com. 1,087-acre preserve trails in the Damascus area. Moles Rd. SW, Willis; 58 Virginia Tourism Corporation Damascus Galax Meadows of Dan below crest of the Blue Ridge Bike rentals, trail shuttles. 276-676-5673; Mile Marker 0, I-77 Mountains. j 8am-6pm daily. Year-round. dcr.virginia.gov/dnh/buffalo. 58 77 Northbound Bristol bj htm. At nearly 4,000 feet, this Lambsburg Lambsburg 24351 Virginia Highlands Horse Trail rounded summit features 276-755-3931 Buck Dam Rd. (State Rte. 737), beautiful hiking.j Austinsville; 276-783-5196; FLOYD COUNTY fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/mr. Eastern Includes Meadows of Dan, Willis Chateau Morrisette Winery terminus of 67.2-mile horse Floyd Chamber of Commerce and Restaurant Blue Ridge Parkway VG Historic Abingdon Walking Tour White's Mill Bristol Sculpture Walking Tour Sugar Hollow Park trail system with camps. j 109 East Main St., Floyd; MP 171.5, Blue Ridge Parkway Mileposts 162.9 to 192.5, 335 Cummings St., Abingdon; 12291 Whites Mill Rd., Downtown Bristol, Bristol; 23261 Sugar Hollow Dr., 540-745-4407; floydchamber. 540-593-2865; thedogs.com 828-298-0398; nps.gov/blri. 276-676-2282; Abingdon; 276-628-2960; 423-963-9667; aippbristol.org. Bristol; 276-645-7275; org. Providing information Tastings, tours offered daily. “America’s Favorite Scenic visitabingdonvirginia.com. whitesmill.org. 1797 water- Downtown Bristol self-guided bristolva.org. Park featuring DAMASCUS and support to the Floyd area Fine dining, scenic views, Drive.”bj Self-guided walking tour of powered grist and flour mill. walking tour of sculpture and softball and soccer fields, Town of Damascus business community.j special events.bjI downtown Abingdon, founded Call for tour information. b art. bjI picnic areas, campsites and P.O. Drawer 576, Damascus; The Creeper Trail 1778.j more. 276-475-3831; visitdamascus. Floyd Artisan Trail vacreepertrail.com. Open William King Museum of Art Bristol Sign To make an inn reservation call or visit us online at: org. Beautiful small town 540-745-2784; floydartisantrail. year-round to hiking, mountain Historical Society of 415 Academy Dr., Abingdon; State St., Historic Downtown, Veterans War Memorial at 276-475-3745 | www.DamascusInn.com destination for those seeking org. Annual June Tour biking and horseback riding. Washington County 276-628-5005; Bristol; 423-989-4850; Cumberland Square Park outdoor recreation! bj featuring local art, craft and 314 W. Main St., Abingdon; 276- williamkingmuseum.org. Three discoverbristol.org. National Cumberland Sq., Bristol; 276- agricultural products. 623-8337; hswcv.org. Archives exhibition galleries featuring Register of Historic Places 645-7300; bristolva.org. Five ABINGDON open to the public, genealogy art of the region and the landmark spanning downtown life-sized bronze sculptures VIRGINIA MAIN STREET COMMUNITY research assistance.