RVA Traveler Fall 2018

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FALL 2018

COAST TO CREST 30 destinations to explore around Virginia and beyond

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GET YOUR VIRGINIA BEACH ON!

VisitVirginiaBeach.com

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Lynchstock Music Festival October 20, 2018

You shouldn ’ t be working.

You should be surfing the crowd, living your best life.

Last year, American workers left 662 million vacation days on the table...and it’s bumming everyone out. Choose to CRUSH Friday with your cell phone on silent and the music turned up in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Let's do this.

Learn more at lynchburgvirginia.org.

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It happens here ARTS & ADVENTURE BBQ & BREW HISTORY & HOLLYWOOD RIVERS & RECREATION VINEYARDS & VIBE

happens in the

Best PART of

Virginia

GIVE US A CALL. WE WILL HELP YOU PLAN YOUR VISIT. 1-804-861-1666 WWW.PETERSBURGAREA.ORG

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Published by

PRESIDENT / PUBLISHER Richard Malkman EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Susan Winiecki CREATIVE DIRECTOR Justin Vaughan RVA TRAVELER EDITOR Tharon Giddens CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Chad Anderson, Jack Cooksey CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Marquita Brown, Tina Eshleman, Elizabeth Ferris, Sande Snead Fulk, Harry Kollatz Jr., Karen Miller, Genevelyn Steele, Martha Steger, Joan Tupponce, Dina Weinstein, Megan Wilson, Susan Winiecki, Andrew Zaleski EDITORIAL INTERNS Mac Konrad, Katlynn Sawyer ART DIRECTOR Sarah Lockwood ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Lauren Baldwin GRAPHIC DESIGNER Rachel Lee PRODUCTION ARTIST Ross Allen CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Sam Dean

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Martha Hebert, Kelly McCauley PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGER Scott Bunce CIRCULATION ASSISTANT & OFFICE COORDINATOR Kathy Emerson VICE PRESIDENT/CONTROLLER Elisa Malkman BOOKKEEPER Debbie Hedberg

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICES: 2201 W. Broad St., Suite 105 Richmond, Virginia 23220 TELEPHONE: 804-355-0111 MAIN FAX: 804-355-5442 EDITORIAL AND ART FAX: 804-355-8939 E-MAIL: editor@richmag.com Richmond Magazine’s RVA Traveler, published annually, and Richmond magazine, published monthly, are products of Target Communications Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is prohibited.

39TH YEAR

RIVER DEEP, MOUNTAIN HIGH

Y

FROM THE EDITOR Tharon Giddens

ou can’t make a mountain out of Mole Hill, but you can safely say that it’s a volcano.

Or rather, was a volcano, last active 47 million years ago, according to geologists. So, there’s no lava flow or sulfuric smoke around this round hill

west of Harrisonburg, just some rolling, lovely farmland. It’s private property, so you can’t climb it, but it is well worth the drive for a look if you’re into the earth sciences or simply enjoy seeking out oddities.

I love quirky when it comes to traveling, and Virginia’s roadways continue to deliver the fun. Since we moved here seven years ago, we’ve found a homemade UFO in a yard near South Boston, and a building shaped like a coffeepot up from the Maury River near Buena Vista. Closer to home, we’ve enjoyed looking for the petite fairy gardens around Church Hill and checking out the unique homes and structures around the Tri-Cities, including the oddly-angled Trapezium House in Petersburg, and Violet Bank and its cucumber tree in Colonial Heights.

Virginia touts an array of attractions, from the small oddities that I seek out, to international-class destinations such as Williamsburg and environs. In fact, the commonwealth at times seems to be a state of contradictions, home to fine dining and barbecue dives, and historic mansions such as Montpelier, and also to the simple boat houses of the watermen on Tangier Island.

And there are odd commonalities as well, with wild ponies at the top of the state at Grayson Highlands State Park, and also to be found running the beaches in the Outer Banks and the Eastern Shore.

There’s so much to do here, you need a guide, RVA Traveler. We’ve updated some of our recent travel features, and we’ve also sent some of the best travel and feature writers in the state on the road to bring you their tips on how best to enjoy destinations across Virginia. It’s organized by geographic landmark, so you can check out Virginia’s rivers, lakes, beaches, mountains and sites by Chesapeake Bay, too.

Whether you’re a Traveler planning a daytrip or a vacation getaway, all you’ll need to do is set the GPS app and hit the road.

Table of Contents 4/ DOCKS BY THE BAY

36/ HIGH ON A MOUNTAINTOP

Dining and family fun along Chesapeake Bay

Lost treasure and fine art in the highlands

16/ UNDER (AND ON) THE BOARDWALK Six places where bare feet meet the sand.

46/ GREAT LAKES Fishing and fun on Virginia reservoirs

56/ RAMBLING ROADS

26/ DOWN BY THE RIVER

Some of our writers share their unexpected pleasures and hidden treasures found along Virginia’s byways

From urban river walks to wild, whitewater runs

ON THE COVER: Hiking the Grayson Highlands.

Photo by Sam Dean.

TARGET

COMMUNICATIONS INC.

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FAMILY

ADVENTURE

DINING

SHOPPING THE ARTS

HISTORY

AQUATIC FUN FROM THE NORTHERN NECK TO THE EASTERN SHORE 6/ CAPE CHARLES 7/ NORTHERN NECK 8/ HAMPTON ROADS 9/ TANGIER ISLAND 10/ EASTON 11/ ST. MICHAELS Photo courtesy Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

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BOUNTIFUL BAYS St. Michaels

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BAYSIDE CHARMER Gentle waves make Cape Charles a family-friendly beach destination / Staff Reports The Eastern Shore’s southernmost community on the Chesapeake Bay, Cape Charles (capecharlesby thebay.com) is the quintessential small town, with B&Bs, restaurants and shops lining the main street.

Its shallow bay waters and the general lack of waves make Cape Charles Beach ideal for families with small children.

For the beach, access is available along Bay Avenue. There are two walkways to the beach, and there’s no fee to park or for entry. It’s a great place to take in a sunset over the bay. At certain times of the year, the town pipes in classical music as the sun sets over the water.

There’s also a fishing pier at the south side of the beach that was built in 2005, replacing an older structure. No license is required.

The Purple Pelican has everything from vintage toys to gourmet

The Cape Charles Museum (capecharlesmuseum.

snacks, while the Bad Gurlz Collec-

org), which is in a converted electric power plant, fea-

tive features jewelry, beachy gifts,

tures models of sailboats, ferries, barges and other

knick-knacks, women’s apparel and

watercraft found on Chesapeake Bay. There’s also a

accessories. Get a bird’s-eye view of

model of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.

Nearby, Kiptopeke State Park (dcr.virginia.gov) provides

the area courtesy of the aerial photography on display at the At Altitude Gallery (ataltitudegallery.com). It has 3,000 square feet in a 19th-century building

opportunities to swim, Cape Charles Brewing Company

downtown that was once a department store

spend the night in a yurt, or a lodge, if that’s more of your

and features the works of its owner, Gordon Campbell. He takes

thing. The state park yurts

the images while piloting an ultralight craft.

are hybrids, part cabin and

Satiate your hunger with a stop at the Cape Charles Coffee

part tent. The lodge is a six-

House, in a two-story, historic building with high tin ceilings. A

bedroom facility. Cabins are

few doors down, you’ll find more charm — and sweetness — at

also available, as are tent and

Brown Dog Ice Cream (browndogicecream.com), open for most

RV campsites.

of the year, except for late fall and winter.

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camp, canoe, bird watch and

There’s a bathhouse and

The Cape Charles Brewing Company (capecharlesbrewing.

swimming at the beach. The

com) has named its brews for Eastern Shore locales, with choices

park also has a fishing pier

including an Assateague Island pilsner and a Smith Island stout.

and about 5 miles of trails

It’s also a brewpub that serves lunch and dinner.

to explore.

SAVE THE DATE Second Fridays through Dec. 14: Flatfoot dancing with live bluegrass music, Lemon Tree Gallery and Studio. lemontree.gallery.

From Top: Courtesy Eastern Shore Tourism Commission; Courtesy Lemon Tree Gallery

The village is home to a number of retailers and restaurants.

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A TASTE OF AQUACULTURE In the Northern Neck, Virginia’s rivers deliver / By Megan Wilson Rows of traffic spill out to the east of Richmond during the weekends. Many of the cars are packed with beach essentials. Some are headed to Virginia Beach. Others will peel off onto State Route 33 to head across the York River and into the River Realm (virginiasriverrealm.com), set along the intersection of the Rappahannock River and the Chesapeake Bay.

a boat and has its own beach. You’ll find blues, folk, Americana and reggae music on regular rotation at Willaby’s, too.

Sleeping with Ghosts The roots of modern America can be followed deep into the rivers and lands of this area. Museums like the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum (rfmuseum.org), the Menokin Foundation (menokin.org), the Morattico Waterfront Museum (morattico.org) and

Here, you’ll find transplants like Pete Woods.

Historic Christ Church (christchurch1735.org)

He fell in love with the area years ago when

will connect the dots between John Smith, the

Ryan and Travis Croxton of Rappahannock

seafood industry and Mother Nature.

River Oyster Company convinced him to help

The Hope & Glory Inn (hopeandglory.com) is

open a concept restaurant on the shores of the

SAVE THE DATE

the modern interpretation of an elite boarding

Rappahannock River. Today, the official Food

OCT. 20: The Bay Seafood Festival (kiwsrotary.com) celebrates both the heritage and the flavors of the seafood industry. The banks of Indian Creek in Kilmarnock will transform for this all-you-can-eat festival, just minutes from the Chesapeake Bay.

school by owners Dudley and Peggy Patteson.

NOV. 17: At the Tides Inn in Irvington, the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce throws an annual party, Taste By the Bay (tastebythebay.com), with oysters, wine, arts and waterside views.

(stratfordhall.org) is the setting for this wind-

Guru of Merroir (rroysters.com/restaurants/merroir) serves up recipes inspired by his mother’s kitchen and by the river’s bounty, most famously the oysters. Merroir is one of many culinary destinations that connect winding roads to charming small towns full of music, artisans, food and history.

Mollusk Mania One of the best ways to learn more about Virginia oysters is to embark on an adventure led by a local waterman. Virginia Oyster Academy experiences start at one of two locations: the dock of Urbanna Seafood & Raw Bar (urbannarawbar.com) or by boat via the Tides Inn (tidesinn.com). After a history lesson, you’ll

Everything inside the luxurious, yet playful boutique hotel plays on its schoolhouse past in the 1800s. The spa is called Recess, the bar is named Detention, and the farm-to-table restaurant is known as the Dining Hall.

Beginning in the 1700s, the Lee Family’s story weaves in and out of the tobacco industry, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, domestic scandal and more. Stratford Hall ing tale that spans generations. The 1,900-acre property is home to a museum, nature trails and guest houses that honor and complement its history, the Astor Guest House and Cheek Guest House. Both are fitting temporary homes for a visit to the storied area.

catch oysters fresh out of the water and learn how to prepare them with local chefs.

Waterside restaurants in the area

Urbanna Yachting Center

each have a unique take on the local delicacy. In Irvington, Chef TV Flynn serves up Angry Oysters with New Orleans flare at the Chesapeake Restaurant at the Tides Inn. GerCourtesy Virginia Tourism Corporation

man-inspired Eckhard’s Restaurant (eckhards.com) in White Stone serves a classic Oysters Rockefeller with baked herb butter, spinach and cheese. Down the road, Woods and his team at Merroir have a few unique takes including Angels on Horseback with ham and herb butter and hearty Stuffin Muffins. Enjoy classic fried and raw oysters at Willaby’s Café (willabys.com), which is shaped like FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 8 - 2 0 1 9

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OUTER SPACES

Since 1954, the Norfolk NATO Festival has been an annual rite of spring celebrating azalea blossoms and the nations in the

Explore sites from seaside to celestial in Hampton Roads / By Martha Steger

NATO Alliance — the only such event in the United States.

More than a dozen restaurants plus craft breweries,

Bid farewell to summer on the Miss Hampton II before cruises stop at the end of October, and take a whirl on the Historic Hampton carousel across from Virginia Air & Space Center — all part of Hampton’s Sea to Stars combo ticket (visithampton.com). Then savor a visit to a new cidery, distillery, craft brewery, or one of many locally owned restaurants from Phoebus and Buckroe Beach to downtown Hampton.

Check

out

remaining

entertainment and nightlife venues have come to the revamped, rebranded Waterside 135,000

District

square

feet

— of

Hampton University Museum

2018

events in the 150th anniversary of Hampton University and Hampton University Museum (museum.hamptonu.edu), the oldest museum in Virginia and the oldest African-American museum in the United States.

Be on the lookout for 2019 commemorative events of the 400th anniversary of the first arrival of Africans in English North America, which took place at Point Comfort, the modern-day site of Hampton’s Fort Monroe. The biggest events will be during an August weekend; but special events earlier in the year at venues, such as the 31-year-old American Theatre Company, are sure to reflect

space along the Elizabeth River. The new Hil-

the anniversary. Water and beach recreation at

ton Norfolk is steps away from Nauticus mari-

Fort Monroe and Buckroe Beach will be gear-

time center (nauticus.org) and less than a mile

ing up again in April.

from the Chrysler Museum of Art (chrysler.

The Virginia Arts Festival (vafest.org), in

org). Norfolk Premium Outlets, on U.S. Route 13

its 23rd year in 2019, stretches across Hampton

near the intersection with I-64, is the newest

Roads from mid-April to mid-June, with Nor-

SAVE THE DATE

pos as it’s also home to Naval Station Norfolk,

April 25-28: Virginia International Tattoo.

Some 1,000 performers are featured in this celebration of military bands and drill teams. vafest.org

(cnic.navy.mil), the world’s largest naval station. To see a multitude of aircraft carriers, destroyers and amphibious assault ships — and learn about the base’s history, take a 45-minute tour at nominal cost.

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Virginia outlet for brands ranging from Armani

folk being its home base — “base” being apro-

to American Eagle Outfitters.

Save time for the city’s arts district, better known as the NEON District (visitnorfolk. com), a stretch of Granby Street just north of Brambleton Avenue, with galleries, murals, pop-up retail, live performances, a craft brewery, restaurants and food vendors.

From Top: Courtesy Visit Hampton Roads; Todd Owyoung

some of Hampton’s oldest arts

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Bike rentals are available for exploring Tangier Island.

call or email before coming during off-season, because of weather. Though her accent is unlike the speech passed down from the island’s 17th-century English settlers, the influence of TV has altered the accent of the youngest residents; search out the oldest generation for traces of the Colonial past. You’ll find it hard to believe you’re only 12 miles “as-the-crow-flies” off Virginia’s Eastern Shore and 90 miles southeast of Washington, D.C.; but, according to Gott, 2017 news stories about the island’s sinking (its highest parts are about four feet above sea level) — brought large numbers of visitors wanting to know

ISOLATED SPLENDOR Tangier Island, a world apart / By Martha Steger

what they could do to help.

Lorraine’s Restaurant is the one eatery open yearround. Come early May, at least two others re-open:

From Top: Courtesy Eastern Shore Tourism Commission/Ariel Skelley; Courtesy Tangier Island Onancock Ferry

Hilda Crockett’s Chesa-

Having traveled to Tangier Island (tangierisland.com) since the mid-1950s – when mail boat and police boat were the only public vessels carrying passengers, I vote for a ferry trip as the way to go – but choices are more limited after October.

Three seasonal ferries, May to October, carry passengers daily to Virginia’s island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay: from Reedville on the Northern Neck or from Eastern Shore communities of Onancock in Virginia or Crisfield, Maryland.

peake House, famous for serving large boat-tour groups; and a small spot at the top of the dock, Four Brothers Crab House & Ice Cream Deck (free Wi-Fi), which I like for listening to locals talk while I chowdown on a mouth-watering soft-shell-crab sandwich. You can also get fishing, crabbing and beach-gear rentals, though I prefer to spend time talking to a weathered waterman — who gets up early to check his crab pots or head out on his fishing boat – or to one of the ladies about her church activities.

Before heading back to the boat, check nearby whitewashed fences for recipes on index cards clipped there: you can drop

The 90-minute, one-way trip, with the

a quarter-per-recipe, on the honor sys-

salt breeze in your face, makes an en-

tem, into a provided envelope for the

ergizing entry to the island — and pure

mementos. Tangier’s water tower – a

relaxation on return. While bicycle and

painted cross on one side and a blue crab

golf-cart rentals are available in-season

on the other – recedes in the distance as

for the island’s one circular road, they’re refurbished during the off-season. If you catch the Crisfield boat — October to late April

the tour boat pulls away from this place where tombstones in front yards mark family graves – a timeless world.

— you’ll find walking the 1.2-square-mile island presents a non-touristy Tangier, where everyone you pass waves and says hello. One of the ladies might

SAVE THE DATE

volunteer to drive you around the island — there are very few

Look online for the

small cars — and give you an insider’s tour for $5.

resumption of seasonal ferries:

One bed-and-breakfast, Bay View Inn, is open year-round

www.tangierisland-va.com/

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walk away — everything about Easton is eminently walkable — is The Hill, a neighborhood that may have been America’s first community of free blacks.

The census of 1790 recorded 410 free African-Americans living on The Hill, and descendants still live there.

It’s an astonishing number, given Maryland’s history as a slave state, but also when considered alongside the 346 blacks enslaved at the Wye House Plantation, a short drive from Easton’s downtown, where Frederick Douglass spent his childhood before escaping to freedom.

Food and Fun When you tire of walking, get a caffeine boost at Rise Up Coffee Roasters, original to the Eastern Shore.

For lunch, options abound, but the roasted apple and blue cheese salad — complete with sliced beef tenderloin for $16 — at Sunflowers and Greens will leave

EASTON EDEN Ancestry and affluence on the Eastern Shore / By Andrew Zaleski

you satisfied.

Afterward, head back to Friends Meeting House

the epicenter of town for the requisite shopping stops. Several antique stores are sprinkled throughout. At Tharpe Antiques and Decorative Arts, I found several

books on the Civil War for my history-buff parents for less than $30. Berrier Ltd. (berrierlimited.com) is the shop where men interested in looking the part of a new Hamptons swell can find top-quality clothes; for women, both Andrea’s Papillon (andreaspapillon.com) and swank. are close by.

Downtown Easton’s shopping scene along Dover and Harrison streets is also near its cultural attractions. The Academy Art Museum (academyartmuseum.org) holds a craft show each October. The Avalon Theatre (avalonfoundation.org), an Art Deco gem, programs an eclectic mix of musical and stage performances.

Tidewater Inn (tidewaterinn.com) is a great option for an overnight stay. There are wooden rocking chairs along its patio, a great place to enjoy a beer from the inn’s bar.

Walkabout Easton was founded in 1710, but its history stretches further back.

Friends Meeting House (thirdhaven.org), established by Quakers in 1682 on South Washington Street, is reputed to be the oldest framed house of worship in the country. Less than a five-minute

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SAVE THE DATE Oct. 11-14: Chesapeake Film Festival. The 11th annual event features independent filmmakers and a variety of film projects. chesapeake filmfestival.com

Nov. 9-11: Waterfowl Festival, the ultimate experience for outdoor and sporting enthusiasts, with world championships in duck- and goosecalling; retriever and dock-dog demonstrations; art, fishing derby, and decoys of every description. waterfowlfestival.org

From Top: Mark Sandlin; Courtesy Waterfowl Festival

As I drove across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge heading to Easton, Maryland, one Saturday morning in late October, I was prepared to encounter some sort of posh, water-nestled enclave of New Money. Easton made it onto a Kiplinger list of small towns with the highest concentration of millionaires in the United States — some 7.4 percent of its roughly 16,000 households command seven-figure lifestyles. The town and nearby municipalities of St. Michaels, Oxford and Trappe were dubbed in Forbes magazine as the “new Hamptons.” It’s an alluring comparison, but Easton actually is more nuanced, a blend of affluence and ancestry.

RVA T R AV E L E R

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WATER WAYS

The tasting room at Lyon Distilling Co.

By pedal and paddle, St. Michaels is everpopular / By Martha Steger Legend has it that residents of St. Michaels, Maryland, in 1813 — having gotten word of impending attack — hoisted lanterns high onto the masts of sailboats and into treetops, which caused British forces to overshoot the town.

This ruse foiled the Brits, but nothing today detours visitors — British or otherwise — from the historic Eastern Shore town.

Not having your own boat is clearly no deterrent to seeing the town (stmichaelsmd.org) by water.

Besides kayak and standup paddleboard rentals, there are cruise boats with lunch and din-

From Top: Courtesy Lyon Distilling Co.; Courtesy Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

ner options in-season – and even a sail on a

Eastern Shore Brewing and Lyon Distilling Co. around the

traditional skipjack or

corner from the first two. St. Michaels makes a good base for

catboat. Landlubbers

exploring nearby Easton, and tree-lined Oxford — where you’re

as well as boaters find a

apt to see sailboats arriving from all over the bay to this town

host of popular marinas, inns and bed-and-breakfasts, shops, and restaurants.

Start by picking up a walking tour

of fewer than a thousand residents.

If biking is to your liking, check out the 36-mile circular route from St. Michaels to Oxford (across the Tred Avon River on the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry), to Easton, and back to St. Michaels.

map and stopping by the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

St. Michaels takes a rest in late fall and winter, with visitors

(cbmm.org) and St. Mary’s Square, bordered by historic homes,

cozying up to the comforts of the coastal town’s B&Bs, cottages,

one of which was the only house hit by a cannonball during the

hotels and inns such as the five-star Inn at Perry Cabin by Bel-

British attack in the War of 1812. Check out the final restoration

mond (belmond.com), a 78-room resort and spa.

phases of the Edna Lockwood, an 1889 Chesapeake Bay watercraft called a “bugeye” – this specific one, a National Historic Landmark since 1994 when it received recognition as the last working oyster boat of its kind. Restorers carefully sourced the Southern yellow pine lumber required to replace its hand-hewn bottom.

The “producer-only” St. Michaels Farmers Market is open Saturdays, 8:3011:30 a.m., April to October – and for liquid refreshment there’s St. Michaels Winery,

SAVE THE DATE Oct. 27: Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum OysterFest. Raw, steamed and fried bivalves, served up with craft beer, entertainment, river cruises, an oyster stew competition, and activities for children, among other attractions. cbmm.org

Dec. 7-9: Christmas in St. Michaels. With the mission of helping local nonprofit groups for more than a quarter-century, this yuletide fundraising event includes a tour of homes, old-fashioned Eastern Shore Christmas dinner, holiday music and tree lighting, gingerbread-house competition, the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus, and a street parade with marching bands, antique cars and boats, fire engines, horses, kazoo bands — and perhaps llamas and a calliope. christmasinstmichaels.org FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 8 - 2 0 1 9

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The Perfect Getaway… is Not so Far Away.

History and romance meet where the Potomac River meets the Chesapeake Bay … come stay in one of our historic inns and enjoy days filled with secluded beaches, wine and heritage trails, quaint towns, and pristine nature.

Plan YOUR perfect getaway at

www.NorthernNeck.org NorthernNeck.12h.TVL18.indd 1

Welcome to Warsaw

The Heart Of Virginia’s Historical Northern Neck

2/28/18 9:31 AM

One hour east of Richmond, endless hours of history, culture, and pristine water fun.

TownofWarsaw.com #WARSAWVA #NORTHERNNECK #LOVEVA

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Come experience the New Portsmouth ~ for the History, or just for the Fun of it.

Come stroll the walkway along our waterfront. Wend your way to our lightship museum, continue wandering and you’ll discover our huge Children’s Museum and our famous tree-lined streets shading homes more than 250 years old. Close by, too, are the most intriguing of shops and a truly sumptuous selection of chef-owned restaurants.

All within one very walkable square mile.

For more details and information call 757.393.5111 | VisitPortsVa.com

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The bronze statue “King Neptune� greets visitors along the Virginia Beach boardwalk.

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GOING COASTAL

FAMILY

ADVENTURE

DINING

SHOPPING THE ARTS

HISTORY

BEACHES, BOARDWALKS AND OTHER SEASIDE SITES 18/ COLONIAL BEACH 19/ OUTER BANKS 20/ CAVALIER HOTEL 21/ VIRGINIA BEACH 22/ MANTEO 23/ LIGHTHOUSES Photo courtesy Virginia Tourism Corporation

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true last call.

Enjoying the sun and the bay at Colonial Beach

Dockside Restaurant and Tiki Bar (docksidetikibar.com) serves up brunch items like Eggs Orleans with mini crab cakes, along with seafood-heavy lunch and dinner menus. Robin Mae Schick will greet you after a meal for a kayak tour of the river. She grew up above the restaurant her family owns. Ask her to take you to the border of Maryland and Virginia on the water and share stories of the Oyster Wars that lasted nearly 100 years.

Other culinary discoveries include The Lighthouse, which offers French and Thai cuisine and overlooks Monroe Bay. Locals say it’s the best place to catch the sunset in Colonial Beach. Denson’s Grocery (densonsgrocery.com) recently added a farm-to-table concept to its market on Washington Avenue. Next door is the Tides Inn Market (tidesinncb. com), a gourmet collection of fresh and seasonal desserts, pastas and more.

River Rest Winterberry Farm, a Tides Inn offshoot, is a 10-minute drive f rom town. Caitlin Townsend, a Richmond native and Culinary Institute of America graduate, welcomes guests

Fun is always on the menu at Colonial Beach / By Megan Wilson

to the rustic farm for cooking classes and retreats. She often collaborates with Richmond businesses like Boketto

A riverside town on the Northern Neck has earned Wellness for immersive experiences. After the distinction as the best beach in Virginia. The town joining her to create your own three-course meal, turn down is Colonial Beach, and its 2-and-a-half-miles of sandy the covers in one of the guest rooms. Wake up to the sounds beach near where the Potomac River of roosters, and help yourself to the farmhouse meets the Chesapeake Bay earned top kitchen for coffee and breakfast.

SAVE THE DATE honors in the commonwealth in a readA winding 15-minute drive from the beach will OCT. 11-14: ers vote by USA Today in 2018. Bring take you to Ingleside Vineyards (inglesidevine Colonial Beach your beach blankets to this community, yards.com). The 50-acre winery on an old dairy Bikefest. This annual long known as the Playground on the farm grows more than 15 varieties of grapes. Mufestival each year atPotomac, and your appetite, too. sic fills the courtyard here, and food trucks bring tracts about 20,000

Meets the Mouth Several restaurants and culinary experiences celebrate the river and Chesapeake Bay. The deck at High Tides on the Potomac (hightidez. com) wraps around the classic seaside restaurant. Unpeel a half pound of shrimp and easily down local Crab Norfolk as you look across the river to Maryland. It’s next to The Black Pearl Tiki Bar, where the outdoor sand patio, bar and stage stays booked with music most days and transforms into a dance party at night with no

18

people and their motorcycles, with music and vendors on the boardwalk. colonial beachbikefest.com

in bites to pair with the vineyard’s award-winning

NOV. 10-11: Chesapeake Bay Oyster Crawl. Ingleside Vineyards is a stop on this regional tour featuring wine and oyster pairings. chesapeake baywinetrail.com

has been remodeled by owners Bob and Kelly

wines. No need to drive home — the vineyard invites guests to stay at its guests houses on site.

Closer to the beach is the Riverview Inn (colonialbeachriverview.com). The retro motel Vaughn, who purchased the building in January 2017. The bright teal and red building was once the Westmoreland Motel & Efficiency, built circa 1950. The renovations nod to its history, but welcome modern upgrades including WiFi and cozy bedding.

Top: Town of Colonial Beach Travel & Tourism; Center: Ingleside Vineyard-Allison Luzier Photography

AT PLAY ON THE POTOMAC

Ingleside Vineyards

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A JAR OF JEZEBEL SAUCE TO GO, PLEASE A new artist co-op, tours, classes and a “picnic butler” experience from Duck to Corolla / By Susan Winiecki

“homage” or shadow boxes and a jar of Jezebel sauce, a Southern condiment of cranberry, mustard and horseradish that I had read about and always wanted to try. The co-op began offering classes for adults this summer, from abstract art to macramé.

And if you are staying at the Sanderling, the resort offers jewelry making and underwater photography classes for kids.

Eat Early morning walks are my thing, and they must end with breakfast. My brother and I did a loop to and from the Timbuck II shopping center and discovered First Light, only open for breakfast and lunch. Don’t miss the honest-to-goodness hash

Corolla, North Carolina, won me over three years ago browns from cubed potatoes and crisped to perfection. Nothing when we went on our first wild horse tour (yes, from a bag here. We also checked out Upside in the same an organized tour) on the desolate, but location for lunch. Owned by Richmonders, Upside drivable Carova Beach. We also ducked has a great rooftop deck that provides a view of into Historic Corolla Village (visitcurthe sound and serves up some of the tastiest rituck.com) for the first time, climbing hush puppies I’ve ever had — speckled with the 220 steps of the 140-year-old grilled corn and poblanos, which give them a Currituck Light Station, and touring kick. For a group night out, try Cosmo’s Pizza the Whalehead property, which was in the Corolla Light shopping center. hosting its annual Under the Oaks Art Festival. My husband and I have Corolla Wild Do Horses returned to the Northern Outer Banks I’m going back to the wild horse tour. Don’t roll every year since then. And each time, the eyes on this one, as my father did. The guides there’s something new to bring us back. f rom Corolla Wild

Center: Courtesy visitcurrituck.com; Bottom: Sanderling Resort / Murphy O’Brien Public Relations

Stay

Horse Tours (seecorollawild horses.com) do a bang-up

We’ve alternated between staying two to three nights midweek

job. My dad changed his

in Duck at the Sanderling Resort (sanderling-resort.com), which

tune after counting 24 wild

recently renovated its spa and Lighthouse Station restaurant, and

horses with my nephew, Jor-

renting a house with my brother and his family across the street

dan, over a two-hour span of

from the Harris Teeter and Duck Donuts along North Carolina

four-wheeling.

SAVE THE DATE June, dates TBA: Under the Oaks Art Festival.

The open-air festival is at Whalehead, a restored, 1920s, Art Noveau style mansion, in Corolla. visitcurrituck.com

Route 12 in Corolla. Either location is convenient, with plenty of paths for biking or walking safely.

The “Picnic Butler” is Sanderling’s

Sanderling Resort

newest service. After a walk or ride into Duck on one of the resort’s rental bikes, a picnic can be ordered and ready for your return.

Complete with a blanket, pillows and dispenser full of fruit-infused tea, our lunch also included a duo of cast-iron pan chocolate chip cookies that we’d already worked off with all the biking.

Shop In May, f ive women artists opened the first artist co-op in Corolla, Corolla Village Market, in the Parker House in Historic Corolla Village. After looking at works from more than 30 creatives, I walked out with two FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 8 - 2 0 1 9

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The Cavalier Hotel

view. The other loggia offers a quiet place to relax or work with openings to the patio and sunken garden.

Just to the right is Becca (beccavb. com), a garden-to-farm restaurant with two personalities — a more casual, easygoing Southern garden vibe complete with chandelier and filament

THE GRAND LADY Elegance and tradition abound at Virginia Beach’s rejuvenated Cavalier

bare bulb pendants outside while the interior of the restaurant has a chic city flair.

Rooms with a view In addition to plenty of light and a who’s who of former guests — everyone from presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy to Bette Davis and Bob Hope — guest rooms feature

/ By Joan Tupponce

elegant wall-to-wall marble bathrooms with walk-in showers.

For a truly unique experience, book one of the Heritage Suites.

Driving up to The Cavalier (cavalierhotel.com) is like visiting an old friend in a cozy Southern neighborhood. It’s definitely an experience.

Each was designed by one of the owners of the property. Designs range from Midcentury modern coastal to an equestrian haven.

Guests can take advantage of The Cavalier Beach Club across

Perched on one of the few hills in Virginia Beach, the Cavalier’s neo-classical exterior and curved Jeffersonian brick walls along

bar, spa and infinity edge swimming pool.

the entryway pay homage to the hotel’s history. Originally opened

Lower lobby discoveries

to great fanfare in 1927, this grand lady reopened in spring 2018

The hotel’s lower lobby is a treat for the senses. Total relaxation

after an $80 million renovation that transported it back to the

is the goal for Seahill Spa, complete with a Himalayan salt room

splendor of the ’30s and ’40s.

and warm alpha-quartz sand beds. Visit the Tarnished Truth Dis-

Checking in is a personal experience as if you are being enter-

tilling Co. across the way and catch up on stories about gangster

tained in someone’s chic living room. A peek out the window

Al Capone and President Richard Nixon, both hotel guests in

beside the desk gives you a teasing glance at the hotel’s palm-

the day. Tarnished Truth is the only distillery located in a hotel

lined indoor pool. The massive lobby opens on one side into the

in the United States. Be sure to do the tasting at the end of the

Raleigh Room, a gathering space with fireplace, a bar and oodles

tour, so you can sample its flagship bourbon, three-year high

of comfy chairs covered with rich velvets in jewel tone colors –

rye bourbon and vodka.

think luscious pink and meadow green. Artwork throughout the

The masculine Hunt Room tavern is next to the distillery. The

room gives a nod to classic paintings while adding a tongue-in-

tavern’s hunt club atmosphere spills from the bar to the walls.

cheek modern touch that you’re challenged to find.

Be sure to order the fried shrimp. You won’t be disappointed.

The elongated room is skirted on two sides by loggias (enclosed porches that open to the outside).

The ocean-fronting loggia features giant palm trees, elegant crystal chandeliers and massive French glass doors bordered with long sheer curtains that billow in the gentle breeze.

Oversized comfy chairs are situated in the middle of each doorway so guests can relax and enjoy the

20

SAVE THE DATE NOV. 3: The Bourbon Invitational.

Tickets for the event can be purchased through the Hunt Room or Tarnished Truth. Call the Hunt Club at 757-3336727 or the Tarnished Truth at 757965-9652 for pricing and tickets.

Top: Photo Courtesy Cavalier Hotel/Lucky Break PR; Bottom: Courtesy Tarnished Truth

the street with its oceanfront views, private beach, beachside

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HIGH TIDE IN VIRGINIA BEACH

You’ll find something to do in each of the beach’s districts — oceanfront, Chesapeake Bay, Sandbridge, Pungo, Town Center, inland and the Vibe creative district.

Beyond sea spray and sunshine, this city delivers swell times / By Joan Tupponce

Relax your mind

Virginia Beach is my go-to place when I just need to see the ocean and listen to the rhythm of the water lapping the sand. But now this populous seaside city — nearly 500 square miles with seven districts — is bringing a big-city feel to the sand and surf. We’re talking craft breweries, art, entertainment, wine bars and spas.

the Edgar Cayce A.R.E. Health Center

Finding your inner peace or honing in on your psychic ability are both possible at & Spa (edgarcayce.org) in the oceanfront district. People regard Cayce as the father of holistic medicine, and the center focuses on the care of body, mind and spirit. Indulge in a massage, find healing with acupuncture or just relax in the spa. Or, you can check out the

Dustin Furlow performs Oct. 6 for the Proteus Festival at Zeiders American Dream Theater

Yes, you can still leisurely linger on the sand, but

research of Cayce and learn more about how

why not check out all that the beach has to offer?

the mind works.

For many that happens to be catching a concert at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater (virginiabeachamphitheater.com) with A-list entertainers ranging from Pentatonix to Keith Urban and get caught up in the craze of the concert world.

Or head to Town Center district where you’ll find The Sandler Center for the Performing Arts (sandlercenter.org), which hosts everything from Grammy Award-winning artists to the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. Not far away is the newly opened Zeiders American Dream Theater (thez.org) where new and upcoming artists are a focus.

SAVE THE DATE OCT. 20-21: The Virginia Beach Craft Beer Festival (beach streetusa.com) at 31st Street Park features more than 50 craft beers from more than 25 breweries. Tickets include unlimited sampling, a commemorative cup and live entertainment.

Breweries, distilleries Like other cities, the beach has a lively craft beer scene. Wherever you are at the beach there’s likely to be a brewery nearby. Pleasure House Brewing (pleasurehousebrewing.com), just a block off the Chesapeake Bay, is Shore Drive’s first brewing company. Don’t leave without sampling the brewery’s award-winning Glo Belgian Blond or the Rudee Inlet DIPA. If beer isn’t your beverage of choice, try Chesapeake Bay Vodka Distillery (chesa-

Top Right: Courtesy Sherry Boylan; Center: Courtesy Visit Virginia Beach; Bottom: Thinkstock

peakebaydistillery.myshopify.com) where you can belly up to the tasting room bar for the distillery’s Blue Ridge Vodka or, for adventurous souls, the Ghost Pepper Vodka infused with smoked ghost peppers.

Culinary delights If you head to the Vibe district to check out the colorful murals, take time for lunch at cozy Commune, (communevb.com) a farm-to-table restaurant where you’ll be elbow-toelbow with new, on-the-spot friends at the communal tables. The zucchini fritters are a must-have.

Relatively new to the dining scene is The Atlantic on Pacific, an upscale oyster and raw bar that also features a mega selection of wines. Or walk a few blocks and slip into a booth at Catch 31 (catch31.com) where you’ll find an extensive menu of fresh seafood and spectacular views, especially from the oceanfront terrace.

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town Books, a bookstore with a The Elizabeth II has its home port at the Roanoke Island Festival Park.

resident feline, to the Dare County Arts Council. The juried gallery features works in a variety of mediums, mostly crafted by local and North Carolina artists. While there, check out the chair that President Franklin D. Roosevelt settled into when he visited Manteo in the 1930s.

Venture up Budleigh Street to catch a tour of Outer Banks Distilling, the maker of Kill Devil Rum. The company turned a 1940s furniture store into a distillery and tasting room. Tours start with a talk about the four owners and a history of rum in the Outer Banks. It advances to the distilling process and then back to the tasting room for samples of the distillery’s products.

The 27-acre Roanoke Island Festival Park is at the other end of the waterfront, across a walking bridge.

Features include the Elizabeth II, which represents a vessel from the second English voyage to Roanoke in 1585, complete with costumed 16th-century sailors. You can also

Big-time history and small-town charm in Manteo, North Carolina / By Joan Tupponce

in American Indian Town at the park.

Attractions The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island (ncaquariums.com) is a short

“The Lost Colony”

drive from the waterfront. Straddling the edge of the Croatan Sound, the aquarium explores life on the water via everything from a

shipwreck to a cinematic experience featuring a replica of the civil war ironclad USS Monitor. The Elizabethan Gardens, adja-

When my brother and sister-in-law moved to Manteo, North Carolina, years ago, it opened up a new vacation destination for my family. We’d been to the Outer Banks plenty of times, but we’d never ventured across the causeway to Manteo. We didn’t know what we were missing.

Manteo is a throwback to a gentler time, oozing with the same charm as Mayberry on “The Andy Griffith Show.” Interestingly, Griffith settled in Manteo and was often seen in local restaurants. He lived there until his death in 2012.

On the Waterfront The downtown waterfront district beckons you to stroll at a leisurely pace. Its narrow streets are sprinkled with a variety of shops and restaurants, everything from Down-

22

cent to the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site (nps.gov) and the Waterside Theatre, where “The Lost Colony” play (thelostcolony.org) is performed, are near the aquarium.

The gardens contain more than 500 different species of plants.

Dining The Hungry Pelican on Budleigh Street

SAVE THE DATE

serves up everything from house-made

OCT. 26-27: The Roanoke Island Maritime Museum Wooden Boat Show annual event features watercraft old and new in a juried boat show. townofmanteo.com

soups and sandwiches to cookies and cakes. Ortega’z Southwestern Grill and Wine Bar serves street tacos, soups, sandwiches and entrées, such as sizzling fajitas, a ribeye steak and crab cakes. The grill was featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

Top and Center: Courtesy of VisitNC.com; Bottom: Courtesy Roanoke Island Maritime Museum

COASTAL GATEWAY

examine coastal Algonquian culture

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DRAWN TO THE LIGHT Outer Banks and Coastal Virginia are home to several classic lighthouses / By Dina Weinstein Lighthouses draw out our curiosity because of their unique designs and technology developed with a single purpose — to act as a beacon of warning in dangerous waters for military, cargo and passenger ships. These towers on the Virginia and North Carolina coasts connect us to the classic conflict between people and nature. We can imagine the lonely existence of the lighthouse keepers. Paired with lazy days on the nearby beaches, these structures intrigue and reveal to us city-dwellers stories of bygone eras, where land meets sea.

The 42-foot Old Point Comfort Light House (fort monroe.org) in Fort Monroe in Hampton was built in 1802 and active during the war of 1812, shining 11 oil lanterns with reflectors that could be seen from 14 miles at sea. A beacon light was added in 1855. During the Civil War, it operated under Union control and was a haven for many escaping slavery. Stroll around the worn exterior, or picnic at its base, and enjoy views of

Top Right: Courtesy Hampton CVB; Bottom Left: Meghan Agresto/Outer Banks Conservationists, Inc.; Bottom Right: courtesy of VisitNC.com

Chesapeake Bay. The iconic candy-striped,

piles. The original was destroyed in the 1960s after years of de-

142-foot tall Assateague Island

cline and was situated in the bay a mile and a half east of the

Lighthouse (assateagueisland.

marina, to warn boats of dangerous shoals. Visitors can marvel

com) in the Chincoteague Na-

at details like the exterior latrine and the wooden spiral center

tional Wildlife Refuge poses a

staircase with a trap door in the ceiling leading to the lantern

physical challenge to visitors

room and lovingly decorated common room in nautical themes.

to hoof it up the spiral stairs to

Open by appointment only.

the observation tower. The light-

SAVE THE DATE MARCH 16: Currituck Beach Lighthouse opening day with free climbs. currituck beachlight.com

house was completed in 1867.

Tar Heel Towers

From the top, you get a bird’s eye

There are several lighthouses along the Outer Banks in North

view of the landscape and refuge

Carolina. Currituck Beach Lighthouse in Corolla (currituck

activities; the beach and visitor’s

beachlight.com) is the closest to Virginia. It

center, nature treks and migra-

costs $10 per adult to climb the tower,

tory birds and their watchers,

but the climb is worth the view, and

and maybe a wild pony or two.

there is museum-quality signage

The Stingray Point Light-

on its history along the way. Cape

house in Deltaville (stingray

Hatteras lighthouse (ncbeaches.

pointmarina.com) is a full-scale

com) in the Cape Hatteras Nation-

replica of the original, which dated

al Seashore is the world’s tallest

to 1853. The lovingly replicated hex-

lighthouse made of bricks, and

agonal Brazilian hardwood, cedar

the Bodie Island Lighthouse rises

and pine building with a white ex-

165 feet and is known for its black

terior stands on six steel elevating

horizontal stripes.

Cape Hatteras lighthouse

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DON’T JUST LEARN A B O U T H I S TO R Y

HAVE A BLAST

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FAMILY

ADVENTURE

DINING

SHOPPING THE ARTS

HISTORY

ADVENTURE AND FUN AWAIT ALONG VIRGINIA’S RIVERS 28/ TRI-CITIES 29/ GREATER WILLIAMSBURG 30/ NEW RIVER GORGE 31/ LYNCHBURG 32/ ARLINGTON 33/ THE WHARF Photo courtesy Adventures on the Gorge

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New River Gorge

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The Exchange Building

The Otha Rivah Start an exploration of the 20-plus miles of trails along the Appomattox east of Petersburg at Ferndale Appomattox Riverside Park. You can access three miles of trail here. Roslyn Landing Trail in Colonial Heights offers 3.1 miles of woodsy walks. There’s a great guide to river trails, parks, and boat and kayak access points available through the Friends of the Lower Appomattox (folar-va.org).

Wheeled Wonders and Other Attractions There is 400 years of history to explore in the Tri-Cities. Start with The Exchange Building (petersburgpreservation taskforce.com), the revamped history museum and visitors center in Petersburg that reopened in July after being closed for three years for asbestos abatement. The circa 1841 Greek Revival structure houses exhibits that tell the city’s story from its founding, while providing information on historic sites throughout the Tri-Cities.

One of the more unusual attractions is the Keystone Truck & Tractor Museum (keystonetractorworks.com)

A WINNING TRIFECTA A range of diversions worthy of a weekend getaway in the Tri-Cities / By Tharon Giddens

off I-95 in Colonial Heights. It’s home to more than 200 tractors and trucks, lovingly collected and restored by Keith Jones of Abilene Motor Express. There’s an abstract construction of parts at the entrance, and it’s fronted by a Sibley’s Bar-B-Q (sibleysbbq.com). Try the pulled pork sandwich with sides of mixed greens and stewed apples. Make sure you get your sandwich fixed with slaw, too.

Onstage Hopewell’s circa 1928 Beacon Theatre (beacon theatreva.com) is an intimate facility that began as a silent film and vaudeville house and now plays host to an eclectic lineup of touring performers and homegrown talent. We’ve enjoyed an acoustic evening with singer Al Stewart there, and also a few hours with the Petersburg Symphony Orchestra (petersburgsymphony.org), which marked its 40th anniversary in 2018.

SAVE THE DATE OCT. 27: The third annual Pecan Festival in the Grove (www.rbc. edu/pecan-festival) at Richard Bland College of William & Mary features food, vendors, musical performances and kid-friendly activities. About 12,500 attended last year, the most to visit the campus for an event.

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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The Rajun Cajun celebrates Mardi Gras with a brass band parade

Tasty World You have a surprising choice of cuisines in Old Towne Petersburg, f rom jambalaya and other bayou classics at D.J.’s Rajun Cajun (djsrajun cajun.com) to pizza paired with a craft beer or two at Maria’s Old Town. Have a gyro with fries at Alexander’s (alexandersfinefood.com), a Greek and Italian restaurant with a cozy dining space where the staff makes you feel at home.

Courtesy Petersburg Area Regional Tourism

There’s a hodgepodge of trails and parks along the Appomattox River in the Tri-Cities that are not as renowned as their James River Park counterparts in Richmond, but they are worth a visit. This stretch is quiet and less used than the James; it’s a place where you can take pleasure in a hike or paddle a kayak and feel like you own the river, or at least that you’re just sharing the space with a few friends.

The river and its environs are among several unexpected pleasures to be found in a visit to Colonial Heights, Hopewell and Petersburg, with a plethora of historic sites, an art deco concert hall and an eclectic array of dining options.

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BACK IN TIME Celebrate American history in Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown / By Elizabeth Ferris

Re-enactors play hoop and stick in Colonial Williamsburg

Road Trip Through the Past

Schooner at the riverwalk in Yorktown.

Starting in Williamsburg (visitwilliamsburg.com) history enthusiasts and scenic drive lovers alike can travel the Colonial Parkway (nps.gov/colo/parkway.htm) east to the Jamestown Settlement, or west to Yorktown and its sites from the American Revolution. Spanning 23 miles, the parkway is free of commercial development and features a maximum speed limit of 45 mph, making it perfect for taking in the area’s natural beauty. The parkway passes through pristine pine forests, and designated pull-offs offer serene views of the James and York rivers.

Even for those travelers not interested in the historic sites, the drive is well worth the scenery and proves that the journey

Top and bottom: Courtesy Colonial WIlliamsburg; Left: Alexanders Photography / courtesy Yorktown

is more than the destination.

Greater Williamsburg often calls to mind one of two things, depending on who you ask: historic sites from the founding of the American Republic, or the thrills and amusements at Busch Gardens and Water Country USA. But there’s even more to the area, which is an easy hour’s drive from downtown Richmond

Victuals and Libations Early reports from the English colonies chronicled periods of malnutrition and utilitarian diets (think corn and more corn). Luckily for visitors today, the options have improved dramatically. The Cheese Shop (cheeseshop

New World Natural Beauty

williamsburg.com) along Duke of

Ten miles north of Williamsburg near Croaker, York

Gloucester Street (or “Dog Street” for

River State Park (dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/york-

short) in Williamsburg sells specialty

river) encompasses 2,500 acres of preserved shoreline,

gourmet food products at the front of

marsh and forest along the York River. Thirty miles

the shop and serves made-to-order

of trails crisscross the park and are open to hikers,

specialty sandwiches at the back. A few

mountain-bikers and equestrians. About half a mile

miles southeast of Colonial Williamsburg

from the Visitor’s Center, the aptly named Fossil

on John Tyler Highway, Five Forks Café

Beach features a mix of modern marine life and fossils from millions of years ago, when the area was still part of the Atlantic Ocean. Visitors can wander the shoreline and hunt for fossils, including chesapecten jeffersonius, an extinct scallop that is the state fossil of Virginia.

While there’s no swimming at the park, kayaks and canoes can be taken along Taskinas Creek (rentals are available), and boats and fishing are permitted at Woodstock Pond. A $3 parking fee is required for visitors without a Virginia State Park Pass.

SAVE THE DATE NOV. 10: “TENACITY: Women in Jamestown and Early Virginia” opens at the Jamestown Settlement.

The exhibit will explore the contributions and impact of 17th century women in Virginia and connect their experience with issues today.

Visit historyisfun.org/tenacity

(fiveforkscafe.com) provides a genuine diner experience with dishes like griddled corn beef hash and biscuits and gravy. Any meal should be ordered with a side of corn cakes and honey butter.

Williamsburg Winery (williamsburg winery.com), located on the 300-acre farm Wessex Hundred, offers wine tastings and tours Monday through Sunday throughout the year. Hours vary by season.

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WILD AND WONDERFUL Falling in love with West Virginia’s white water / By Sande Snead Fulk It’s no surprise when a marketing slogan falls flat, but West Virginia truly lives up to its headline of being wild and wonderful.

Bend in the New River

After getting outfitted with helmet and life jacket, as well as a worth-every-penny insulated rafting jacket that kept me warm, I boarded a rickety former school bus. The bus took us down a one-lane dirt road over hill and dale to the put-in point on the New River.

While it would have been more fun to do this with a friend, I was also glad to get my raft legs on my own, without anyone to witness my virgin ride. Unfortunately, I was the odd man out when it came to picking raft teams, and I ended up with a group of people

Whitewater rafting under the New River Gorge Bridge

whom I had never set eyes on.

It was scary knowing none of my boat mates “had my back.”

Wild are its abundance of rolling hills and moun-

After going through a Class IV rapid, I got

tains, acres of unspoiled land, and loads of me-

pretty cocky and felt I had been through the

andering streams and rivers. Wildlife flourishes.

worst of it — until we hit the Class V rapids. Ac-

It’s wonderful because there is so much to do:

tually, what no one tells you about whitewater

The state each year draws thousands of tourists

rafting is that it involves quite a bit of leisurely

to raft, canoe or kayak its 60 rivers.

floating, broken up by intermittent rapids that

A trip to Charleston, the state’s capital,

are over within 15 to 30 seconds. As long as you

We took a chartered bus from our hotel to Class VI-River Runners base camp (class-vi. com), about an hour and a half away in Lansing on the New River Gorge. The River Runners merged with other excursion providers in the gorge to form Adventures on the Gorge (adventuresonthegorge.com). It’s a resort that offers rafting and other outdoors adventure experiences, including mountain biking and rock climbing. The resort marked its 10th anniversary in 2018.

30

stay in the boat, it’s just a fun, wild ride.

SAVE THE DATE OCT. 20 (third Saturday in October each year): Bridge Day, New River Gorge Bridge, Fayette County, West Virginia.

80,000 spectators converge on the bridge to watch six hours of BASE jumping. There’s also a music festival and 5k race. officialbridgeday.com

It was about 75 degrees, and the water temperature was just a bit cooler. We floated through rocky mountains, along tree-lined hills and under the New River Gorge Bridge.

After lunch, our rafts stopped at a rock, where we could take the 11-foot plunge into the water, as if we hadn’t had the “chance” to get completely wet thus far. I took the fall and felt exhilarated. It’s hard work paddling all day, and I slept soundly during the chartered bus trip back to our hotel.

Courtesy Adventures on the Gorge

opened my eyes to West Virginia’s charms.

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Rhapsodic Dining

Musicians and one of the 11 pianos around Lynchburg

Jimmy’s On The James (jimmysonthejames.com) is a Southern-styled bistro with live music Thursday through Saturday. James D u d l e y, w h o m s o m e Richmonders may recall from “back in the day” as a crooner of standards in urbane establishments, shows up now and again.

Your dinner may include shrimp and grits ($20.95), tiger prawns on Stone Mill grits with a Cajun sherry cream, and sautéed spinach. Be advised that the joint doesn’t start jumping until 5 p.m. In the middle of Lynchburg’s Arts District, it’s convenient for pre-show dinner and post-

SEVEN HILLS AND 11 PIANOS Lynchburg a celebration of arts and recreation / By Harry Kollatz Jr. You see them all around Lynchburg, adorned by vivid colors and eye-catching design and placed for the pleasure of ivory-tickling passersby. They are part of a public art project launched in 2014, now called the Hill City Keys, administrated by the Academy Center for the Arts, and founded in 2014 by city resident Libby Fitzgerald, who recruited regional students to bring artistic whimsy to the instruments.

Main Street Eatery & Catering Co. (mainst eatery.com) offers continental fare in the bare brick and smooth wood floor aesthetic of what was Riverwalk Trail

a 19th century tin shop. The entrées range from Pasta Rosa (pasta tossed in marinara, diced to-

matoes, cream cheese, spinach, olive oil, mushrooms, garlic, red pepper flakes, topped with parmesan cheese, $15) to Veal Oscar (veal scaloppini topped with crabmeat, asparagus and béarnaise sauce, served with basmati rice, $24).

The Interlude If you’re overnighting it, or, just want to take a gander, explore the refurbished Virginian Hotel. The century-old property

The Serenade

returned to brilliant life in May 2018 as a boutique hotel, a

The hills, all seven of them in this

Curio Collection Hilton (curiocollection3.hilton.com) with

James River city, are alive with the

115 rooms and suites, formal ballroom, and rooftop bar. Per

sound of music and a celebration

night stays are $158 to $200.

Close by to the riverfront is a Holiday Inn, (rates from

of the arts throughout the year. A big reason for that is the Academy

$132) (holidayinn.com).

Center (academycenter.org) and

A Lively Air

the splendid venue of Riverfront Courtesy City of Lynchburg

show drinks.

Park (lynchburgparksandrec.com) where the Academy’s concert series has ranged from George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic to Wynonna and the Big Noise. The Academy offers a robust calendar of theater, music and arts.

SAVE THE DATE OCT. 20: Lynchstock Music Festival, headlined by COIN and Dr. Dog. $25$65. lynchstockmusic festival.com

If you’re traveling with kids, there’s Amazement Square (amazementsquare.org), the city’s children’s museum with a full slate of programming. If you’re feeling outdoorsy, there’s Riverwalk Trail, which crosses over to Percival’s Island, once a train yard and industrial site, but now reclaimed by nature and access to 9.5 miles of the James River Heritage Trail (traillink.com).

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Getting Around It’s a 30-minute walk from the Gaylord to the MGM National Harbor casino and hotel and the Tanger Outlets in National Harbor. If you’re game, take the 3.3-mile Woodrow Wilson Bridge Trail on the waterfront and walk to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. If you are feeling really adventurous, keep going across the bridge to Jones Point Park or continue another 2.5 miles to Old Town Alexandria (visitalexandria va.com). If walking is not your thing, take a shuttle to the MGM or the outlets.

For a reasonable fee, jump on a water taxi to Old Town Alexandria, The Wharf, the National Mall or Georgetown.

Explore Whatever direction you come from to get to Alexandria, take the free trolley or walk King Street

King Street in Old Town Alexandria

from the Potomac River wharf to the George Washington Masonic National Memorial

DITCH THE CAR

(gwmemorial.org). Grab a seafood lunch near the wharf or at the quaint Fontaine Caffe &

Walk or water taxi your way along the Potomac / By Marquita Brown

Creperie if you like crepes. For pastries, Bread & Chocolate is the National Museum of African American History and Culture

With just two nights and almost three full days for our trip, we wanted plenty of options, so that meant a trip that combined Northern Virginia, Maryland and D.C. to maximize our time.

side streets for a view of Alexan-

dria’s historic homes, including the petite Spite House and Captain’s Row. The Torpedo Factory Art Center (torpedofactory.org) is a not-to-miss stop featuring the work of more than 150 artists.

Whether you walk into Georgetown (george towndc.com) over Arlington’s Key Bridge or take

Stay

Georgetown Waterfront Park and then head to M

Rosslyn in Arlington County and over the

and Wisconsin streets for restaurants, shops and

Key Bridge into Georgetown. Or head to The

bakeries. Try Good Stuff Eatery for an inexpensive,

Gaylord National Resort and Convention

no-frills burger and share a large order of fries. Tak-

Center in National Harbor (nationalharbor.

ing a page from Alexandria, the charm and history

com), where you can park your car and then

of Georgetown shines on the side streets.

If you wish to stay in Virginia, check in at the Key Bridge Marriott in Arlington, which is near the 3-acre Gateway Park, the site of an annual jazz festival in September and a wine festival in October. The Gaylord, just

SAVE THE DATES OCT. 13: Virginia Wine Festival, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Gateway Park, Rosslyn. virginiawinefest.com

over the line in Maryland, boasts a number of restaurants and shops. Coupons at check-in offer discounts, and free activities include a nightly fountain show, movies in the atrium, haunted tours and the Pose Club with its rooftop views.

Must-Do Museum Carve out time for a trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture (nmaahc. si.edu). You will not be disappointed. Since the free, online timed tickets were already taken, we took a chance and got in the weekday walk-up

THROUGH JUNE 2019: “Watching Oprah,” an exhibition at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. nmaahc.si.edu

line outside the museum. In no time, we found ourselves inside the museum, thrilled by our luck.

The four hours we stayed were not enough to take in all the exhibitions. Don’t skip the reflection room at the end.

From top: K Summerer for Visit Alexandria; Alan Karchmer/NMAAHC; Courtesy Virginia Wine Festival ®

the water taxi from the Gaylord, walk along the

Come at D.C. from one of two ways — through

water taxi over.

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place to go. Be sure to wander the

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ON THE WATERFRONT Find food and fun in Washington at The Wharf / By Genevelyn Steele If you’re looking for a base of operations for a weekend in the District of Columbia, consider The Wharf (wharfdc.com).

Paella Mariscos at Del Mar de Fabio Trabocchi

Recreation Pier at The Wharf

The $2.5 billion, mile-long, waterfront development is six blocks from the National Mall and celebrated its grand opening in fall 2017. Built around the refreshed, circa-1805 Municipal Fish Market, The Wharf folds 10 acres of green space that includes an ice rink, walking and bike trails, and four piers into a development mix of housing, shopping and eats along the Potomac River. For someone who last visited the fish market a decade ago, when it was a no-man’s land known for seedy motels and Maryland blue crabs, The Wharf seems to be having a Cinderella moment.

It’s a stunning contrast, akin to a topshelf version of Richmond’s own mixedused riverfront development. As here, a healthful, independent waterfront bucks From top: Courtesy Del Mar de Fabio Trabocchi; Courtesy The Wharf/Matthew Borkoski; Josh Brick for Hoffman-Madison Waterfront

convention: Businesses at the Wharf veer local, with waterfront restaurants including Hank’s Oyster Bar,

watched me dip my SUP into the river at Recreation Pier for a

Del Mar de Fabio Trabocchi and chef Kwame Onwuachi’s Kith

leisurely paddle to East Potomac Park Day Dock. Kayaks and

and Kin.

SUPs are available to rent at The Wharf Boathouse. (You can also

Three international hotels offset this independent mindset:

catch a gratis jitney if you’d rather be ferried.) Once disembarked

the lifestyle hostelry, Canopy by Hilton, which is connected to

at East Potomac Park, I hit through a bucket of balls at the 36-

Hyatt House Washington D.C The Wharf, and the InterContinental

hole public golf course. Mini golf, a playground and tennis courts

Washington D.C.—The Wharf. I chose the luxe, InterContinen-

are other options.

SAVE THE DATE DEC 1: District Holiday Boat Parade and Fireworks, free. wharfdc.com

tal (wharfintercontinentaldc.

After an afternoon outside, I headed back to my hotel and

com), with its Juliette balconies

cleaned up for happy hour at Fabio and Maria Trabocchi’s coastal

glimpsing the water, L’Occitane

Mediterranean restaurant, Del Mar After following Maria (@

spa, rooftop pool and a 96-seat,

mariatrabocchi) on Instagram, I knew to order chilled seafood

upscale-contemporary Afro-

and Iberico ham at the upscale emporium. Everything, from the

Caribbean eatery, Kith and Kin,

drinks served in blown-glass blowfish chalices, to the enormous

with an exciting menu stocked

jewel box of a bar on the water, was a splurge.

with bebere-spiced chicken and

There are other routes to traverse from The Wharf, a comple-

goat roti. Since I didn’t spend

mentary shuttle to the National Mall that disembarks by the

a dime on the museums, I

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (hirshhorn.si.edu).

splurged on my stay, where

The next morning, eager to see the Japanese artist Hiroshi Sugi-

rates began at $250.

moto’s designed Dolcezza Coffee & Gelato in the Hirshhorn lobby,

As if to prove that one

I took the latter. Sugimoto has created a peaceful, powerful public

needn’t pit herself against na-

space. Cruising the internet over tables made from 700-year-old

ture, an osprey nest sat atop a

nutmeg tree with cappuccino and pastry at hand made my early

construction crane. Hatchlings

morning coffee routine feel like a gift.

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THE HIGH POINTS

Grayson County

36

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FAMILY

ADVENTURE

DINING

SHOPPING THE ARTS

HISTORY

MUSIC, ART AND ADVENTURE AWAIT IN VIRGINIA’S MOUNTAINS 38/ GRAYSON COUNTY 39/ ROANOKE 40/ ORANGE COUNTY 41/ MARION & ABINGDON 42/ STAUNTON 43/ SKI RESORTS Photo courtesy Grayson County

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SHADES OF GRAYSON

Mountains of Music Roots music old and new is celebrated at the Blue Ridge Music Center (blueridgemusiccenter.org) south of Galax just off the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile marker 213. Its museum is free and

Discovering peaks, treats and ponies in southwest Virginia / By Tharon Giddens

features exhibits that trace the history of mountain music from its African and European roots to today. It’s also the site of openair free jam sessions on its breezeway from noon to 4 p.m. each day, and home to low cost-concerts ($20-$30 for adults) in its amphitheater. Past performers have

Grayson Highland The wild ponies at Grayson Highlands included Rhiannon Giddens, Riley Baugus and State Park State Park seem surprisingly tame.

Phoebe Hunt.

On a late spring visit, we’ve walked Downtown Galax is also a center of Old up to the park boundary on a trail Time country and bluegrass, with a summer leading to Mount Rogers where we fiddler’s convention and the Blue Ridge find the herd, including four foals Backroads concert series on Friday night that look like they’ve just entered at the Rex Theater (rextheatergalax.com). the world. Their exhausted moms are Also check out the surprising mix of mediums lolling about the high meadow. They’re turned out by the members of the artists coopclose enough to touch, and not shy, erative available at City Gallery (citygallerygalax.com), though they are indeed wild and we heed the and try the ribs and beans at the Galax Smokehouse advice to leave them alone and simply enjoy their (thegalaxsmokehouse.com). presence as we sit on a bench. The state park is the Get a better understanding of mountain music through literal highlight (at about 5,000 feet in elevation) of a the venues and exhibits across the area featured as part of The trip to Grayson County in Southwest Virginia.

Crooked Road (myswva.org).

Fries With That Blue Ridge Music Center

The village of Fries (pronounced freeze) is not an homage to fried potatoes: It was founded as a textile mill community in the early 20th century by one Francis Fries. Its town park is a grassy expanse along the New River, a favorite site for tubing, kayaking, fishing and wading. It’s also a great place to access the New River Trail State Park for a hike or bike ride. Check out gear rental options for a New River excursion at graysoncountyva.com.

landmark red caboose in the river park. Denny Brooms and his wife, Cindy, opened for business around Memorial Day in 2018 and serve up decadent Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream.

Drive Time Get a sense of the mountains away f rom commercial development along the parkway.

From the music center, head north for 33 miles to the Meadows of Dan. It’s a great place to fill up the car, stretch your legs and take in some souvenir shops or a café. Be sure to check out the

SAVE THE DATE The Old Fiddlers’ Convention is held the first full week in August in Galax. The 84th edition of this mountain music extravaganza will be Aug. 5-10. oldfiddlersconvention.com for tickets and additional information.

38

chocolate pecan or salted caramel fudge or the bon-bons and other confections made on site at Nancy’s Candy Co. (nancyshomemadefudge. com), which marked its 30th anniversary in 2018.

From there, head back to Grayson County via U.S. Highway 58 west.

From top: Courtesy Grayson County; Courtesy Blue Ridge Music Center; Courtesy Old Fiddlers’ Convention, Tom Jones.

You can also cool off with a waffle cone from Sweet Lily’s, the ice cream stand in the city’s

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Ernie’s diner for potato Mill Mountain Park is home to Roanoke’s iconic neon star

pancakes before stocking up at Eli’s Provisions.

Blocks of retail and restaurants include these favorites: ukulele jams at Fret Mill Music Co., and Studio I Do Bridals boutique.

Mill

Mountain

Park (playroanoke.com) is home to the city’s iconic neon star. It’s also where you’ll f ind Mill Mountain Zoo, a nature center, hiking trails and picnic spots. Take the Blue Ridge Parkway to milepost 115 and Explore Park, a 1,200-acre adven-

Roanoke Valley Greenway

ture park, with disc golf, historical structures, river access and camping.

Grandin Village, an

STAR POWER

established neighborhood in Raleigh Court, lies 2 miles from downtown. It’s home to Black Dog

Attractions abound around Roanoke / By Genevelyn Steele

Salvage (blackdogsalvage.com), an architectural salvage and design mecca that’s home to DIY Network’s

From top: Molly Hagan; Courtesy Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge, Courtesy the Roanoke Go Outside Festival

“Salvage Dawgs.”

A glass of Scotch catches the flames from the fireplace, seemingly melting the ice in my tumbler.

Something New I watch the cube dissolve into topaz liquid. Time Downtown has benefited from the craft brewing boon, with a freezes. I know the Pine Room, Hotel Roanoke’s billineup of tasting rooms that include Big Lick Brewing, Deschutes liards bar and former officers’ club intimately — Tasting Room, Starr Hill Pilot Brewery and Side Stage, and I had my first legal drink here with my father after Soaring Ridge Craft Brewers. years of bypassing it for special occasion brunches Center in the Square (centerinthesquare.org) is Roanoke’s in the formal Regency Room, where all-in-one museum district. It includes Mill Mounthe adults sipped peanut soup while tain Theatre, which pulls talent from New York, the kids dreamed of escaping to the and four museums: Harrison Museum of African hotel pool. Tonight, the pub feels difAmerican Culture, History Museum of Western ferent, exotic, due in part to the hotel’s Virginia, Roanoke Pinball Museum and the Scirefurbishing, and in parcel to the town ence Museum of Western Virginia. There’s also itself. If you haven’t been to Roanoke Kids Square, an interactive kid-focused space lately, or even if you have, it’s imposoffering play pretend scenarios and an activity sible to explore all that’s new in a room for children.

SAVE THE DATE weekend, but it’s fun to try.

Something Old Hotel Roanoke (hotelroanoke.com) is a grand, 1882 Tudor-style lodge that hugs the Historic Roanoke City Market, the oldest continuously operating open-air market in Virginia. Saturday mornings, stalls bustle with vendors selling everything from crafts to crabapples. Walk to

OCT. 12-14: GO Outside Festival, a celebration of the active life, with events including music performances, a beer relay race, a BMX bicycle stunt show and a lumberjack show. roanokegofest.com

Gear Up

Roanoke Mountain Adventures (roanokemoun tainadventures.com) offers guided kayak or paddleboard instruction on the Roanoke River; Twin River Outfitters (canoevirginia.net) shuttles to a James River tubing access point in Buchanan; and Underdog Bikes (underdogbikesva.com) specializes in mountain bike instruction. All rent gear.

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HISTORY & HORSES

Picnic on the the grounds of Montpelier

Trail rides in Orange County / By Karen Miller Located a little more than an hour west of Richmond, Gordonsville’s vineyards and B&Bs make this estate-filled Eden an easy romantic getaway. With pick-your-own orchards, bountiful hiking and historic sites galore, it is also a surprisingly great place to take children.

Farm and Mansion My daughters both ride, so we stayed at Wolftrap Farm (540-832-1803 or thewolftrapfarm.com), a 584acre estate complete with a stately manor built in

Barbeque Exchange

1856 and stables for visitors traveling with their equine friends. We opted for the Pond House, Heights Farm (540-832-3350 or oaklandheightsfarm.

a f ive-room cottage located on the prop-

com). The 90-minute guided trail ride on Western

erty with a screened-in

saddles took us up into the Blue Ridge Mountains, past the naptime spots of retired show bulls and forests

ter bedroom and a second

filled with deer and wild raspberries. Owner David Lamb,

room with bunk beds.

a cowboy if there ever were one, enthralled us with stories

A new colt had just been

of the area while leading our group up the mountain ridge.

born, and though it was shy at first,

In 1864, Gen. Philip H. Sheridan of the Union led a two-day raid

Halle and Cary discovered it would canter

known as the Battle of Trevillian Station, where Oakland Heights

along the fence line if they ran along on the opposite side. This

stands today. Also, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson used

was the beginning of three blissful days in one of the most scenic

the trail at the top of the mountain. Lamb showed us the shortcut

and interesting areas of Virginia.

between their famous homes, Madison’s Mont-

We started with Montpelier (540-672-2728 or

For more history, check out the Exchange

Home to James Madison, our fourth president,

Hotel Civil War Museum (540-832-2944 or hgi

guides take visitors through the house every half

exchange.org). It was a receiving hospital, and

hour through October.

this small museum conveys a rich history through

The Barbeque Exchange (540-832-0227 or

displays of uniforms and a primitive surgery

bbqex.com) is a great choice for a family-friendly

room. More than 700 soldiers are buried in the

dining experience. The barbecue is great, the array of sauces both delicious and fun, and the

SAVE THE DATE

cake-like cornbread and homemade pickles were

Nov. 3: Montpelier Hunt Races. Seven horse races and terrier races on the grounds of Montpelier. $20, except free for ages 12 and younger. montpelierraces.org

huge hits.

History by Horseback On Day 2, we were eager to experience Orange County on horseback, and visited Oakland

40

pelier and Jefferson’s Monticello.

montpelier.org), which was only five miles away.

surrounding grounds. The stories of the documented paranormal activity told by our docent both spooked and fascinated us.

And don’t miss Grelen Nursery (540-672-5462 or grelennursery.com) in Somerset. In addition to its main business, you’ll find The Market at Grelen, which offers a farm-to-table café and pick-your-own fruit during most of the year.

From top: Aaron Watson Photography; Bill Crabtree Jr.; Susan M. Carter Photography

porch, a comfortable mas-

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JOY RIDES

it showcases now. Situated at one of the bends in Virginia’s 300-plus-mile Crooked Road Heritage Music Trail (virginia.org/thecrookedroad), Abingdon shows off the

Taming the Dragon and exploring the Crooked Road

region’s focus, combining its authentic music with outdoor recreation (walk or bicycle part of the Virginia Creeper Trail here, vacreepertrail.org), museums (William King Art Museum, williamking

/ By Martha Steger

museum.org), crafts, and historical and cultural programs.

If you’ve ever taken a steep, downhill, lefthanded turn in any vehicle — even at 25 mph, Barter Theatre you’ve had an adrenaline shot at Southwest Virginia’s exciting Back of the Dragon (visitvirginiamountains.com), a sports-car and motorcycle route named for the mystical medieval dragon. Perhaps designed to leave us huffing and puffing like the legendary dragon, the route crosses three mountains in its 32-mile course from Tazewell to Marion on Virginia Route 16, encompassing more than 300 curves and spectacular views.

Artisans from wooden pen-and-pencil makers to a woman turning out socks on her 1900s sock machine engaged us during the city’s latesummer Virginia Highlands Festival – but with so many artists operating year-round in and near Abingdon (visitabingdonvirginia.com), we’ve found we needn’t wait for the annual fest. The Heartwood center (myswva.org) is an all-in-one Southwest Virginia juried crafts, interactive exhibits, food, and local-culture center – with a comprehensive collection of Crooked Road old-time, bluegrass and gospel music from which to make purchases.

Staying at the historic Martha Washington Inn & Spa (themartha.com), or one of the welcoming bed-and-breakfasts, we time our trips for a performance at Barter Theatre (bartertheatre.com) and we never fail to stock up on stone-ground

Stay and Plays

cornmeal from the renovated, late-18th-century White’s Mill.

If this isn’t your speed, take the slow road to Marion via U.S. Route 460 or the express route, I-81, for a fall bluegrass or comedy event — or a holiday show — at the state-of-the-art, circa 1929, Mayan-Revival Lincoln Theater (thelincoln.org). Make your overnight at the historic General Top: Jason Barnette; Center: Sam Deam; Bottom: Courtesy of Abingdon County

Francis Marion Hotel (gfmhotel. com), where my husband and I enjoyed our eggs-and-grits breakfast named for Revolutionary War hero Francis “The Swamp Fox” Marion.

The town makes a good base for day-trips to Hungry Mother State Park or Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, both within a 15-minutes’ drive. Marion’s Headspace Brewing is a

Virginia Creeper Trail

good ref reshment spot at the end of the day – unless you’re headed for Abingdon (within a half-hour’s drive) — and then it’s Wolf Hills Brewing on Park Street.

Art and artisans A recent visit to Marion reminded us of what Abingdon was like 25 years ago, with far fewer galleries, arts shops, and restaurants — certainly not a spa — than

SAVE THE DATE

Martha Washington Inn & Spa

OCT. 12: Ghost Walk, 7:30 p.m.; tour of downtown Marion led by paranormal investigators. $5, benefits a food bank. Meet at the Collins House Inn, 204 W. Main St. This tour is also offered July-September. marionva.org/events/ghos FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 8 - 2 0 1 9

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Frances T. Stribling, and he worked

The original staircase at the Blackburn Inn

with Thomas Jefferson’s apprentice Thomas R. Blackburn to remake the hospital into one that reflected his belief in “moral treatment,” meaning handling patients with kindness and sympathy and providing buildings and grounds that were conducive to wellness. The hospital’s chapel is next to undergo renovation, and when completed, it will include meeting rooms, banquet facilities, a spa and a fine-dining restaurant. The inn, which is managed by the Richmondbased Retro Hospitality Inc., offers morning croissants from the new Reunion Bakery & Espresso and other Staunton-made products for picnics and takeaways. “It’s a wonderful feeling to see that buildThe Shack’s Ian Boden

THE RICHMOND CONNECTIONS

ing restored and brought back to life,” Miller says, “and all the features that Thomas Blackburn designed highlighted.”

Staunton and Waynesboro provide an escape along with some familiar faces from home / By Susan Winiecki

See On the third floor at the Blackburn is a light-f illed space fea-

ghum mustard barbecue sauce and hot sauce, which meant that bottles of both made it back to Richmond.

Stay In June 2018, Richmond-based developer Robin Miller and Dan Gecker opened the 49-room Blackburn Inn (blackburn-inn.com), an airy boutique hotel on the 80-acre grounds of a former state psychiatric hospital. Built in 1828, the hospital got a new superintendent in 1836, Dr.

42

Nov. 23-24: The Christmas Market at the Frontier Culture Museum.

Learn about holiday traditions on farms depicting how people of German, English, Irish, early American and African ancestry may have lived.

And then shop from vendors offering handcrafted holiday goods. frontiermuseum.org

Eat

Along with Boden’s The Shack in Staunton, don’t miss Zynodoa (zynodoa.com). The brunch was top-notch, with its signature creme bruleed cornbread, French toast with lemon-whipped ricotta and corned beef hash. Also be sure to swing by Wright’s Dairy Rite drive-in (dairy-rite. com), across the street from the Blackburn Inn, for an orange cream or a raspberry shake. For a treat to take home, duck into the new Firkin Pie Co. to enjoy a savory potpie or a sweet hand pie.

Top: Courtesy The Blackburn Inn; Center: Sera Petras Photography.

turing work from regional

Staunton chef Ian Boden has been to Richmond artists who also show at the several times for special guest dinners over the Co-Art Gallery (coartgallery.com) past four years, but I had not visited his celebrated and Beverley Street Studio School (bssschool.org). It provides a restaurant until this past June. Upon entering The prompt for guests to take a short walk into the movie-set-looking Shack (theshackva.com) on a Saturday night, I also downtown, complete with train station, to view more artwork and was greeted by one of my favorite people from explore many antique and vintage shops, including an outpost of Richmond, Erin Wright, the owner of Bellevue’s Richmond’s Black Swan. On your way back to Richmond, make Little House Green Grocery, which carries locally a stop at the expansive Shenandoah Valley Art Center (svacart. made products from throughout the state. She, com) in Waynesboro, or if you want more history and architecture, too, was visiting for the first time and staying at an see if Swannanoa (540-885-5653), the former summer home in Airbnb that Boden and his wife own Afton of Maymont’s Dooley family, is opened for downtown. Recently, Boden had weekend tours.

SAVE THE DATE started bottling and selling a sor-

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FRESH POWDER

Massanutten Resort, Massanutten Seven lifts lead to 14 slopes on the side of the mountain overlooking Massanutten Resort. The 6,000acre getaway welcomes skiers, boarders, tubers, and onlooking family and friends to gather at its

Ski slopes are a short drive away from Richmond

outdoor Base Camp Bar & Grill on The Ski Lodge patio. Inside, live music keeps the energy up at the end of the day. If you want a break from the slopes, visit the resort’s escape room. (2-hour drive,

/ By Megan Wilson

massresort.com)

Not everyone gets to enjoy the snow as much as they can the beach, but Virginians have it good, especially Richmonders. Set in the central part of the state, the city is a gateway to waterways and snowy mountains alike. From nearest to farthest, here is a sampling of what’s out there:

Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre, Lynchburg Liberty’s claim to skiing fame is its ability to offer up snow-like covered slopes year-round. Even skilled riders need to learn to adapt to the synthetic surface. Before taking on the larger slopes, guests are asked to first attempt the beginner slopes. Even skilled riders need to learn to adapt to the synthetic surface.

The Centre’s freestyle features offer a wide variety Wintergreen Resort

for advanced and expert skiers and boarders, including a BagJump Airbag. Tubing, a skate park and an Olympic trampoline are also year-round playtime options at the resort, which overlooks the Liberty University campus. (2 1/4-hour drive, liberty.edu/snowflex)

Bryce Resort, Mount Jackson Eight lifts lead to smooth and easy slopes that welcome a laid back-approach to taking on the snow at beginner-friendly Bryce Resort. Practice at the base of the mountain, where a carpet lift can comfortably lead you to the top of the beginner terrain.

Top and center: Courtesy Wintergreen Resort; Bottom: Courtesy Massanutten Resort

(2 1/2-hour drive, bryceresort.com)

The Omni Homestead Resort, Hot Springs Two major hot springs flow into the land where the sprawling luxury Omni Homestead Resort rests. In winter, its slopes provide options for beginner and advanced skiiers and snowboarders alike. The resort also offers a sophisticated list of food options, some of which are fueled by the

Wintergreen Resort, Wintergreen

visit the full-service spa, where you can simmer in

Expert skiers and boarders hone their freestyle

the mineral waters. (3-hour drive, omnihotels.com)

resort’s on-site garden and beehives. Be sure to

skills along Wintergreen’s energetic Terrain petitions. During the weekends, Wintergreen

Snowshoe Mountain, West Virginia

also opens its NASTAR (National Standard Race)

If you’re up for the drive and a little more space,

Park, sometimes for rail jams and other com-

course and serves as the home venue for the U Va. Alpine Ski and Snowboard Team. The resort is friendly to a variety of skill levels, however. In addition to a wide range of slopes, the Shamokin Ice skating rink, The Plunge tubing park and Ridgely’s Fun Park offer alternatives for all ages. (90-minute drive, wintergreenresort.com)

SAVE THE DATE March 2-3: Snow Moon Fest at Massanutten Resort features a torchlight parade, fireworks, and a polar plunge. massresort.com

Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia is getting an upgrade, including $4 million in new snowmaking equipment set to debut winter 2018-2019. Even without the equipment, fresh powder is a regular guest here. The resort gets an average annual snowfall of more than 180 inches. (4-hour drive, visit.snowshoemtn.com) FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 1 8 - 2 0 1 9

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Fredericksburg, Virginia Eat Shop Play

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than travel time.

Whatever busy highway life has you traveling down, take the time to stop in Mecklenburg County. Discover our charming towns, splash around in over 50,000 acres of fresh water, enjoy a craft brew, a gourmet meal or a stroll through our historic gardens and wineries. | #crushfridayva

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More of what matters. More Mecklenburg. visitmeckva.com | #moremeck 9/4/18 11:44 AM

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The Mountains are Calling…

From the Blue Ridge Parkway to Smith Mountain Lake, you’re invited to Come, Stay, Explore!

Bedford Area Welcome Center & Tourism 816 Burks Hill Rd., Bedford, VA 24523 (877) 447-3257 VisitBedford.com

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FAMILY

ADVENTURE

DINING

SHOPPING THE ARTS

HISTORY

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LAKE LIFE

Smith Moutain Lake

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HIDDEN TREASURES Find history, food, fun, and maybe gold in Bedford / By Genevelyn Steele

Along U.S. Highway 460 in Bedford County stands an overgrown, tumbled-down chimney, separated from its structure in perpetuity. That pile of stones once warmed Buford’s Tavern, a 19th-century ordinary mentioned in one of three ciphers published in 1885. The pamphlet sketched a fantastical tale of a gold and jewel cache, hidden in the nearby mountains by Thomas J. Beale and never recovered, that’s still hunted today. Beale’s Treasure, whether genuine or part of an elaborate hoax, continues to course through Bedford, heard but not seen, like a train whistle in the night. You can search for Beale’s stash, but along the way, there are other treasures, both natural and manmade, to enjoy.

Kayaking on Smith Moutain Lake

Back in town, check out the lager and Texas-style barbecue at Beale’s Brewery (bealesbeer.com), housed in an old textile mill. In a nod to the Beale legend, golden tickets, redeemable for swag, are hidden around the brewery.

High Points

On the Water

The city is best known as the site of org), which cost more than $25 million

Smith Moutain Lake

and spans 88 acres. The museum and re-

Smith Mountain Lake has 500 miles of shoreline to explore. Bedford County makes up the northern shores of the lake, which was created in 1963 by damming the Black-

flecting pool are dominated by “Overlord,” a 44-foot-tall arch named in honor of Operation Overlord, the code name for D-Day, the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France in World War II.

water River and Roanoke River.

National D-Day Memorial

buzzes with boats idling into the dock. There’s

The Normandy campaign claimed the lives of 23

also SUP, kayak, pontoons and wakesurfing

soldiers from Bedford, a town of 3,200 residents

equipment. The plaza is the heart of lake life,

at the time.

with a visitor center, galleries, games, shops

Bedford (visitbedford.com) is at the base of three Blue Ridge Mountain peaks, Sharp Top, Flat Top and Harkening Hill, that are known collectively as the Peaks of Otter. The Peaks of Otter Lodge (peaksofotter.com) at Milepost 86 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, is run by the National Park Service.

It is a prime destination mid-October, leaf season’s apex, for birding and fall foliage. The charming, updated hostelry also serves an outstanding brunch that hits the spot after hiking the 1.5-mile trail to the Sharp Top summit.

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Bridgewater Marina (bwmarina.com) in the Bridgewater Plaza (bridgewaterplaza.com),

and dining.

SAVE THE DATE NOV. 3: Smith Mountain Lake Chili and Craft Festival, with music, crafts and a chili competition.

JUNE 6, 2019: Commemoration of the 75th anniversary of D-Day, National D-Day Memorial. dday.org

Try Lucky Duck Family Entertainment Center for carnival games, trampoline and a climbing wall. The Fun ‘N Games Arcade proffers both classic pinball and high-tech arcade games.

The 10-seat chef counter, helmed by chef Bruno Silva of The Landing Restaurant (thelandingsml.com) glimmers with Peruvian and Modern American cuisine. For a more casual bite, follow @the_gastrotruck on Twitter, the restaurant’s food truck.

Top and Center: Courtesy Brigitte Luckett; Bottom: Courtesy Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce

the National D-Day Memorial (dday.

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TOP OF THE POPS

(durham-nc.com) to look for clothes, jewelry and gifts.

Brightleaf Square (historicbrightleaf.com), a former tobacco warehouse district, has independent shops and dining, and downtown highlights include Letters bookshop (lettersbookshop.com), featuring new, used and rare books, with a specialty

Discover designer popsicles, shopping and butterflies in Durham / By Tina Eshleman

in children’s books.

For a quick lunch, we went to Parker & Otis (parkerandotis. com), a restaurant and gift shop near Brightleaf Square with

After multiple visits there during the past decade, Durham in North Carolina has left me with the impression of a laid-back place that has the feel of a smaller city. Maybe that’s because the trips have involved spending time with friends, walking around town and making leisurely stops at parks, shops or restaurants. But with more businesses opening downtown and a thriving arts scene, there are lots of reasons to keep coming back.

gourmet food, wine and beer. All the salads at the deli counter looked appealing, and my fontina-and-artichoke-heart panini with roasted red peppers and spinach on sourdough was fresh and filling.

And for us, no visit to Durham is complete without a stop at Locopops (ilovelocopops.com), a yearround popsicle shop with flavors like boysenberry pear, raspberry hibiscus, mango chile and lychee rose petal.

In Bloom The 55-acre Sarah P. Duke Gardens at

On a spring-like Sunday in mid-February, we de-

Duke University (gardens.duke.edu) is

cided to go to the Museum of Life and Science

a beautiful place to wander around on a

(lifeandscience.org), just a few minutes’ drive north of downtown, with our Durham friends. One of the big attractions there is the Magic Wings Butterfly House,

nice spring day. Admission is free, though Falls Lake

where we looked for paperwhites and blue morphos among the tropical trees and flowers inside a 30-foot-high conservatory.

At the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke (nasher.duke.edu),

the university charges $1 for parking each half hour. There are several themed gardens, including a white garden, the Virtue Peace Pond,

the East meets West Garden and a Woodland garden.

“Pop America, 1965-1975” celebrates mid-century pop art. It runs

Water World

February-July 2, 2019. The museum also rotates through items

Just north you’ll find Falls Lake, a 12,000-acre, undeveloped res-

in its extensive permanent collection in eight galleries and the

ervoir. The Falls Lake State Recreation Area (ncparks.gov) has

entrance to its Wilson Pavilion. Admission is $7 for adults.

five beaches for swimming, a network of trails for hiking and

There are several browse-worthy shopping areas in Durham.

biking and more than 300 campsites.

Clockwise from top: Courtesy North Carolina Department of Parks and Recreation; Courtesy Museum of Life and Science; and Huth Photo2

Near Duke University’s east campus is the Ninth Street District, where treasures include the Regulator Bookshop as well as several places

Carolina Theatre

SAVE THE DATE FEBRUARY: Nevermore Horror and Gothic Film Festival, three days of cinematic scares, held since 1999, with screenings at the circa-1926 Carolina Theatre. carolinatheatre.org for 20th annual festival dates and cost

Museum of Life and Science

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OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

community was the late Bob Cage.

Put the intersection of Shanti Road and Cage Trail outside South Boston in your GPS to drive alongside a field filled with ginormous outsider sculptures, made from reclaimed materials such as jet engines and wagon wheels,. The acreage is manicured

Sports cars, fish and a field full of art are part of the fun in Halifax County

by goats. The Cage Sculpture Farm isn’t open to the public, but it’s easily viewed from the road. Then, keep a lookout for more of Cage’s talisman-like

/ By Genevelyn Steele

pieces, which are sprinkled throughout the town of Halifax.

You can set your own pace in Halifax County.

This southern Piedmont county’s lush, rolling hills offer adventures ranging from indulging your need for speed with sports cars and motorcycle racing to relaxing and reeling in prolific hauls of fish at Kerr Lake and Banister Lake.

In the single-stoplight downtown, check out the Mountain Road Historic District, a bosky stretch brimming with mansions dating from the early 19th century.

In South Boston, you’ll find the Occoneechee State Park

Berry Hill Resort & Conference Center (berryhillresort.com). The property was an antebellum plantation and has 92 guest rooms with either a canopy bed or two sleigh beds.

Cap off your South Hill visit with a performance at The Prizery (prizery.com), a 250-seat cultural center in a former tobacco prizery, welcoming professional actors and musicians from outside the area.

On the Water The 400-acre Banister Lake, north of Halifax off U.S. Highway 501 is a secret fishing spot, teeming with large mouth bass, sunfish, crappie, and catfish. Below the dam on the Banister River, 15-pound stripers are routinely reeled in beginning in late April.

Kerr Lake

Take Highway 58 from South Boston to Kerr Lake, and along the way you’ll pass and cotton was once king. Now, outdoor

The Virginia International Raceway

recreation takes the crown.

(virnow.com) in Alton propels professional and

the John H. Kerr Reservoir and also known

elevation track, positioning the speedway as

as Buggs Island Lake, is massive, with 800

one of Car and Driver Magazine’s top six road

miles of wooded shoreline stretching across

courses in the nation. In 2018, the facility played host to diverse events ranging from the Pirelli World Challenge to Championship Cup Series Motorcycle Road Racing. It’s also home to the Hyperfest motor sports festival in May, a National Auto Sports Association event that includes races, an area for children and also a chance for people to try out their street cars on the track.

Outside of motoring, the Convergence Art Guild, a consortium of Halifax County writers, artists and performers, keeps the fine arts alive in Southern Virginia. The most noted, and prolific artist, in this

50

Kerr Lake (clarksvilleva.com), straddling

amateur drivers through 3.27 miles of sharp

Lakefest

SAVE THE DATE NOV. 16-18: Carolinas Region Porsche Club of America show, Virginia International Raceway JULY 18-20: Virginia Lakefest, Clarksville. Carnival, hot air balloon and helicopter rides, antique car show, music and fireworks.

the Virginia and North Carolina border. Get your bearings at the Joseph S. J. Tanner Environmental Education Center in Boydton to learn about local wildlife through handson exhibits. Or, walk downtown Clarksville, Virginia’s only lakefront town, across the water from the Occoneechee State Park.

Camping, boating, swimming and fishing opportunities abound. What I love about Kerr Lake’s waters are its kid-friendly, cool currents, and watching the sailboats on breezy days.

Top Center: Courtesy Va. Dept. of Conservation and Recreation Center and bottom: Mecklenburg County Tourism

flat fields growing soybeans where tobacco

Fast Cars, Fine Art

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for enslaved Americans.

Four museums (washingtonheritagemuseums.org) are within walking distance from each other; The Rising Sun Tavern (circa 1760s) depicts tavern life; Mary Washington House (purchased

by George Washington for his mother in 1722); St. James’ House (built 1768) with period antiques; and the Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop, showcasing Colonial medical practices.

Curitiba Art Cafe (facebook.com/curi tibaartecafe1/) is a coffee house and Brazilian furniture store in a newly restored, 1770s building.

The Irish Brigade (irishbrigadetavern. com), an Irish pub set in the original train station, is named for Irish immigrants who fought in the Civil War. A thriving brewery scene includes Spencer Devon Brewing, Maltese Brewing

Top: Courtesy Virginia Dept. of Conservation and Recreation; Center: Courtesy Spotsylvania Dept of Economic Development & Tourism; Bottom: Courtesy Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce

Lake Anna State Park

Company, Adventure Brewing Company and Strangeways Brewing.

STORIED STREETS AND WATERFRONT CALM Fredericksburg deals deep in history; Lake Anna offers a respite from the hustle / By Genevelyn Steele Few rejected a proposal from John D. Rockefeller Jr., but, in the 1920s, Fredericksburg did just that.

Fredericksburg’s 40 blocks of Colonial, Italianate and Federal-style buildings were 18th- and 19th-century sirens calling to Rockefeller and his wife, Abby — a couple bent on preservation in an era when American history still felt new. So, who eventually won the Rockefellers’ foundational hand? Williamsburg.

Antique shops, such as Picker’s Supply (vintage string instruments) and Way Back When Antiques & Gifts abound.

Stay at well-appointed, The Inn at the Old Silk Mill (innat theoldesilkmill.com) or the Courtyard by Marriott Fredericksburg Historic District.

Lake Anna

For outdoor recreation, Lake Anna State Park, 25 miles southwest of Fredericksburg, offers cabins with lake views, fish-

ing, a boat launch, bathhouse and concessions. For a more luxurious visit, rent a waterfront home from Airbnb. Dukes Creek Marina (dukescreek marina.com) lets boats for cruising the sandbar in the middle of the lake, a local hangout.

From Memorial Day to October, play volleyball in the waist high water, where deck parties, grilling and boat hopping mark summer high points

A port city shouldering the Rappahannock River, Fredericksburg

The man-made lake has

fostered patriots during the American Revolution and served as

225 miles of waterfront. The

a route to Richmond during the Civil War. The Battle of Freder-

990-foot-tall dam on the North

icksburg, one of the most tragic of the war, was sparked down-

Anna River was finished in 1972

town. City walls provided little cover to Union soldiers, turning the

to cool water released from Vir-

hamlet into a killing field, with casualties hovering around 10,000.

ginia Power (now Dominion)

To learn more, tour the Fredericksburg National Cemetery

nuclear reactors. The lake has

and the Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania National Military Park

two navigable regions, the pri-

(visitfred.com). Far from celebrating a lost cause, these institu-

vate, or warm side and the pub-

tions present a sense of overwhelming loss, with final victory

lic, cool side.

Octoberfest

SAVE THE DATE OCT. 5-7: Octoberfest takes over downtown Fredericksburg DEC. 8: Deck the Halls, Naturally Workshop.

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harrowing these days because loggers, beginning with George Washington, had 150 miles of ditches and primitive roads constructed to drain the swamp. The dark brown, tannic water (which stains leaves along the shore brown) does make it a forbidding place—where I prayed my husband and I wouldn’t flip our canoe— but, that said, don’t pass up the chance to put in at the Feeder Ditch, which moves water from Lake Drummond to the Great Dismal Swamp Canal.

The canal – like the entire lake and swamp – is an awesome place for photography, birding and wildlife-viewing.

Our first 30 minutes at the swamp produced either the confirmed sighting or confirmed calls of 35 bird species (we were with members of Richmond AuduLake Drummond

bon Society); more than 200 species have been identified on the refuge. Another

it was “just a swallowtail butterfly,” he took me down a notch in commenting, “Imagine such a thing being ‘just a butterfly’” (of

Bird watching at Lake Drummond and posing with Mr. Peanut in Suffolk

which 96 species have been recorded

/ By Martha Steger

Great Britain.

within the refuge’s boundaries). Turns out, sighting swallowtails is rare in Check the home page of the

Lake Drummond

I never cared to be on Lake Drummond after dark swamp’s website (fws.gov/refuge/ to check out the myth of Irish poet Thomas Moore’s Great_Dismal_Swamp/) for a schedpoem, “The Lake of the Dismal Swamp” – that a beule of interpretive programs. Visitors enter reaved lover thought his lost love had the refuge at five designated left her grave and taken to the swamp. entrances (three from the west, through SufHe followed her, never returned, refolk; two from the east, through Chesapeake) united with her in death – and made for hiking and biking, sunrise to sunset daily, hunters and fishers in the swamp ever along more than 80 miles of trails. We presently since susceptible to the sighting of a favor the Railroad Ditch entrance, the relaxing “ghostly white canoe with its fire-fly auto-tour. lamp.” (visitchesapeake.com).

Add to this lore a tidbit from William Suffolk Sites & Mary English professor Henry Hart’s After visiting the refuge, drive into Suffolk to SAVE THE DATE 2017 biography of Robert Frost that the see one of America’s roadside attractions — poet went to the swamp in 1894 with the express purpose of not coming out again after being rejected, he thought, by the love of his life, Elinor Miriam White – whom he married in 1895.

Black Water Wonder While I wouldn’t want to spend the night there, a daytime visit to the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is far from

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APRIL: The familyfriendly Great Dismal Swamp Wildlife Refuge Birding Festival, held each year in mid-to-late April, strategically falls during the height of the spring songbird migration, when the greatest diversity of species are on the fly. visitchesapeake.com/ events/outdoor/

the full-color metal statue of Mr. Peanut atop a granite pedestal. Paying tribute to Planters Peanuts, which has been a local employer for many years, it was unveiled on Washington Street in 1991. It’s across from The Plaid Turnip (theplaidturnip.com), which serves everything from country-fried steak to a Greek salad. If you prefer Italian — or want a good beer/martini menu, try Amici’s Pizza Cafe (amicissuffolk.com), which offers much more than pizza.

Top Left: Courtesy Adventure Kayak Tours; Center: Thinkstock Right: Michael Brown

SWAMP THINGS AND PEANUTS

time, when I took a British journalist for a visit, he asked if I knew the creature fluttering by; when I told him

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THE HILLS ARE ALIVE Martinsville is thriving with active offerings from museums to NASCAR / By Genevelyn Steele

Martinsville, a former tobacco and furniture manufacturing hub, was founded in 1791 by a Revolutionary War veteran, Gen. Joseph Martin. Both industries have mostly pulled out, leaving the southern Virginia town ripe for reinvention. Martinsville’s hilly, Uptown district, where artist studios dot the way between gentle, urban fade — despoiled warehouses and empty storefronts — signal a past heyday.

Yet, Martinsville radiates an unhurried ethos that’s positively rehabilitating.

Martinsville Speedway

Racing and Dinosaurs, too

stegosaurus bones, visit the Daily Grind Coffeehouse and Cafe, where shrimp and grits will set

The city is best known as the home of The Martinsville Speedway (martinsville

you back $5.65.

speedway.com), which draws thousands of NASCAR fans each year. The

Lake and Land

Texas Roadhouse 200 is set for Oct.

Sundays, when Martinsville is largely

27, 2018, followed by the First Data

shuttered, Garfield’s Place—Chicken in the Basket, is a no-website, no-frills diner

500 on Oct. 28.

Keep the race theme going and

with outstanding fried chicken en route to

Top: Getty Images; Center: Courtesy Virginia Dept. of Conservation & Recreation

satisfy your hunger at the Checkered

Philpott Lake.

Pig BBQ & Ribs (checkeredpig.com) on

Philpott Lake

Liberty Street. Helpings are heaped on the plate, with lean, pit-cooked pork and side dish-

The lake (visitfranklincountyva.org/philpottlake/) feels extremely remote when compared with its more famous neighbor, Smith Mountain Lake.

es made from scratch. Top the meat with their medium-heat, vinegar-based sauce.

Philpott is at an elevation of 974 feet and is 100 acres of aquamarine magic, a distillation of cool, Blue Ridge Mountains

Back in town, a sunshine-yellow, vintage Shell station with

river and rains. Bring everything you need with you, including

original gravity fed, 1953 gas pumps identifies Fieldale Antiques.

printed directions to the park, because cell phone service is

This is a pit stop for advertising memorabilia, not petrol.

Piedmont Arts (piedmontarts.org), a Virginia Museum of Fine Arts chapter, hosts six exhibits a year and a permanent, outdoor sculpture garden. Studio 107 Artist Studios is another bellwether,

spotty and shopping nonexistent.

SAVE THE DATE OCT. 2: Dragon Festival, Virginia Museum of Natural History, with blacksmiths and a dragon parade. vmnh.net

power by impounding the Smith River. Its scenic overlook

AUGUST 2019: Smith River Fest, Smith River Sports Complex, with river sports, fly fishing, a duck race and a 5-K mud run.

Patrick counties and is composed of seven individual

leading a flock of mix media crafts studios downtown.

There’s also the Virginia Museum of Natural History (vmnh.net), a Smithsonian affiliate. The museum unearths impressive natural wonders, such as its current dinosaur exhibit. After touching

Built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1948, the Philpott Dam controls flooding and provides hydroelectric winks at the lake’s hopscotching, glimmering coves beneath towering mountains. Located by the information center, this mighty view demands to be photographed.

The Philpott Lake Blueway links Franklin, Henry and water trails only accessible by boat, canoe or kayak.

Nearby, Fairy Stone State Park (dcr.virginia.gov/stateparks/fairy-stone) has a large, sandy swimming beach with lifeguard-protected kids area. Philpott Lake also has six rustic beaches, hiking and a marina.

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County in southwest Virginia and First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach. They are in different parts of the state, but have a common heritage, coming into existence courtesy of the Depression-era Works Progress Administration, the WPA. Steele says to look for details such as stone inlaid drinking fountains, rarely found in new construction.

Martha Steger The longtime director of public relations for the Virginia Tourism Corporation, Steger is a freelancer who shares some of her frequent travels with her husband, Tom, with readers of Richmond magazine.

Staurolite crystals for which Fairy Stone State Park is named.

“What makes my travels through Virginia special are the ongoing discoveries of places and people off the beaten path,” she says. There

TRAVELING WITH FRIENDS Some of the best trips begin with a tip from a friend.

In the preceding pages, we’ve shared some of the best travel suggestions with you from some of our favorite road veterans. Here’s a bit of information about five of them, along with a few more insights on hidden treasure and undiscovered pleasures to be found around Virginia.

are unexpected pleasures everywhere, she says: “a lavender farm outside of Harrisonburg, where the Green Valley Book Fair is also worth checking out; Ferry Plantation House (or Old Donation Farm) in Virginia Beach; fall birding in Laurel Fork, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway; Aldie Mill Historic Park off the John Mosby Highway—and, of course, Assateague (not exactly off-the-beaten-path), 17 miles north of the farm where I grew up on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.”

Joan Tupponce A writer who has produced articles on a variety of subjects for publications that include O, The Oprah Magazine, AmericanWay, Delta Sky and AAA World, Tupponce is passionate about living

Marquita Brown

dance partner. “I really enjoy discovering new places in Virginia

Marquita Brown, a retired associate director of

as well as visiting familiar places. It just reminds me how fortu-

campus recreation at the University of North

nate I am to live in a state that offers so many great adventures.

Carolina-Wilmington, moved to Richmond in

One of my recent discoveries was the Tarnished Truth Distilling

the summer of 2017. The Wilmington native is

Company in the Cavalier Hotel. “I learned so much from the tour

an avid sports and history lover, and recreation enthusiast. She’s

and had a few laughs as well,” she says.

enjoyed learning the trail system along the James River and is often found hiking the South Bank trails on the weekends with

Dina Weinstein

her husband and her 10-year-old son, Jordan. Her favorite escapes

This Richmond-based journalist grew up going

in North Carolina include the Grove Park Inn in Asheville and the

to the beaches of Massachusetts and recently

city of Charlotte. Closer to home, they include Williamsburg and

moved here from the beaches of Miami. Her

Alexandria, which she featured in this issue.

coastal trip to sleuth out lighthouses required a lot of driving in the sweltering heat of summer, broken up with

Genevelyn Steele

One of her all-time favorite discoveries was Pico Taqueria in

ploring the commonwealth, Steele grew up in

Chincoteague. It’s a beachy, hipster establishment that serves fresh

the mountains of southwest Virginia. She says

and creative dishes out of a shack. “I chatted with fellow diners

she enjoy traveling the state because “it truly

standing up at collective tables in the open air, meeting people

has something for everyone—sandy seas, calm lakes and chal-

from across the country who are devoted fans of the Island,” she

lenging, rangy hiking.”

says. A trip for ice cream at Island Creamery down the street was

Two of her favorite getaways are Fairy Stone Park in Patrick

56

pit stops to stretch the legs and eat.

An award-winning food writer with a love of ex-

her reward for climbing to the top of the Assateague Light House.

Top: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

life to the fullest and is always in search of a good laugh and a

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