Things to Do & See
VIrginia Lake County Wine Tour
The Bedford Wine Trail in the Central Virginia region includes 5 vineyards and wineries surrounding Bedford. www.bedfordwinetrail.com
Booker T. Washington National Monument
The birthplace of the great black educator and statesman, author of "Up From Slavery" and advisor to several presidents (540) 721-2094. www.nps.gov/bowa
AEP VIsitor's Center At The Dam
Tour includes model of the lake, explore the history of the dam, and learn how the pump-back system operates. Great views from the top of the dam and a scenic picnic area at its base. (Accessible only by road.)
D-Day National Memorial - Bedford VA
D-Day National Memorial - Bedford
The nine-acre, $14-million memorial honors D-Day veterans with dramatic life-size bronze sculptures of soldiers struggling to survive and gain a foothold on the shell-swept coast of Omaha Beach in Normandy. http://www.dday.org/
Cruise The Lake
Aboard the Virginia Dare, a Mississippi-style river boat that offers lunch, dinner and sight seeing cruises. Cruises can be custom designed for groups. www.vadareruises.com
Blue Ridge Parkway
Breath taking scenery. Go hiking, biking, exploring or have a picnic. You can also take the Parkway winery trail to Château Morrisette, AmRhein Wine Cellar , and Villa Appalachia Winery. Also visit the historic Mabry's Mill. http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/.
Smith Mountain Lake Farm
Guided Nature Walk at Smith Mountain Lake Farm. Daily by reservation: $10 per person, children 6-10 free when accompanied by an adult. Walk through the old homestead, see an abandoned 19th century farmhouse, old tobacco barns, walk through woods and open fields of wild flowers, cool your feet in the stream where Native Americans once lived, and hear the stories of this grand old homestead. Smith Mountain Lake Farm Alpaca Tour cover everything Alpaca, feed and touch these gentle creatures regarded as the Royal Fleece. Call 434-927-5199 for reservations. www.SmithMountainLakeFarm.com
Mill Mountain Zoo - Roanoke
Just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Zoo exhibits 45 plus species including Snow Leopards, Red Pandas, Japanese Macaques, Bald Eagles and much more. http://www.mmzoo.org/
Virginia Museum of Natural History - Martinsville
Permanent exhibits: Age of Reptiles, Age of Mammals, Rock Hall of Fame, Earthquakes of Virginia. Gift shop, natural history library. Eight research scientists on staff, over 21 million specimens in collections. http://www.vmnh.org/
Amazement Square - Lynchburg
Central Virginia's first multidisciplinary, hands-on children's museum! Climb, slide and discover as you make your way through four floors of exciting, interactive exhibits, activities and programs. Visitors of all ages, backgrounds and abilities can explore global and regional topics, the arts and humanities, science and health-related themes, as well as expand their creativity. www.amazementsquare.org
Pineview Farm Alpacas
This 25 acre alpaca farm is open to the pubic at no charge. Come see the alpacas and learn about breeding, sales, fiber and fiber products. There us also a new farm store where you can buy, soaps, lotions, body wash, and a selection of clothing items items made from baby alpaca . http://pineviewfarmalpacas.com/come-visit-our-alpacas/
Virginia Museum of Transportation - Roanoke
The largest collection of locomotives in the Southeast, with over 40 pieces of rolling stock in the rail yard. Also on display are antique carriages, cars, trucks, buses, and trolleys, Interactive exhibits. Special events and more! http://www.vmt.org/
Blue Ridge Institute, Museum and Folk Life Center
Ferrum. Explore Virginia's rich traditions of craft, music, art and lore in BRI Exhibits. Step back in time to a German-American Blue Ridge farm in the year 1800. http://www.blueridgeinstitute.org/