The Center of it All
Historical sites, scenic drives, winery tours, seasonal festivals, family attractions—Central Virginia is a year-round vacation destination, with special events and celebrations taking place throughout the region. There’s so much going on, consider starting your trip with a visit to DiscoverLynchburg.org. There you’ll find the videos, reviews, calendars, promotions, and tour packages you need to make the most out of every excursion. And if you need info on the go, there’s an app for that!
This year, Discover Lynchburg is translating video clips of region’s most popular destinations into French, German, and Spanish. Since Amtrak launched its easy round-trip service from Washington, D.C. and other points north, Lynchburg is becoming more and more of an international destination, serving as a gateway into major moments in American history and as an ideal getaway with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Then, too, there are the shoes. It’s always fun to discover what visitors find most appealing about the city. The results of a recent visit from a group of travel writers from the United Kingdom revealed that downtown’s Craddock-Terry boutique hotel, a renovated shoe factory featuring fabulous footwear and other manufacturing memorabilia, was a big hit. “Many hotels offer a shoeshine,” wrote Belfast-based journalist Andrea McVeigh, “but none that we know of embrace footwear as a theme. Guests at this place are walking all over tradition and having a lot of fun as they step out in style.”
The City of Lynchburg is central to so many cultural and recreational sites that many area hotels and bed & breakfasts offer adventure-packed Snowflex Centre promotions or Civil War tour packages. Others play on the well-known “Virginia is for Lovers” slogan with special stays for lovers of every sort, from outlet shoppers, to rock climbers, to genuine “do not disturb” honeymooners.
LYNCHBURG ATTRACTIONS
Amazement Square, The Rightmire Children’s Museum. Overlooking the James River in downtown Lynchburg, this museum offers children a place to explore science, culture, and art in a unique and interactive way. (434) 845-1888.
The Community Market. Lynchburg boasts the third oldest farmer’s market in the country, located on the corner of 12th and Main streets in downtown. Every Monday through Saturday, the market offers fresh fruits, veggies, breads, and arts and crafts. (434) 455-4485.
Miller-Claytor House. Believed to be the fourth house built in Lynchburg, the Miller-Claytor House, near the entrance of Riverside Park, is the city’s only remaining 18th-century town house. (434) 847-1640.
Monument Terrace. Easily one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks, each level of this recently renovated memorial pays homage to Lynchburg citizens who lost their lives in the armed services, from the Civil War to Vietnam.
Historic Sandusky. Built in 1808, Sandusky is one of the
Lynchburg area’s first Federal style mansions. Taken over and used as Union headquarters during the Battle of Lynchburg, it’s now the site of the Historic Sandusky Museum and Civil War Center. 434-832-0162.
Old City Cemetery. Home to the final resting place of over 20,000, including many Confederate soldiers, this cemetery features a hearse museum, a chapel, the Pest House Medical Museum, and year-round special events and tours. (434) 847-1465.
Point of Honor. This early 19th-century mansion, nestled
in the heart of Lynchburg, was once the residence of Patrick Henry’s personal physician, George Cabell. (434) 455-6226.
APPOMATTOX COUNTY ATTRACTIONS
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park. This national park is the place where the leader of the Confederate Army, Robert E. Lee, surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant, General-in-Chief of the Union Army, ending the Civil War. The majority of the buildings on this site are original and have been maintained just as they were on April 9, 1865. (434) 332-5996.
Clover Hill Village. Experience the daily life of Appomattox between the years 1840–1920 at this enchanting six-acre village featuring a general store, blacksmith, one-room schoolhouse, quiet little chapel and a cozy log cabin. (434) 352-3996.
BEDFORD COUNTY ATTRACTIONS
Historic Avenel. Built in 1838, The Avenel is one of the region's most unique architectural treasures, serving as the centerpiece of Bedford's social, cultural, and political life. (540) 586-1814.
National D-Day Memorial. In remembrance of those who lost their lives in the Normandy Invasion of 1944, the National D-Day Memorial is designed to honor all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. (540) 586-3329.
Peaks of Otter. Located on the Blue Ridge Parkway, three mountains make up the majestic Peaks of Otter at an elevation of 4,200 feet. Guests can enjoy numerous hiking trails, picnic clearings, campgrounds, fishing holes, cozy lodges, and a charming restaurant. (540) 586-4496.
Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest. Thomas Jefferson's octagonal retreat home serves as a place of learning and discovery. Current preservation efforts and concentrated archeological activity ensure that Jefferson's beloved estate will be around for generations to come. (434) 525-1806.
CAMPBELL COUNTY ATTRACTIONS
Avoca Museum. This Queen Anne-style house is the home and burial place of Colonel Charles Lynch, a Revolutionary War patriot and brother of Lynchburg's founder, John Lynch. Tours are offered from mid-April to mid-October. (434) 376-2044.
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS
Blue Ridge Parkway. Take a scenic drive through Bedford, Amherst, and Nelson counties. The Blue Ridge Parkway offers stunning overlooks, wondrous waterfalls, and charming waysides. (800) 732-5821.
Red Hill Patrick Henry National Memorial. Red Hill serves as the last home and burial place for the fiery legislator and orator Patrick Henry. Today, this working farm is home to seven historic buildings including the reconstructed main house and Henry’s law office. (434) 376-2044.
Booker T. Washington National Monument. This monument honors the life and legacy of Booker T. Washington, who rose out of slavery to prominence as an educator, orator, and founder of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. (540) 721-2094.
Monacan Indian Nation Ancestral Museum. The Monacan Indian Nation of Virginia is a small tribe composed of about 1,700 people centered around Bear Mountain in Amherst County. The site includes a log cabin from the late 1870s, which was used as a church and school. (434) 946-2531.
ORCHARDS, VINEYARDS AND WINERIES
Every time you pick up a Fuji apple, you are biting into a little bit of Central Virginia history. There was a time when fruit orchards stretched across the region and wagonloads of apples and peaches were shipped across the state. Today, this heritage is celebrated during tours, “u-pick” opportunities, and seasonal events, which offer fun for the whole family and support local farmers.
Virginia is for wine lovers, and Central Virginia is at the heart of it. After all, this is where Thomas Jefferson, the state’s founding wine aficionado, has a festival held in his honor, with eleven area wineries participating in the celebration. Wine trails, as well as individual tours and tastings, occur year round. Discover why Virginia wines are garnering accolades in nationwide competitions.
LYNCHBURG FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
Garden Day. Scheduled at the peak of springtime color, Lynchburg’s Garden Day celebrations occur during the annual History Garden Week in Virginia, the oldest and largest statewide house-and-garden tour event in the country.
The James River Batteau Festival. This early summer event celebrates the heyday of navigation on the James River, when flat-bottom cargo boats called batteaux were a fixture on the water. Local communities and civic groups gather to rebuild these historic rafts and enjoy a leisurely weeklong trip along the James.
Celebrate America. As the biggest fireworks display in Central Virginia, this 4th of July event is sponsored by Thomas Road Baptist Church and offers carnival rides, popcorn, music, and games. The day is concluded with
a brilliant display of fireworks.
Friday Cheers. During summer evenings in downtown Lynchburg, Friday Cheers helps raise money for local nonprofit organizations while offering guests a weekly concert headlined by local and nationally-known bands.
Get! Downtown Street Festival. Beat the back-to-school blues at this Friday-night block party on Main Street featuring giveaways, graffiti, live music, dancing, shopping, food, and roaming performers. Free admission and parking.
Kaleidoscope. Throughout the month of September, Lynchburg residents can attend a collage of multicultural events known as Kaleidoscope, including the Virginia 10-Miler, Day in the Park, the Lynchburg Art Festival, and Lynchburg Craft Show.
Lynchburg Beer and Wine Festival. What better way to spend a Saturday in late September? Enjoy music, food, and crafts, along with tastings from more than 18 breweries and wineries at Riverfront Park downtown.
Virginia Christmas Spectacular. Since 1971, this Broadway-style production during the first two weekends of December has grown to feature twin giant “living” Christmas trees, hundreds of thousands of lights and the
lively Thomas Road Choir.
Christmas at Point of Honor. Point of Honor, one of
Lynchburg’s architectural jewels, hosts an open house featuring period music and refreshments. See the mansion decorated for Christmas circa 1815 with native greens, yule log, and other customary displays of the period.
Winterfest. Ring in the New Year with Liberty University’s
Winterfest. One of the most popular celebrations of Christian rock, this conference features high-profile artists and speakers.
AMHERST COUNTY
Monacan Powwow. The annual springtime Monacan Powwow in Elon features Native American dancers, drummers, and artists from Virginia and across the country.
Virginia Wine and Garlic Festival. Every October, Rebec Vineyard in Amherst County attracts thousands of garlic and wine lovers. There’s plenty of food, music, arts & crafts, and the crowning of the Garlic King and Queen.
APPOMATTOX COUNTY
Historic Appomattox Railroad Festival. Held on the second full weekend in October, families enjoy small town life with a parade down Main Street, craft vendors, live bands, food, fireworks, and, of course, train rides.
BEDFORD COUNTY
Horse & Hound Wine Festival. Held in July, this unique
fundraiser features wine from eight of Virginia’s finest wineries, good music, and visiting art, craft, and food vendors. Events throughout the day include the Parade of Horses, agility dogs, and muskrat racing.
Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival. Each year in September, this two-day event draws tasters and non-tasters alike to a weekend of live music and local wineries.
Centerfest. Bedford celebrates small-town life with a daylong event held on a Saturday in the early fall. Streets fill up with guests who enjoy car and motorcycle shows, food vendors, artisans, craft vendors, kid’s activities, and a concert at night.
Thomas Jefferson Wine Festival. During this November event at Poplar Forest, visitors enjoy Virginia wineries, featuring the Bedford Wine Trail, local food purveyors and artisans, musical entertainment, and much more. “Mr. Jefferson” himself is on hand to discuss his love of wines and his home at Poplar Forest.
Elks Home Christmas Lights. Hailed by locals as the
“Christmas Capital of Virginia,” hundreds of thousands of lights cover this retirement community for a holiday scene not to be missed each year.
CAMPBELL COUNTY
Uncle Billy’s Day. Pony rides, firefighter exhibits and live music draw crowds to the Town of Altavista. Over the years, this summer event has turned into a block party and giant reunion, and remains one of the largest flea markets around.
