{"id":21249,"date":"2024-02-08T16:40:04","date_gmt":"2024-02-08T16:40:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visitabingdon.org\/?p=21249"},"modified":"2026-02-27T14:00:33","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T19:00:33","slug":"8-must-do-family-adventures-in-southwest-virginia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/blog\/8-must-do-family-adventures-in-southwest-virginia\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Must-Do Family Adventures in Southwest Virginia"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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8 Must-Do Family Adventures in Southwest Virginia<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Offering scenic recreational trails, historic towns, and expansive outdoor spaces, Southwest Virginia is loaded with options for adventurous families.\u00a0<\/p>

From scenic hikes and strenuous climbs to relaxing time on the water and cultural experiences, this corner of the state has something for everyone to enjoy. These are just a few of the must-dos for families visiting the area. Make Abingdon your home base as you experience one of the most stunning parts of Virginia.\u00a0Click here for a list of lodging options<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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| Virginia State Parks |<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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1. Lake Lounging<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Swimmable lakes are preciously scarce in much of Virginia. Fortunately, the southwest corner of the Old Dominion state offers both sandy beachfront and enticingly placid waters.\u00a0Hungry Mother State Park<\/a><\/strong>, just outside the town of Marion, boasts a plunge-worthy 108-acre lake with plenty of paddling access, 17 miles of trails, rustic campsites, and cabins available for\u00a0rent<\/strong><\/a>. In the\u00a0Mount Rogers National Recreation Area<\/strong><\/a>, the\u00a0Beartree Recreation Area<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is bedecked with a 14-acre lake, circled by the 0.8-mile\u00a0Beartree Lake Trail<\/strong><\/a>, the perfect way for budding hikers to warm-up for a swim in mountain waters.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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2. Hike the Highlands<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Southwest Virginia's most famous residents are the wild ponies wandering the high country of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area and Grayson Highlands State Park | Virginia State Parks |<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Arguably, Southwest Virginia\u2019s most famous residents are the wild ponies wandering the high country of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area and\u00a0Grayson Highlands State Park<\/strong><\/a>\u2014including a now famous steed dubbed Fabio for his healthy golden mane. Now managed by the Wilbur Ridge Pony Association, the animals were introduced to the park in 1974 to graze the mountain meadows and thwart reforestation of the area\u2019s bald summits. Although still wild, the ponies are hardly shy. At Grayson Highlands State Park, the 0.5-mile Rhododendron Trail (easily accessible from the parking area at Massie Gap), offers hikers a good chance to catch a glimpse of the roving equines\u2014and the trail is short is enough for even the shortest legs to tackle.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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3. Sleep Under the Stars<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Ditch the devices and unplug for the night with an old-fashioned family campout. Head for secluded spots like the Stony Fork Campground<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, which offers access to the trout-filled waters of the East Fork of Stony Fork Creek. The camping area also has access to one-mile interpretive forest trail, ideal for young hikers. Rather have more amenities? Head for the Hickory Ridge Campground at Grayson Highlands State Park. The family-camping area has an adjacent playground for young campers with energy to burn, and is located conveniently close to The Country Store, which offers snacks and other camping essentials.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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4. Family Float Trips<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"Float the Fork\" with Adventure Mendota<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Possibly the best way to soak up Southwest Virginia\u2019s sylvan scenery is with a float trip\u2014and there are several options for family-friendly river runs. The North Fork of the Holston River is a slow-moving Class I and II waterway fringed with blooming bluebells in spring and early summer.\u00a0Adventure Mendota<\/a><\/strong>, located about 25 miles from Abingdon, rents kayaks and offers shuttle services for float trips. Southwest Virginia is also home to one of the most biologically diverse rivers in America\u2014the Clinch, which boasts more than 50 different species of freshwater mussels. There are several\u00a0access sites<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0for paddlers dotting the waterway, and\u00a0Clinch River Adventures<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0in St. Paul can outfit paddling trips.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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5. Saddle Up<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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For equestrians, Virginia is literally loaded with trails\u2014but the mountain-laden corner of the state is extra special. A network of bridle paths provide riders access to some of Southwest Virginia\u2019s most stunning high country, including 200 miles of equestrian trails in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, the 68-mile\u00a0Virginia Highlands Horse Trail<\/strong><\/a>, and nearly 10 miles of riding trails in Grayson Highlands State Park (with overnight facilities for campers with horses). Equestrian-friendly campgrounds\u2014like the waterside\u00a0Fox Creek Horse Camp<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and the remote\u00a0Hussy Mountain Horse Campground<\/a><\/strong>\u2014also dot the 200,000-acre Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, allowing seasoned riders to plan extended horse-packing adventures. First time in the saddle? Southwest Virginia is also the ideal place for newbies to get a taste of trail riding.\u00a0Appalachian Mountain Horseback Riding Adventures<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0in Troutdale arranges guided outings for riders of all skills levels, from two-hour excursions to full day trips.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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6. Catch a Show<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Abingdon, Virginia, is home to one of the country\u2019s longest-operating theatres\u2014a venue that sprang from unlikely beginnings. Opening in 1933, the\u00a0Barter Theatre<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0was the brainchild of actor Robert Porterfield, a Southwest Virginia native who returned home because of the Great Depression and conceived of opening a theatre in which patrons could use locally grown produce to pay for admission to performances. The venue has since showcased iconic performers like Gregory Peck, Patricia Neal, and Kevin Spacey. Today the Barter Theatre offers an array of weekly performances at both the Gilliam Stage at the Barter Theatre in downtown Abingdon and across the street at the Barter II.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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7. Cruise the Creeper<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Once a rail line charged with hauling freight and passengers through mountainous Southwest Virginia and into North Carolina, the route of the Norfolk & Western Railway has been transformed into a nationally recognized rail trail, delighting everyone from cyclists to equestrians. The\u00a0Virginia Creeper Trail<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>runs 34.3-miles from historic Abingdon to Whitetop Station, near the North Carolina border. The famously trail-friendly town of Damascus serves as the mid-point for the recreational thoroughfare. Punctuated with leafy picnic spots, points of interest like Green Cove Station, and nine different trailheads, the Virginia Creeper also makes for a family-friendly ride for bicyclists of all skill levels. Best of all for reluctant riders, the 17 miles from Whitetop Station to Damascus is almost entirely downhill. Outfitters like\u00a0Adventure Damascus Bicycle and Outdoor Company<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0in Damascus and the\u00a0Virginia Creeper Trail Bike Shop<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0in Abingdon can arrange both bike rentals and trail shuttles.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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8. Cultural Tours<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Southwest Virginia is regularly heralded as the birthplace of country music\u2014and rightfully so. The region is home to legends like the Carter family, dubbed the “First Family of Country Music.” The family-friendly (alcohol-free)\u00a0Carter Family Fold<\/a>, a music center in Hiltons, Virginia, preserves the legacy of the Carter Family and offers weekly performances on Saturday nights. Or take a road-trip showcasing Southwest Virginia\u2019s musical heritage on the\u00a0Crooked Road Music Trail<\/a>, a 330-mile driving route connecting local artists, exhibits, and performing venues like The Southwest Virginia Cultural Center<\/strong>\u00a0<\/a>in Abingdon, which serves up BBQ and offers live shows on Thursday nights.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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8 Must-Do Family Adventures in Southwest Virginia Offering scenic recreational trails, historic towns, and expansive outdoor spaces, Southwest Virginia is loaded with options for adventurous families.\u00a0 From scenic hikes and strenuous climbs to relaxing time on the water and cultural experiences, this corner of the state has something for everyone to enjoy. These are just […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":21153,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[255,265,256],"tags":[91,109],"class_list":["post-21249","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-attractions","category-blog-and-itineraries","category-outdoors","tag-adventure","tag-highlights"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21249","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21249"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21249\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21153"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21249"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21249"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21249"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}