Busy weekends at swimming competitions can be hectic. Between the travel, cheering for your athlete, finding a place to eat, and checking into the hotel, it’s hard to find time to relax and enjoy the trip.
Luckily, competitions held at Christiansburg Aquatic Center are just minutes from family-friendly attractions and unforgettable experiences that make the Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Montgomery County region a must-visit for folks across the country.
Take a break from the action at It’s Game Time At The Superbowl. In close proximity to a variety of shopping and dining options in uptown Christiansburg, the NRV Superbowl is a great place to unwind with bowling, an arcade, laser tag, axe throwing, and more.
Climb to new heights at nearby Crimper’s Climbing Gym. Anyone above the age of five can enjoy the state-of-the-art facility with world-class climbing features.
Take the kids to Wonder Universe: A Children’s Museum in the Uptown Christiansburg Mall. Here, your kids will find fun, hands-on educational exhibits unique to the area’s wildlife and scientific scene. While you’re in the mall, swing by Paint ‘n Fun Ceramics to bring out your creative side.
When you’re finally ready to relax for the evening, Go To Town! Explore bustling downtown Blacksburg with famous restaurants, fantastic small businesses, and cultural experiences.
One of Montgomery County’s two largest towns – Blacksburg – is internationally known for Virginia Tech and is indeed a quintessential college town. But, Blacksburg offers so much more to visitors than higher education. Here are 10 must-do experiences in Blacksburg for your next visit. Go to Town!
Black Hen & Bar Blue
With a rich agricultural history, Montgomery County and Blacksburg have no shortages of delicious, farm-to-table foods and talented chefs. Black Hen & Bar Blue and its beloved culinary artist, Chef T, bring out the vibrant flavor of the region with sophisticated yet approachable dishes. Be sure to try the seared scallops and risotto, which contains mascarpone and a few other unique ingredients we’re not allowed to share. Go to Town! attempting to identify all the flavors in this rich dish, but be sure to save room for dessert.
Blacksburg Farmer’s Market
Taste your way through the flavors of Montgomery County and stop by the Blacksburg Farmer’s Market, open every Wednesday and Saturday, where local growers and makers sell their wares to the local community and restaurants. Depending on the season, you can take home flowers, meats, eggs, produce, baked goods, honey, handmade goods and more. All of the farms participating in the market are located within a 50-mile radius of Blacksburg, and use unique growing methods to lengthen the Appalachian growing season. As Southerners, they’re all of course very friendly so feel free to ask them about their growing processes as part of your agritourism experience.
Top of the Stairs
Top of the Stairs, or TOTS as the locals call it, is a beloved Hokie hangout featuring indoor and open air dining overlooking one of the main thoroughfares of the Virginia Tech campus. In addition to the iconic neon Virginia Tech flag (which lights up the night sky after gameday), TOTS is locally known for a drink called The Rail, which answers the question, “What would it taste like if you mix all the liquors together in one drink?” Give it a shot and you’ll find it tastes remarkably better with each sip. Plus, the TOTS team might just make you an honorary Hokie.
Pandapas Pond and Poverty Creek Trail System
If mountain biking or hiking through nature is how you like to Go to Town!, be sure to check out Pandapas Pond, located in Jefferson National Forest. Claimed as some of the best mountain biking trails on the East Coast, mountain bikers can kick up mud over 19 trails and more than 30 miles of terrain. Trails are suitable for all skill levels from greenhorns to shredders, while rough rock gardens, switchbacks and grueling vertical climbs await all comers. The pond itself sits on the Eastern Continental Divide and treats visitors to a serene vista of rhododendron, dragonflies, turtles, songbirds, and waterfowl.
If you’d prefer a more leisurely ride or hike, Poverty Creek Trail is the main multi-use trail at Pandapas Pond that features more gently rolling slopes across a 7.1 mile one-way trail, perfect for hiking, running, horseback riding, mountain biking, or just enjoying a picnic at the Pandapas Pond day area.
Beliveau Farm Winery
With a desire to grow grapes and make wine, Yvan and Joyce Beliveau purchased land that had been overgrown with brush, along with the 1900’s farmhouse-turned-barn that sat upon it, in 2001. By 2009, the first grapes were planted and the first wine was produced in 2011. Beliveau Farm Winery officially opened in 2012 and a brewery was added in 2019 to produce gluten-free beers – currently Virginia’s only gluten-free brewery. While the variety of wines available, from the “Destiny” vidal blanc to the “Sweet Surrender” concord, are enough to impress any aficionado, more impressive is the 165 scenic acres of picnic areas, hiking trails and lavender fields that add the perfect touch of ambiance to your glass.
The Lyric Theatre
Blacksburg’s Lyric Theatre, originally opened in 1930 and the focus of major restorations throughout the years, is famous for being one of Virginia’s first cinemas to show sound pictures. Adorned with original 1930s tapestries, replica lanterns and the fully restored lobby and auditorium, today the Lyric Theatre is a hub for movies, concerts and performances. The Lyric Theatre is also home to some of the best popcorn in Montgomery County, so grab a bag and enjoy (we like it better with extra butter).
Moon Hollow Brewing
Moon Hollow Brewing Company boasts an inviting venue where people from all walks of life can connect over fresh, local brews. Named for the small plot of land behind the brewery space, the brewery treats patrons to a variety of locally influenced flavors, from a grapefruit ginger sour to a traditional Hefeweizen. While Moon Hollow does not have its own kitchen (yet), local food trucks are often on site in case you get the munchies. The brewery also is part of the Old Prices Fork School Revitalization Project, which is transforming the unoccupied school into a center for housing, retail, and food and beverage locations.
Center for the Arts
Virginia Tech’s Center for the Arts is a thriving community of art and inspiration, where visitors have meaningful experiences enjoying art of the highest caliber in all its forms. In addition to hosting exhibitions and performances from globally and locally celebrated artists, the Center for the Arts treats visitors to hands-on experiences, workshops with visiting artists, lectures and symposia, master classes, community celebrations and more. The Center also houses The Cube, a one-of-a-kind black box theater used for research, performances and visual art.
New River Junction
The New River – one of the world’s oldest rivers – plays a significant role to Blacksburg, Montgomery County and surrounding areas, and the best way to explore this meandering waterway is to just jump right in and Go to Town!New River Junction is a family-owned campground and recreational park which offers access to the wide, shallow riffles and clear, warm waters of the ancient New River. Visitors can rent tubes (and a cooler) for the whole group and simply relax as they float down nearly one mile of calm water. For those seeking a bit more adventure, there is an optional 200 yards of exhilarating rapids at the end of the float.
Blacksburg Wine Lab
If you like wine but feel intimidated by the traditional tasting rooms, stop by Blacksburg Wine Lab for a more approachable wine experience perfect for beginners. Owners John Boyer and Katie Pritchard have created Blacksburg Wine Lab to treat wine amateurs and connoisseurs alike to an experience of tasting high-quality, lesser-known wines with a focus on educating clients on the science and flavors of wines. Blacksburg Wine Lab also serves a menu of foods ranging from appetizers to tinned seafoods to pair perfectly with your wine flights.
Go to Town! in Christiansburg
Christiansburg is one of Virginia’s largest towns and offers visitors an authentic New River Valley experience at a relaxed pace. The peaceful streets of the downtown are reminiscent of simpler times, yet under this quaint veneer of Christiansburg lies a bustling community with a rich history and vibrant culture just waiting to be explored. Here are 8 ways you can Go to Town! in Christiansburg during your next visit to Montgomery County and the New River Valley.
Wonder Universe Children’s Museum
Wonder Universe: A Children’s Museum is all about letting kids have fun, burn off a bit of energy and play while learning about topics ranging from arts to the environment. Given Montgomery County’s agricultural history, the museum’s “Farm to Table” exhibit lets kids plant, harvest and buy or sell produce, then prepare a fresh meal in the farm kitchen. Oh, and in case you have any upcoming visits to the dentist, the “Dental Office” exhibit lets children take on the roles of both patient and dentist, helping them understand what it takes to have healthy, pearly white chompers.
Huckleberry Trail
The Huckleberry Trail connects Christiansburg with neighboring Blacksburg and is part of the nation’s rail-to-trail system, making the 15-mile trek perfect for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and abilities, whether walking, running or cycling. Montgomery County residents feel strongly about preserving and protecting environmental treasures like the Huckleberry Trail, so your visit to the trail is just one way you can explore like a local by enjoying one of their most cherished sites.
Photo by Austin Hodges
Christiansburg Institute
Established in 1866, the Christiansburg Institute was the first southwestern Virginia high school to educate formerly enslaved people. For 100 years, the Institute served African Americans across the state of Virginia. Today, Christiansburg Institute honors the Institute’s 100-year legacy of African-American education and empowerment through storytelling, community outreach and education, and historic preservation. The Edgar A. Long building is the last remaining structure from the original 185-acre Christiansburg Institute campus, and is currently under renovation to include a multi-platform museum exhibit showcasing Christiansburg Institute’s material and cultural history, and African American history throughout the South.
Additionally, Christiansburg Institute has revived the ECHO newspaper, originally published by the students of the Institute’s print shop, to serve as its own official newsletter. The online newsletter can be viewed on Christiansburg Institute’s website.
Photo by Sarah Hauser
Montgomery Museum of Art & History
The Montgomery Museum of Art & History is located in Christiansburg on East Main Street. The museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history of Montgomery County and the region as well as promoting art by regional artists. As the region’s steward of art and history, the museum takes great pride in inspiring and educating through cultural programming. Additionally, the institution facilitates important community conversations by offering a forum for dialogue across differences and brings the community together using art and history.
Dude’s Drive-In
Treat yourself to a nostalgic dining experience with a visit to Dude’s Drive-In. Dude’s beckons visitors with the promise of all the authentic roadside grill flavor they can handle, complete with the formidable size of the Dude Burger, which challenges the best of appetites. Dude’s staff takes your order and brings your food right to the driver’s side window, just like the classic drive-in diners of earlier times. If you’re worried about the upholstery in the family truckster, just pull up a seat at one of the picnic benches or take your food to go.
Crimper’s Climbing Gym
Crimper’s Climbing Gym is the place to learn, practice, train, and perform the sport of indoor climbing, perfect in case you happen to catch a rainy day, or just want to try something new and exciting! From bouldering to top roping, Crimper’s offers a large variety of routes, making it the perfect gym for beginners and experienced climbers alike!
It’s Game Time at NRV SuperBowl
It’s Game Time at the NRV Super Bowl is a place where you and your children will get giddy with excitement (no matter what age) to bowl, play arcade games, spin out on Spin Zone bumper cars, enjoy a game of laser tag, or even try your hand at axe throwing!
