Rediscovering America_ Exploring the Small Towns of Virginia & Maryland - Bill Burnham [4]
Bring sturdy shoes for a hike up to the Cascades waterfall, a four-mile round-trip. This 68-foot waterfall forms on the Little Stony Creek as it flows through the Jefferson National Forest west of Blacksburg. There are bathrooms and a picnic area near the trailhead, and a parking fee is charged. (tel. 540-552-4261)
The Appalachian Trail passes through Mountain Lake Wilderness, an 11,113-acre woodland that protects Virginia’s only natural lake in the western part of the state. The War Spur and Chestnut trails form an easy day-hiking loop that passes a stirring rock overlook and old growth Eastern Hemlock trees. (tel. 540-288-4061)
Lodging
Pet-friendly: The Clay Corner Inn is a five-building B&B surrounding a heated pool. The rooms are themed: The Quilt Room has hand-embroidered pillows, the Sanibel Room features seashells and lace, and the Hokie Room is decked out in the team colors of orange and burgundy. The hospitality may be old-fashioned (ironed pillow cases), but the amenities are not – 59-channel cable TV, separate entrances, full kitchens and living areas in each guesthouse. You’ll probably meet resident labs Kent and Solomon (who has authored his own book, Solomon Says – Observations of an Innkeeper Dog). The oldest building (1911) is the Huckleberry House, so named because the Huckleberry Trail is just feet from the front door. You might run into one of the innkeepers walking Solomon and Kent on the trail. And of course, pets are welcome. (401 Clay Street SW, tel. 540-953-2604, www.claycorner.com, $$)
Pet-friendly: The Best Western Red Lion Inn may be a chain motel, but you’d hardly guess it, nor that you were right of I-460. The 13 acres of grounds have rolling lawns, trees, and even a stream with a little bridge over it. There’s continental breakfast and dining in the Red Lion Restaurant. The décor and building design are German-influenced. The lobby has fireplaces, deep sofas and an “old world” atmosphere. Pets allowed with notice. (900 Plantation Road, exit I-460 at Prices Ford Road, tel. 540-552-7770, $)
It’s about 16 miles north of Blacksburg, but well worth the trip: Mountain Lake Hotel in Pembroke sits at the entrance to Mountain Lake Wilderness on its own 2,600 acres of mountain resort. There’s hiking, mountain biking, boating, fishing, swimming, tennis, carriage and pony rides, and lawn games. The film Dirty Dancing was filmed in the elegant 150-year-old stone lodge. Open May through November. (tel. 800-828-0490, www.mountainlakehotel.com, $$$$)
Dining
Check out the rooftop dining at Boudreaux’s Louisiana Kitchen, a hip Cajun restaurant. On one warm March evening the rooftop open-air lounge was already open with a tented roof across the top. There’s a long bar, restrooms and dining areas with tables overlooking Main Street for prime people watching. By graduation weekend, the entire roof comes off, exposing the bar to the open air. A little bit of Morgan’s Landing in southwest Virginia. (We once had – and will never forget – a Thai dinner one hot summer night on a roof in Washington DC’s Morgan’s Landing neighborhood). For $3.50 you take home the souvenir glass your drink comes in. (205 North Main Street, tel. 540-961-2330)
The Cellar Restaurant has a techno-industrial feel with stainless steel furniture and a concrete bar. The fare is inexpensive but creative, combining Greek and Italian favorites with new twists – i.e. Greek Spaghetti with flame-grilled breast of chicken – and many vegetarian choices. (302 North Main Street, tel. 540-953-0651)
Our Daily Bread Bakery and Café is a favorite lunch spot among locals. Started by a Virginia Tech graduate in 1980, the bakery has every kind of bread you can imagine, from lemon poppy seed to Portuguese sweet bread, as well as daily specials of unique sandwiches (chicken salad with artichokes