This place is definitely worth checking out! Had no clue this place existed until we passed by it…read morewhile visiting Williamson. The history of the Coal House is very unique! There is a nice little gift shop inside as well.

From the owner: Housing the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce, The world famous Coal House is a visitor's welcome…read morecenter and gateway to the Hatfield McCoy Mountains of southern West Virginia. #VisitTheTug

About five miles out from Abingdon and well worth the drive down the country roads to get there,…read moreWhite's Mill and mercantile is a restored/working 18th century water mill that produces the best coarse ground yellow grits I have ever had (my first taste was the White's Mill Grit Cakes served at Abingdon's Bone Fire Smokehouse and I've never looked back/had better since). The goodness of those yellow grits are the main reason I'm writing this review, but the mill itself and the adjacent "mercantile" country store (where you can find said grits available for purchase stored within a chest freezer alongside other White's Mill milled grains (like cornmeal, flour, white grits etc.). I've never seen anyone attending the mill any time I have visited thus I cautiously wander around inside with at least one buddy in tow as the interior looks every bit as old as it's 1790 establish date (the 1866 restoration notwithstanding). From the entrance level there are rooms both upstairs and down, the lover level revealing a cool living room type of space complete with a hearth/fireplace and a lot of huge, aged and complicated-looking gears and other oddly quiet antiquated mechanics in motion. It feels like entering a portal to another time; braving the creaking stairs within the mill is an adventure in and of itself. The mercantile is an old house-turned-store next to the mill stocked windows-to-walls with goods, wears, and--let's be real--junk. If you like being overwhelmed with multiple rooms full of stuff and sifting through troves seeking treasures, get thee to this out-of-the-way country store. Aside from grain, jellies, and jams, you can find all kinds of antiques and other random oddities that only rural bric-a-brac magnets like this place can accrue. As a final testament to the boss quality of White's Mill yellow grits: when I moved to Japan I brought two bags with me that I keep squirreled away in the freezer for days when I have a fever for the flavor. To cook coarse yellow grits: boil 4 parts water and add 1 part grits. Stir every few minutes for about 25 minutes until they reach a naturally creamy consistency. Experiment to find your flavor by adding seasoning, cream/milk/water, cheese, other stuff etc. -or- let them cool and make polenta-like grit cakes :)

Well preserved piece of ground but beware the total battlefield is not part of this area. My own gr…read moregr gr grandfather and three of his sons, including my gr gr grandfather fought here with the 5th Kentucky CSA.

We were staying in the area and someone told us about this battlefield. So we took a short drive…read moreout from Prestonsburg to see it. It is a very small area off the side of the road. There are interpretative signs that give the details of the battle. The Battle of Middle Creek was an engagement fought January 10, 1862, in Eastern Kentucky during the American Civil War. The battle, along with the Battle of Mill Springs, positioned the Union armies to invade Middle Tennessee. There are also small paths that you can take and walk out onto the field.

The Lincoln Theatre was opened in 1929 and its history is quite fascinating. My friends live in…read moreMarion and wanted me to see the local offerings. We went into the theater shop midday and they asked the lovely woman running the theater if we could have a tour? She was in the middle of getting ready for that night's Rocky Horror Picture Show, but in true sweet Southern hospitality, cheerfully let us in so we could look around and she could talk to us about the establishment. The theatre was lovingly restored in the 1980s by locals who turned it into a nonprofit. PBS broadcasts its Song of the Mountains show here monthly. The woman we spoke to was working on grants to bring in movies and other performances to the theater. It would be a great venue for all of the above. As I had an early flight home the next day, we didn't come back to see the show, but I truly believe this is a gem to be checked out in Marion.

Perfect venue in a small town, have seen great entertainment here! All seating has great views,…read moreprices are reasonable

In 1852, Joseph Anderson bought acreage on other side of the Tennessee-Virginia border where two…read morerailroad lines were planned to meet. He started a town called Bristol on the Tennessee side, with his house being the first building. The settlement on the other side of the border came to be known as Goodsonville after the city's founder Samuel Goodson. The borders of their lands would help form the city boundaries, but since they abutted each other so closely, the distinction began to seem a bit perfunctory. Goodsonville would officially rename itself Bristol in 1890. As the towns grew, their downtowns would follow State Street, the center of which contains boundary markers between the yellow lane lines. Yes, you'll see the brass name plates embedded in the center of the roadway. You'll see a difference in the sidewalks on each side. You'll notice historical markers are different on each side as well. And of course, the beautiful sign that proclaims Bristol Virginia and Bristol Tennessee "A good place to live." I don't know how many other cities are intentionally split like this. [Review 14959 overall, 461 of 2021, number 1268 in Virginia.]

April, 2025. We visited Abington, Virginia quite a few years ago. After discovering the Virginia…read moreCreeper Trail at that time, we promised that we'd return "someday" to bike at least part of the trail. This trail is a nationally-acclaimed Rails-to-Trails that extends for 34 miles and over 47 trestle bridges. While best known as a biking trail, it's actually a multi-use trail with bikers, walkers, stroller pushers, runners, equestrians, and more, especially near the access points. In the past, the trail started near Whitetop, went about 18 miles to the center point near Damascus, and ended in the charming town of Abingdon (or vice versa). Unfortunately, Damascus was hard hit by Hurricane Helene, and 18 trestle bridges were destroyed as well as many portions of the trail so the Whitetop to Damascus portion of the trail is currently closed. The 18-mile stretch from Damascus to Abington IS open. While there are bike rental companies, as well as shuttle services to take you to the trail's start, we brought our own bikes. We decided to ride the 8.5 mile segment from Abingdon (elevation: 2,020' to Alvarado Station (the old train stop at 1,750') and back. This "lower" section is considered a relatively easy to moderate stretch through rolling farmland and forests and over beautiful trestle bridges. As mentioned, our turning point was Alvarado Station, where we enjoyed our picnic lunch on a bench river-side. The stop also had drinks and snacks available for sale, a water refill station, restrooms, and a big, friendly dog eyeing our lunches! The trail is wide in most areas, and is very well-maintained. There are multiple access points with parking lots, information kiosks, regular mileage markers, benches, photo ops, and some restrooms. In a relatively recent development, e-bikes are now allowed on the trail. With its restaurants, breweries, shops, local theater, and more, make some extra time to visit Abingdon!

Love riding the Virginia Creeper Trail. Most people ride it from Whitetop Mountain down to…read moreDamascus, but it's just as enjoyable riding the section from Abingdon to Damascus, and back. Both routes offer beautiful scenery and make for a great ride. ‍

This thing rocks......literally....side to side as you walk on it. I walked about 1/4 of the way…read moreacross, and wondered if I was going to fall in the Clinch River. Makes me wonder how often these things are inspected.

I little piece of history spanning a beautiful river. Great photo op and my kid loves it.read more

Was it carved by Cherokee Indians to honor their chief, or by wind and rain....I suspect the…read morelatter, but you can be the judge yourself. Just north of the rock, is an old abandoned store where you can pull over, and take a look, and snap a photo.