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

Darlin family farm is not an actual farm. Instead it is a homage and building facade to characters…read moreof the famed tv show the Andy Griffith show in historic downtown mount Airy North Carolina aka Mayberry. This barn and truck are simply Photo ops and sit next to other Mayberry photo ops and the gift stores inside Wally's and the Mayberry hotel. Overall a really fun photo ops and it's cool to see an homage to the whacky darlin family that was lovable reoccurring characters in the show.

Darlin family farm is not an actual farm.My buddy and I visited Mayberry over the summer. We had a…read moregreat time and it was very fun to see all the sights and scenes from the beloved TV show. This is a great addition to the tour and the town. I would recommend checking it out as it has many fun tidbits from Andy and Barney. Goober says hey! Hey to Goober.

this is the first lookout tower i have ever been on & it was REMARKABLE. below is some hopefully…read morehelpful information about the lookout tower. is it scary ? - the very simple answer is yes. it is pretty scary especially when you go on a windy day & the entire tower shakes while you walk on up it. however, you should know what you are getting yourself into. you're climbing a lookout tower on the top of a mountain! it's not easy but, it is worth it. don't look until you get to the top! sadly the very top of the lookout tower is locked but, you can still sit right below it for the same experience. bringing kids & dogs - starting with kids, i think you should only bring your kids when they reach the age where they won't wonder off of the side of a mountain. that age may vary, it really depends on the trust you have with them. as for dogs, i think they will love the trail but not so much the tower itself. while i was there i saw multiple dogs attempt a few stairs & then run back down in fear. i don't blame them haha! directions - i honestly just used apple maps for directions but, i will try to describe where to go in case you can't use apple maps. there is a campground called mount pisgah campground & it is very close to the lookout tower. it is on blue ridge parkway. if you are looking at the entrance to the campground you need to turn left & continue down blue ridge parkway until you see the first pull off / walking path to the right. from there you make your way up the path. it is a short walk however, you will be walking up in a incline for the most part. some websites say that the trail is on forest service road 450 but, i don't know how accurate that is. recommendations - if you go in march, i suggest bringing a sweater / jacket. the higher in the mountains you get, the colder it gets. i also recommend that you bring a water no matter the time of year. in conclusion, this is a must do! it is an easy little walk with a scenic drive on the way up & down the mountain. it will take you maybe three hours at most.

I wasn't sure what to expect but the lady at the visitor center said this was a MUST DO!…read more This was a house that looked like Miss Gertrude stepped of and walked outside and you snuck in. Everything is in its place and authentic to how she had it decorated. The two ladies at the back entrance were super friendly and a wealth of knowledge. We enjoyed walking through and looking at the decor and photos. Amazing art work from around the world. I loved hearing the stories and I could just feel a sense that I had met Gertrude while walking her halls. Thank you for allowing us to stop by right at closing!!

The Gertrude Smith House is located just outside of Downtown Mt. Airy. It is within walking…read moredistance or you can drive as they have a parking lot or you can park in the street. The 1903 house is on the National Register of Historic Homes. Admission is free to tour the Victorian house as that was part of Gertrude Smith's will that admission be free. Ms. Smith left her house by will to be kept as a museum and established a trust to care and maintain it. The house is kept as if it were in the early 1900s with furniture; artwork and decor. The tour begins in the back of the house and I was greeted and given some history of the house and Ms. Smith. The house is self guided so you can spend as much time inside as you'd like. The rooms have information to read about or you can just look at the contents from the antiques; photographs; artwork; furniture; etc. I highly recommend visiting this historic gem if you are in the MT. Airy area.

This obelisk is located in front of the Carroll County Courthouse thought it used to be located in…read morethe center of the street. The courthouse was built in 1870, the year Virginia rejoined the union. On one side, the marker lists a number of Civil War battles including Manassas, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Cold Harbor, Winchester, Atlanta and Bentonville. On the next, several Virginia infantry companies and reserves. A relief of (I assume) Jefferson Davis and two crossed swords. Atop the marker, the customary Confederate soldier in uniform, leaning on his rifle. He is facing to the southwest. There is some street parking in this busy part of Hillsville. [Review 13832 overall, 1154 of 2020, number 1265 in Virginia.]

This marker is located in front of the Carroll County Courthouse. There is some street parking…read moreavailable and there are parking lots nearby. The marker reads, "This place became the county seat when Carroll County was formed. The first court was held here, 1842; A. W. C. Nowlin was the first judge. The courthouse, built in 1872, was remodeled some years ago. The town was incorporated in 1900 and rechartered in 1940." The town is located at the intersection of US Routes 52 and 221. The famous Blue Ridge Parkway passes about 9 miles to the south. The town's primary claim to fame is its Hillsville Flea Market which has been called the largest American flea market to the east of the Mississippi River. [Review 13831 overall, 1153 of 2020, number 1264 in Virginia.]

Super cute spot. Looked like someone had just gotten married there because there was confetti…read moreeverywhere. Great stop for pictures and easy to walk too. Wheelchair accessible as well.

A beautiful covered bridge in the Historic district. This modern (1998) covered bridge connects the…read moreVisitors Center with the Historic district. We stopped here for a little walk about on a Sunday morning so we didn't happen upon many people and nothing was open at the time. It was peaceful walk in a pretty area.

We had the best time walking through the streets of Old Salem. We opted not to purchase the pass to…read morevisit the exhibits this time. We were looking to just spend the day walking outside and visiting the bakery and shops. If we had the extra time, we would have done the whole tour. We visited the bakery on our walk down. It was pretty busy per usual. We purchased some delicious goodies: cheese stars, raisin bread, cherry strudel and an oatmeal cookie sandwich. The first bag of cheese stars never made it home! We ate those as we walked to the coffee pot and God's Acre. We stopped in several shops and did some window shopping. It was so great to see all the holiday decorations out and the bridge decorated with all those beautiful Moravian stars. This is my favorite time of the year to visit Old Salem. It is simply beautiful and quaint. Definitely stroll through the streets of Old Salem anytime you want a quiet moment. It's worth a trip!

Super cute old town area with beautiful buildings and a cool bakery with a special bread baking…read moreoven. It's worth a visit!

This is the April 16 memorial for the unfortunate events that happened on Virginia techs campus on…read morethat day. This is a nice tribute, but very sad tribute. I hate to see that this thing exists because the events should never happened. I'm glad they do tribute.

This simple and well-designed memorial commemorates the lives of those lost in the events of April…read more16, 2007. I won't go into detail - that is all available online. According to the website, "In the hours following the April 16 tragedy, the student-driven volunteer organization Hokies United placed 32 Hokie Stones on the Drillfield. The semi-circle of stones became a place to gather, to mourn, and to reflect, and the poignant display inspired today's memorial." It is uncomplicated and without ostentation. A simple semi-circle with 32 stones that sit in view of the drillfield at the center of the campus. It would be hard to pass by and miss it, yet if you did not know what it was, you would walk right past. I doubt very much that any Hokies walk right past. [Review 13814 overall, 1135 of 2020, number 1248 in Virginia.]

Whether you're a history buff or someone looking for a beautiful place to stretch your legs, this…read morenational monument is worth a stop. Booker T Washington was born into slavery on this plantation, later freed during the Civil War and went on to become an educator, author and political activist. You can learn more about his life inside the visitor center as well as from the information boards scattered throughout the property. I highly recommend a walk on the Jack o' Lantern loop trail which is about 2 miles long and takes you past old buildings and through the woods. Dogs are also allowed on the trail if they are on a leash. The visitor center is open from 10am-4pm and the grounds are open from 9am-5pm with the exception of some major holidays. And there is no fee to visit!

This site is pretty far out there. Even as someone who drives from Roanoke to Lynchburg somewhat…read moreregularly, it is out of the way. When I found an excuse to go, I found the site affecting. There is a visitor center that provides a compelling history of an individuals journey through American history. There is also some recreated farm buildings and some trails which I didn't have time to peruse in their entirety. The visitor center was not in a great condition. The air-conditioning was marginal on a hot day and the water in the bathrooms was not working so we were redirected to some Porta potties outside. It is a valuable historic site and I hope that some repairs get funded.