Blacksburg VA : Recommendations Beyond Va Tourism Sites?
April 26, 2012 8:10 PM Subscribe
Blacksburg VA area. Memorial Day Weekend. Where do I eat? What do I do? What's going on?
Staying just outside Blacksburg, just a short drive South.
Now being a college town I know there are undoubtedly places beloved by the VaTech student body, but I also know that there is a forgiving haze that settles over these student-ish places that when you come back or find yourself there once you're over the age of 25 it seems kind of gritty or shitty. I don't want that. Where do the townies go when they don't want the boys from SAE sitting at the next table?
I do love diners, meat & 3's and other local Mom & Pops that are known to the privileged few.
What's there to do?
Yes, Yes, there's Mountain Trail "X" that I could walk, but I guess I mean cultural, idiosyncratic, historical. More local flavor, less 'go look at the trees' kind of stuff. I know where to rent the New River canoes already.
What's going on?
Pretty straight forward. Festivals, events, etc that weekend in the area?
Staying just outside Blacksburg, just a short drive South.
Now being a college town I know there are undoubtedly places beloved by the VaTech student body, but I also know that there is a forgiving haze that settles over these student-ish places that when you come back or find yourself there once you're over the age of 25 it seems kind of gritty or shitty. I don't want that. Where do the townies go when they don't want the boys from SAE sitting at the next table?
I do love diners, meat & 3's and other local Mom & Pops that are known to the privileged few.
What's there to do?
Yes, Yes, there's Mountain Trail "X" that I could walk, but I guess I mean cultural, idiosyncratic, historical. More local flavor, less 'go look at the trees' kind of stuff. I know where to rent the New River canoes already.
What's going on?
Pretty straight forward. Festivals, events, etc that weekend in the area?
Best answer: The local paper is the Roanoke Times and they keep good track of what's happening in the Blacksburg area (aka the New River Valley). There's a paper insert every Friday(?) with local events and they review restaurants too.
The town web site will track anything official, e.g. parades.
There's a farmer's market every Saturday from about 8 to 2 downtown. Every Tuesday there's music in the same place. The downtown merchants site has some info too. The biggest event downtown each year is in early August.
Gillie's is a good vegetarian restaurant. I like Our Daily Bread (on South Main). Personally I also like the Cellar, which does get some students, but they tend to be grad students, not raucous undergrads. There's an restored theater downtown, The Lyric and a new VT theater across the street.
Floyd has really grown culturally in recent years. The country store is about as local flavor as it gets! Definitely not Mom and Pop, but a bit further on, on the Blue Ridge Parkway is Chateau Morissette. They have Jazz and Wine festivals, but not till later in the year. Floydfest isn't till later in the year unfortunately.
Pretty much the definition of local, Mom and Pop, meat and veg is the Homeplace, which is a bit nearer Roanoke. It is an experience in itself.
It's probably worth checking out events at VT. Blacksburg History has some events, although not that weekend it looks like. 16 blocks is a local arts and music magazine.
posted by idb at 6:36 AM on April 27, 2012
The town web site will track anything official, e.g. parades.
There's a farmer's market every Saturday from about 8 to 2 downtown. Every Tuesday there's music in the same place. The downtown merchants site has some info too. The biggest event downtown each year is in early August.
Gillie's is a good vegetarian restaurant. I like Our Daily Bread (on South Main). Personally I also like the Cellar, which does get some students, but they tend to be grad students, not raucous undergrads. There's an restored theater downtown, The Lyric and a new VT theater across the street.
Floyd has really grown culturally in recent years. The country store is about as local flavor as it gets! Definitely not Mom and Pop, but a bit further on, on the Blue Ridge Parkway is Chateau Morissette. They have Jazz and Wine festivals, but not till later in the year. Floydfest isn't till later in the year unfortunately.
Pretty much the definition of local, Mom and Pop, meat and veg is the Homeplace, which is a bit nearer Roanoke. It is an experience in itself.
It's probably worth checking out events at VT. Blacksburg History has some events, although not that weekend it looks like. 16 blocks is a local arts and music magazine.
posted by idb at 6:36 AM on April 27, 2012
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You may not know about The Palisades, which is a delicious spot about 30 minutes away in Eggleston, VA. Excellent weekend brunch buffet, great coursed dinner, and a beautiful drive to get there.
*Not that you'd have any frat activity at the Pub. Get a cup of coffee from the ornery bearded guy, while you're at it. His name's Russell.
posted by a halcyon day at 3:12 AM on April 27, 2012