Finding the LOVE in the Blue Ridge Highlands

This two day trip includes a LOVEwork itinerary for finding the LOVE in the Blue Ridge Highlands. Visiting the Blue Ridge Highlands area includes a wide variety of outdoor recreation, great music and some of the best scenery in Virginia. Come visit the towns and cities along the Blue Ridge Parkway "One of the most visited parks of the National Park Service".

Day 1

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LOVEwork in Galax

Begin your trip to Virginia's Blue Ridge Highlands with a day in Galax, a city rich with tradition, shopping, music, outdoor recreation and scenic beauty. Snap a photo with the LOVEwork in Galax. Created by local artists, the LOVEwork is made of with fiddles enclosed in a wood case and placed on the side of a building in the center of downtown Galax.

Open May through October, the Blue Ridge Music Center features free music daily in the breezeway. A Summer Concert Series is featured each weekend June through September. Visit the Historic Rex Theater in Downtown Galax every Friday evening for a unique Live Radio Show featuring bluegrass and old-time bands performing on stage.

Hiking, biking, horseback riding and boating enthusiasts can spend some time at the New River Trail State Park. The park winds through several counties and parallels the scenic and historic New River for 39 miles. Families can take a swim in the 168-acre lake at Fairy Stone State Park or watch sunset from a paddle boat. Water lovers can also fish, boat and float along the 3,000-acre Philpott Lake with 100 miles of shoreline nestled among the rolling foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. The lake's clear water and natural shoreline make it a unique place for visitors to enjoy numerous recreational opportunities.

Take another opportunity to find love and grab a photo with the LOVEwork in Stuart. With letters made entirely of aircraft grade aluminum, the Patrick County Love Sign measures nine feet in height, 16 feet in length.

Eat -

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Day 2

LOVEWork-Floyd
LOVEwork at the Jacksonville Center for the Arts

Your itinerary continues into the town of Floyd. Floyd is home to world-famous live music, artists and craftsmen, wineries, friendly people, and is a popular stop along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Stop by and snap a photo with the LOVEwork at the Jacksonville Center for the Arts. The LOVE quilts were designed and made by the Floyd Quilt Guild.

Rocky Knob, one of the first developed areas on the Blue Ridge Parkway, offers camping, picnicking, and wonderful opportunities for hiking including the Rock Castle Gorge. The strenuous and rugged nature of the trail is part of the reason this pathway was given National Recreational Trail status. Also, in the springtime to early summer, nearly 200 varieties of wildflowers are visible along the trail area.

Enjoy a half-mile hike up the scenic summit at Buffalo Mountain Natural Area Preserve. Enjoy panoramic views of 50 miles and spot many rare plant and animal occurrences. Experience the forest canopy with it's very own plant, bird and animal life with Buffalo Mountain Ziplines - great for ages 3 to 103.

Experience authentic Appalachian music and watch flatfoot dancers and cloggers at the Floyd Country Store. This country store is over 100 years old and you can find everything from hand-dipped ice cream to hard-wearing bib overalls, and a great collection of hard-to-find old-time and bluegrass CDs and music accessories. Don't miss the barrels of old-fashioned candy at the front of the store!

Visit the Blue Ridge Institute & Museum of Ferrum College, the official State Center for Blue Ridge Folklore and a major venue along The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail.

If you planning on attending FloydFest for five days of "Music, Magic and Mountains", July 24-28, 2019, be sure to check out the LOVEwork at FloydFest.

Eat

Mabry Mill Restaurant
Mickey G’s
Dogtown Roadhouse
Blue Ridge Cafe

Stay

Check out our map of places where you can add more LOVE to your vacation. Be sure to share your pictures on social media by tagging @VisitVirginia using the hashtag #LOVEVA.