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The Blue Ridge Parkway came out of the Great Depression as a way to link
the Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains national parks by way of a recreational
motor road. Campgrounds, picnic areas, visitor centers, lodges and restaurants offer places of recreation,
relaxation, or education. Log cabins and turn-of-the-century mansions bring
opportunities to learn about the people who have called the Blue Ridge their home. The Blue Ridge Parkway is ranked "America's most
scenic drive" by leading travel writers. The Parkway follows the mountain crests from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smokey
Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. Whether you visit during the first explosion of colorful wildflowers in spring to the refreshing
coolness of summer to the fall extravaganza in red and gold to the serene blanket of winter's snow, each season is a feast for the senses.
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Come to Hillsville, Virginia, just about any other weekend of the year and you will find a nice but sleepy town
of just a few thousand folks. But come to Hillsville on Labor Day weekend - usually the first weekend in September - and
you will find that sleepy little town has become a bustling metropolis of flea market and gun show sellers and buyers half a million strong.
VFW Post 1115 has been sponsoring the Labor Day Gun Show & Flea Market since the
late 1960s and it has become one of the biggest events of
its type in the state --- perhaps in the nation.
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 Located in Orchard Gap, Va, Levering Orchard was primarily an
apple orchard until the 1970s. Today Levering Orchard's primary crop is cherries. On a good season, the cherries start as early as late May and can extend to the Fourth of July.
Levering Orchard claims the title as the largest cherry orchard in the South and draws customers from as
far as Washington DC and Atlanta to pick its 43 varieties of sweet and sour cherries. As Deane Kern wrote for a recent issue of Blue Ridge Country magazine,
"Every June, Levering Orchard welcomes more than 20,000 visitors from the Blue Ridge and beyond.... Frank always encourages visitors to bring picnic lunches and take time to savor
the clear mountain breezes and breathtaking scenic views. He declares that his delicious fruit cannot be found in grocery stores at even twice the price."
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The Cherry Orchard Theatre celebrates its third season with four exciting
dramas spanning six summer weekends. Bring a picnic supper, lawn chairs - and family and friends - and enjoy live
theater on the mountain in an enchanting outdoor setting. It's a unique, uplifting experience, providing "goose-bump good"
entertainment with tree-ripe fruit, cool mountain air and a 50-mile view! All shows are on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
evenings, when an evening breeze stirs the leaves of the surrounding cherry trees. There's plenty of room in our orchard
amphitheatre, so reservations are recommended but not required.
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At Milepost 189 on the Blue Ridge Parkway you'll find an accommodating resort where you can stop the world and imbibe the Appalachian experience.
Doe Run Lodge offers an inviting retreat of comfortable accommodations nestled in a remote mountain setting, perfect for family vacations, romantic
getaways, and business conferences. The High County restaurant is the focal point of the lodge. When you work up an appetite,
a dining experience at the High Country restaurant will surpass any typical resort fare. A unique menu boasts offerings of quality
seafood, steak, and other recipes particular to the region. The dining room reveals special views of the mountainside and also
offers an open-air patio for outdoor dining pleasure. The High Country restaurant is known for its excellent food, including fresh
seafood from the coast and other special attractions.
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Overlooking the New River, Shot Tower was built more than 150 years ago to make ammunition for the firearms of the early settlers.
Lead from the nearby Austinville Mines was melted in a kettle atop the 75-foot tower and poured through a sieve, falling through the
tower and an additional 75-foot shaft beneath the tower into a kettle of water. For a small fee, guests may ascend the tower which is
on the National Register of Historic Places. The Shot Tower is just one stop along the New River Trail.
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