Informational Article

The Southwest Virginia Cultural Center and Marketplace is the Gateway to Southwest Virginia music, crafts, outdoor recreation, food and local culture.   Here we celebrate the unique natural and cultural assets that make Southwest Virginia such an incredible place to live or visit. With the objective of making Southwest Virginia known all over the United States and the world, we focus on the region’s natural beauty, unique culture, and welcoming and hospitable people.   Several organizations, all headquartered at...

The picturesque mountainsides of Southwest Virginia are home to a number of well-established wineries, thanks in large part to a good climate for growing grapes, as well as a loamy and gravelly soil with good drainage and stunning elevations. Throughout the region, you’ll find a wide variety of enjoyable wines, ranging from reds and whites to sweet and limited releases. A brief description of each of Southwest Virginia’s offerings follows:   ABINGDON VINEYARDS With more than 20 wines available,...

Virginia, which has a long and fascinating history regarding distilled drinks, produced the first batch of whiskey on American soil way back in 1620. A rich tradition has followed, with numerous distilleries and tasting rooms now open all across the Commonwealth, including several in Southwest Virginia. Each has its own distinct flavor and story, as you’ll see when you visit the following distilleries:   FIVE MILE MOUNTAIN Floyd’s first distillery since prohibition, Five Mile Mountain uses old, traditional recipes utilizing traditional copper stills on...

Southwest Virginia is within a day’s drive of more than half of the United States population, giving plenty of folks the opportunity to enjoy some of the most beautiful state parks in the country.   At roughly the same size of Rhode Island, scenic Southwest Virginia, which sits among the majestic Appalachian Mountains, covers 19 counties that feature thousands of acres of public land and more outdoor recreational destinations than you can imagine. With a total of...

Virginia Tourism Corporation, along with our industry partners, is launching a year-long campaign aimed at getting Millennials to take the time they need. Our focus will be convincing them to dip their toe in the vacation pool in a way that’s low cost and low risk, but hugely rewarding. If we can get Millennials to take just one day off and spend it in Virginia, then maybe, just maybe, we can ease their fears, shift...

The route known as the Back of the Dragon has become a top destination for motorcyclists, but any motorists will enjoy the amazing views. Virginia State Parks Sturgis, South Dakota, is what pops into most people’s minds when they think of motorcycle adventures. While this rip roaring party of a motorcycle rally is perhaps the most iconic, it hardly speaks for the lot of ‘em—there are a variety of places and ways to embark on a motorcycle...

The Virginia Creeper Trail is one of the area’s top destinations for cyclists. The scenic path stretches 34 miles from Whitetop Station to Abingdon. Perry Smyre After the grit and grime, the best way to cap off an epic outdoor adventure is with a little well-deserved pampering. Southwest Virginia offers the best of both worlds—it’s an outdoor lover’s paradise brimming with adventure, from mountain-swaddled lakes to wilderness-cloaked trails to cloud-splitting summits with plenty of epicurean delights, engaging...